Today's episode goes out to Mike in Denver, Colorado, who wants to know: is there a cheap way to frame your images? Unfortunately, the short answer is no, unless you're willing to do it yourself. So let's talk about what it actually takes to frame a photo properly, archivally, so it lasts.
First things first, everything inside the frame — the glass, the mat board, the image itself — is called the package. If you want true archival framing, everything that touches your photo or artwork needs to be archival quality. What qualifies for archival quality is whatever will last 100 years or more.
Let's start from the outside and work our way in. First, the frame or the molding. That's the decorative part around your package. It's also what you attach the hanging wire to. This is the one piece that does not need to be archival, since it never actually touches your print. Your main options are solid or manufactured wood, metal, and foam or plastic molding. Plastic is usually the cheapest, then metal, with wood being the most expensive — unless you get lucky in the clearance rack.
Now here's something I've been seeing more and more: extruded foam molding. Basically, dense, rigid plastic. Honestly, I don't hate it. It's way lighter than wood, which makes it safer and easier to hang — especially if you're putting up a big frame over a couch or fireplace. And let's be real, with plain black molding — which is the most popular molding in the United States for the last 20 years — most people can't tell the difference between wood and high quality plastic anyway.
I've seen big decorative frames made with this foam material and they look great. You wouldn't be able to tell that you were looking at a plastic material. And the benefit is, they weigh less than half as much as wood, which makes them safer, cheaper, and lighter. What's not to like, right?
One thing to keep in mind is that plastic frames can sag, especially if you're framing larger than 16 by 20 and you're using a frame that is narrower than about one and a half inches. If you're using a two inch or wider frame, you can go pretty large and not see a problem. The key is: the wider the frame molding, the stiffer it's going to be. And this is the case with wood as well. But again, wood is gonna be really heavy, especially once you get to the two and three and four inch wide molding.
All right, next up, the glass. I used to use plexiglass and people would roll their eyes. Like, plastic? Really? But here's the kicker. Plexi is several times more expensive than regular glass, and it's better. Why? Plexiglass is lighter, almost shatterproof, and it breathes — meaning it allows moisture to escape instead of trapping it inside the frame.
Unless you live in a museum-level, climate-controlled space, moisture is always going to sneak into your frame. Plexiglass gives the moisture an easy exit. And Plexi usually comes with 95% UV protection built in. Regular glass — you've got to pay extra for UV coating and it breaks easily. So in my book, Plexi is the way to go, especially if you're framing a large image. It's just safer, especially if it accidentally comes off a wall.
Okay, moving inward — the mat. This is the colored border that sits on top of your print. Here's the bad news. If it's colored, it's probably not archival. I know, I know. You want that nice deep green mat that matches the tulips in your photo or the accent wall in your living room. But dyes slowly leach chemicals into your print, and over time, you'll end up with yellowing or blotches.
True conservation grade mats only come in a few shades: white, off-white, and light gray. That's it. Museums use them for a reason. Seriously, when was the last time you saw a colored mat in a real museum?
Pro tip: check the edge of your mat board. If the core is a different color than the surface, it's not archival. If the color runs all the way through, you're on safer ground. But black doesn't count.
Up next, mounting. This is how you actually hold your print upright inside the frame. The golden rule is: no duct tape, no masking tape, no painter's tape. Ever. Cheap tape yellows over time and ruins the artwork.
The gold standard is acid-free, reversible adhesives. I like using photo corners because no adhesive actually touches the print at all. For bigger pieces, you can use archival hinging tape. It holds the photo in place while still letting it move naturally with humidity. Again, it has to be reversible. If you can't safely remove it from your artwork, it's not archival.
Behind that is the backboard. And yep, this matters too. I've seen everything from masonite — which is super acidic — to foam core. By the way, so-called archival foam core isn't really archival. The paper they're using on that foam core might be acid-free, but the foam inside is acidic and will eventually break down and come through that paper, risking contact with your print.
My recommendation: use another sheet of archival mat board as your backer. It doesn't have to be thick. It can be as thin as two ply.
Finally, you'll want one more protective layer on the back of the frame. This doesn't touch the artwork, so it's a little less critical, but still important. I like using archival corrugated cardboard or chloroplast. That's the corrugated plastic material they use in yard signs. These are good choices. They're actually cheap, lightweight, and they're stable. The reason I still avoid foam core here is because it outgasses, and that could put your artwork at risk.
All right, once you've got that package together, you take that and you put it in your molding and you seal the back with archival tape to keep bugs and moisture out, and you're done. That's it. Pretty simple, right?
Well, you know, it actually is, kind of. So why is professional framing so expensive? Mostly because framers have the equipment and you don't. A mat cutter isn't that pricey, but it takes practice. Cutting molding? For that, you'll need professional saws that cost thousands. Plexiglass can be cut by hand, but it's not really fun. So for one or two frames, DIY usually isn't worth the hassle. For a dozen? Maybe.
Here's the kicker. A lot of commercial framers don't actually frame archivally. Why? Two reasons. One, most actually don't know how. And two, most customers don't know the difference. So they cut corners. I've seen expensive frames with non-archival material right behind the print. Since most people never take frames apart, no one's the wiser.
The 1% of framers who do frame properly can — and do — charge a premium, even though the actual cost difference in materials might only be a few dollars. The time difference? Honestly, not much. Maybe an extra 10 minutes per frame?
So, how do you protect yourself? Start by inspecting the materials. Ask questions. Insist on archival products when possible. But at the end of the day, unless you do it yourself, you can't always know for sure what's behind the mat.
And that, Mike, is your crash course in archival framing. Hopefully it helps you decide whether to do it yourself or to bite the bullet on custom framing. I hope that was helpful.
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