Proper Matting

All-rag paper will last for hundreds of years with proper care. We recommend that only rag conservation board with a pH factor of 7.5 be used behind the print, as well as for the front mat with 4-ply rag conservation board. It is extremely important that only all-rag, pH 7.5 acid free materials come in contact with the print at any point, front or back. Therefore, even the hinges, which hold the print in suspension under the mat, must also be all-rag.

The collector value of the print is affected if the original condition of the print is altered in any way.

Dangers of Poor Framing

Improper matting is responsible for much of the damage to art on paper. Deterioration and discoloration are caused by the use of commonly available woodpulp mat board. Only special conservation board is safe to use in framing this print. Even a small percentage of unprocessed woodpulp in the mounting board or mat may contain acids which “burn” paper, cause paper to turn brown, to become brittle and even to disintegrate when removed from the frame.

Most museum curators and connoisseurs of art concerned with the preservation of collector prints insist on the need to use special conservation techniques in the framing of such pieces.

No Dry-Mounting Or Pasting

The print should never permanently secured to the mounting board by any method. Only hinges or corner flanges made with acid free materials should be used to attach the art pieces to the mounting board, and thus permit the print to the mounting board, and thus permit the print to be easily removed if necessary for remounting in the future.

We recommend that a wine bottle cork be cut into four equal pieces and glued to the back of the finished, framed piece to buffer the framed piece 3/8″ to 1/2″ from the wall, allowing air to circulate. The frequently used rubber bumpers manufactured for this purpose usually are not thick enough.

Depend only on highly experienced picture framers and museum curators for advice on mounting and framing all fine prints. Of course, you can also start by calling us at (214) 348-7350.