A mat is the colored border placed around the artwork. The purpose of the mat is, first, to provide a spacer or separation between the artwork and the frame or glass. If the glass comes into contact with the art, there could be a risk of damage to the artwork. This damage may come in the form of mold, or the artwork adhering to the under side of the glass. Second, the mat, particularly the color of the mat, draws the eye into the picture. By altering the colors in the mats, we can make the colors in the art stand out. And third, the mat hides the mechanics of the framed piece. For instance, the mat will cover the mounting method used such as a hinge or dry mount.
The standard size of mats is 32 x 40, but some colors will come in an oversized 40 x 60. The standard thickness of a mat is 4 ply, which is about 2 mm. Mats are also made in a limited color range of six, eight and twelve ply thicknesses. These thicker mats create a dramatic presentation, drawing the eye directly to the art. Mats come in a variety of colors and textures which will allow your Allens' Creations design consultant to select the mats that just right for your picture.
What kind of mat should I use?
For the highest protection for your artwork, you should only use mats that are preservation or museum grade. There are three basic types of mats used in picture framing. The first is a regular or paper mat. These mats, while being cost effective, contain a product called lignin. Over time lignin breaks down creating an acidic gas that can leave a burn mark on your artwork. The color will also fade over time, and the cream colored bevel will begin to darken. Some paper mats have a bleached white core, buffered mat and are called "acid-free". The overall degradation of the "acid-free" mat will be the same as a regular paper mat and neither are considered preservation quality. The second type of mat is an alpha cellulose mat. Cellulose is the chief material in all plant life. Alpha cellulose is the purest form of this material. These mats are buffered to maintain a neutral pH and they are considered to be preservation quality. They will not harm the artwork, and will fade much more slowly than regular mats. This type of mat is the primary, in-stock, mat at Allens' Creations. The third type of mat is a rag mat. Made from cotton linters, rag mats are naturally lignin free. They are made with a colored surface paper, which are preservation grade, or can be 100% rag mat, which is museum grade.
What type of glass should I use?
We stock and recommend Tru-Vue glass products and would love to see UV filtering glass on all frame projects. However, due to cost constraints, Premium Clear glass is often used. We rarely use, and do not recommend, non-glare glass due to the fact that is distorts the artwork as well as the reflection.
Premium Clear Glass: High quality, inexpensive regular glass. Filters 45% of UV rays but is not considered conservation grade.
Reflection Control Glass: Non-glare glass that reduces glare, but also distorts the artwork.
Conservation Clear: 98% UV Filering glass.
Museum Glass: 99% UV Filtering with glare reducing properties. Less than 1% light reflection.
How do your prices compare?
Periodic market analysis shows that our prices are competitive; virtually the same or less than other professional frame shops offering equivalent products and services. At times, other frame shops may quote a job at a significantly lower price. We find that when this occurs, the frame shop is generally using inferior quality products. This would include paper mats, cardboard or non-acid free backing, plastic, pine, or poplar frames, or “cheap” overseas knockoffs. You should also ask yourself if this framer will be around should you encounter problems in the future. One of our motto's is: "If you can't find it cheaper, you're not looking hard enough." Remember, there is ALWAYS a cheaper way to frame a picture. Allens' Creations recommends framing your artwork correctly the first time.
At Allens' Creations, all work since 1976 has been done on the premises by a highly trained staff and we back up our quality with our Design and Craftsmanship Guarantee.
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