How to frame artwork

A frame is a micro-climate, a shock absorber and a barrier against UV light, dust and clumsy handling. Get it right, and the work stays protected and enjoyable for decades. Get it wrong, and even a well-made piece can fade, cockle or become permanently stained. The decisions that matter start with the artwork itself, not the frame shop. Use the method below for contemporary art in Aotearoa New Zealand, including Māori and Pacific works, where the same conservation principles apply but cultural protocols may also shape how a work should be presented.

How to frame artwork: Start with the object, not the moulding

Before you choose a moulding or a mat colour, answer four questions. Write the answers down; they will drive every decision that follows.

1. What is the medium? (Paint, ink, charcoal, pastel, photograph, print, textile, mixed media?)
2. What is the support? (Canvas, paper, board, metal, glass, fabric, wood?)
3. How was it made? Is the medium inherently fragile, water-soluble, light-sensitive, or prone to chemical degradation?)
4. What is the artist’s or iwi/community’s stated preference, if any?

These four answers determine the glazing, the mount, and whether a frame is even needed.

Match the package to the medium, not the room

The artwork comes before the décor. A frame that looks beautiful but physically harms the work fails the core contract: protect the object while making it enjoyable to live with. The glazing, mount, backing board and seal work together to slow light damage, humidity fluctuation and pollution.

Works on paper

Paper is hygroscopic and vulnerable to light, acid migration and mould. The frame package must be fully archival, even for inexpensive works. Use:

• 100% cotton rag or acid-free museum board for the mount and backing.
• Hinges of Japanese paper and wheat starch paste, never pressure-sensitive tape.
• UV-filtering glazing (glass or acrylic) that blocks at least 97% of UV radiation; standard glass filters almost none.
• A sealed backing board to reduce dust and humidity exchange.

The mount must not touch the artwork’s surface. Use a window mount cut to create an air gap, and hinge the work at the top edge so it can hang freely. Never use self-adhesive tape, rubber cement or spray adhesive directly on the artwork; these cause staining and embrittlement over time. If the work is a print, check the edition number and artist signature before enclosing it, because a mount window cut too tight can obscure them. The mount and backing must be acid-free and lignin-free. A conservation-grade mount is not optional: the paper is the artwork, and any contact with acidic materials causes irreversible discolouration.

Photographs

The same rules apply as for works on paper, with an extra layer: the print surface is delicate and easily scratched, so always specify glazing. If the photograph is a digital print, check the edition and the artist’s own instructions before doing anything; some artists specify the exact surround and glazing. If the work is an artist’s proof, note that in your records, not on the frame.

Paintings on canvas

Stretching is the primary structural concern. A canvas should be taut but not drum-tight, with even tension across the bars. If the canvas has sagged, the stretcher can be re-keyed by tapping the corner wedges, but only after confirming the canvas is not brittle. If the canvas is damaged or the original stretcher is warped, do not attempt to fix it yourself; a professional conservator should handle it. Rigid surrounds are usually unnecessary unless the canvas is stretched thin or the work is very large. A floating frame can protect the edges without touching the painted surface.

Works on board or panel

The surround should not touch the painted surface. Use a spacer or a deep rebate.

Māori and Pacific works

Cultural protocols may apply. If a work carries whakapapa or is a taonga, consult the artist or their community before enclosing it, and never cut, trim or flatten a work to fit a standard frame. Some works are not meant to be enclosed at all; a carved or woven piece may need to be displayed on a wall mount or in a case. If you are unsure, ask the artist or gallery for guidance before doing anything irreversible.

Contemporary art in Aotearoa

The surround is not neutral. Many living artists specify how their work should be presented, and some refuse enclosures altogether. Check the artist’s own instructions, the gallery’s documentation and the condition report before you buy or frame. If you are enclosing a work that is part of an edition, confirm with the artist or gallery that the edition number and signature are intact and that you are not altering the work’s status as an edition.

The decision rule

1. Match the package to the medium, not the room. A watercolour and an oil painting have different structural needs; a photograph and a work on paper need different glazing and mounting. The surround is part of the artwork’s physical support system.
2. Use conservation-grade materials for any work you want to keep for more than a few years. This means acid-free or archival mats, UV-filtering glazing and reversible mounting methods. Cheap work can cause irreversible damage within a decade.
3. Consider the work’s environment before choosing materials: light levels, humidity and proximity to heat sources matter more than the surround’s colour.
4. For Māori and Pacific works, respect cultural protocols in display and handling. Some works, especially taonga (treasures), may have specific requirements for orientation, placement, or who may handle them. Consult the artist, gallery or iwi representatives if you are unsure.
5. Keep provenance and documentation with the work. An enclosed piece should have a label on the back recording the artist, title, date, medium, edition (if any) and the chain of ownership. This is not bureaucracy; it is the work’s history and legal trace.
6. Do not assume that a work on paper is cheap to enclose. The cost of conservation-grade materials and labour is often 20-40% of the work’s purchase price, and this ratio holds across price bands.
7. Use a framer who understands conservation, not just decoration. Ask whether they use UV-filtering glazing, acid-free mounts and reversible methods. If they hesitate, go elsewhere.
8. The first question is not “Will this match my sofa?” but “What does this work need to survive the next 50 years?” The enclosure is a protective micro-environment.
9. The surround is not the art. A poor choice can ruin a great work; a great choice cannot save a poor one. The surround should disappear or amplify, not compete.