You’ve got questions… we’ve got answers! Framing doesn’t need to be confusing or mysterious — read on for answers to our customers’ most common questions.
Why custom framing?
Quite simply, professional custom framing displays your treasured pieces to their best advantage and protects them for years to come.
High-quality framing requires skill and knowledge — and our experienced framers know all the tricks of our trade! A carefully considered frame design enhances artwork, photos or objects without overpowering them. For example, did you know that the width of your mat should never match the width of your frame? When the frame and mat are equal, they draw the eye away from the artwork.
Even more important, custom framing preserves your well-loved pieces in as close to original condition as possible. Acid and lignin-free mats and mounting boards are free from the impurities that can damage artwork over time, and UV-filtering glass protects from harmful light exposure.
What is a mat?
The mat is the border that surrounds your art within its frame. Visually, the mat provides breathing room from any distractions on the surrounding wall.
Choosing your mat is an important part of the framing design process — matboards can bring out the colors in a piece, accent its shape and draw in the eye. We offer matboard in thousands of colors, and we can suggest multiple mats and specialty-cut mats to give your frame even more style!
Matting also keeps the glass from coming into contact with the piece, allowing air to circulate and preventing condensation from forming behind the glass. Moisture can damage the framed piece and serve as a breeding ground for mildew or mold. Without matting, photos or artwork may also buckle, wrinkle or stick to the glass.
What is Conservation Framing?
Conservation framing uses special materials and techniques to protect artwork and maintain it in as close to its original condition as possible, for as long as possible.
Conservation glass helps filter ultraviolet (UV) light from your framed items. UV light is extremely dangerous to artwork, causing colors to fade and the materials themselves to begin to break down in the frame. With conservation glass, over 97% of these damaging rays are filtered out before coming into contact with your valuables.
Museum glass is an anti-reflective framing glass with conservation-grade UV protection. This is the best glazing option available for art, photographs and other important personal keepsakes. Along with its nearly invisible finish, it effectively blocks up to 99% of indoor and outdoor UV light rays, so framed pieces remain clearer and brighter for longer.
Conservation matboard also helps to protect your framed pieces — ordinary, pulp-based matboard contains traces of acids and lignins which will damage artwork over time. At Framed, we use conservation-quality matboard exclusively — all of our matboard is acid- and lignin-free and uses alkaline or neutral sizing.
What is Dry Mounting?
Dry mounting uses heat and pressure to permanently adhere artwork to a mounting board, like foam core, matboard or gator board. Dry mounting is a good option for photos and posters that are 8×10 inches or larger — it is an excellent way to prevent large prints from sagging or wrinkling within the frame.
Due to the adhesives and heat, there is a slight chance that damage may occur, so we don’t recommend dry mounting for artwork or memorabilia that cannot be replaced. Replaceable posters and photo prints are excellent candidates for dry mounting with or without a frame.
If artwork is to be conservation framed, then we cannot dry mount it, since dry mounting would adversely affect the value of the art.
How do I hang my artwork?
Artwork looks best hung at the eye-level of the average person in the room — 57″ on center is a good rule of thumb. (On center means that the middle of the artwork is 57” from the floor.) In a room where more time is spent seated, optimal eye-level would be lower.
Hang smaller, more detailed pieces in small spaces like hallways, where impact is less important than content, and the art can be enjoyed up close and personal. Larger pieces require more room for the viewer to stand back and enjoy — hang these pieces opposite the entrance to a room or on any large wall space.
We will provide you with the correct hanging hardware for your new frame, and we’re happy to share our tips and tricks. If you’re still intimidated, we have specialists who will install your new frames for you — ask us for details!
What Our Customers Say
What a great find! I had several pictures to frame and really didn’t know where to start. The great people at Framed were incredibly helpful and patient. They had lots of good ideas for my pieces — it was quick, painless, and cost half of what I had expected!
Duane K.