Picture This?

December 10, 2018 6:08 AM

Dear Mefites, I'm hoping somebody can help me with my Christmas present logistics. I've bought an antique map for a gift and I need to get it framed before the 20th of December. The dimensions are 17 x 22 inches and I found a frame online with these dimensions but realised I want something that has a mount to more display the beauty of the map. What kind of dimensions do I need to look for? The closest I can find is A2 which is 23.4 x 16.5. Which is a little too big and a little too small.. Can anyone advise what I best look for in terms of dimensions? Thanks in advance.
posted by kudra23 to Media & Arts (6 answers total)

what is your budget? places like hobby lobby or dedicated framing shops will do whatever size you want with whatever matt you want but it will cost you. one benefit is you can set a corner of a frame with a corner of a mat up against your map and see what it looks like - which you could do to get an idea whether you use their services or not.

i like a little more substantial mat - maybe 3 inches but it also depends on the width of the frame.
posted by domino at 6:24 AM on December 10, 2018

Response by poster: Thank you Domino. I'm in the UK, Scotland specifically and I already blown my budget on the map so I am looking for something not too pricey.. I'm not sure what you mean by "mat". I'm a total ignoramus on this matter and possibly need it explained to me as if I'm a 12 year old. Ideally I want to find something I can order online but don't know what dimensions to look for. If any one is able to give a knowledgeable guess at what would look good, I'd really appreciate it.
posted by kudra23 at 6:32 AM on December 10, 2018

do you have a frame shop in driving distance?

A mat is a mount. If you order this frame from Ikea, it comes with the mount. The aperature won't be big enough for your map; a frame store can cut it to enlarge it for like a fiver.
posted by DarlingBri at 6:47 AM on December 10, 2018 [2 favorites]

You can order custom-size frames online for small bucks and get glass cut to fit at a hardware store. These folks quoted $19 for an 18x22 inch metal frame. You need a piece of foamcore to go into it and some glass (they’ll add foamcore and a piece of plastic that brings it to $33 but glass is nicer). This is just to give you and idea—you’ll want someone from closer to you to keep shipping costs down. That’s why I suggest getting the foam and glass locally...
posted by Gilgamesh's Chauffeur at 7:27 AM on December 10, 2018 [1 favorite]

For a piece that size, I’d look at about a 24”x30” frame. You’re very likely to need a mat (the “mount”) custom cut, which any frame shop and most craft stores can do for you; they will try to upsell you to all kinds of beautiful textured double-mat conservation-quality options, but you’re probably perfectly fine with your basic 4-ply acid-free buffered matboard, whatever their cheapest option is. In my market that would cost me about $35.
posted by KathrynT at 7:47 AM on December 10, 2018 [1 favorite]

Just one other comment: I have a couple of old aviation charts--one I framed and one that came framed. In each case there is no mat--to allow for viewing all the way to the edge of the chart. So it is not impossible you might not need a mat at all--just depends on what you like.
posted by Gilgamesh's Chauffeur at 6:19 PM on December 10, 2018