Choosing Mat Board: What You Really Need to Know

Some people may consider mat board a framing accessory that is optional; however, mat board protects your artwork from damage.  Mat boards provide a spacing element for your artwork; they  keep the surface from coming in contact with the glass or plexiglass covering. Humidity from the climate or from home air conditioning systems will eventually cause artwork to stick to the glazing if they have prolonged contact. Even in drier climates with low humidity, matboards should be installed during the framing process.

All matboards were not created equal. Mat board is available in a variety of sizes, colors and quality. Purchasing quality products within your budget that were designed for your specific art pieces will give you the best result. You can protect your artwork and provide an appropriate background with matboard.

How do I chose a mat boards?
Choosing which matboards are best for your project primarily means evaluating the lignon content. Lignon is a natural acidic component in wood (paper). A high acid content means that the signs of aging will show up sooner. The integrity of the piece can be compromised if it dries out and becomes brittle. You may also notice yellowing.

Archival Quality products are made with 100% pure cotton; these are normally reserved for pieces that require total protection from the aging effects of acids. Old documents, photos and art pieces are mounted using this matboard. The main purpose is function and these are predominantly neutral whites and off-whites. You can expect to pay more for archival quality selections.

Acid-free or conservatory mat boards are almost 100% acid-free. That means they will give you the next best option to archival quality products. Acid-free matboard comes in almost umlimited color choices. The benefit of adding color is that you can add an element of contrast to accentuate your artwork. The background becomes a part of the piece, adding texture and interest.

Regular matboard is the least expensive option. These products are offered in a vast array of colors to compliment your art pieces. The acid content can vary from just a little to having the full natural lignon content. Overtime, leeching acid will age anything with constant contact.

The Importance Of Matting Material In Conserving Art Works

Even though the primary purpose of artwork framing and matting is preservation, knowing the quality of the picture frame mat inside a framed piece of art is important to how it's viewed.

Professional matting techniques influence the ways people view and react to artwork.
Matting techniques can cause a small picture to seem larger and more dramatic, a dark work of art appear lighter or even turn a regular small postal card into force majeure. Really! Matboards also highlight a particular color of the framed work of art or even match the room decor.

Mats are used for different purposes. Choosing which type of matboard to use depends on whether you are framing for decoration or sentimental reasons.
Leeching occurs as some picture frame mat supplies contain acid. Commonly cardboard and acid containing papers cause this phenomenon that draws the acid out of the matting material by your artwork. This makes your artwork yellow as it becomes older. Although ideal for work that is for decoration purposes only, it is also used extensively as precuts by photographers who sell their work, art gallery samples, street artists selling their work framed and for framing items that have little material or sentimental value.

Acid-free matting material is the other option used for framing works of art. Made from cotton or rag, it will not leach and thus serves as excellent protection for valuable and/or sentimental art pieces. If you have more art works than you can hang, acid-free matting is great for archiving your works without worrying about acid leaching. As with most things, the quality of acid-free matting differs amongst manufacturers. It is a good idea to question your framer or the gallery you are getting art work from for clarifying what you need to use as matboard.

Mats are used to keep the artwork from adhering to the glazing (glass or acrylic).
Your artwork can be damaged if it comes into direct contact with the glazing that is there to protect it. It happens just like a photograph that you attempt to peel off the glazing it is held in. After time, it cannot be done without ruining the photo. Pasted will, over time, have their pigments pulled from the picture surface by built up static electricity that is too close to the glazing. Always use mats to protect your framed art work!

Protecting your artwork is very important. Knowing about matting is the first line of protection. Make sure that you take other steps as well. For instance, using the highest quality cotton matboard does nothing if the art work has highly acidic cardboard for its backing. High quality, conservation-grade material are available for each step in framing art work; forgetting only one can defeat all other measures taken.

Now that you know how to preserve your art work, get out there and do it!

The Purpose of Using Mat Board for Picture Frames

Using a mat board for picture framing adds a colored border around the artwork helping to enhance the focus and presentation of the overall picture.   A framer might add to this process by adding multiple mats to enrich the framed subject. Most commonly, a neutral colored mat may be used as the outside border then a small accent color is used on the inside opening (as known as the Bevel) of the outside mat. In lieu of an accent mat, a framer might also add a filler, a decorative wood or silver/gold leafed finish insert that fits in between matting or inside a larger frame to draw the eye inwards to the subject being framed.  You can see how it is used in the images to the left.
Mat board serves as a protective barrier in a picture frame separating the glass from the artwork.  This creates air space for the subject helping to minimize the damaging effects of moisture should it condense on the inside of the glass. This is of the utmost concern when conservation framing is required.

Specialty mats can be created to enhance your art, but remember the framing should enhance your art not detract from it. That is why many times the best mat for your art is simple and subtle in the proper proportions.
 

Photo credit to Frametech Northwest

Benefits of Using Acid Free Mat Board

Important artwork can benefit from the use of acid free mat board as opposed to acidic mat board. There are variations in the types of acid-free mat board available depending on the materials used. Quality varies from mat boards made of wood fibers that have been treated to neutralize acid to mat boards that are made of cotton rag that are completely acid-free.




Consistent Fade-Resistant Color
Acid free mat board are composed entirely of either alpha cellulose, wood fibers or cotton rag, resulting in consistent colors throughout when cut. Acidic mats composed of acidic wood pulp have less bright and consistent coloring than acid free mat boards, and are more susceptible to fading and yellowing over time. Either type of mat  board can fade with exposure to sunlight if not mounted under UV-protected glass.

Durability
Acid in mat boards and in their environments causes their materials to decompose, with acidic mats breaking down more quickly than acid-free mats. Over time, decomposition causes mat board fibers to weaken, fray and discolor.

Effect on Artwork
Mat boards that are not acid-free function well for temporary displays, but acid free mat boards are best for preserving artwork over time because they are less susceptible to decomposition. The highest quality acid-free mat boards are often referred to as museum quality or archival mat boards because they can best assist in preserving framed items over time.

Because mat boards are in direct contact with the framed artwork, the acidity of the boards can also cause discoloration and damage to the artwork. For this reason, framers and galleries recommend acid free mat boards for use with original artwork or other framed items that are of monetary or sentimental value.

When is Mat board used?

Framers primarily use mat board to enhance the look of a framed piece. When the right color of mat board is chosen, it can help draw the viewer’s focus towards the framed art. Matboards play a significant role in framing due to the fact that it is the main material of concern that may protect the art forever or severely cause it damage. Many natural elements affect art and matboard is used to prevent those damages.

Photographers utilize precut mat board to display their photographs to clients or to sell at an art gallery. Precut mats are available at any art supply store and can also be purchased by matboard suppliers. Artists, Architects and practically any profession with creativity can use matboard. Often times, mats can be used for 3D model making, product photography and most commonly, matboard can be drawn or painted on.

If you plan to use matboard to do your own picture framing, it is imperative to measure the mat correctly to leave an attractive border around your art or photography. Usually, professionals recommend a three inch border on the top and sides of your picture and four inches of space for the bottom border of the matboard. This helps to “weight” your picture and give the finished piece a more visually appealing look.

What is Matboard?

Matboard, also referred to as a mat, is a heavy paper-based material used in the picture framing process. This cardboard-like material sits between a frame and your photography or artwork to give it a complete finished look. During the picture framing process, matboard also serves as additional protection, separating the art from the glass.

Photo by cgancos