What Size Frame for an 8×10 Print?

What Size Frame for an 8×10 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 8×10 is the classic portrait and small art-print size. With a mat it goes up to an 11×14 frame, the most common pairing in frame shops, and the one most ready-made frames are sold with.

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 8×10 Print

An 8×10 in print is 20.3 × 25.4 cm. Outside North America, frames come in centimeters, and none match it exactly. The nearest, 20×25 cm, is 3 mm narrower and 4 mm shorter than the print, so it needs the print trimmed slightly, or an inch-size frame from a specialist.

• With a mat: a 30×40 cm frame gives a border of about 4.8 cm at the sides and 7.3 cm at the top and bottom (deeper top and bottom).

Will My Photo Fit an 8×10 Frame?

The 8×10 shape is 4 : 5. A print only fits without cropping if its shape matches:

• Phone photo (3 : 4): loses about 6% off its long side.
• Camera photo (2 : 3): loses about 17% 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 8×10 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).