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Precut Photo Mat Industry Terms To Help You Order

......and help us!

Precut Photo Mat Industry Terms

Bevel: the 45 degree cut of the window. All window measurements are from "the bottom of the bevel". In other words, the window measurement is the size of the image you see through the mat. The window is cut with a bevel edge so it does not cast a shadow on the picture and it looks more elegant.

Reveal: the amount of bottom mat showing in a double mat.

Weighted: the bottom border is made larger than the top border. If a specific size of the bottom border is not specified, it is assumed the mat is centered (top and bottom border is the same and the sides have the same border). The side borders are rarely different from each other.

Dimensions: always express outside dimensions and window dimensions in the same order. For example, a mat 8" wide and 10" tall with a 5" wide by 7" tall window should be expressed 8" x 10" with 5" x 7" window. If the window was 7" wide by 5" tall, it should be described as an 8" x 10" mat with a 7" x 5" window.

Window Sizes: Remember, the window size is not the same as the print size. If you are matting a 5" x 7" print, your bottom mat window should be smaller so that the mat will overlap the print. The minimum overlap should be 1/8" on small prints like 3 1/2" x 5" with the most common being 1/4" on all sides. Note: If you have a 5" x 7" print with 1/4" overlap, the window size is 4 1/2" x 6 1/2" because you are overlapping the print 1/4" on both sides.

Orientation: It helps if you specify the orientation of the mat and window. Either horizontal mat (width is greater than height) or vertical mat (height is greater than width like the diagram above). The window orientation is also important as a vertical mat can have either a horizontal or vertical window. In addition the window can be either centered or weighted as discussed above.

Suggestions: If doing a double mat, deal with the bottom mat first. The size of the top mat can be specified by simply specifying the Reveal. Second, check your math. The total of the bottom border, the vertical window size and the top border should equal the total outside vertical dimension. The same for the width. Third, if possible, avoid measurements in 1/16" or smaller. Although we can cut with that kind of precision, it just makes your job more difficult with little benefit..