What Size Frame for Common Photo Sizes (4x6, 5x7, 8x10, 11x14, 16x20)
A UK guide to what size frame each common photo print needs, from 4x6 to 24x36, with and without a mount, plus aperture, border and glazing guidance.
Photographic prints come in a small set of imperial sizes that have been the standard for decades: 4 x 6, 5 x 7, 8 x 10, 11 x 14, 16 x 20 and a handful of larger formats. UK photo labs, print services and ready-made frames all hold to these sizes, so framing a photo is mostly a question of matching the print to a frame, with or without a mount.
This guide gives the frame size for each common photo size two ways: framed tight to the print with no mount, and framed with a mount for a more finished look. It also covers the aperture and border to use, and when a photograph is worth upgrading to conservation materials or museum-grade glazing.
Common photo print sizes
These are the imperial photo sizes in regular use, with their millimetre equivalents. The smaller sizes are the most common for family photographs; the larger ones are used for enlargements and fine-art photographic prints.
| Photo size | Millimetres |
|---|---|
| 4 × 6 in | 102 × 152 mm |
| 5 × 7 in | 127 × 178 mm |
| 6 × 8 in | 152 × 203 mm |
| 8 × 10 in | 203 × 254 mm |
| 10 × 12 in | 254 × 305 mm |
| 11 × 14 in | 279 × 356 mm |
| 12 × 16 in | 305 × 406 mm |
| 16 × 20 in | 406 × 508 mm |
| 20 × 24 in | 508 × 610 mm |
| 24 × 36 in | 610 × 914 mm |
Common photo print sizes in inches and millimetres
What frame size for each photo size
Framed without a mount, the frame matches the photo size directly: a 5 x 7 photo takes a 5 x 7 frame. Framed with a mount, the print sits behind a window in the mount and the frame is the next standard size up, which gives a border of mount around the image. The pairings below use standard UK frame sizes so the frame and mount can both be cut to common dimensions.
| Photo size | Frame size (no mount) | Frame size (with mount) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 × 6 in | 4 × 6 in | 8 × 10 in |
| 5 × 7 in | 5 × 7 in | 8 × 10 in |
| 6 × 8 in | 6 × 8 in | 10 × 12 in |
| 8 × 10 in | 8 × 10 in | 11 × 14 in |
| 10 × 12 in | 10 × 12 in | 16 × 20 in |
| 11 × 14 in | 11 × 14 in | 16 × 20 in |
| 12 × 16 in | 12 × 16 in | 20 × 24 in |
| 16 × 20 in | 16 × 20 in | 20 × 24 in |
| 20 × 24 in | 20 × 24 in | bespoke |
Recommended frame size for each photo size, with and without a mount
The 5 x 7 photo in an 8 x 10 frame and the 8 x 10 photo in an 11 x 14 frame are the two most common pairings in UK photo framing, which is why ready-made frames and pre-cut mount packs are widely stocked at those sizes. For the full frame-size reference across photo, A-series and imperial dimensions, see our standard picture frame sizes guide.
Aperture and border for photographs
The aperture is the window cut into the mount, sized a few millimetres inside the photo on each side, typically 3 to 5mm, so the mount holds the edges without covering the image. The border is the visible mount around that window. For photographs, a border of 40 to 60mm suits the smaller sizes and 60 to 90mm suits enlargements from 11 x 14 upward, with the bottom border often set slightly wider than the top and sides. For the full set of aperture dimensions and window styles, see our standard mount sizes reference.
When to upgrade the glazing
Standard glazing is fine for everyday photographs, but some prints justify an upgrade. Signed photographs, fibre-based silver gelatin prints and any photo hung in direct or strong indirect light benefit from UV-filtering glazing, which slows the fading of the image and protects a signature. Where reflection is a problem, on a photo opposite a window for example, anti-reflective glazing keeps the image readable. The upgrade is a glazing choice and does not change the frame size.
When to consider conservation framing
A photograph worth preserving is worth framing with archival materials. Limited-edition photographic prints, archival pigment prints and older family photographs should be framed with a conservation mount and acid-free backing so the materials in contact with the print do not cause it to discolour over time. Conservation framing is the protective tier suitable for most valuable prints; museum-grade sits one tier above it for works of significant value, so the two are tiered rather than the same thing.
Custom framing for any photo size
The pairings above cover standard photo sizes, but a photograph cropped to its own dimensions, or printed larger than 20 x 24, is framed to measure. We cut the mount to the millimetre on a Gunnar precision mount cutter and build the frame to match, with the aperture, border and glazing chosen for the print. Bespoke custom framing starts from around £200 for a standard piece, with mount and frame covered together by our 5-year guarantee. Send the print size and we will recommend the frame and mount.
Frequently Asked Questions
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A 5 x 7 photo takes a 5 x 7 frame with no mount, or an 8 x 10 frame with a mount, which is the most common pairing for a framed 5 x 7 photograph and gives a border of mount around the image.
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An 8 x 10 photo is conventionally framed in an 11 x 14 frame with a mount, giving roughly a 50mm border around the image. Without a mount it takes an 8 x 10 frame.
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A 4 x 6 photo takes a 4 x 6 frame with no mount. For a more finished look it is mounted into an 8 x 10 frame, which leaves a generous border of mount around a small print.
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An 11 x 14 photo takes an 11 x 14 frame with no mount, or a 16 x 20 frame with a mount. From 11 x 14 upward a slightly wider border of 60 to 90mm tends to look more deliberate.
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A 16 x 20 photo takes a 16 x 20 frame with no mount, or a 20 x 24 frame with a mount. Larger enlargements are often framed without a mount for a cleaner contemporary look.
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UV-filtering glazing is worth it for signed photos, fibre-based prints and any photograph hung in direct or strong light, where it slows fading and protects a signature. For everyday photos away from strong light, standard glazing is fine.
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