What is gallery wrap?

Gallery wrap (or museum wrap) stretches the canvas around the sides of the wooden stretcher frame. The image continues around the edges rather than having a blank border. Standard wrap depth is 3.8cm (1.5 inches) but can be up to 5cm for chunkier frames.

Do I lose image area to the wrap?

Yes. The wrapped edges consume part of your image. For a 60x40cm canvas with 3.8cm wrap, the visible area is 60x40cm but you need a 67.6x47.6cm image. Plan your composition to keep important elements away from the edges, or use a mirrored/stretched edge instead.

What DPI do canvas prints need?

Canvas has a textured surface that hides fine detail. 150 DPI is generally sufficient for canvas prints. 100 DPI works for very large canvases viewed from distance. You rarely need 300 DPI for canvas — the texture masks individual pixels.

How do I prepare a file for canvas printing?

Add extra canvas (image area) around all edges equal to the wrap depth. Keep key compositional elements within the visible area. Most print labs accept files with the extra wrap included. Some labs offer mirrored edges so you do not need to extend the image yourself.

PhotoCalcs

Canvas Size Calculator — Canvas Print with Wrap

Calculate canvas print dimensions including wrap allowance for gallery-wrapped prints.

Visible Print Width

Visible Print Height

Wrap Depth

Typically 3.8cm

Target DPI

150 DPI typical for canvas

How We Calculate This

Total Canvas Size

Total width = print width + (2 x wrap depth)

Total height = print height + (2 x wrap depth)

Required Pixels

Pixels = (total cm / 2.54) x DPI

Frequently Asked Questions

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Last updated: February 2026

All calculations are estimates based on standard optical and photographic formulas. Results may vary with specific equipment.