Ken's Club Members Save 25% Off All Custom Orders
Fine Art Matboard
In the goal of preserving and enhancing your art, matboards serve three important functions: enhancing the colors and dimensions of the art, separating the art from the glass or acrylic, and forming the pocket that holds and supports your art.
Matboard comes in two standard sizes: 32"x40" and 40"x60". Most matboard has a white core, which creates a white beveled edge next to the art. The bevel can be reversed so the white does not show. Some matboard is a "solid" color and the color on the front continues through the whole thickness. You can also get matboard with a black core, or even bright colors! Matboard thickness also varies: standard matboard thickness is 4-ply or for added depth and dimension, you can specify 8-ply when available.
You can purchase an entire sheet of matboard and then ask for it to be cut to the desired outer dimensions (the frame or glass size) and a window cut for your art. We recommend that you bring your art for us to measure to ensure the best fit. Matboard has a wide range of prices. Mat cutting for a stardard size mat (window and outer dimensions) is $11.50, and Ken's Club members get 25% off the mat cutting and special-order mat. Mat cutting orders are completed in one to two business days typically.
[Art by Kathy Prince]
You Decorate My Life!
First, the color, texture, and style of matboards enhance your art.
When matboards are selected that are in the same color family as colors in the art, those color become more enhanced - more noticeable to your eye.
When colors from the foreground, middle-ground, and background are selected, your art will appear more three-dimensional.
Select a matboard that blends in with the background, paper, or frame, and contrasting colors stand out.
Select a matboard that completely contrasts to the color of the art, like a green mat around a bunch of orange carrots, and the art POPS!
[Art by Lucy Tutwiler]
A Little Space is a Good Thing
Art created on materials that can withstand the environment in your home or office, such as canvas, acrylic, glass, stone, plastic or wood, does not necessarily have to be framed behind glass or acrylic. Paintings made with oil paints or acrylic paints that have been varnished and protected against ultraviolet light (UV), also do not have to be framed behind glass.
Art on paper or fabric, or art that is vulnerable to moisture, light, pollutants, and handling, should be framed behind glass or acrylic - and it should be framed so the art and glass do not touch. When art touches glass, condensation may transfer to the paper, and the paper may mold, or stick to the glass, causing damage to the art over time. Mats are placed between the art and glass to separate them. And some mats even soak up pollutants in the air or acid from the wooden frames!
The larger the total frame size, the wider the barrier between the art and the glass or acrylic should be. The glass may bend closer to the art in the center and touch.
[Art by Gina Hurry]
Can't Touch This!
In art school, you probably learned to measure and cut your own mats, and then tape the top of the art to the back of the mat. Before that, framers used masking tape, cardboard backers, and standard glass to frame your parent's fine art.
Today, the science of framing has come a long way and we use acid-free components and avoid tape whenever possible. Your art will be mounted to acid-free foam care using Lineco Archival Mounting Strips. For high-value fine art you can request 100% cotton Rag Board instead of foam core. No adhesives will touch your irreplaceable, fine art. Then the mats are placed on top and taped to the foam core - no adhesive will touch your art. The matboard and the foam core backer will act as a protective "pita pocket" around your art.
Art that will be float mounted in front of the mat will have to be tape-mounted. Replaceable art or art with a lot of wrinkles, such as newspaper clippings, can benefit from being dry mounted instead of preservation mounted. Ask for the optional, reversible Kool Tack dry mount if you prefer to maintain a preservation framing process.
Art Windows Don't Have to be Rectangles
Your art may benefit from a special cut mat window. Ask us about corner designs, ovals, hearts, and custom designed mat windows.
Explore the Finest Matboard
Crescent Rag Mat for Museum Quality Preservation
Crescent Couture Matboard - Exquisite Texture for the Finest Art
Crescent Rag Mat for Museum Quality Preservation
Crescent RagMat is made with 100% cotton fibers that are naturally acid-free and lignin-free. An annually renewable resource, cotton is processed without harsh chemicals or additives that can degrade or harm artwork. Cotton is far superior to bleached, chemically processed wood pulp that is used to produce other mounting and matting boards. Crescent RagMat is also constructed with only the finest pigments designed to meet the highest conservation standards.
Crescent Moorman Luxury Fabric Matboard
Crescent Couture Matboard - Exquisite Texture for the Finest Art
Crescent Rag Mat for Museum Quality Preservation
Crescent Moorman Fabric Matboards offer unparalleled quality, color, and style for sophisticated, refined matting. Their rich textures complement both traditional and contemporary décors. The surface, pure white core, and backing paper on these extra-thick matboards are acid-free and lignin-free.
Using a matboard with texture can add depth and beauty to most artwork, photos or other framed pieces. If you want to take your custom piece to the next-level, Crescent Moorman Fabric matboards offer incredible richness and texture that allow you to achieve a multitude of visual effects.
Crescent Couture Matboard - Exquisite Texture for the Finest Art
Crescent Couture Matboard - Exquisite Texture for the Finest Art
Crescent Couture Matboard - Exquisite Texture for the Finest Art
Why Crescent Couture Matboard?
- Elevate your framing designs with on-trend textures and patinas
- Add a unique luxury product line for your discerning customers that also features Crescent’s premium RagMat® core and backing, for maximum conservation and art protection
- Incorporate hand-finished & artisan surfaces that make every framing design unique
- Put the custom back in custom framing!
Bainbridge Alphamat ArtCare Mats
Bainbridge Alphamat ArtCare Mats
Crescent Couture Matboard - Exquisite Texture for the Finest Art
Bainbridge Alphamat Artcare offers the most extensive selection of museum-quality preservation boards available today. Featuring the latest colours and a solid white archival core for clean, consistent bevels, Alphamat is fade and bleed resistant with colour consistency for colours that stay true for the life of your art. The patented zeolite additive in the mat soaks up pollutants and acids from the wood for added preservation. We carry a wide selection of Alphamat matboards in the store.
Peterboro Matboard
Bainbridge Alphamat ArtCare Mats
Matboard Available in the Store
Peterboro offers a wide selection of conservation quality matboard in over 200 colors. They also offer exciting collections of fabric, suede, linen and silk mats. The extensive collection of colors and textures has been created to allow artist and art lovers the flexibility to be both creative and functional. Whether you are framing sports memorabilia, family heirlooms, or fine art, Peterboro Designer Fabrics are sure to have the perfect color and texture to suit your project.
Matboard Available in the Store
Bainbridge Alphamat ArtCare Mats
Matboard Available in the Store
We carry a wide assortment of preservation-quality matbboard from the Bainbridge Alphamat collection, as well as several Crescent mats for non-conservation use. Several colors are available in "solids", and we have 8-ply matboard in both white and black.
If you cannot find a mat in this in-store selection, bring in your art and we can look through our mat swatches for the perfect mat. We could have your mat as soon as the next day if it is available.