The options include:
-buy a guard
-make a guard from a donor chainring
-use a narrow-wide ring an don't bother with a guard
-don't bother with a guard and don't bother with a narrow-wide ring
When they list the "size", it's the number of teeth that particular guard will cover. For your 1x application, you may be able to get away with going a little bit bigger. "too big" would be when the chain rubs the chainguard when you are in the smallest cog in back.
If you want to make a guard from a donor ring, it's common to use a ring that was 4 or 5 teeth bigger than the ring you'll actually be using. Some people break the teeth off and file what's left. Some hacksaw the teeth off and file what's left. Others file from the start.
Good luck with your build
Bill Lindsay
El Cerrito, CA