Mounting, Matting, Framing

[daveleo]

I expect there is a wide range of preferences here, but I would like to know . . . . for those folks who mount, matte and frame their prints . . . what materials do you use, and where do you get them?

I am a hobbyist, and my stuff hangs in homes and cafe's - the museums haven't called me yet 🙄 .

Currently, I get standard grade mounting boards and pre-cut mattes from: http://www.americanframe.com/Departments/Accessories/Mounting-Board.aspx

99% I use white mattes, 1% I've done black.

I buy or make 11X14 wood frames (I only print 8X10"), and use standard lexan-acrylic for the "glass".

I use Clearbags ( http://http://www.clearbags.com/clear-bags ) for the mounted prints that sit in my "to-be-framed" boxes.


EDIT (after reading the first few replies) : I attached the mounting board to the matte board with a single short tape hinge (about 1 inch, at the top joint) and do the same for the print to the matte board.

EDIT: Sometimes (like in my basement) I just display the pictures on shelves, still in their clearbags, no frames. Switch them when I get bored.

 

[KenR]

I dry mount my photos on cotton boards from Archival Methods and cut custom mats as needed. IMHO dry mounted prints look better than wavy prints that I get from corner mounting. Frames per exhibit or per each photo from a variety of sources.

 

[Vince Lupo]

I use cotton hinges with cotton/linen tape, and then acid-free white mats. Light Impressions is a good source for materials.

BTW I don't know how true this is, but I've heard that dry mounting is not considered an archival method of mounting. I don't believe museums are crazy about it, and once you've dry mounted a photo onto a board, it's there for good.

 

[kokoshawnuff]

I use acid free cotton tape, acid free backing, acid free mats, uv glass (plastic), and typically Nielsen custom metal frames. All from here:

http://www.americanframe.com/

 

[johannielscom]

See here:

http://chriscrawfordphoto.com/technical/framing.php

 

[FrankS]

Here in Canada we have an arts and crafts store called Michaels. I buy precut white matts and pre assembled simple black wooden frames with glass. There is also a framing shop in my town that sells better quality black metal frames that assemble with metal corner pieces and a screw driver. Definitely glass.

Here is the Michaels frame.

 

[rlouzan]

1) Properly fixed and washed FB 8x10/11x14 B&W prints.
2) Museum style aluminum frames.
3) UV Glass.
4) Nonbuffered 100% cotton rag mats (white mat boards for B&W prints and black for color).
5) Mounting strips, paper corners and acid-free linen tape - No dry mounting.

 

[randolph45]

Cheap guy

Cheap guy

Using op3- 1/8" uv lexan plastic instead of glass.custom cut mats from Micheals and black metal frames also from Micheals. Acid free 1/8 " foamcore board for backing and artist mounting tape.
Tap plastics for the op3.
I have been considering no frame just op3 with mat and backing held togeather with stainless standoffs drilled through the corners to sandwich the layers togeather.

 

[Brian Legge]

Informative discussion. I have a 16x16 fiber paper print I want to hang.

I haven't mounted a photo for 15 years. The last round was dry mounted RC. While it worked, I wasn't a huge fan of the heat as it was easy to accidentally damage a print, some of the mat boards are no longer in great shape and aren't easy to change, etc.

I'm now relearning all of this. For something that seems like it ought to be simple, there sure is a lot of information out there. 🙂 One concern I had was how flat a 16x16 fiber print would be secured by the corners. I suppose not as flat as dry mounted but hopefully it works reasonably well and is easily reversible if I don't like the result.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Here in Canada we have an arts and crafts store called Michaels. I buy precut white matts and pre assembled simple black wooden frames with glass. There is also a framing shop in my town that sells better quality black metal frames that assemble with metal corner pieces and a screw driver. Definitely glass.

Here is the Michaels frame.

If its the same Michael's art & craft store we have in the USA, you're paying DOUBLE what everyone else charges for the same materials. DOUBLE. Here in Fort Wayne, we have a locally owned art supply store called United Art Supply. They're not cheap, you can get things for a lot less online, but they charge HALF what Michaels does for EVERY SINGLE ITEM THEY SELL. I'm not exaggerating. Michaels charges double what they not-terribly-inexpensive local art supply store charges.

There are better places to buy your framing supplies.

 

[FrankS]

You're probably right Chris. I usually wait until they have a sale or my wife finds a coupon.

 

[randolph45]

not in a hurry

not in a hurry

You're probably right Chris. I usually wait until they have a sale or my wife finds a coupon.

