How to Frame a Poster Without Paying for Custom Framing
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Custom framing costs more than most prints. It is almost never necessary — if the print was made in a standard size to begin with. Ours are. But "standard" means something different depending on where you shop.
Our sizes, and what they fit
We print in inches, on US standard ratios. In North America, every one of them is a frame you can buy off the shelf.
| Metric | Frame to buy in the US | |
|---|---|---|
| 11 × 17 in | 28 × 43 cm | 11×17 — sold as "tabloid" |
| 12 × 16 in | 30 × 41 cm | 12×16 |
| 12 × 18 in | 30 × 46 cm | 12×18 |
| 16 × 24 in | 41 × 61 cm | 16×24 |
| 18 × 24 in | 46 × 61 cm | 18×24 — very common |
| 20 × 30 in | 51 × 76 cm | 20×30 |
| 24 × 36 in | 61 × 91 cm | 24×36 — very common |
If you buy frames in centimetres
European and Asian shops stock metric sizes, and they do not all line up with inches. Being straight about this saves you a wasted purchase.
Two of our sizes drop straight into a metric frame:
- 12 × 16 in (30 × 41 cm) → a 30 × 40 cm frame. The extra centimetre hides under the rebate.
- 24 × 36 in (61 × 91 cm) → a 61 × 91.5 cm frame, sold widely as a standard poster size.
The rest need a mount (the card border inside the frame, also called a mat). Buy the next frame size up and a mount cut to your print:
- 16 × 24 in (41 × 61 cm) → a 50 × 70 cm frame with a mount
- 18 × 24 in (46 × 61 cm) → a 50 × 70 cm frame with a mount
- 20 × 30 in (51 × 76 cm) → a 60 × 80 cm frame with a mount
A pre-cut mount costs a few euros and looks better than a tight frame. Most frame shops and online sellers cut them to order.
Mount or no mount
A mount does two things: it lifts the paper off the glass, and it gives the image room to breathe. For a busy image it is close to essential — without it the picture runs straight into the frame and the eye has nowhere to rest.
Rule of thumb: a mount border of 5–7 cm (2–3 in) on a medium print. Weight the bottom border slightly heavier than the top — about 1 cm more — and the piece will sit correctly on the wall rather than looking like it is sliding down.
Glass or acrylic
Glass is clearer and does not scratch. Acrylic is lighter and will not shatter, which matters above a bed or in a child's room, and it is the sensible choice for anything over 50 × 70 cm.
Skip anti-reflective glass unless the wall faces a window. Our paper already has a matte, non-reflective finish, so ordinary glazing is usually enough.
Handling the print
- Prints ship rolled in a tube. Lay yours flat under a few books overnight before framing — it will relax on its own.
- Handle the edges only. Fingerprints show on matte paper and cannot be wiped off.
- Use archival mounting corners rather than tape. Tape yellows and pulls the surface when removed.
Hanging hardware
For anything under about 3 kg, a single picture hook into the wall is enough. Above that, use two hooks spaced a third in from each edge — the frame stays level and the weight is shared.
Browse single prints — seven sizes, all standard ratios — or see the gallery wall sets, which arrive in matching sizes so one frame order covers all five.
Frames are not included with any print.