Try Different Framing Techniques To Display, Protect Your Pictures

By Author: Eric Blair
Total Articles: 11
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If you’re looking for the perfect way to display your favorite photos, you might want to find out more about framing them.

The most simple and cheapest way to mount and display photos is to vacuum mount them to foam core, create some acid-free mats, and insert them in metal frames. This will protect the photos and will make it easy for you to hang them on the wall for all to see.

If you’d like to use a slightly more archival method of preservation, you can also dry-mount your photos to an acid-free eight-ply mat, and insert the entire configuration in metal frames. You dry mount photos by putting a specialized adhesive tissue between the picture and the mat board. The photo and mat are then placed in a press, which causes the photo to permanently adhere to the mat. Dry mounting doesn’t hurt the photo, per se, but the permanent quality of the adhesive means that the photo usually cannot be removed from the mat so that it one day can be re-framed.

If you’re looking for top of the line archival photo framing, you’ll want to get some polyethylene photo corners that you can use to stick your photos ...
... to acid-free mat or foam core board. This method allows for the expansion and contraction of photos due to periodic temperature changes.

While you’re taking some extra time to make sure that the matting job is being done correctly you might want to consider using a more off-beat shaped frame. Many people will invest in bubble glass for frames to give their photos a more personalized, attractive presentation. The oval-shaped frame might also be a better match for your home décor than would be rectangular or square frames.

Those considering framing photos along with related keepsake items, say military ribbons and medals along with photos of the soldier who won them, might want to consider buying bubble convex glass replacement to cover the framed objects, and provide them with sufficient room between the mat and the class so that the objects being displayed will not be crushed or pressed directly against the glass.

Some photographers will use linen hinges to hold a photo in place, and this method works well, but you’ll find that polyethylene corners are the easiest, best method to use. You’ll also want to avoid mats that are impregnated with magnesium carbonate. You’ll want to find mats that are buffered to a pH 7 level in order to keep your photos in the best condition possible for many years to come.

If you take care of your pictures and display them with the proper materials you’ll find that they will look better and last a much longer time than those that have been more haphazardly displayed. If your photos are precious to you then it’s well worth your time.