What Size Frame for an 11×14 Print?

What Size Frame for an 11×14 Print

Without a mat, buy a frame the same size as the print: frame sizes are the size of picture they hold, not the outside of the frame. With a mat, go up a size: frame size = print size + 2 × the mat border.

An 11×14 is a popular art-print size, and it's also the frame an 8×10 goes into with a mat. Framed with a mat, it steps up to 16×20, which looks substantial on a wall on its own.

The mat opening is cut a little smaller than the print, about ¼ in on each side, so the mat holds it in place. Ready-made mats are usually cut this way; custom framers often cut tighter, about 3 mm (⅛ in) a side, which is what the frame size calculator uses, so its opening comes out slightly larger.

Metric Frames for an 11×14 Print

An 11×14 in print is 27.9 × 35.6 cm. Outside North America, frames come in centimeters, and none match it exactly. The nearest, 28×35 cm, is 1 mm wider and 6 mm shorter than the print, so it needs the print trimmed slightly, or an inch-size frame from a specialist.

• With a mat: a 40×50 cm frame gives a border of about 6.0 cm at the sides and 7.2 cm at the top and bottom (deeper top and bottom).

Will My Photo Fit an 11×14 Frame?

The 11×14 shape is 11 : 14. A print only fits without cropping if its shape matches:

• Phone photo (3 : 4): loses about 5% off its long side.
• Camera photo (2 : 3): loses about 15% off its long side.
• Square photo: needs a square frame or a mat with a square opening.

To avoid cropping, order the print to match the frame, or have a mat cut to your photo's shape. The frame sizes chart lists which sizes share each shape.

How High to Hang an 11×14 Frame

Hang it with the center of the frame at eye level, about 57–60 in (145–153 cm) from the floor. The nail goes at the center height, plus half the frame's outside height, minus the hook drop (how far the wire or D-ring pulls up below the top edge).