Top tips on how to frame artwork prints and originals

A 230gsm giclée print made in Penzance behaves differently on a wall from a lightweight photographic sheet, and the framing decisions that follow from that difference are what determine whether the work holds its colour and surface for twenty years or starts to shift within five. The print specifications decide the rest: white border, mount, glazing, backing, hanging method and the depth of the frame itself.

Understanding your print before choosing a frame

The first measurement is the paper, not the image. That matters because works on paper are often listed by image size while the actual sheet extends beyond it, usually with a white border that is meant to remain visible rather than be trimmed away.

How to read print specifications and border dimensions

An A4 print is rarely just A4 in physical paper size. In practice, the listed size usually refers to the image area or the window opening, while the sheet itself is larger because of the border.

A white border of around 1.25 inches on each side is common on smaller prints. The difference lies in what that border is doing: if it carries the artist’s signature or gives the image breathing room, treat it as part of the composition.

• Exact-fit framing If you want a cleaner result, choose a frame sized to the full paper dimensions and let the border work as the visual surround.
• Traditional mount If you want more separation from the frame, go one size up and add an acid-free mount cut to the image area.

I would go for the exact-fit approach when the print has a generous white border or visible deckled edges. A separate mount can look too heavy there. For clean-edged prints, traditional mounting with a mount board gives more distance between image and frame and usually reads better on the wall.

How delivery format changes the framing approach

Prints from The Artist’s House Gallery are supplied in three formats: rolled and unframed, window mounted, or as a fully framed print. Each one changes what actually happens next.

An unframed print sent rolled needs flattening before mounting. A mounted print with a window mount has already had the most precise part of the job done and only needs a suitable frame, glazing and backing.

In my view, the mounted option is the most practical middle ground. You keep control over frame material and final framing, but the print is already protected by clean, accurate mounting.

Why print quality should shape your framing investment

A 230gsm giclée print holds colour and surface stability far better than a lightweight decorative print. That is why the framing needs to keep pace with the artwork rather than undercut it.

If the print comes from an original screen print, or from a mixed-media work using charcoal and watercolour, I would not cut corners. Use acid-free materials throughout, stable backing, proper glazing and a frame rebate deep enough to accommodate the full stack without pressure marks.

Concretely, good framing often costs two to three times the price of the print itself. That sounds high until you compare it with replacing a faded or cockled sheet.

How to frame artwork prints so they hold up on the wall

For most works on paper, I would choose an acid-free white border mount, UV-conscious glazing and a sealed backing board. That combination protects the sheet, keeps the image visually clear and reduces the small shifts that appear over time in poorly assembled frames.

When you are choosing frame material, keep the tonal range of the print in mind. Darker coastal scenes usually hold better in a darker or natural wood frame, while lighter prints can take a paler frame without losing definition.

Choosing the right frame material and style

The frame is not a neutral container. Its material, profile and colour either support the print or compete with it. With Art Deco-inspired art prints, the Jubilee Pool Penzance print is the clearest example: the wrong frame style blurs the period character, while the right one lets the geometry read cleanly.

Wood, metal or acrylic: which frame suits your print?

• Wooden frames add warmth and sit well with mixed-media, screen prints and coastal subjects; natural oak or darker finishes suit vintage and shoreline palettes without pulling attention away from the image.
• Metal frames work best for contemporary or strongly graphic art prints where a fine, precise edge matters; they are less convincing on period-led images where the warmth of the frame itself is part of the balance.
• Acrylic frames are lightweight and practical at larger sizes; as glazing, acrylic can offer 99% UV protection, which makes it a sound archival option at a lower cost than museum glass.

In my view, wood frames remain the strongest choice for the giclée range at The Artist's House Gallery. The Mousehole print carries a lot of dark tonal range, and a pale metal frame weakens that contrast. A natural oak, stained wood or another darker wood frame holds it properly.

How to match frame colour to your artwork

Frame colour should be taken from the print, not from the wall. A black frame sharpens images with pale areas and clear white space, especially Jubilee Pool, where the light geometric forms need definition.

A white or off-white frame works better where the image is darker overall, where the frame needs to lift the tonal range rather than sharpen it. Read the tones inside the artwork before you choose the mount, the frame, or the glazing. Matching the frame to the wall paint first is the most common error.

When to invest in a custom frame

A custom frame is worth choosing when the size is unusual, the print is being bought in memory of someone, or the value of the piece justifies a closer fit. Standard sizes such as A4, A3, A2 and A1 can be framed well with good ready-made wooden frames from a reliable supplier. In practice, the reason to commission custom framing is accuracy of fit, not decoration alone.

