To mount or not to mount?

A mount board slots between the glass / acrylic and the artwork.

Mounts are used to give the image a beautiful frame, it accentuates the picture / print a little more. Additionally it also helps to protect it against ageing, as the picture doesn't come into direct contact with the glass / acrylic. Most mounts are single, but a double, super-thick mount or a ‘float’ mount are being used more frequently and this raises the mount slightly above the artwork.

The mount size is usually chosen in proportion to the artwork but like most things in life, there are always exceptions and you can be really creative or adventurous. As an example, smaller prints can be mounted with large borders to great effect or larger with the image offset to the top or a corner it really is personal preference. There are numerous choices of mount, the most common is a solid white board with a white face / white core, but they also come in a plethora of colours and coloured cores.

Mount board types:

There are three main types of mount board:

1. Museum
   Mostly used for highly valued original artwork.

2. This mount board is made from 100% cotton fibre – a traditional paper-making material which has been proven stable for hundreds of years. It can be un-buffered (ie neutral pH) or buffered with an alkali deposit which prolongs the stability of the board and provides some extra protection. This is the most expensive of all the mount boards.

3. Conservation
   Generally used for framing original artworks. Conservation grade mount boards are made from purified wood pulp. The core and facings of the mount board must meet certain criteria such as light fastness, pH range and quality of lamination adhesives.

4. Standard
   Standard mount board  is the most popular, they are made from unpurified wood pulp. Unpurified wood pulp will (over time) break down and release acidity, thereby they can damage the picture and it may, over time, produce a brown looking core.