Works of art and on paper are very fragile. They are easily torn, folded and smudged. Work on paper can be damage by the mats and frames that are intended to protect them. Choosing the right mats, hinges, back boards and glazing will protect and persevere works in your collection. The use of unstable materials can cause serious damage to your works of art.

Many mat boards are of a low quality and can cause serous harm to your art work. The acid content of inferior boards can cause paper to change color and become brittle. The core of a poor quality mat board will darken with age causing a staining to your art work also known as matt burn. To prevent this problem always be sure to use framing products that are chemically stable. Be sure materials are PH natural and made from cotton rag or 100% chemically purified wood pulp.

Hinges are used to attach the top edge of a work of art to a mat allowing the paper to expand and contract freely in response to environmental changes. Attaching the corners of the work to the back of the mat can result in buckling, or tears in the paper. Another method of hinging is called, “photo corners” triangle sleeves of paper or plastic film are slipped over the corners of the art work and attached to the back of the mat. No adhesives touch the art work in use of photo corners. Avoid attaching art works to back of mats using the following: spray adhesive, rubber cement, pressure sensitive tape, dry mounting and lamination. The adhesive materials used in these products can cause the art work to become discolored, brittle or be difficult to remove.

The backing board is a rigid sheet of chemically stable board placed behind the mat and the frame. It is stiff and will hold the contents of the frame in place with out bowing or buckling. Some conservators recommend the placement of an impermeable material like Mylar type D or Marvel seal between the back mat and the backing board.

Glazing protects the surface of the art work and protects it from dirt and dust. The most common materials used are glass and acrylic sheet. Plastics other than acrylic are unstable and should not be used. Acrylic weighs less than glass and is shatter proof, but it can be scratched more easily, however there are new treatments making scratching less of a problem. Because acrylic has a static charge do not use it when framing pastel, and charcoal drawings. The glazing you choose should never touch the work of art. Using a thick mat or a spacer in the frame will prevent the art work and glazing from touching. Glazing that filters ultraviolet rays is a good idea as it will help prevent fading of colors and darkening of paper. Framed art work should never be placed in strong light, even if glazing has UV protection it still over time will fade.