How To Select the Right Size for Your Mat Board

1. Measure the piece of art that you wish to mat.

Keep in mind that you might want to crop sections of the work

For quick reference to common standard photo mat board and picture frame sizes please see the sizing guide found at the bottom of this page.

2. Find your mat board's inner dimensions.

Expmple measuring the inside of your mat board The inner dimensions or window of the mat board should be 1/2 to 1/4 inches less than the dimensions of your piece of art. This provides a surface to which the work can be taped or glued. Our standard sizes all have windows that are 1/4" less the size of the intended print size.

For instance, an 11 x 14 photo will have a mat board opening that measures 10-1/2 x 13-1/2 inches as in this example. If you need other sizing options, you can easily create just about any custom sized picture mat by using the custom feature found on any of the bulk mat board pages found on the main menu under MAT BOARDS

3. Choose your mat board's outer dimensions.

Expmple measuring the outsidee of your mat board REDIMAT offers a wide selection of standard outside dimensions for our precut mat board sizes. The outside dimensions is the measurement of the outer most edge of the mat board and is the size of picture frame you would need if framing it or the size of the matching Clear Bag. In this example the outside dimensions is 16x20

Besides our many common mat board frames sizes we also cut custom picture matting from 4x6 inches up to 32x40 inches and any window size between. While creating a custom window size can give you just the right look for your art we recomend maintaining a standard outer dimension frame size if you are reselling your matted prints. The allows your customers to easily find a frame that will fit without the cost of a custom frame shop. What ever your preference, we got you covered.

4. Choose the quality of mat board.

Different pieces of art require different grades of mat board. An inexpensive snapshot will benefit from standard economy mat board (paper) while an important family heirloom deserves nothing less than museum-grade mat board 100% Cotton RagMat board Please see our guide to understanding the different types of mat board.

Economy Mat Board Graphic

Economy

Affordable paper mat boards come in an exciting range of decorative colors and styles.

Choose From:
Cream Core
White Core
Black Core
Double Thick Gallery Board
White Core Suedes

Conservation Mat Board Graphic

Conservation

An elegant, refined 100% virgin alpha-cellulose mat board offering archival protection at a much discounted price.

Choose From:
Crescent Select
Alphamat
Select Solids
8ply Select Solids
Select UltiBlack

Museum Rag Mat Board Graphic

Museum RagMat

Superior 100% cotton mat board offering quality and unsurpassed protection.

Choose From:
Museum RagMat
UnBuffered Museum RagMat
Alpharag
8ply Museum RagMat

5. Choose a backing board.

Backing boards or mounting boards go behind the piece of art to offer support to the picture mat board and the art as well as giving a finished look by covering over any tape or other hinging used to mount the print. REDIMAT offers an extensive variety of sizes in foam core (archival acid-free or standard craft grade), museum grade rag and economy acid-free boards. Also, available in solid black mounting boards, and black foam boards. Redimat recommends using foam core boards for larger prints over 20x24 for more support.

6. Make sure you have the right supplies.

REDIMAT sells acid-free, archival adhesives for matting as well as archival crystal Clear Bags for protecting and displaying artwork. Clear Bags are the standard for packaging your matted prints for resale. Clear Bags come in a whide selection of sizes to fit most any matting project. Choose from Body Closure style (100pkg) or Tradition Style (25pkg) and 100pkg

7. How many photo mats do you want?

REDIMAT offers bulk discounts on orders with as few as six mat boards (same color, same size). From any of the bulk mat board material pages you will find a quick reference pricing guide. Buy more and save.

8. Have your Visa/Mastercard/American Express and order information handy.

Order online
Or call us at: (707) 584-9600
Toll Free: (877) 883-1011
Fax: (707) 584-9601
Email us sales@redimat.com

Quick reference guide to selecting the right size mat board for your pictures and art.

We offer our all of our mat board products in the most popular picture and frames sizes including several harder to find square picture sizes. The chart below is a guide to matching your artwork with the perfect matting.

  • Frame size is the same as the outside dimensions of the picture matting.
  • The mat size lists the outer dimensions and the the exact window size to fit a given print size.
  • Fits artwork is the size of the printed area of your photos or art.


Be sure to check out our full line of bulk pre cut matting from our Economy, Convervation and Museum RagMat or discounted Matboard Show Kit offerings. You can also easily create custom mat sizes in any material.

If your needing 32x40 mat board we have full uncut sheets available in any of our mat board materials and colors. Blanks (boards with no windows) can be cut to just about any size you need and you will save on shipping costs. For example, if all you need is 16x20 mats the cost of shipping is much less than 32x40 would be.