I use the coupons too.Takes two weeks to buy the frame parts . Two 20×40 mats for 12×36 prints was at the time
11$
Plus a smile got me a second full sheet of mat the clerk ordered as backup just in case.Probably never happen again.

 

[daveleo]

See here:

http://chriscrawfordphoto.com/technical/framing.php

Thanks for that link. I had not seen Chris's write-up before.

 

[Rob-F]

I use acid-free matte board that is solid all the way through. I get mine from a local supplier, Stephen Kinsella Paper, in St. Louis. When I took photography, the instructor made sure we knew not to use a laminated board, but one that is made of the same material all the way through.

I have my own Seal dry mounting press, so I use Seal dry mounting tissue that is heat activated.

I have a miserable old-fashioned guillotine 15" cutter that I ought to replace. It does OK for cutting small pieces of matte board, and for cutting larger paper down to size; but it's useless for delicate final trimming of a print. I think I need one of those linear types.

I have a Logan matt cutter, so that is what I use for cutting the matte board.

Frames: I use metal ones. I always order from Contemporary Frame Company. They have a variety of finishes, several of which go nicely with the patina of a silver print. My current favorite is "contrast gray." They are online, and will also take orders by phone. I made one 16 X 20 wooden frame. Although it came out nice, I prefer the metal ones.

Glass: I recently became aware that people are using plastic now. I suppose there is a weight advantage, as well as being non-breakable. I'd like a non-glare finish. Contemporary has these, but you apparently have to order a quantity at a time.

 

[Shirley Creazzo]

I am more likely to be framing paintings than photographs. I, too, think Michael's is expensive except for occasional frame sales, if you can bide your time. My supplier for everything else is a company with the unlikely name of Dick Blick. I have been using them for something like 20 years. Very dependable, & has a very comprehensive catalog. And large matte board 28" x 44" [and other boards] have to be ordered n 10s, but can be mixed. Those of you not in the states will want to check shipping.

 

[charjohncarter]

Great thread, we have Cheap Pete's here that seems to undercut the others. But I find I have to inspect every frame I buy to make sure it is what I really want.

 

[bigeye]

I resize my 36mp images (60mb) to fit into 700k files, then post them on the web.

Seriously, good topic. Should this have a separate sub-forum?

-Charlie

 

[dct]

Interesting article. I'm not sure in which direction I should go regarding the matte. I've seen many photo expositions without a noticeable matte border. Also without any visible frame too!

Apart from the contrast aspect, depending on the walls the images will be mounted, what are the decision points to use a visible frame (small/large) versus a straight picture border? And in which case should a matte surround the photo or why better be invisible?
Any hints? Thank you.

(I print typically series of 13x18cm and 20x30cm, as well as singles measuring 30x45cm or 50x75cm)

 

[daveleo]

Interesting article. I'm not sure in which direction I should go regarding the matte. I've seen many photo expositions without a noticeable matte border. Also without any visible frame too!

Apart from the contrast aspect, depending on the walls the images will be mounted, what are the decision points to use a visible frame (small/large) versus a straight picture border? And in which case should a matte surround the photo or why better be invisible?
Any hints? Thank you.

(I print typically series of 13x18cm and 20x30cm, as well as singles measuring 30x45cm or 50x75cm)

The aesthetic value of a matte, I think, is personal choice. For me, I like the image to be separated a bit from it's surroundings.

The physical value of the matte is that the picture surface should not touch the glass (or lexan). I had an unmatted framed picture hanging in a coffee house (a brick wall). After a few months, I noticed the picture sticking to the glass in spots; it looked like water had dripped down from the wall and got between the picture and the glass and had stuck the two together. That's not what happened.
I read up a bit and learned that if there are sudden temperature changes in the room or the wall (like when they close the cafe for the night and open up in the morning), moisture simply condenses behind the glass.
I have some others that are not matted and this did not happen because they are in people's homes and don't see big temperature changes.

 

[Bob Michaels]

I have learned to focus on reusability by consistency and standardization. I have too many crates of framed prints for earlier exhibits that I cannot reuse the frames or lexan because they are odd sizes.

I now always use the same frame (Neilsen #11 flat black in my case)

All my frames purchased in the last several years are 16x20

I always use the same off white mat.

All my mat openings are cut to either square, 4x5 aspect ratio (10 x 12 1/2 print size) or 2x3 aspect ratio (9 x 13 1/2 print size) I select one of these aspect ratios while printing.

Now when I want to add something to a series, I can find something from another series that I am not using and simply swap out the print.