Mountboard



Standard mountboard is generally made from wood pulp and is acid. Years ago this was all that was available at a reasonable price and many picture framers used it even though it damaged the artwork. Today there are many higher quality boards available, including acid-free buffered conservation boards, cotton-based museum boards and boards with ingredients that actively protect artwork from deterioration.

These quality mountboards are slightly more expensive than standard mountboard but will add only about £1 to the cost of the average frame – a small price to pay for knowing that your artwork is being protected from harmful acids.

It's worth taking a look at any picture frames you have to see if there is any sign of acid deterioration. You’ll notice this first by looking at the bevel of the window. If it has turned yellow or brown then that’s a sign that the board has an acid content.
an acid window mount
This window mount is showing clear signs of acid browning to the extent that it has stained the picture. This frame is about 10–15 years old but this sort of damage can occur within months of having a picture framed. No wonder the lion is looking glum.
acid burns
Removing the window mount has exposed the true extent of the damage. The picture has become very stained and, short of sending it to a paper restorer for some expensive restoration work, there’s not really anything that can be done. The damage in this case is worse than it might look from the photograph as the picture was glued down to another piece of standard board and the whole picture has taken on a brown tint. And because it’s been glued down, there's no way it can be removed to prevent further damage.

So, if you’re having pictures framed:
  • make sure the framer uses good quality acid free or conservation grade mountboard and window mounts as a minimum
  • make sure your artwork is mounted in such a way that it can easily be removed should you wish to have it reframed.

If you have any frames where the pictures or window mounts are showing sign of deterioration then take them to a good framer for advice before the damage gets any worse.

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