A1 large prints raise the framing cost quickly. Proper glazing and stronger frame materials make a visible difference at that scale.

If the budget starts to strain, I would go for a group of smaller framed art prints rather than one oversized piece in a compromised frame. You keep the quality of the finish, and the wall usually reads better for it.

The pre-framed option from The Artist's House Gallery suits buyers who want a complete, ready-to-hang result. For those who want more control, the rolled and mounted versions leave room to decide on the mount, the wood frame, the custom frame details and the final finish themselves.

How to frame a print with a mat for lasting protection

A mat keeps the print surface away from the glazing. That gap matters. When paper sits directly against glass or acrylic, condensation can transfer to the image, and over time the sheet can stick, mark, or distort in ways that cannot be reversed.

What is a mat and why does your print need one?

A mat is a board placed between the print and the glazing, with a cut opening that shows the image. Usually that opening has a bevelled edge. The difference lies in what that edge does: it reduces shadow on the artwork and creates a cleaner transition from frame to image.

There are two common ways to present art prints. You can place the print on top of the mount so the full border remains visible, or you can position it behind a window mount. I would go for the window method for most framing because it gives a more resolved gallery finish and hides slight irregularities at the paper edge more neatly.

The mount opening is usually centred left to right, with slightly more depth at the bottom than at the top. That is not a mistake. What actually changes is the visual balance: a mathematically equal border often looks top-heavy, so an extra five to ten millimetres at the bottom of an A3 or A2 framed print usually reads more naturally on the wall.

How to position and secure artwork in a mat

Archival framing starts with the materials that touch the sheet. Every contact point should be acid-free. In practice, the print should be fixed to the mount with acid-free tape for framing, using a hinge at the top edge only so the paper remains hanging freely underneath.

This tape hinge matters because paper expands and contracts with changes in humidity. If you fix all four sides, the sheet has nowhere to move and can buckle inside the frame. A top hinge allows controlled hanging and keeps the print aligned without putting the surface under strain.

Additional pieces of tape at the back can help with lateral stability, but they should not restrict movement.

Handle the sheet with clean, dry hands or white cotton gloves from the start. A fingerprint on a giclée print on 230gsm paper can be very difficult to remove without affecting the ink layer, so a minute of care before framing is worth more than any later repair.

Which archival framing materials protect art prints longest

Acidic board causes what framers call mat burn: brown staining that migrates from the edge of the mount onto the print over time. Museum board and conservation board avoid that problem because they are made for archival framing. For any print you expect to keep for decades, acid-free board is not an upgrade in name only—the distinction shows over twenty years on a lit wall.

Glazing completes the protective package. Museum glass offers 97% UV protection. Acrylic offers 99%, weighs less, and is often the more practical choice for larger framed print formats or rooms where you do not want the weight of glass on the wall.

If the work is going into natural light, a south-facing sitting room or a hallway with a skylight, I would choose UV-protective acrylic before I spent extra on almost anything else. What makes the difference for colour longevity is light protection. Without it, even strong giclée inks can begin to shift within a decade on a bright wall.

Material	Archival grade	UV protection	Best used for
Museum board (100% cotton)	Yes	N/A (mat only)	Fine art prints, watercolour, mixed media
Standard mat board	No	N/A (mat only)	Short-term display only
Museum glass	Yes	97%	High-value or sentimental prints
Acrylic glazing	Yes	99%	Large formats, accessible archival option
Standard glass	No	Low	Not recommended for fine art

The useful test is simple: the mount should be acid-free, the tape should allow movement, the glazing should block UV, and the framing should keep the artwork off the surface in front of it. If those four points are in place, the print has a far better chance of holding its colour, shape, and clean border for the long term.

Framing techniques and how to hang prints at home

A poster frame and an archival frame can hold the same print, but they do not treat it in the same way. The difference lies in mounting, backing, glazing and how the sheet sits inside the frame over time.

A rolled print snapped into a cheap frame may look acceptable for a month; a properly mounted and sealed piece of framed art will sit flatter, hang more securely, and remain in better condition on the wall.

Which framing method works best for art prints?

Flat giclée art prints on 230gsm paper are usually best served by window mounting. It gives you a clean white border around the image, keeps the print from touching the glazing, and produces the finish most people expect from properly mounted gallery work.

The distinction comes down to the print edge and whether that edge is meant to be seen. If the paper perimeter matters, I would look at float mounting; if not, a conventional mount is the stronger choice.

