Framing Terms

Learn about all the parts of a frame to consider when buying your picture frame.

Frame or Moulding

The frame, or the moulding, is the part that frames the artwork or image inside. Frames come in various shapes, materials, sizes, styles and colors to fit your needs. When measuring and choosing a frame, it is important to note that the listed frame size is the size of the artwork the frame holds. It is not the outside size. The inside edge of the moulding, called the lip, covers a thin strip along each edge of whatever is under it. The actual frame will be bigger on the outside, depending on the width of the moulding you choose. For example, a 4x6" frame with a 1" moulding width will be a little less than 6x8" on the outside. That is because 4 + 1 + 1 = 6 and 6 + 1 + 1 = 8, and then the lip on each side takes off a little.

Facing or Glazing

In custom picture framing, glass, acrylic, and/or a frame's protective front is referred to as "glazing." While glass is a common glazing material used in these items, it is heavy and prone to breaking during shipment. Acrylic is more lightweight, shatter-resistant, and has UV protection properties, making it a great material to hang in your home. We are proud to offer a standard framer's grade acrylic glazing options on our site. Note: Our acrylic is shipped with a blue protective film on both sides, which needs to be peeled to reveal the acrylic before framing your artwork or photograph.

Mat or Matting

A mat is a thick, acid-free paper board that goes inside a frame with your artwork. Our precut mats are 4-ply. Mats add additional decoration to the finish of your display. They also keep your art from touching the acrylic front. In addition, some artwork components can't be glued to a mounting board, so the mat is crucial to hide evidence that these pieces of artwork are framed using photo corners or other alternative mounting methods.

Our mats are listed by artwork size first, then frame size, like "5x7 Mat for 8x10 Frame." The mat opening is the hole in the mat. It is cut ½" smaller than the artwork size in width and in height, so the mat covers ¼" on each edge of your art. The mat border is the width of the mat from the opening to its outer edge. A 5x7 mat in an 8x10 frame has a 4.5x6.5" opening and a 1¾" border on every side.

Rabbet

The rabbet is the notch cut into the back of the frame. The rabbet depth is how deep that notch is. It holds the acrylic, your artwork or keepsake, any mat, and the backing. Rabbet depth is not the same as usable depth. Typically, the glazing and backing take up ¼" of the listed rabbet depth for a frame, so you should subtract ¼" off the rabbet to get the usable depth. Usable depth is the room left for your artwork or keepsake. For example, a shadow box that is 15/16" deep has 11/16" of usable depth. Usable depth is especially important when creating a shadow box frame for 3-dimensional objects or a canvas frame for a stretched canvas.

Mounting or Backing

The purpose of a mounting or backing board is to help prepare and preserve art in a frame. These boards are stiff and support the picture or print inside the frame. It also protects against the elements because it closes off the back of the frame so that your images are sandwiched between the acrylic and the board. The backings of our frames are held in place with push tabs which can be lifted with a flathead screwdriver or a butter knife to access the area to frame your artwork.

See how these terms work together in our guide to measuring for a frame, or go straight to Find Your Size. Have more questions? Check our FAQs.