Mats and Foamboard Today’s Options

By David Lantrip, MCPF, GCF

Understanding the products available in today’s boards can help you make the right choices for your framing jobs

ptions are great. When you offer your customers a few Othousand different mats, frames, decorative elements, and glazing choic- es, you ensure that you meet the needs of your customers, giving them a frame design that is unique and individual. Too many choices, though, can become overwhelming. It is only with knowl-

edge and a clear understanding of the While color, texture, and other design elements are important considerations when choosing options available that you can make the mats, the materials used in the manufacture of the matboard must also be considered to meet a customer’s preservation goals. right decisions. This is just as true for framers as it is for consumers. Framers have more matboard choices available than quality mats. These white core mats, as they are commonly ever before. Mats are available in different materials, such as known, should not be confused with preservation quality cotton or purified alpha , and in different thick- mats as they still contain chemical impurities (despite their nesses, core colors, and surface treatments. Due to simple appearance), which will damage artwork over time. They misunderstandings, proprietary names, and vague or even are best suited for purely decorative or temporary framing misleading terms, a framer can have a difficult time making when the appearance of better quality mats is desired. an informed choice as to what mats are most suitable in Any made from unrefined wood contains different applications. Examining the materials used in mat- , a naturally occurring substance in wood that acts as boards offers a good place to start. a sort of biological “glue” binding together the cellulose Mats made with manufactured from unrefined or fibers of the wood. As the matboard ages the lignin breaks recycled wood pulp are generally termed paper mats. Their down and releases acidic byproducts causing the cut bevel low cost makes them a good choice for framing when cost of the mat to turn a dingy brown color. It is both unsight- is the sole factor and preservation is not a consideration. ly and damaging, causing staining of artwork known as Paper mats may be treated with bleaching agents and opti- acid burn, in particular around the mat opening. This cal brighteners to simulate the crisp white bevels of better process also damages the artwork by causing the paper to 18 PFM October 2013 Acidic matboards will stain artwork and cause the paper to become brittle, a con- dition known as acid burn. This damage, which occurs heavily at the edge of the bevel, can be mitigat- ed only by a qualified conservator.

Although not usually seen, a backing board supporting artwork also plays a large role in assuring longevity. In this extreme case a thin hard- wood backing was used behind the art, causing the paper to become brittle and discolored, particularly along the cut edge and where a become brittle and weak. was in contact. The effects of lignin can be counteracted to some extent by the addition of a buffering agent, such as calcium carbon- Alpha cellulose and cotton fiber are chemically iden- ate. This alkaline material raises the pH level of the mat to a tical, and for everyday framing they are interchangeable. slightly alkaline level and neutralizes acids as they are formed For framing with a lifespan measured in decades or gen- through aging. These mats are usually labeled as being “acid erations, cotton has greater longevity. The difference free,” but that term is very misleading. When a mat is pro- comes from the manufacturing process, as the amount of duced it may be slightly alkaline, but as it ages the alkaline processing to match the 99 percent alpha cellulose con- buffer will be used up and the mat will slowly turn acidic. For tent of cotton would render the wood cellulose fibers this reason the term “acid free” is not a reliable indicator of unusable; therefore, matboards made from wood fibers in quality; “lignin free” is a much better benchmark of quality any will always have a larger amount of extraneous when preservation is a factor. material. The choice also comes down to framer prefer- Buffering agents are also used in mats made from lignin- ence; some prefer the slightly denser boards and crisp free materials to act as a filler to improve matboard density cutting characteristics of alpha cellulose mats while oth- and to counteract the natural tendency towards a lower pH as ers prefer the longer fibers and slightly softer “feel” of materials, including the artwork itself, ages and to protect the cotton mats. mat from outside influences. The slightly alkaline conditions Regardless of whether a mat is made of cotton or created with buffers are safe for artwork with a few exceptions. alpha cellulose, it is also important to consider the source Materials containing protein, such as silk, leather, parchment, of the materials. Virgin fibers are sourced specifically to and albumen photographs, benefit from neutral pH condi- be made into matboards. This gives a manufacturer the tions; for these items, unbuffered mats are a better choice. highest degree of control over their content and quality. By no means are all mats made from wood fiber of low Recycled pre-consumer product refers to materials used quality. Wood fibers can be treated to remove lignin, produc- before reaching a consumer, namely off-cuts and rejected ing pure alpha cellulose. They are considered to be of high materials from the paper goods industry. It may be suit- quality and are well suited for framing the vast majority of art- able for use in mats if the manufacturer carefully tracks work usually seen by a retail framer. Most framers view them its source and content. Recycled post-consumer product as a good compromise when preservation is required but cost is material sourced from consumer products such as is also a consideration. newsprint, office paper, and the like. Because its content Cotton, being naturally lignin-free, strong, long-fibered, is inconsistent and its source cannot be verified, it is not and highly durable, is an ideal choice for matting materials. suitable for use in mats destined for preservation fram- Long considered the gold standard for preservation framing, ing. rag mats (as they are commonly but erroneously termed) are Both alpha cellulose and cotton mats may contain an ideal for long-term framing of items of value. Before preserva- additional protective feature in the form of zeolites. tion framing was widely practiced, cotton mats were available Zeolites are minerals widely used in various industries for in a rather limited range of colors, but today cotton mats are their filtering properties. Known as molecular sieves, available in colors and textures to meet nearly any design their structures trap harmful pollutants in the frame need. package. These pollutants may be a result of natural

