How to Frame Artwork: The Complete Archival Framing Guide
I used to work in a frame shop directly with high-value artwork, so I know how a good frame is made and how to best protect your art. Framing is expensive, though, and finding a good shop—one you trust enough to keep going back to—is just as important as the frame itself.
When you buy good art, you want it to last a lifetime, and hopefully longer. Archival materials and proper framing are what make that happen.
With proper handling, your artwork can outlast its frame.
3 Things Every Archival Frame Needs
- Conservation-Grade Matboard
- 100% cotton rag museum board is the best you can use.
- Look for labels like "acid-free," "archival," "conservation," or "preservation" on your matboard and backing.
- The Professional Picture Framers Association (PPFA) calls the highest grade of these materials — rag board — "Class I."
- UV-Protective Glazing (Glass or Acrylic)
- You always want glazing that blocks at least 93% of UV light. 98%+ is the best available and worth it if you want the piece to last generations.
- UV glazing helps, but it doesn't stop all damage. Light is still light.
- Keep your work out of direct sunlight.
- Proper Spacing Between Art and Glazing
- Glass or acrylic should not touch the surface of your artwork.
- Changes in climate can cause condensation to form on the inside of the glazing and damage your art.
Online Framing vs. Local Frame Shops
Online framers can save money, but not all online framing options are made the same. We don't usually recommend them, for a couple reasons.
You can't verify the materials. The best matboard is 100% virgin cotton rag. The PPFA calls this "Class I," the highest conservation standard. A lot of online framers say "acid-free" but that doesn't necessarily mean Class I. Unless they say 100% cotton, or list exactly the material it is made with (at minimum 84% virgin Alpha Cellulose for less-expensive framing) you cannot verify the materials.
This article from Picture Framer's Magazine covers the nitty gritty if you want to dig in.
Shipping Artwork to a Framer Is Risky
The other issue is shipping. It introduces a lot of complications — bumps, moisture, handling you can't control. We ship all our artwork in specialized, protective packaging and recommend reusing it if you need to mail your art to a framer. The safest option is always to hand deliver.
A Lot of Online Framers Skip UV Protection
UV light is the top enemy of any work-on-paper (including prints, drawings, photographs). A lot of online framers don't even offer UV-protective glazing. An even bigger red flag is when they don't mention UV protection at all.
How Artwork Gets Attached to the Matboard
Most people focus only on the frame and the glass, but how the artwork is attached to the matboard matters just as much. It's worth talking to your framer about this.
Wheat Paste for Hinging
Many framers cut costs and drying time by using easily available adhesives that are either pressure-sensitive adhesives (think packing tape, post-its, etc.) or water-activated (lick and seal envelopes, old postage stamps). While these adhesives are often "acid-free" or "archival" they still do not meet museum standards.
I look for a shop that uses wheat paste when hinging prints and drawings, especially in a floated design. It's been around forever so it's time tested, and it lets paper breathe and move. It is also reversible, a key tenet of conservation grade framing.
Talk to your framer about how they'll attach the piece. Ask about reversibility. Let them know you want the art to last.
This Is a Long-Term Investment
There are works on paper from hundreds of years ago that are still in great shape, and we only get to see them because someone along the way cared enough to protect them. A small investment now in archival framing can do the same for the art we collect today.
We'll update this guide as things change in the world of conservation and framing.