Framing Materials
Mat boards
Mats are the border that surrounds your memorabilia within the frame. Placing the glass directly against artwork can result in buckles, wrinkles, mould and adherence to the glass, therefore matting is used to keep the glass from coming into contact with the framed item.
Champions use Alphamat (alpha cellulose) conservation quality mat board. Other Matboards can contain natural elements such as acids and lignins that damage your memorabilia over time. Through the aging process, which is intensified by sunlight and heat, the mat board burns or discolours the memorabilia that it surrounds.
The Alphamat Artcare product redefines museum quality board through a unique, patented technology which neutralizes the pollutants that damage artwork. Champions offer the full Alphamat range including fabrics, textures and suedes.
Glazing
Glass acts as a barrier between the memorabilia and outside elements such as dust, moisture and ultraviolet (UV) light. The energy in UV light can cause paper embrittlement, colour deterioration, fading and other damage.
Regular clear glass used in every day picture framing protects your memorabilia from dust and pollution but allows UV light and reflection to interfere with the item. Conservation clear glass contains UV qualities that block 97% of damaging UV light.
Choosing an anti-reflective conservation glass allows less than 1% reflection with UV protection. Alternatively, Museum quality glass blocks out 97% of UV light, whilst allowing 97% of light transmission to the art with less than 1% reflection. Museum quality glass is the ultimate option.
Backing
At Champions, we use acid-free foam board for all our conservation framing.
Mounting
Most fabric items are hand stitched into place. Acid free hinges or Mylar are also used as conservation mounting methods.
Bestmount is used to mount items such as prints and photographs, it is made up of an acid free adhesive which has been applied to a plastic sheeting. This product reduces the waves in the mounted image and leaves it with a flat finish.