Frame Size Calculator
The frame, mount and glazing sizes for a picture, plus the moulding length and the visible image area.
A frame is sold by the size of the picture it holds, and a mount changes everything downstream of that. If you add a 7 centimetre mount on four sides, the frame has to be 14 centimetres bigger in each direction and the glazing bigger again. This calculator takes the artwork, the mount and the moulding and returns the frame size to order, the outer size to fit a wall or a box, and the length of moulding to buy.
At a glance
- What you enter
- Artwork length (the long side), Artwork width (the short side), Mount width on each side, Mount overlap onto the artwork at each edge, Frame moulding width, Frame depth, Price of moulding per metre
- What you get
- Frame size to order, long side, Frame size to order, short side, Outer size, long side, Outer size, short side, Wall area the frame takes, Moulding to order, Allowance for the mitres, Cost of the moulding, Visible image length, Visible image width, Visible image area, Share of the artwork hidden by the mount, Glazing length to order, Glazing width to order, Glazing area, Box depth to allow
- Formula shown
- Yes, every step, right below your results.
- Cost and privacy
- Free, no account needed, and nothing you type is stored.
See worked examples ↓ Read the FAQ ↓ Share this calculator ↓
Results are estimates for general information only, always verify with a professional or official source before acting on them.
How to use the Frame Size Calculator
- 1 Enter Artwork length (the long side) (cm), The paper or canvas size, not the image inside it.
- 2 Enter Artwork width (the short side) (cm)
- 3 Enter Mount width on each side (cm), Leave at zero for no mount. Seven centimetres is a generous mount for a 40 by 50 picture.
- 4 Enter Mount overlap onto the artwork at each edge (cm), Three to six millimetres holds the paper flat without covering the image.
- 5 Enter Frame moulding width (cm), The width of the face of the moulding, measured across the front.
- 6 Enter Frame depth (cm), The front to back depth, which sets how deep a box the frame needs when it is shipped.
- 7 Enter Price of moulding per metre, Optional. Used for the moulding cost.
- 8 Press Calculate. You get Frame size to order, long side, Frame size to order, short side, Outer size, long side, Outer size, short side, Wall area the frame takes, Moulding to order, Allowance for the mitres, Cost of the moulding, Visible image length, Visible image width, Visible image area, Share of the artwork hidden by the mount, Glazing length to order, Glazing width to order, Glazing area, Box depth to allow, and every intermediate step stays visible under "How is this calculated?"
- 9 Change one number at a time to see what moves the result, that is usually the most useful thing a calculator can tell you.
Worked examples
Real numbers run through this calculator. Open any example to load it into the form above and change it.
A 40 by 50 cm picture with a 7 cm mount
Three centimetre moulding and half a centimetre of overlap.
You enter
- Artwork length (the long side)
- 50 cm
- Artwork width (the short side)
- 40 cm
- Mount width on each side
- 7 cm
- Mount overlap onto the artwork at each edge
- 0.50 cm
- Frame moulding width
- 3 cm
- Frame depth
- 3.50 cm
- Price of moulding per metre
- $12.00
You get
- Frame size to order, long side
- 64.00 cm
- Frame size to order, short side
- 54.00 cm
- Outer size, long side
- 70.00 cm
- Outer size, short side
- 60.00 cm
- Wall area the frame takes
- 0.42 sq m
- Moulding to order
- 2.85 m
- Allowance for the mitres
- 12.00 cm
- Cost of the moulding
- $34.22
- Visible image length
- 49.00 cm
- Visible image width
- 39.00 cm
- Visible image area
- 1,911.00 sq cm
- Share of the artwork hidden by the mount
- 4.5%
- Glazing length to order
- 64.20 cm
- Glazing width to order
- 54.20 cm
- Glazing area
- 0.35 sq m
- Box depth to allow
- 5.50 cm
Order a 54 by 64 frame, which is 60 by 70 centimetres on the wall, and 2.85 metres of moulding.
A small print framed tightly
A 20 by 25 print with a 4 centimetre mount and a narrow 2 centimetre frame.