• Window mounting A mount sits over the print with a bevelled opening. This is the standard approach for mounted art prints, and it gives the neatest result for flat sheets.
• Frame-to-edge No mount is used, so the frame sits close to the outer edge of the print. This works best when the white border functions as the visual surround.
• Float mounting The print is fixed to a backing board with the full paper edge visible inside the frame. Worth choosing when the sheet has a deckled edge or when the border itself is part of the composition.
• Box framing The print sits deeper within the frame, leaving more space between the surface and the glazing. It is generally better for objects or heavily textured work than for flat paper prints.

The distinction between rolled, mounted and fully framed becomes easier to judge against a specific print: this Cape Cornwall Chough giclée from The Artist's House Gallery shows all three delivery formats side by side.

For most flat prints, I would choose window mounting. Float mounting is the exception I would keep for prints where the edge carries visual weight, including some Flags series pieces. Box framing, in my view, adds cost and depth without giving a flat sheet anything useful in return.

Step-by-step frame assembly for beginners

Start by removing the kraft paper backing with a craft knife. Lift out the existing backing, whether foam core or cardboard, and remove any staples or small nails with flat-nose pliers. Clean the glass with water and a small amount of dish soap, dry it thoroughly, then clear remaining lint with crumpled newspaper. From that point, wear white cotton gloves.

Reassemble in a fixed sequence: glazing first into the frame rebate, then the mounted print face-down, then the backing board. Secure the backing evenly with pushpins or small nails no more than six inches apart so the contents do not shift inside the frame.

Fit two D-ring hangers at matching points on either side of the frame. Then run picture wire through both rings with enough slack for hanging, but not so much that all the weight pulls sharply against the D-ring.

How to hang framed artwork at the right height

150cm from the floor to the centre of the frame is the gallery standard. That measurement places the image at average eye level whether the frame is in a hallway or above a main sitting-room wall.

Measure to the centre of the framed art, not to the top edge.

Above furniture, the frame or group should usually span around two-thirds to three-quarters of the furniture width. If one print looks too slight, I would go for a pair rather than simply moving to a much larger size; grouping often solves the balance more elegantly than scale alone.

For a salon-style arrangement or a quieter row of framed art prints, lay everything out on the floor first. Keep spacing consistent at roughly four to five inches, adjust the overall shape, and only then begin hanging.

What actually changes with a mount, border and backing

It creates breathing space between the image and the glazing, gives the eye a clear border, and helps the print sit flat within the frame.

The backing matters just as much. A weak backing bows, shifts, and can leave the print looking unsettled on the wall even when the frame itself is sound. Proper mounting and a stable backing board are what keep framed art looking deliberate rather than temporary.

Framing ideas that work in practice

A pale mount with a clear white border suits most Cornish coastal prints because it keeps the light around the image clean and does not compete with the paper tone.

If you are using a ready-made poster frame, check the internal depth before anything else. Many shallow frames leave too little room for glazing, mount and backing together, which is where home framing begins to buckle.

For flat contemporary art prints, I would choose a straightforward frame with a proper mount over decorative moulding every time. It is easier to live with, easier to hang, and less likely to date the room.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best way to frame art prints at home?

Window mounting on an acid-free mount board, with UV-protective glazing, is the soundest method for keeping art prints flat and protected. In practice, the print should be mounted with acid-free tape along the top edge only, creating a hinge that lets the paper move slightly rather than buckle inside the frame.

Clean the glass or acrylic carefully before reassembly; any dust caught behind glazing is permanent. Fit a d-ring hanging set with picture wire on the back: the wire distributes the weight more evenly than a single hook. If you would rather avoid sourcing each element yourself, the pre framed prints from The Artist's House Gallery give you a professionally assembled framed print, with the mounting and framing already resolved properly.

Does the paper weight of a print affect which frame I should choose?

230gsm paper sits more securely in a frame than a lighter sheet and is less likely to ripple when humidity shifts.

For giclée art prints on substantial paper, or for canvas print framing, a standard rebate is usually enough; you do not need a deep frame unless the construction itself demands it. I would still go for acid-free materials and UV glazing; both slow the degradation that starts at the interface between the print surface and the mount.

How do I frame large prints without excessive cost?

A1 large prints need more glazing, more mount board, and a stronger frame.

In my view, the most practical alternative is to use several mounted smaller art prints as a gallery wall. You keep the visual presence, gain more flexibility in arrangement, and reduce the cost of framing each piece.

If you want one large framed print, acrylic glazing is worth choosing over museum glass. The difference lies in weight and price: acrylic is lighter, easier to handle, and still offers good UV protection for large prints on the wall.