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It’s clear as glass, easy to clean, lightweight and robust – acrylic plastic is just about the best material available to frame a picture. It’s why acrylic picture frames are becoming more and more popular whether that’s at home or in a gallery.
Acrylic picture frames offer a sleek design and even more protection to your beloved photo, poster or print, but it’s not always easy to get the perfect fit for your new frame. It’s why we’ve put together this handy guide to help you measure your artwork and make sure you’re getting the right fit first time.
At The Plastic People, we’re plastic experts, with years’ experience in cut to size plastics, cold frame glazing, acrylic picture frames and so much more. We’re here to help, so read on to find out how you can measure your picture to get the perfect acrylic picture frame straight away.
How do acrylic picture frames work?
Before you start measuring, it’s good to know how plastic picture frames work. Much like traditional picture frames, your artwork is effectively trapped between two materials. However, unlike the traditional glass and wood-board method, your artwork is housed between two pieces of acrylic, which are then fixed to the wall with either screws or wall mounts.
This method gives the appearance that your artwork is floating without a border, standing just 25 mm away from the wall. Not only does this create a modern feel but it allows you to see even the furthest edges of your picture – ideal for treasured items that deserve to be the centre of the show.
Simple steps to measure your picture for an acrylic picture frame
So how do you measure your prized artwork or artefact for an acrylic picture frame? Well, it’s actually a lot easier than you think – and you can do it using the few simple steps below.
Step one: Measure your artwork
Measure the height and width of your artwork and record them in millimetres. Be sure to triple-check these measurements – you’ll want them to be correct, as they form the basis for the rest of your measurements.
Step two: Decide on your border size
The border is the amount of acrylic extending past the edges of your picture. This needs to be large enough to accommodate the screws but can also be adjusted to taste.
As standard – unless you specify otherwise – we add fixing holes 25 mm from the edge. This means that by adding a 50 mm border all the way around, you’ll ensure that your fixing holes sit in the centre of the border. The minimum border to make sure the screws do not overlap the artwork is 35 mm.
Step three: add your border size to your artwork dimensions.
Add your desired border size to your artwork dimensions. For example, if you choose a 50 mm border, you’ll add 100 mm to both the height and the width measurements.
Step three: decide on your hole frequency
Specify how many fixing holes you want for your frame. We suggest drilled holes every 500mm to reduce the chances of bowing or warping.
Step four: finalise your acrylic frame size
Now you should have your artwork dimensions, plus the border size and the distance between the drilled holes. For example, if our artwork is 200 mm by 200 mm and we want a 50 mm border, our total measurements will be 300 mm by 300 mm, and we’ll request holes drilled at each of the four corners. Be sure to double-check your measurements and calculations.
Step five: order your acrylic frames
Now you’re ready to order your acrylic frames. Be sure to provide the correct measurements in the correct format, and if you’re unsure about anything, get in touch with the provider.
At The Plastic People, we have designed a handy bespoke frame calculator to help make sure you get it right, with a variety of units, frame shapes and customisable dimensions.
Ready to get your own acrylic picture frame?
From a photo of that special someone to a beloved movie poster, acrylic picture frames are the perfect way to celebrate your artwork. And it all starts with the right measurements.
Hopefully, now you know exactly how to measure your artwork for an acrylic picture frame. But if you need more help, you can check out our downloadable PDF guide, which will take you through it step by step.
Need a hand ordering your acrylic picture frame? Or maybe you have some questions about any of our plastic or cut-to-size wood products? Just get in touch – we’re always happy to help.
