The frame make-up
A frame should not only be decorative but should provide protection for the artwork, which may be of great monetary or sentimental value. The way a frame is made and the materials used are important factors in determining whether or not the art will be protected for posterity.
The art is normally fixed to a mount board with two acid-free hinges along the top edge. This allows the artwork to hang freely and expand or contract with changes in temperature and humidity. Without the freedom to move it is likely that the art will buckle or ripple in time.
The window mount provides a decorative surround for the art but it is also important in helping it to lie flat and keeping it away from the glass. If artwork touches the glass it may well become damaged by any condensation and it may stick to the glass. On a number of occasions I’ve seen artwork stuck to the glass so securely that it could couldn’t be removed without damaging it irreparably.
The mountboard and window mount play an important role in protecting the artwork. Click here to find out why it is important to ensure that your art is never framed in standard quality mountboard.
The glass is there to provide protection for the artwork. Normal picture glass will provide physical protection but may show reflections. Standard non-reflective glass solves this problem but at the expense of blurring detail and reducing the intensity of colours. Modern glasses with ultra violet protection and reflection control coating (similar to those found in camera lenses) are available but are somewhat more expensive. They are, however, well worth considering for valuable pieces or frames that might need to be hung in bright sunny rooms.
Once the artwork has been assembled with the backing mount, window mount and glass, the package is sealed with an acid-free tape that provides a barrier against dust and insects and helps to buffer any changes in temperature and humidity. It also shields the artwork from any contaminants that might escape from the wood of the frame.
The backboard is generally made of MDF or a specialist product to protect the artwork package from physical damage and from any damp that might migrate from the wall where the picture is hanging. At Neuadd Bwll Framing we use a specially manufactured backing board.
The reverse of the picture is normally sealed with a paper-based sealing tape to provide a neat finish and a further barrier to dust (although this is hardly necessary if encapsulating tape has been used).
At Neuadd Bwll Framing we can also offer framing without glass – just ask for details.