Selecting Materials for Matting and Framing

• Use only acid-free matting and backing boards.
• Select safe materials to attach the paper to the backing board: acid-free photo corners, Japanese paper hinges applied with wheat starch paste, or gummed acid-free paper.
• Never use spray mount, rubber cement, or other glue, adhesive tape or pressure-sensitive backing.
• Cover the image with acrylic sheets or glass to filter out ultraviolet light. Use only glass for artworks in powdery media like chalk, charcoal, or pastels.
• Do not let photographs, paper treasures, prints, paintings, or drawings touch glass that covers them. Use a window mat to separate the work from the acrylic or glass.
• Fabrics can be mounted onto a support made by covering an acid-free board or stretcher with washed 100% cotton. Sew the fabric onto the cloth by hand. You can identify the heirloom with a hand-stitched label made from cotton tape.