Standard poster sizes UK - a complete guide
Thinking of designing your own posters? Before you can start printing posters online, you’ll need to learn how to choose the perfect poster sizes.
Let’s face it, nowadays there are so many different poster sizes available, sometimes figuring out what’s best for you can feel a little overwhelming.
To help you get started, we’ve put together a quick guide on standard poster sizes in the UK, covering everything from popular A3 posters to enormous 60x40” posters.
What is a standard poster size?
In the UK, the most common standard poster sizes are A3, A2, 36x24” and cinematic 40x27”. However, standard poster sizes range from A4 to 60x40” posters, and can usually be categorised as either small, medium, large or extra large poster sizes.
Your choice of poster size will depend entirely on where your poster is going and how you intend to use it. Whether you’re decorating your home or advertising in a shop window, Max Spielmann offers a range of standard poster sizes to suit all kinds of needs and requirements.
By using standard poster sizes, you’ll ensure your poster can fit inside common frames and will be easy to print at most reputable printing companies (which also means it’s easy to print additional copies in the future).
Why poster sizes are so important
The size of your poster has a huge impact on how effective it is. Posters that are too large will completely overwhelm the viewer, whereas posters that are too small will be easy to miss. The perfect poster sizes strike a balance between fitting into your wall space and effectively showing off your picture or message.
The most common poster sizes explained
From small A4 to extra large 60x40”, there’s a huge range of standard poster sizes out there to choose from. Some poster sizes are perfect for decorating your walls at home, some are great for showcasing artwork, while others are ideal for grabbing attention in crowded areas.
It can all get a little confusing. To make things simpler, we’ve categorised standard poster sizes into small, medium, large and extra-large groups, and picked out the most popular poster size for each.
So which standard poster sizes are right for you?
Small Posters - A3 (16.5x11.7”)
A3 posters are typically the smallest standard poster size. They’re around twice the size of A4 posters and very easy to frame, so they’re the perfect size for filling smaller wall spaces around your home - or even printing multiple posters to create a unique gallery wall display.
Medium Posters - A2 & 24x18”
The most common medium poster sizes are either A2 (16.5x23.4”) or slightly larger at 24x18”. These poster sizes include plenty of room for clear visuals and text, so they’re an incredibly popular choice for personalised wall art or advertising in shop windows.
Large Posters - 36x24”
The standard poster size in the UK is 36x24”, which is slightly larger than A1. This poster size is designed to grab attention and make a statement on your walls, so they’re perfect for transforming large-scale artwork or high-resolution photos into a stunning feature wall.
Movie poster sizes - 40x27”
Also known as a “One Sheet”, these extra large 40x27” posters are typically used as movie posters in UK cinemas, while the movie posters you see at bus stops are typically even larger at 40x60”. Yep, standard poster sizes don’t get much bigger.
A complete poster dimensions guide
Choosing the perfect standard poster size isn’t always easy, as your choice will depend on the purpose of your poster, its location, the viewing distance and the amount of text or detail included in the design.
Since there are so many factors involved and so many poster sizes to choose from, we’ve put together this quick size chart to help you find the perfect poster dimensions.
|
Poster type |
Poster sizes (inches) | Poster sizes (cm) |
| Extra small posters | A4 (11.7 x 8.3”) | 29.7 x 21cm |
| Small posters | 11x14” | 27.9 x 35.56cm |
| A3 (11.7 x 16.5”) | 29.7 x 42cm | |
| 16 x 12” | 40.64 x 30.48cm | |
| 20 x 10" | 50.8 x 25.4cm | |
| 18 x 12” | 45.72 x 30.48cm | |
| 16 x 16” | 40.64 x 40.64cm | |
| Medium posters | A2 (23.4 x 16.5”) | 59.4 x 42cm |
| 24 x 18” | 60.96 x 45.72cm | |
| 20 x 16” | 50.8 x 40.64cm | |
| Large posters | A1 (33.1 x 23.4”) | 84.1 x 59.4cm |
| 36 x 24” | 91.44 x 60.96cm | |
| 30 x 20” | 76.2 x 50.8cm | |
| Extra large posters | 40 x 27” | 101.6 x 68.58cm |
| 60 x 20” | 152.4 x 50.8cm | |
| 60 x 40” | 152.4 x 101.6cm |
How to print standard poster sizes at Max Spielmann
Now you have a better idea of which standard poster sizes are right for you, it’s time to start making your perfect poster prints.
Select a poster size
Explore our range of online poster printing options to find the perfect poster size and style. You can create everything from poster collage prints to panoramic poster prints, so first you’ll need to decide which type of poster best suits your requirements.
Upload high resolution photos
This is particularly important if you’re creating larger poster prints, since low resolution and images will appear blurry and pixelated on your poster. Whether you’re printing a photo or a text design you’ve made, high-quality images will always make the best posters possible.
Use our easy online builder
Once you’ve uploaded your photos, you can use edit, crop and reposition them to ensure they fit your poster perfectly. Everything inside the red box will be included on your poster, so make sure nothing important is excluded from this “safe area”!
Choose home delivery or Click & Collect
When you’ve designed your perfect poster, you can head through to the checkout to choose a delivery method. Our most popular poster sizes are ready to Click & Collect in just 20 minutes, but you can also be home-delivered within 5 working days instead.
Looking for more? Check out our guides to standard photo sizes and how to choose picture frame sizes!
