What frame size do I need for an 8x10 photo?

For an 8×10 print with no mat, buy an 8×10 frame. With a 2-inch mat border, buy a 12×14 frame and cut the mat opening to about 7.5 × 9.5 inches so the mat overlaps the print edge and holds it in place.

How big should a mat border be?

A 1.5-2 inch mat suits most prints; 3 inches gives a gallery look for larger photos. The mat opening is cut about a quarter inch smaller than the print on each side so it overlaps the edge and secures the photo.

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Photo Frame Size Calculator

Framing a photo? Get the exact frame size to buy and the mat opening to cut — for any print size, with or without a border.

Your print size

Mat border width

Frame size to buy

12 × 14 in

Mat opening (cut)

7.50 × 9.50 in

For a 8 × 10 in print with a 2" mat, buy a 12 × 14 in frame and cut the mat opening about 7.50 × 9.50 in so the mat overlaps the print edge slightly and holds it in place.

Framing a treasured old photo? Restore it first — repair fading, scratches, and damage with our AI photo restoration tool →

Frames, mats, and openings

A mat does two jobs: it gives the photo breathing room so the eye rests on the image, and it keeps the print off the glass, which protects it. The frame you buy has to fit the outer mat size — print size plus the mat border on every side — while the mat opening is cut slightly smaller than the print so it overlaps the edges and holds the photo without tape on the image.

For irreplaceable old photos, frame a high-quality print or a restored copy rather than the fragile original, and use acid-free matting and UV glass to slow further fading. Keep the original safely archived.

Restore before you frame

Repair fading, scratches, and damage — or colorize black-and-white — so the framed photo looks its best.

Try AI Photo Restoration →