Fits Frame Size
Mat Board Size
Fits Artwork
5x7
5x7  (3 x 4.5)
3.5x5
5x7
5x7  (3.5 x 5.5)
4x6
8x8
8x8  (3.5 x 3.5)
4x4
8x10
8x10  (3.5 x 5.5)
4x6
8x10
8x10  (4.5 x 6.5)
5x7
8x10
8x10  (3.5 x 6.5)
4x7
9x12
9x12  (5.5 x 8.5)
6x9
10x10
10x10  (4.5 x4.5)
5x5
10x10
10x10  (7.5 x7.5)
8x8
10x20
10x20  (6.5 x16.5)
7x17
11x14
11x14  (4.5 x 6.5)
5x7
11x14
11x14  (7.5 x 9.5)
8x10
11x14
11x14  (6.5 x 9.5)
7x10
11x14
11x14  (7.5 x 11.5)
8x12
11x14
11x14  (8.25 x 10.75)
8.5x11
12x12
12x12  (7.5 x 7.5
8x8
12x16
12x16  (7.5 x 11.5)
8x12
12x16
12x16  (8.5 x 11.5)
9x12
12x16
12x16  (7.5 x 10
8x10.5
12x16
12x16  (8.25 x 10.75
8.5x11
14x18
14x18  (10.5 x 13.5)
11x14
14x18
14x18  (7.5 x 11.5)
8x12
14x18
14x18  (8.5 x 11.5)
9x12
14x18
14x18  (8.25 x 10.75)
8.5x11
16x16
16x16  (11.5 x 11.5)
12x12
16x20
16x20  (10.5 x3.5)
11x14
16x20
16x20  (11.5 x 15.5)
12x16
16x20
16x20  (8 x 10.5)
8.5x11
16x20
16x20  (9.5 x 14.5
10x15
18x24
18x24  (11.5 x 17.5)
12x18
18x24
18x24  (10.5 x 16.5)
11x17
18x24
18x24  (12.5 x 18.5)
13x19
20x20
20x20  (15.5 x 15.5)
16x16
20x24
20x24  (15.5 x 19.5)
16x20
22x28
22x28  (17.5 x 23.5)
18x24
22x28
22x28  (16.5 x 21.5)
17x22
22x28
22x28  (15.5 x 23.5)
16x24
24x30
24x30  (19.5 x 23.5)
20x24
24x30
24x30  (17.5 x 23.5)
18x24
24x30
24x30  (15.5 x 23.5)
16x24
32x40
32x40  (23.5 x 31.5)
24x32


You might also want to consider these other matting options:

Double Mat Board Example

Double Mat

In double matting, two mats are used where the window opening for the top mat is slightly larger than the bottom mat window. The difference between them is called the reveal. Our standard size double mats have a reveal that is 1/4" all around but with any custom matting the reveal can be larger or smaller

Price is twice that of the single mat board pricing found on any mat board material page. To order double mats on the bulk mat board pages you select your size, your bottom mat color and then select double mat and the color you want the top mat to be.

Triple Mat Board Example

Triple Mat

Triple matting uses three mats to accent your art or photography.

Price is three times that of the single mat board pricing.

Bottom Weighted Window Mat Board Example

Bottom Weighted

With bottom weighting, the border is wider on the bottom than the top, which can look quite nice.

Price is the single mat board pricing.

Oval Window Mat Board Example

Oval Windows

Price is the single mat board pricing.

Circle Window Mat Board Example

Circle Windows

Price is the single mat board pricing.

Add V Grooves

A V-Groove is an optional thin line that is cut into just the the surface of the mat board typically about 1/2" from the window cutout but can be added almost anywhere on the mat board surface to add accent and focus to your artwork. In the examples below you can see the a White Core mat with a Smooth Black surface paper with both a v-grove added and one without.

V Groove added to mat board example

Mat Board with V-Groove

mat board example with no V-Groove

Mat Board without V-Groove

Multiple Opening (Collage Picture Mats)

Besides our standard single window opening mats Redimat can also cut just about any mat with multiple window openings. These are sometimes referred to as collage photo mats. Below are just three examples. All of our standard desings are also available for order as a complete framed set in our most popular black picture frame. Collage matting can be cut from any of our mat board materials. Please contact us with any questions and for pricing and volume discounts.

Fancy Non-Standard Mat Board Corners

Looking to stand out with something eye catching with your matted art or photography? Ask us about these special decorative pre-cut mat window corners. They can be added to just about any mat board window size or material.

Fancy Mat Board Corner Example 1
Fancy Mat Board Corner Example 2
Fancy Mat Board Corner Example 3
Fancy Mat Board Corner Example 4
Fancy Mat Board Corner Example 5
Fancy Mat Board Corner Example 6
Fancy Mat Board Corner Example 7
Fancy Mat Board Corner Example 8
Fancy Mat Board Corner Example 9
Fancy Mat Board Corner Example 10