BEACH ART ~ Archival Framing

Archival Framing

Incorrect framing will display obvious symptoms:
	Acid burn
	This shows as a brown stain around the edge of the window in the mat or as areas of brown stain on the artwork. It can also lead to brittleness.
	Foxing
	This is the name given to stains eminating from tiny dark spots. It is caused by the breakdown of the backing used.
	Mould
	This is usually the result of mis-handling of the frame, but can result from the use of dirty or moist materials, or incorrect assembly of frame componants.
	Incorrect mounting
	In the past it was standard practice to glue all works (on paper) to cardboard. This should never be done as it causes extreme damage and greatly reduces the material value of the item.

Beach Art follows the guidelines for conservation framing of works on paper as stipulated by the Institute of Paper Conservation, Worcester, England. This page is designed to convey to you, largely by way of diagrams, the basic principles of these guidelines.

These diagrams are based on those provided by the Institute and the source is gratefully acknowledged.

The first diagram outlines the standard mounting system for archival material, as employed by Beach Art. Note that only high-quality materials, designed specifically for use with archival items, are used.

Standard mounting system used by Beach Art

Variations on this are shown in the next two diagrams. These variations are employed when the items being framed require such a treatment. On the left is illustrated the so-called “folded hinge”, reinforced for float mounting of lighter material. On the right can be seen the pendant or “T-bar” hinge used for heavier work.

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