What's the difference?
A mat board (mount as some people call it) creates a window around the picture. It gives a sense of space and leads your eye towards the art. It’s also a creative way to accent colours and add depth.
Mat boards also have an important function; they help keep your work away from the glass. If a picture is against the glass for too long, moisture can build up due to humidity, causing your picture to stick to the glass. Not only does this look awful, it also damages the artwork. At Frame Today we use Peterboro and Crescent matboard ranges, both of which have the approval of the Fine Art Trade Guild. With over 150 colours available across Museum, Rag Mat, Conservation and Vantage Whitecore, we have the right colour and level of protection for every picture.
Types of Mat Boards
Museum Mat Board
Museum mats are the premium mat board, offering the ultimate in protection for fine art prints, limited editions, valuable documents, irreplaceable photographs and valuable originals. There are several key benefits:
- Made from 100% cotton and are naturally free of acids and lignin’s ensuring your artwork is free from discoloration and damage.
- Solid colour throughout the mat board means that it is more resistant to fade and bleed so it will hold its true colour, especially when used in conjunction with UV resistant glass.
- Slower decomposition than acidic mat boards.
Drawings of Renaissance masters and the U.S Constitution are still here today because they were penned onto cotton fibre paper.
We recommend Museum mat boards on all valuable artworks to protect them for years to come.
Conservation Mat Board
Conservation mat boards are of a premium quality and are more affordable. The key benefits include:
- Made of alpha cellulose (wood pulp) fibres that have been chemically treated (pH neutral) to eliminate acids and lignin’s reducing the risk of discoloration and damage.
- Conservation quality surface papers are fade and bleed resistant when compared to non-conservation quality mat boards.
- More affordable and the ideal option where Museum mat boards are not justified or more colour options are needed.
We recommend Conservation mat boards since there are a wide range of colours available and they still protect your valuable artwork.
Vantage Whitecore Mat Board
Vantage Whitecore mat boards are an economical option and are perfect for pictures not requiring conservation matting. They are still of excellent quality and have several key benefits:
- When cut using our fully computerised mat board cutter, a bright white bevel is created that gives decorative impact between the mat board and the artwork.
- Reduced pH so the mat board will not brown like some cheaper mat boards do.
- Very cost effective and we recommend for posters, reproductions, decorative art and replaceable photos.
White core mat boards are the boards that most other framers use.
Designer Mat Board
Our Designer Collection includes fabric, suede and silk finishes for a lush, textured finish. Selecting a Designer mat board with a number of colour and finish options allows you to add a creative flair to any picture. Learn more about Designer Matboard collection here.
So, Which Mat Board Should You Choose?
| Cost-effective protection | Conservation quality | Maximum protection | Fabric/suede/silk finishes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vantage Whitecore matboard | ✔ | |||
| Conservation matboard | ✔ | |||
| Museum matboard | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Designer matboard | ✔ |
Mat Board Sizes
We carry standard mat boards which are 1010 x 810 mm in each of our framing stores. We can also offer an oversize option which is 1510 x 1010 mm. With standard and oversize mats available, we can cut any size mat board to fit any size frame you require - large or small.
Computerised Mat Board Cutting
All our stores are fitted with state-of-the-art computerised mat board cutters. We offer a huge variety of mat board designs including multiple window openings and unusual shapes - even names, all at the push of a button.
What About the Backing Board?
The backing board sits behind your work and mat boards and is therefore hidden from view and can only be seen if your frame is removed from the wall and you look behind it. The backing board is purely functional but servers a very important purpose so selection of the right backing board is critical. Learn more about picture frame backing boards.
Come into any of our stores to get a free consultation when selecting the right mat board option for your next frame.
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