Why Mats Matter

With thousands of colors to choose from, as well as different textures, such as suede and linen; mat boards are a great way to add style, flair and color to your custom framing order. But the aesthetic benefits are just the tip of the iceberg as far as why mats are important when framing a piece of artwork, we are going to explain why.

First of all, mat boards are the buffer between your art and the glass. The farther away your art is from the glass, the better. Over time, moisture seeps into your frame and if your art is not adequately spaced from your glass, there is a very high chance that your artwork, or your photograph will become stuck to the glass due to that moisture. That means, you will never be able to take your art or photograph out of the frame without damaging or ruining it. 

The distance created by using mat boards is not only helpful in that sense, but also because it helps protect your art from light, be it natural sunlight, or artificial light, both are damaging to art over time. Using mat boards to create more space between your glass and artwork, allows less light to get to your artwork, hence helping it not fade over time. With the use of acid free mats, and UV protective glass, your artwork can last for generations to come. 

Not only do mats act as buffer between your artwork and the glass, they also act as a buffer between your artwork and the frame. The wood that frames are made of, have acid in them, and while we do line the frames with frame sealing tape to keep that acid from touching the mats or your artwork, adding mats to that equation always helps. The farther away your artwork is from anything containing acid, the better! If your art comes in contact with any acidic material, it will start to yellow, due to a process called 'acid burn'.

In order to keep your artwork protected, we suggest you use 2-3 acid free 4ply mats, or 1 8ply mat when framing your artwork. Picking the colors, textures or styles that fit your artwork will be the fun part. There are several ways to utilize mat boards in the design process, from adding pops of color, to helping the framed artwork stay neutral and easy to hang anywhere, and everything in between.

With so many benefits it is easy to say and believe, that mats really do matter!

Thank you for tuning in today, if you have any suggested topics for a blog post, please comment, email or stop by the shop and let us know!

We will be here until 7pm today, if you decide to swing by, we will see you at the shop!

-Much Love-
​Amanda