Glossary

EVERYTHING ABOUT FRAMING – We do not claim to know everything about framing and it would be a very foolish person who did, but if you have a question that we cannot answer, we will do our utmost to obtain an answer for you.

DRY MOUNTING – This is the method in which some artwork is adhered to a stable base to give a uniform flat appearance. It is usually irreversible. If in doubt do not dry mount, you can always change your mind at a later date, which may not be possible if you dry mount first. You may have seen framed pictures in the past that have wavy lines as though the paper is buckling, this is known as “cockling” and is generally a sign of incorrect framing methods. This is however acceptable on original or antique works which should never be dry mounted.

FOXING – Many old pictures will have small brown spots visible. This is generally due to acid or other undesirable elements in the paper, mountboard, backing board etc. If left the damage can be irreversible. The removal of foxing is a job best left to the specialist restorers.

FRAMING TAPE (OUTSIDE THE FRAME) – This tape is applied to the back of the frame to seal against dust and insect ingress and to give a professional finish to the frame.

FRAMING TAPE (INSIDE THE FRAME) – Different types of tape are used to secure the artwork inside the frame, depending on what the artwork is made of and its value. We strongly advise against the use of sellotape, masking tape etc We use specialist tapes suitable for each framing item.

MOULDING – This is the lengths of wood that the frame will be made from. They have been shaped from different types of wood and thousands of different finishes. They are generally three metres in length and come from as far afield as America, Spain and Italy.

MOUNTBOARD – In the UK it is called the mountboard and in the USA it is called the mat board, but it is basically the board that surrounds the artwork and comes in a vast array of colours. The difficult part is deciding on a colour that adds to the presentation of the overall work without dominating it. There are mountboards of different thickness and quality, a poor quality mountboard may have a high acid content which in a very short time will adversely and possibly irreversibly affect the artwork.

MULTIPLE MOUNTS – Besides having a choice of quality and colours you can also have more than one mountboard on a picture. This can greatly enhance the finished item.

STRETCHING – There are several methods of applying tension to a cross-stitch, embroidery or tapestry to achieve a flatter appearance and this is known as stretching. Many needlework enthusiasts prefer to stretch their own work prior to framing, but we can offer advice if required.