Protecting Your Investment In Fine Archival Prints



Protecting your cherished archival print is imperative. There are five basic items that will aid in the protection of your prints:

1. Matting – Will you mat your print? A well-chosen mat will provide spacing to protect your prints from direct contact with the glass and frame. Matting will also provide structural support for the print. Matting is absolutely essential in humid climates in order to keep the print from coming into contact with moisture and sticking to the glass or framing permanently. Consult your framer for the aesthetic or archival attributes of using double or triple matting. We suggest 100% archival quality matting for your archival prints to ensure their longevity.

2. Mounting - Will you mount your print to a backing? Prints can be hinged or fully mounted. Hinging is the practice of using acid free linen tape at the top of the mat allowing it to hang on the substrate. Fully Mounted prints are permanently adhered to the backing board. This can a achieve a smooth, flat finish which may be desirable for thinner papers. Dry mounting is a process some framers use. They use a vacuum-heat mounting press to removes air trapped between the print and the backing, then seal the print to the backing with a heat plate. We suggest mounting your print if you desire the look of a smooth, flat finish or the print will be exposed to changes in climate.

3. Backing - What kind of backing should I use? All framed prints have some sort of backing. Backing can provide a layer of protection, or destroy the print if the backing contains harmful properties. You should ask your framer to use a lightweight neutral-pH backing, or make sure the frame you buy has an archival quality backing. If you can not find a frame with the proper backing, a barrier paper can be added. This paper is also recommended for works of higher value. We suggest that once the backing is in place you or your framer seal the print with acid free linen tape to help protect it from dust, air, moisture and tiny insects.

4. Glass - Is the type of glass important to my prints longevity? While this ultraviolet protection is "built-in" to all of The Archives prints, the added protection is recommended for prints that will hang in bright sunlit rooms. If your high-value print will be exposed to a lot of sunlight conservation quality picture framing glass is recommended to protect it from the damaging effects of ultraviolet light. Choices such as non-glare, acrylic (plexiglas), or other types of windows to your treasure are mostly aesthetic or based on the room the print will hang in. Whatever glass you choose we recommend creating a spacer between your print and the glass.

5. Frame - How will the frame I choose help protect my investment? By choosing a frame strong enough to support the full weight of the glass, mounting and artwork you will ensure a secure suit of armor for your highly valued print. The style of the frame is entirely up to you, but we suggest you take the colors and textures of your print into consideration when choosing a frame.

Enjoy The Archives highly valued Limited Edition Print collection here.



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Testimonials

"There was practically pandemonium when I brought the print into the framers - everyone flipped!"
-Peter Riley Mass., USA

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