Posters & wall art: what to check before you buy
A good print online looks like a good print on your wall only if the size, paper and frame line up. Run through this list on any product page.
The 60-second product-page check
- Exact size and ratio. Is it a standard frame size (8x10, 11x14, 16x20, 18x24, 24x36, A-series)? If not, budget for custom framing. See the poster size chart.
- Paper named, not just “premium”. Look for a weight (gsm) and a finish: matte, satin/lustre or gloss. Fine-art papers list cotton or alpha-cellulose content. See poster paper types.
- Ink type. Pigment inks resist fading far better than dye inks. “Archival” should come with a paper and ink name.
- Framed or unframed, and what glazing. Acrylic is lighter and safer to ship; UV-filtering glazing protects color. See how to frame a poster.
- How it ships. Rolled in a tube for unframed prints, with a corner-protected box for framed pieces.
- Returns and damage policy. You want a reprint or refund if it arrives creased or dented.
Picking the right size for the wall
The most common mistake is buying too small. Above furniture, aim for roughly two-thirds of the furniture's width; on an empty wall, cut paper to size and tape it up for a day. Our wall-art calculator gives a starting number, and the wall art size guide covers the rest.
Poster and print stores
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