You enter
- Artwork length (the long side)
- 25 cm
- Artwork width (the short side)
- 20 cm
- Mount width on each side
- 4 cm
- Mount overlap onto the artwork at each edge
- 0.40 cm
- Frame moulding width
- 2 cm
- Frame depth
- 2.50 cm
- Price of moulding per metre
- $9.00
You get
- Frame size to order, long side
- 33.00 cm
- Frame size to order, short side
- 28.00 cm
- Outer size, long side
- 37.00 cm
- Outer size, short side
- 32.00 cm
- Wall area the frame takes
- 0.12 sq m
- Moulding to order
- 1.50 m
- Allowance for the mitres
- 8.00 cm
- Cost of the moulding
- $13.46
- Visible image length
- 24.20 cm
- Visible image width
- 19.20 cm
- Visible image area
- 464.64 sq cm
- Share of the artwork hidden by the mount
- 7.1%
- Glazing length to order
- 33.20 cm
- Glazing width to order
- 28.20 cm
- Glazing area
- 0.09 sq m
- Box depth to allow
- 4.50 cm
A 28 by 33 frame and 32 by 37 on the wall. The mount adds more proportionally to a small picture than to a large one.
A framed canvas with no mount
A 50 by 60 canvas in a 4 centimetre float frame.
You enter
- Artwork length (the long side)
- 60 cm
- Artwork width (the short side)
- 50 cm
- Mount width on each side
- 0 cm
- Mount overlap onto the artwork at each edge
- 0 cm
- Frame moulding width
- 4 cm
- Frame depth
- 5 cm
- Price of moulding per metre
- $15.00
You get
- Frame size to order, long side
- 60.00 cm
- Frame size to order, short side
- 50.00 cm
- Outer size, long side
- 68.00 cm
- Outer size, short side
- 58.00 cm
- Wall area the frame takes
- 0.39 sq m
- Moulding to order
- 2.71 m
- Allowance for the mitres
- 16.00 cm
- Cost of the moulding
- $40.71
- Visible image length
- 60.00 cm
- Visible image width
- 50.00 cm
- Visible image area
- 3,000.00 sq cm
- Share of the artwork hidden by the mount
- 0.0%
- Glazing length to order
- 60.20 cm
- Glazing width to order
- 50.20 cm
- Glazing area
- 0.30 sq m
- Box depth to allow
- 7.00 cm
Enter the canvas size and set the mount to zero. The frame is 60 by 70 outside, and the visible area is the whole canvas.
Guides that go with it
How Much Fabric Do I Need? The Layout Matters More Than the Size
Why two people making the same garment need different yardage, and how to work out yours from the pattern pieces rather than from a chart.
How to Calculate the Amount of Yarn You Need
You are about to start a project and the pattern says "6 skeins of worsted weight." Or worse, you are designing something yourself and there is no pattern at all. You want to buy once, not make three...
Standard Paper Sizes for Crafts and Handmade Projects
If you are pricing a paper project, the honest headline is this: most small handmade paper projects cost somewhere between a few dollars and about $30 in materials, and a bigger run of cards, journals...
Frequently asked questions
Does a picture frame size include the mount?
No. A frame listed as 40 by 50 centimetres holds a 40 by 50 picture, and that measurement is the rebate, the recess the picture and glazing sit in. Add the mount width on each side: a 7 centimetre mount turns a 40 by 50 picture into a 54 by 64 frame, so you would order a 54 by 64 frame. If the frame is sold with the mount included, the listing usually says so, and it is worth checking before ordering.
How much moulding do I need for a frame?
Add the frame length and width, double it for the perimeter, then add four times the moulding width for the mitres, and fifteen percent for mistakes. A 54 by 64 frame in 3 centimetre moulding has a 236 centimetre perimeter, plus 12 for the mitres, so about 2.85 metres to order. Four mitred corners with no gaps is a real skill, and moulding is much cheaper than a wasted afternoon.
How big should a mount be?
For a 40 by 50 centimetre picture, a 6 to 8 centimetre mount looks generous without overwhelming the image, and a small picture such as 20 by 25 often takes a proportionally larger mount of 8 to 10 centimetres. The mount has two jobs: it holds the artwork away from the glazing, which matters for anything on paper, and it gives the eye somewhere to rest between the image and the frame. Make the bottom edge slightly deeper than the others if you want the traditional optical balance.
Should I use glass or acrylic glazing?
Acrylic is lighter, will not shatter, and is the sensible choice for anything large, anything shipped, or anything hung where it could be knocked. Glass is harder to scratch and generally cheaper, but a large sheet of glass is heavy and dangerous if it breaks. Whichever you use, the glazing should not touch the surface of an original painting or a print on paper: the mount or a spacer does that job. Ultraviolet filtering options exist in both materials and are worth asking about if the piece hangs in daylight.
How do I check the frame will fit where it is going?
Compare the outer size rather than the picture size. A 40 by 50 picture with a 7 centimetre mount and 3 centimetre moulding is 60 by 70 centimetres outside, which is a third more wall than the picture alone. The same applies to shipping: a box has to hold the outer size plus packing, and a piece a couple of centimetres over a courier band can cost considerably more to send. Measure the intended wall and the intended box, not the picture.