Framing art, frames, mats and glazing explained
When to frame and when not to, how mats and glazing protect a work, and how to choose a frame that suits both the art and your walls.
A frame has two jobs. It protects the work, and it sets the stage for it. A good frame does both so quietly that you notice only the art, while a poor one can crowd a delicate drawing or shrink a bold canvas. Understanding a few basic choices, from mats to glazing, makes conversations with a framer easier and helps you decide what really matters for each work.
To frame or not to frame
Not every work needs a frame. Paintings on stretched canvas are often shown unframed, especially contemporary works whose edges are painted or neatly wrapped. Many artists intend them that way, so it is worth asking before you add anything.
If a canvas does need a frame, a , also called a tray frame, is a popular modern choice. The canvas sits inside an L-shaped profile with a narrow gap of a few millimetres all round, so the painting appears to float. Its edges stay visible, and the frame protects the corners when the work is handled or moved.
Works on paper, from drawings and watercolours to prints and photographs, almost always need a frame with glazing. Paper is sensitive to light, dust, touch and humidity, and the whole frame package acts as its protective shell.
Frame styles and what they suit
Gilded frames carry centuries of tradition. In , gold leaf is laid over layers of gesso and a fine coloured clay called bole, then burnished with a smooth stone to a mirror shine in chosen places. Oil gilding uses a slow drying oil size instead and gives a softer, matt glow. Gold suits old master paintings and many nineteenth century works, and it can look surprisingly fresh around contemporary pieces with warm colours.
Wood frames, in natural oak, walnut or ash or with painted finishes, are versatile and warm. Metal frames, usually slim aluminium profiles, give a crisp, modern line that suits photography and graphic prints. Box frames, deep frames with space between the glazing and the back, hold objects, textiles and works on paper that are float mounted.
- Old master or nineteenth century painting: gilded or dark wood, ideally in a period style
- Contemporary canvas: unframed, or a simple floater frame
- Drawing or watercolour: light wood or white frame with a generous mat
- Photograph: slim metal or wood frame, often with a white mat
- Object, textile or sheet with a : box frame with a float mount
Mats, margins and float mounting
A mat, usually called a mount in Britain, is the board border between the work and the frame. It gives the eye breathing room and, just as important, keeps the glazing off the surface of the work. Mat borders commonly range from about 4 to 10 cm (1.5 to 4 inches). Small works often look best with generous margins, which make them feel more precious, not less.
Traditional framers often make the bottom margin slightly wider than the top and sides, a practice called . Because the eye tends to place the visual centre a little above the true centre, a wider lower border makes the work look correctly placed. Many contemporary framers prefer equal margins for a cleaner, gallery style look.
Float mounting works differently. Instead of a window mat covering the edges, the sheet sits on top of a backing board, sometimes raised on a hidden spacer, so all four edges are visible. This suits prints and drawings on handmade paper with a deckle edge, the soft, irregular edge left by the papermaking mould. Spacers inside the frame keep the glazing from touching the paper.
A good frame protects the work and sets the stage for it so quietly that you notice only the art.
Conservation framing and standard framing
Standard framing uses whatever materials are convenient, sometimes including acidic card backings and ordinary tape. Over the years, acids migrate into the paper and cause brown lines and brittle edges, while tape stains and is hard to remove. uses materials chosen to protect the work and to be reversible, so that everything can be taken apart later without harm.
- Mats and backing boards of acid free cotton rag or conservation grade board
- Hinges of Japanese paper attached with wheat starch paste, which can be released again with moisture
- No pressure sensitive tape and no permanent adhesive on a work of value
- UV filtering glazing
- A mat or spacers to keep the glazing off the surface
- A sealed back to keep out dust and insects
For valuable or sentimental works on paper, conservation framing is worth the extra cost. For an inexpensive poster you may happily choose standard materials.
Glass, acrylic and reflections
Ordinary float glass is clear and affordable but reflective, and it does little against ultraviolet light. UV filtering glazing blocks most ultraviolet radiation, with conservation grades commonly quoted at about 97 to 99 percent. It slows fading but does not stop it, because visible light causes damage too, so where you hang the work still matters.
Anti-reflective glazing carries coatings that reduce reflections so strongly that the glass seems to disappear. It is the most expensive option and the most rewarding in bright rooms or opposite windows. Acrylic is lighter and shatter resistant, which makes it the usual choice for very large works, children’s rooms and travelling exhibitions. Ordinary acrylic can hold a static charge that lifts loose pigment, so pastels and charcoal drawings need anti-static acrylic or glass.
Frame, wall and budget
A frame lives on a wall, so look at both together. Dark frames on pale walls create strong outlines and suit graphic works, while pale or natural frames on pale walls feel soft and quiet. Gold glows against deep colours such as green, blue or red. On a busy wallpaper, a wide mat and a simple frame give the work a calm island.
Budget follows the logic of conservation: spend first on what protects. Good mats, hinges and UV filtering glazing matter more for a work on paper than an elaborate moulding. Framing costs vary widely with size, materials and labour, so ask for a written quote that lists each component. Before you visit a framer, you can try combinations of frame, mat and wall colour in the Frame Studio.
Terms in this article
- Floater frame
- A frame for canvases with an L-shaped profile and a narrow gap, so the painting appears to float inside it.
- Water gilding
- Gilding in which gold leaf is laid over gesso and bole, then burnished in places to a mirror shine.
- Bottom weighting
- Making the lower border of a mat slightly wider than the top and sides, so the work looks correctly placed.
- Deckle edge
- The soft, irregular edge of handmade paper, often shown by float mounting the sheet.
- Conservation framing
- Framing with stable, reversible materials such as acid free mats, paper hinges and UV filtering glazing.
Readers ask
Does every painting need a frame?
No. Many paintings on stretched canvas, especially contemporary ones with painted or neatly wrapped edges, are meant to hang unframed. If you want more protection or a finished look, a floater frame keeps the edges visible while guarding the corners. Works on paper are different: they almost always need a frame with glazing to protect them from dust, touch and light.
Is UV filtering glass enough to protect a work on paper?
It helps a great deal, but it is not enough on its own. UV filtering glazing blocks most ultraviolet radiation, yet visible light also fades sensitive materials over time. Combine it with acid free mats and hinges, hang the work away from direct sunlight and bright spots, and consider rotating very sensitive pieces so they rest in the dark for part of the year.
What is the difference between a mat and a float mount?
A mat is a board with a window cut in it that covers the edges of the work and holds the glazing away from its surface. In a float mount, the whole sheet sits on top of a backing board with all four edges visible, often raised slightly. Float mounting suits papers with a deckle edge and needs spacers to keep the glazing clear.
