The main purpose of matting is to create a space between the artwork and the glass. This space prevents any rubbing of the artwork against the glass and allows the artwork to breath. This also prevents permanent damage to a piece from condensation issues (mold and mildew) that might arise during periods of fluxuating temperature and humidity. Matting also serves as one form of embellishment for the artwork however, the framer and the customer must always be aware not to allow the matting in conjunction with the framing to distract from the artwork by dominating the final presentation.
One of the more common questions encountered at Hope Framing is, "Why are some mats more expensive than others even though they look the same?" Mat boards may look alike, but there can be a huge difference in their relative ability to preserve artwork. An inexpensive mat board against a cherished artwork or document is a sure recipe for damage and customer dissatisfaction. The damage occurs because wood pulp matting will burn (acid burn) paper with which it comes into contact within several months or years. This is the one area where trying to save a few dollars can damage, or worse yet destroy the value of the artwork or document. A rule of thumb followed at Hope Framing is that valued art and documents should be touched only by cotton. Following are the differences between the three most commonly used mat boards.
The standard for conservation framing is mat board made from 100% cotton, often referred to as "rag" board. Cotton is naturally acid free providing the greatest amount of protection to the artwork. These cotton mat boards are sometimes buffered with calcium carbonate on both sides, to increase protection from encounters with acidic contaminates. This is the matting board selection used by museums and fine galleries throughout the world. Manufacturers of museum mat boards believe that these mats should remain acid free for about one hundred years before absorbing airborne contaminates. Due to the high standards required in the manufacturing of these mat boards, the expense for these boards is the greatest.
Conservation mat boards can be made of cotton or wood pulp which has been processed by buffering agents to create an acid-free material. These boards come in a large range of colors and are highly fade resistant. This type of mat board is widely used in the framing industry today for the matting of prints and photographs. Even with the promotion by manufacturers of this board being nearly as good as "rag" board, it is still not considered acceptable practice by museums and fine galleries to use conservation mat boards in place of museum mat boards.
These mat boards are made from wood pulp that has received some acid buffering. Standard mat board should never be used for conservation framing. At Hope Framing, we have repaired many partially damaged artworks and documents by replacing the acidic mat boards with fresh cotton rag boards. We often hear, "Why did this old mat discolor my picture?" Our response is that the buffering agents have lost their effectiveness and allowed acidic transfer to occur between the matting and the artwork. The dark brown lines or discolored areas on the artwork are literally acid burns.
When framing artwork which requires matting, always keep in mind the level of importance the framed picture has to you and your family. Is it a historic family record, a cherished family art piece, a valuable artwork by a noted artist or an inexpensive poster that has little value over time? These are all factors you need to consider when matting and framing.
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