Write a clear custom mat order.

Use a measurement note, not one size label.

A single ‘8 × 10 mat’ description can refer to the artwork, opening or outside board, depending on the seller. State paper size, exact window size and exact board outside size on separate lines. Mark units and display orientation. If the opening is not centered, include all four border widths.

The planner’s downloadable text is a discussion worksheet. It is not a purchase order, machine file or approved cutting template. Its diagram is scaled to the screen and must not be traced or printed as a one-to-one cutting pattern.

A worked note.

Paper: 8 × 10 in, portrait. Planned coverage: left/right/top/bottom 0.125 in each. Exact window: 7.75 × 9.75 in. Board outside: 11 × 14 in. Borders: left/right 1.625 in each; top/bottom 2.125 in each. These values describe one geometric example, not the overlap required for every artwork.

Add a separate note for signatures, edition numbers, white margins or image edges that must remain visible. A size note without those constraints can still lead to an unwanted crop. The visibility tool can help you find a conflict before discussing the final layout.

Ask how the form treats the numbers.

Confirm whether a field requests the art size and automatically deducts an overlap, or requests the exact opening to be cut. Do not put an already-reduced window into an art-size field without checking. Ask which face or cut definition the supplier uses for a bevelled opening and how its tolerance is specified.

If the seller supplies a proof, compare its final window and outside sizes against your written note. Check width and height in the correct orientation. An automatic order preview is useful, but its labels still need to match the actual product specification.

Confirm matters outside the calculator.

Ask about frame clearance and component depth, board type and thickness, supported border widths, bevel orientation, cutting tolerances and mounting. The tools do not measure the physical frame or certify the preservation materials. For valuable or sensitive work, ask a suitably qualified framer or conservator.

For double mats, state both windows, which layer is nearest the artwork and the intended visible reveal. The single-mat worksheet does not define a complete two-layer order. Multi-opening and non-rectangular mats are outside the current tool’s scope.

Keep the confirmation.

Download or print a current result only after updating the plan. Editing any input marks the result out of date and disables its export actions. Keep your measurement note and the supplier’s written confirmation together, and check the delivered part before assembly. The site does not send your dimensions to a seller or retain a saved project.