How to Cut a Mat Board for Picture Framing

Cutting a mat board at home is achievable with the right tools, but it requires patience and precision. A poorly cut mat — uneven borders, a ragged bevel, torn paper surface — undermines the print it surrounds. If you're framing a print of value, professional mat cutting from a framer is usually worth the cost.

For everything else, here's the approach.

Tools Required

A mat cutter (not a craft knife — a dedicated mat cutter with an adjustable bevel blade), a steel ruler, a cutting mat, a pencil, and a bone folder or hard eraser for creasing.

A craft knife can cut mat board, but it won't produce a clean bevel cut — the angled interior edge that characterises professional mat work. For a square cut rather than a bevel, a craft knife and steel ruler will work.

Measuring

Decide on your border widths. Equal borders on all four sides is the simplest approach, but optically it often looks bottom-heavy — the bottom border appears smaller than it is. The standard professional solution is a weighted mat: top and sides equal, bottom 5–10mm larger.

Mark the mat board on the back. Mark the outer dimensions (matching the frame opening), then mark the inner opening dimensions. The inner opening should overlap the print by 3–4mm on all sides — this hides rough print edges and prevents the print falling through.

Cutting

Score, don't cut in a single pass. For mat board up to 3mm thick, two or three firm passes with the mat cutter produces a cleaner edge than a single heavy cut.

Cut from corner to corner on each side. Slightly overrun each corner by 1–2mm — this prevents uncut sections at the corners that leave small tabs of board attached. The overrun is hidden on the back and invisible from the front.

Cut the shortest sides first, then the longer sides. If an error occurs, you're more likely to be able to adjust the longer cut to correct for it.

Checking the Cut

Before placing the mat over the print, check all four corners are clean and fully cut through. Hold the mat up to the light — any attached tabs at the corners are visible. A craft knife can trim them if needed.

Check the border widths are consistent by measuring from the inner opening to the outer edge at multiple points on each side.

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