Describes paper materials with a pH of around 7.0. These materials are considered acid-free and are less likely to harm artwork. Paper materials with a pH below 6.5 or above 8.5 are not considered acid-free for the purposes of picture framing, and will over time (e.g. years) – break down and leach acid into parts of the artwork that it comes into contact with, creating yellowish-brown stains on the artwork. Acid-free materials are more permanent and less likely to discolour over time. The term Archival or Conservation quality more accurately describes true acid-free conservation quality matboards.

Commonly used as a replacement for glass, especially for larger works where there would be an unacceptable risk of glass breaking, acrylic is a hard synthetic polymer material made from derivatives of acrylic acid. Also known under the trade names like Perspex. Acrylic is strong, lightweight and virtually shatterproof glazing option, that also offers 70% UV protection.

An aluminium skinned composite board with a polycarbonate core, used for dry-mounting of fine-art photographs and prints. Stronger than Gataboard, Alupanel is used in high-end archival dry-mounting to a provide a highly rigid and durable substrate.

It is generally assumed that ‘archival’ implies the use of materials, products or processes that are durable, of long life and suitable for conservation purposes. Basically, acid-free materials are used during the framing process, such as mat board, mount board and acrylic that are designed to help preserve and protect the artwork from the damage and degradation caused by acids, light and pollution. This includes components made pH neutral or slightly alkaline to help with acidity, those with UV protection to help with light and pollution. Examples of archival materials are museum quality 100% cotton rag matboards and 99% UV filtering conservation glass or acrylic.

A coated, conservation-grade glazing product produced by GroGlass, that helps to protect your artwork from the harmful (e.g. bleaching/fading) effects of ultra-violet (“UV”) light, with ultra-clear anti-reflective properties, available at ACME Framing in two options: Artglass 70 -(filters out 70% of UV light); and Artglass 99 – (filters out 99% UV light).

A low cost, lightweight foam block-mount process, providing a crisp, clean contemporary look for displaying prints without a frame. Available in 10 or 20mm thickness, with black or white edge finish.

Backing-boards provide protection for the back of the framed artwork, and a rigid substrate that helps to hold the glazing and artwork in the frame, and helps prevent warping.

At ACME Framing we use corflute as a backing board – since it provides a highly stable (archival) and moisture-proof barrier, that is especially important in humid environments where moisture can transfer through walls into the back of the framed artwork.

A beveled edge is made when the inside edge of the mat board window is cut to a 45 degree angle. When using matboards with a white or black core – this allows the core colour of the matboard to be visible and creates another contrasting line around the artwork edges, adding visual impact and drawing the eye into the framed image.

A conservation grade glazing product made by Groglass that offers 99% protection from ultra-violet light – but without reflection-control properties.

Used as a rigid backing in picture frames. Corflute a trade name for a double-sided board with a corrugated layer in between, both of which are made from polypropylene plastic – providing a lightweight, rigid and relatively water and chemical-proof substrate and moisture barrier. It is light, strong and durable – dimensionally stable, and archival.

For added effect, matting (see "Matting") is added to the artwork. There are times when two matting boards are used to further accent the artwork. Two layers of matting are placed one on top of the other allowing just a part of the bottom matting to show. The double matting serves to provide a sense of depth to the artwork and to add a colour contrast

The application of artwork to a flat substrate, such as foam core, gatorboard or alupanel, using heat-activated adhesives in a heat press. Dry-Mounting is irreversible, but allows the artwork to be mounted completely flat.

A thin, decorative pieces of picture frame moulding. Fillets are often placed inside a larger frame or in between mat boards to create contrast and add a sense of depth.

Also known as L-Frames, or ‘Floater-Frames’, these frames are usually used for framing stretched canvases. Float Frames overlap the artwork from behind (instead of in front like a traditional picture frame), where the wooden frame of the canvas is affixed to the float frame. The float frame surrounds the canvas, separated by a gap of approximately 3-5mm around the canvas, so that the canvas appears to ‘float’ inside the frame.

This frame allows the entire front surface of the canvas to be visible. Any colour applied to the canvas wrapping the sides of the stretcher bars will be somewhat visible in the ‘float’ space.

This is an acid-free and conservation-grade backing. It is light but rigid and strong.

A lightweight board often used for drymounting – that is strong and resist bowing. It has a polyfoam core, but the facing material is melamine impregnated to give it a hard surface. Gataboard is much stronger than Foam Board.

This is the transparent layer of glass or acrylic that covers the picture. The glazing serves to protect the photo against the elements. Glazing can also have UV protection and be anti-reflective.

This is one way of attaching a photo onto the matboard. This involves the use of adhesive strips or tape in a way that the tape is not visible and the photo hangs free to expand and contract as it reacts to humidity and temperature.

This layer of board comes with a frame opening that offers the viewer a “frame within a frame”. The mat board keeps the artwork from coming into contact with the glass. This can come in a variety of colours and textures to further enhance the artwork.

The visible and decorative part of the picture frame. The moulding also holds the basic structure of the frame via picture frame rebate.

A lightweight, anti-reflective conservation quality superior acrylic, that is anti-static, scratch resistant, and ultra clear with 99% UV protection.

This is a specialised display case, very similar to a picture frame but with an extra depth created by using spacers, designed to accommodate 3-dimensional items, e.g medals, jewellery, artefacts.

These are strips of material that add some space between the photo and the glass. They can be made of matboard, timber or strips of acrylic. The gap the spacers provide – enable any moisture that comes into the frame – to dry out without causing any damage to the photo. Also suitable for framing objects.

A cost-effective glazing solution, for small to medium-sized artworks – for straightforward framing situations.

A wooden frame to stretch canvases around, available in different sizes and thicknesses.