PFM October 2013 19 Matboard Options matboards, with Artique Bainbridge Crescent Peterboro Rising Specialty similar benefits. (Larson Juhl) Matboards In addition to Unpurified Wood Pulp (Paper Mats) X X X X Bleached Wood Pulp the choice of thick- with Optical Brighteners (White Core) X X X X ness and facing Pure Alpha Cellulose X X X X X , the color of Cotton X X X X the foamboard might also be a fac- aging of the artwork itself, materials within the frame, or tor. When mounting thin materials with on outside sources like air pollution. both sides, such as a or magazine articles, the When evaluating the suitability of matboards, it is printing can ghost through from the back. This can be important to consider not just the core materials but also minimized by using a black board instead of white or off- the backing and top layers. Most mats consist of a decora- white. It will not darken the article enough to be notice- tive surface layer, a core that makes up the bulk of the able, but the ghosting will be minimized. mat, and a backing layer that rests against the artwork. Foamboard manufacturers have made life easier for The surface layer is the decorative element that incorpo- framers by applying pressure-sensitive and heat-activated rates color, texture, fabric, or pattern. Although it is not adhesives to their boards to create very convenient and usually in direct contact with the artwork, the surface time-saving products. They save the labor of cutting, layer should be chemically stable, lightfast, and bleed trimming, and tacking. Options include higher tempera- resistant. Pigmented surface papers are always more ture adhesives for everyday mounting as well as products durable than dyed papers. A framer should also pay close with lower activating temperatures and short dwell times attention to the fact that an “acid free” backing layer will (as short as 45 seconds) for items sensitive to heat. Some not provide protection against acid migration from an adhesives can be easily reversed with heat, making them a acidic core layer. Paper is far too porous to serve as an good choice for artwork that would not ordinarily be effective barrier, and the artwork will still suffer damage. fully mounted but needs to be displayed completely flat. As useful as foamboards are, their limitations become Foamboard obvious when large or heavy artwork needs to be mount- Although they are hidden and don’t play the starring role ed. Large sheets of foamboard can bow, and the material that matboard does, foamboards are an essential element is not sturdy enough to support heavy objects. Boards in everyday framing. Foamboards are used as a lightweight with denser cores and faced with thin, wood-fiber veneers yet rigid for dry mounting purely decorative art- originally produced for the sign and graphics industries work, reversible mounting for items of moderate value, are becoming more readily available to framers and are backing and filler boards, and lining the sides of shadow- quite useful when mounting heavy objects or oversized —to name a few uses. Foamboard consists of an artwork. expanded polystyrene center (of varying thickness) faced Regardless of the facing papers used for foamboards, on either side by a paper layer. While the core of different there is still some concern about their use in preservation boards is a common material, the facing papers vary and framing. Although they are appropriate for the vast are available with many of the same majority of work that an average retail framer is likely to options as matboards. Foamboard Options For everyday dry mounting, foam- Bainbridge Crescent EnCore Hartman Kool Tack boards with a smooth, clay-coated surface Clay-coated Facing Papers X X X X paper work very well. When preservation is Cotton or Alpha Cellulose more of a concern, boards covered by cot- Facing Papers X X X X ton or alpha cellulose papers are a better Pressure-sensitive Adhesive X X X X Heat-activated Adhesive X X X X option, especially if the artwork will be Low temp, heat-activated Adhesive X X X mounted directly to the foamboard. Some Reversible Adhesive X X products also contain the same zeolites as High-density core X X X X X

20 PFM October 2013 see, conservators have worries about the expanding agents used in the production of the polystyrene center and its long-term chemical stability. For jobs requiring the high- est standards of preservation, other materials should be considered. Just as it is framers’ job to educate customers on the features and benefits of different framing components, it is also their job to educate themselves. With a clear understanding of what goes into framing materials and the science behind them, you can better serve your cus- tomers and ensure that they receive the most appropriate framing for their artwork. ■

Contact Information Artique (Larson-Juhl) 800-438-5031 www.larsonjuhl.com Bainbridge 888-846-6847 www.nielsen-bainbridge.com Crescent 800-323-1055 www.crescentcardboard.com EnCore Products 800-848-9400 www.encoreproducts.com Hartman (IntePlast) 800-452-2117 www.hartboard.com Kool Tack (Frame Specialties) 800-777-3165 www.kooltack.com Peterboro 866-292-3031 www.peterboromatboards.com Rising (Legion Paper) 800-278-4478 www.legionpaper.com Specialty Matboard 800-280-6287 www.specialtymatboard.com

David Lantrip, MCPF, GCF is the director of education at Franchise Concepts, Inc., the franchisor for The Great Frame Up, Deck The Walls, and Framing & Art Centre. As a mem- ber of the PPFA, he serves as chapter presi- dent of the Texas Gulf Coast Chapter and has helped write or revise PPFA guidelines for framing works of art on paper, canvas, and textiles and needlework. He is also a current member of the PPFA Certification Board and the Chapter Relations Committee as well as member of the PPFA Board of Directors. David earned his CPF designation in 1996, the MCPF in 2004 and GCF in 2008.

22 PFM October 2013