Which frame should you choose for a 30x40 print?

To frame a 30x40 print, first check the print size the frame is designed to hold. Then consider the border, finish and overall position on the wall.

These choices work together: a compatible frame can look subtle or prominent depending on its colour and your paintwork. Here are the points to compare before ordering or preparing to hang it.

What internal frame size does a 30x40 print need?

Without a mount, choose a frame designed to hold a 30x40 cm print. A3, which measures 29.7x42 cm, is not equivalent: it is narrower and taller. A4 measures 21x29.7 cm. Check the accepted picture size, because the frame’s external dimensions include its moulding.

Our frames accompany the four paper sizes of 21x30, 30x40, 50x70 and 70x100 cm. When you order a print with its frame, it arrives already framed. If you buy a separate frame, check its dimensions, possible orientations and whether it includes a mount before taking the print out of its packaging.

White border or mount: what is the difference?

A border is a white margin printed around the image on the same sheet. It does not change the paper’s external dimensions. A mount is a separate piece of board with an opening to display the picture. It can create a gap beneath the transparent protective front. Both provide a visual margin, but they are different components.

A 30x40 print with a border therefore fits a frame intended for a 30x40 print. To add a mount, you need a larger frame and an appropriately sized opening, with enough overlap to hold the sheet in place. Check these measurements with the frame manufacturer. Choose no border if you prefer the image to extend to the paper’s edges.

White, black or light oak: compare the three finishes

The three available finishes are white, black and light oak. The recommendation on the product page offers a starting point based on the print’s colours. Your paintwork, furniture and preferences may lead you to choose another finish.

Here are three ways to connect the frame with the image’s palette:

• Light oak: compare it with browns, oranges, reds and beiges. It can also echo the furniture around a yellow or green picture. Look at the actual wood tones in your room.
• Black: a dark moulding can pick up the outlines in a black and white picture or accompany a grey palette. Its outline remains visible on a pale wall. On a dark wall, also compare the effect of a white border.
• White: it can extend a pale margin or accompany blues, pinks and purples. With a white picture, the result depends on the wall: subtle on pale paintwork, more contrasting against a strong colour.

A print often contains several colours. The recommendation badge therefore cannot replace visual comparison and does not account for your wall. Look at the same picture with two finishes, then choose the one that creates the connection you want with the room.

Four pictures to compare with a light oak frame

Other palettes to try with black and white

The back of the frame and the print’s orientation

The folding clips hold the backing panel in place. The hanging points let you choose the orientation that matches the print. Respect its composition: a horizontal landscape and a vertical portrait hang differently. Check the point you will use on the back before marking its position on the wall.

Choose fixings suited to the wall material and the weight of the whole framed print. Consult the wall hook instructions rather than deciding how many to use from the pack quantity. On an empty wall, a centre around 145 cm above the floor offers a reference to adjust; above furniture, try the height with its dimensions and your viewpoint in mind.

How should you arrange several frames?

Start by trying an even gap, such as 5 cm between the outer edges. This remains a decorating guideline. Two portrait 30x40 prints separated by 5 cm span 65 cm before adding the mouldings: their actual framed width will be greater. The gallery wall guide helps you compare rows and arrangements across several levels.

One finish connects the pictures; several finishes can also work together when a subject or colour repeats. Compare the living room and bedroom selections with your wall colour. In either case, consider the dimensions of the whole arrangement, not just each print.

Check the result before ordering

The arrangement tool helps you compare prints, sizes and frames in a room setting. Then mark the external dimensions on your own wall using paper templates. View them from the doorway and your usual seat, as suggested in the guide to print sizes above a sofa. Our paper prints are made to order in Fayence on 270 gsm semi-matt photographic paper using pigment inks.