SawWise

Picture frame calculator

Turn the artwork size into four frame cuts

Enter the package that must fit the rebate, your fitting clearance and the measured moulding profile. The result separates the short points, long points and finished outside size.

Your measurements

Size the four frame rails

Outside frame size

458mm × 358mm

Cut two horizontal rails and two vertical rails for each frame, measuring the short and long mitre points shown below.

Horizontal short point

388mm

Horizontal long point

458mm

Vertical short point

288mm

Vertical long point

358mm

Rebate opening

404mm × 304mm

Net moulding

1632mm

Long points: 458mmSight opening388mm × 288mm358mm
Front view showing the sight opening, rebate opening and long-point outside size.
Net moulding excludes kerf, end trimming, defects, grain matching and test cuts. Add practical waste before buying stock.

Which size should you enter?

Use the largest package that must drop into the rear rebate. That might be the glass, mount, artwork and backing rather than the artwork alone. Clearance is entered per side, so a 2 mm value adds 4 mm to both overall rebate-opening dimensions.

Short point and long point

The short-point measurement runs between the inside tips of the 45° mitres along the visible sight edge. The long-point measurement runs between the outside tips. The horizontal rails use the width result and the vertical rails use the height result.

Rebate width versus moulding width

Rebate width is the lip covering the package when viewed from the front. Moulding width is the full face from the sight edge to the outside edge. Rebate depth is separate and must be deep enough for the complete glazing and backing stack.

How much moulding is needed?

The net figure adds the four finished long-point lengths for every frame. It is a geometric minimum, not a shopping quantity. Add blade kerf, clean-up cuts, test mitres, damaged ends, defects and any allowance needed to match grain or profile patterns.

Check before cutting glass or moulding

Measure the actual profile, calibrate the saw with scrap and dry-fit the frame around a test rectangle. Glass and acrylic need suitable fitting clearance and should never be forced into a tight wooden rebate.