There's more to your wooden photo frames than simply that frame -- there is also the mat board, upon which your picture will sit. As always, there are pros and cons to any of the three mat board types you can pick. By looking a little deeper into each, you can decide which one will perform best.
Problematic But Cheap: Paper Matboard
Paper matboard can be troublesome due to its high acid content, which is unavoidable with a matboard made from wood pulp. Many companies will insist their paper matboard is acid free, but this is not true because any quantity of wood pulp is inherently heavy with acid. Some companies will buffer their wood pulp so as to reduce the acid levels, but rest assured that in as few as five years, your paper matboard's acid levels will revive and damage your painting, which means these types of boards are for temporary use only.
The best part about paper matboard is its low price.
Purified and Permanent: Cotton Rag Matboard
If you're looking for something to keep great paintings perfect for the long haul, then cotton rag is what you need. The colors of the matboard are limited due to being acid and lignin free, but this is also what keeps the pH levels so low. Cotton rag matboard is essentially a bunch of layered cotton boards, which creates a nice and thick base, and since it's dyed it looks like one piece.
The cotton rag matboard provides great security, but it's not cheap. Two paper matboards could be purchased in the place of one cotton rag matboard. Do you want to store your paintings permanently, or is the price enough to make you accept having to purchase a new paper matboard every few years?
Somewhere In Between: Alpha Cellulose Matboard
Matboarding of the alpha cellulose variety features wooden fibers which are doused with chemicals that will lower acid levels to safe quantities. The matboards themselves are nicely stable, and work great for archiving those paintings you need to keep permanently.
Alpha cellulose matboards are a pleasant middle ground between the paper and the cotton in that they are inexpensive but store well, and are suitable for archiving but not as perfect as the cotton rag.
Using This Information
How important is keeping a low price when it comes to the safety of your art? It's perfectly acceptable to go cheap and pick up a paper matboard for art you're not crazy about, or paintings you can see yourself getting rid of in a few years.
For your more important pieces, though, it's definitely worth the extra money to store your beautiful paintings for long term viewing. That extra cash will pay for itself by protecting the stuff you want to look at forever: the art that inspires you to dream on a daily basis. - 30452
Problematic But Cheap: Paper Matboard
Paper matboard can be troublesome due to its high acid content, which is unavoidable with a matboard made from wood pulp. Many companies will insist their paper matboard is acid free, but this is not true because any quantity of wood pulp is inherently heavy with acid. Some companies will buffer their wood pulp so as to reduce the acid levels, but rest assured that in as few as five years, your paper matboard's acid levels will revive and damage your painting, which means these types of boards are for temporary use only.
The best part about paper matboard is its low price.
Purified and Permanent: Cotton Rag Matboard
If you're looking for something to keep great paintings perfect for the long haul, then cotton rag is what you need. The colors of the matboard are limited due to being acid and lignin free, but this is also what keeps the pH levels so low. Cotton rag matboard is essentially a bunch of layered cotton boards, which creates a nice and thick base, and since it's dyed it looks like one piece.
The cotton rag matboard provides great security, but it's not cheap. Two paper matboards could be purchased in the place of one cotton rag matboard. Do you want to store your paintings permanently, or is the price enough to make you accept having to purchase a new paper matboard every few years?
Somewhere In Between: Alpha Cellulose Matboard
Matboarding of the alpha cellulose variety features wooden fibers which are doused with chemicals that will lower acid levels to safe quantities. The matboards themselves are nicely stable, and work great for archiving those paintings you need to keep permanently.
Alpha cellulose matboards are a pleasant middle ground between the paper and the cotton in that they are inexpensive but store well, and are suitable for archiving but not as perfect as the cotton rag.
Using This Information
How important is keeping a low price when it comes to the safety of your art? It's perfectly acceptable to go cheap and pick up a paper matboard for art you're not crazy about, or paintings you can see yourself getting rid of in a few years.
For your more important pieces, though, it's definitely worth the extra money to store your beautiful paintings for long term viewing. That extra cash will pay for itself by protecting the stuff you want to look at forever: the art that inspires you to dream on a daily basis. - 30452
About the Author:
Wooden photo frames have been reliable for many eras of painters and art buffs -- they are beautiful and elegant with a price that won't kill your bank account. Why not purchase personalized picture frames for your art and photos? Make sure you buy from a trusted website to make sure you're getting genuine quality.
