What Size Frame for an 18×24 Print?

What Size Frame for an 18×24 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 18×24 is a standard poster and art-print size. Posters usually go in an 18×24 frame edge to edge; art prints look best with a mat in a 24×30 frame.

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 18×24 Print

An 18×24 in print is 45.7 × 61.0 cm. Outside North America, frames come in centimeters, and none match it exactly. The nearest, 45×60 cm, is 7 mm narrower and 10 mm shorter than the print, so it needs the print trimmed slightly, or an inch-size frame from a specialist.

• With a mat: a 60×80 cm frame gives a border of about 7.1 cm at the sides and 9.5 cm at the top and bottom (deeper top and bottom).

Will My Photo Fit an 18×24 Frame?

The 18×24 shape is 3 : 4. A print only fits without cropping if its shape matches:

• Phone photo (3 : 4): fits exactly.
• Camera photo (2 : 3): loses about 11% 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 18×24 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).