What Size Print Should You Buy? A5, A4 and A3, Explained

Every design we make comes in three sizes, and the question we get asked more than any other is which one to pick. It is a fair question. A print looks one size on a phone screen and a completely different size once it is hanging in a hallway.

So here is the whole thing written down. What each size measures, what a mount does, what the frame is made of, and what each step costs.

The three sizes, in millimetres

A5, A4 and A3 are standard paper sizes, so the print itself measures the same here as it would anywhere:

• A5 is 148mm by 210mm, roughly the size of a paperback.

• A4 is 210mm by 297mm, the size of a sheet of printer paper.

• A3 is 297mm by 420mm, two sheets of printer paper side by side.

Framed, the outside is bigger, and how much bigger depends on whether you add a mount. Our frame sizes are on the our frames page in full, but the short version is this:

• An A5 print sits in a 6 by 8 inch frame.

• An A4 print sits in an 8 by 12 inch frame, or a 14 by 11 inch frame if you add a mount.

• An A3 print sits in a 16.5 by 12 inch frame, or a 20 by 16 inch frame with a mount.

That last line is the one people miss. A mounted A3 needs a 20 by 16 inch gap on the wall, so measure before you order one.

Print only, framed, or emailed

The same design can be bought three ways, and the gap between them is bigger than most people expect.

• Print only. Just the print, for a frame you already own. It is the cheapest way to buy any design.

• Framed. We fit the print into the frame here in Hessle and send it out ready to hang.

• Email PDF. Around a third of our designs also have an Email PDF option, a print ready file sent to your inbox. On the Family Hand Print that is £7, and it is the one to pick when the birthday is on Saturday.

What a mount does, and when it is worth the £2

A mount is the card border between the print and the frame. It gives the artwork some breathing room and makes a small print read as a bigger piece on the wall.

Two things to know. Mounts are offered on A4 and A3 only, never at A5. And on most designs a mount adds £2, though a handful sit at £3.

If the print has a lot going on, eight names and eight balloons, or a poem, a mount helps. A bold single initial often looks better without one.

Black, white or grey

Three frame colours, and only three. Every one is real wood with an open grain finish, and the two profiles are slightly different:

• The black and white frames are a simple classic moulding, 20mm wide and 15mm deep.

• The grey frame is a flat profile, 22mm wide and 22mm deep.

Grey usually costs £1 more than black or white at A4 and A3. At A5 it is often the same price as the other two.

What is actually in the frame

The front is 1.2mm acrylic or styrene rather than glass. That is worth knowing if the print is going above a cot, on a landing, or in a room where a football gets kicked indoors. Nothing in the frame breaks into pieces if it comes off the wall.

Behind the print is a 2mm MDF backing board, which keeps everything flat and square.

Hanging depends on size. Frames up to 14 by 11 inches come with hanging hooks and a fold out stand, so you can hang them or stand them on a shelf. A3 and A3 mounted frames come with hanging hooks.

What it costs, on one real print

Prices vary by design, so here is one whole ladder rather than an average. The Family Hand Print runs:

• Email PDF £7.

• A5 print only £10, framed £14 in black or white, £15 in grey.

• A4 print only £13, framed £18 in black or white, £19 in grey. Add a mount and it is £20, or £21 in grey.

• A3 print only £15, framed £27 in black or white, £28 in grey. Mounted, £29, or £30 in grey.

So the same design is £7 at one end and £30 at the other. For comparison, the Family Balloon Connections Print starts at £12 for an A5 print and tops out at £31 for A3 mounted in grey, and the Mums Birth Date Print runs £10 to £31 across the same ladder.

Picking a size for the wall you have

Some patterns hold, whatever the design:

• A shelf, mantelpiece or bedside table. A5. The fold out stand means you do not have to drill anything.

• A gallery wall with other frames. A4 without a mount, so everything sits at the same scale.

• One print, on its own, above a sofa or in a hallway. A3, mounted. Anything smaller gets lost.

• Above a cot or a child's bed. A4 is usually right, and the acrylic front is why we are comfortable saying so. More ideas in the Baby and Newborn collection.

• Lots of names or a long personalisation. Go up a size. Detail gets small fast, and the proof will show you that before anything is printed.

How we make it, and the bits we should say out loud

Everything is made to order in our studio in Hessle. We email a proof, usually within one to three working days. You can ask for changes, there is no charge for changes before you approve it, and nothing is printed until you say go. Most orders are dispatched one to three working days after approval.

Because they are personalised, they cannot be returned for a change of mind. If something turns up damaged or faulty, send photos within 30 days and we will sort a replacement or refund. That rule is exactly why we would rather answer a sizing question now than after. The rest of the ordering questions are on the FAQs page.

Where to start

If you know the design already, the size dropdown on its page lists every combination and price. If you are still deciding, the Family collection and the best sellers are the two easiest places to browse.

Worth a read alongside this: personalised photo prints, family name prints for the hallway, and, if you are weighing up finishes rather than sizes, foil versus standard prints.

Still stuck between two sizes? Send us a message through the contact form with the wall you are filling and we will tell you which one we would pick.