Picture Frame Size Chart and Guidelines (with Drawings)

A home is complete and more inviting when it has framed images. Framing your images is a great way to personalize a new place you’re moving into or simply freshen up your current house. The appeal of framed photographs is that you may customize them to fit your unique taste.

However, do you know what the frame sizes are and how to size a frame? For those that don’t, you’ll find the answers to these questions below.

Picture Frame Size Chart

Before moving forward, you should know that picture frames come in a variety of sizes. There are also round frames worth considering if you’d like to give your home an artistic feel. Below, I’ll list the standard, non-standard, and round frame sizes.

Standard frame size chart

Small Frames	Medium Frames	Large Frames	XL Frames
2 × 2 in.	5 × 7 in.	10 × 13 in.	18 × 24 in.
3 × 3 in.	6 × 8 in.	11 × 14 in.	20 × 24 in.
3 × 5 in.	8 × 10 in.	12 × 12 in.	24 × 36 in.
3.5 × 5 in.	8 × 12 in.	12 × 16 in.	30 × 40 in.
4 × 4 in.	9 × 12 in.	12 × 36 in.
4 × 6 in.	10 × 10 in.	16 × 20 in.
4 × 7 in.
4 × 10 in.
5 × 5 in.
5 × 7 in.

Non-standard frame size chart

Medium Frames	Large Frames	XL Frames
4 × 12 in.	10 × 20 in.	20 × 28 in.
7 × 7 in.	11 × 17 in.	22 × 28 in.
8 × 8 in.	11-3/4 × 36 in.	22-3/8 × 34 in.
8-1/2 × 11 in.	12 × 18 in.	24 × 30 in.
	13 × 19 in.	24 × 32 in.
	14 × 18 in.	27 × 39 in.
		27 × 40 in.
		27 × 41 in.

Round frame size chart

Small Frames	Medium Frames	Large Frames	XL Frames
4 in.	6 in.	18 in.	24 in.
5 in.	7 in.	20 in.	25 in.
	8 in.		30 in.
	10 in.		32 in.
			36 in.

How Are Frames Sized?

One of the most common misconceptions when looking at frame sizes is associating a frame’s size with the perimeter of the frame. This is not how you look at frame sizes.

The size of a frame refers to the size of the display or where the photo goes. So, while a frame fits under the 6 × 8-inch size, it’s physical dimensions will be slightly larger (e.g., 8 × 10 inches).

So, if you’re looking for a frame, all you have to do is remember the size of the photograph. Please note that the thickness of a frame’s border will vary between brands and models.

What Picture Frame Size Should I Get?

It ultimately depends on the purpose of framing your pictures. Here are a few ideas of what you can do with some of the more popular photo frame sizes.

4 × 6 Frames

This is the most commonly used picture frame size. 4 × 6 pictures are great for a number of things, including family photos, artwork, and even collaging. This frame size is perfect for hanging on walls or standing on desks.

5 × 7 Frames

This frame size, which is generally considered to be one step above 4 × 6 frames, is great for capturing the attention of guests without being overly in-your-face. You can also fit 4 × 6 photos in this frame size, as long as you have the right mat size.

8 × 10 Frames

Do you have a picture that you’re particularly fond of? If so, then you should consider exploding it to 8 × 10 inches and get the right frame size. Graduation photos will usually fit perfectly inside 8 × 10 frames.

What Is a Frame Mat?

A frame mat is a sheet of paper-based material that slides inside a picture frame. The purpose of a mat is to add a bit of flair to a picture frame without affecting the photo. Consider a mat to be additional left, right, top, and bottom margins between the edges of the picture and the inner edges of the frame.

Mats are great for adding a bit of style to your pictures, but they can also protect the edges and corners of photographs from creasing over. Also, because of its slight thickness, it keeps the faces of photographs away from the glass panel of the frame, so you won’t have to worry about unsticking the photograph years down the road.

Additional Tips for Choosing a Frame Size

Measure your wall space. While it might look nice to hang a massive 24 × 36-inch picture frame, you should know how much space you can allocate to your frame. So, take out a tape measure and measure the width and height of the empty space on a wall.
Choosing a mat. A mat can be a great way to cover up the margins between the photograph and the frame. However, you should also take into account the thickness of the mat and whether or not the frame can accommodate it.
You can custom order a picture frame. If your photograph does not have the same measurements as what’s listed above, then you might want to reach out to local frame makers and see what they can do.

What Frame Size for Letter Paper?

Letter paper is 8-1/2 inches wide and 11 inches long. Since the size of a frame is measured by its display, you simply have to find a frame that has the same measurements as letter paper.

However, please be aware that some frame makers might follow the A-series of paper sizes. While letter paper is pretty close to A4 paper (21 × 29.7 centimeters or roughly 8-1/4 × 11-3/4 inches) in terms of measurement, there might be a bit of a margin if you choose an A4 frame.