Q. What does acid-free actually mean?

A. Paper having a pH factor of 7 or higher. Acid-free paper can be produced from any cellulose fibre if measures are taken during manufacture to eliminate (or buffer) active acid from the pulp.

Q. W hat is buffering (or alkaline reserve)?

A. Calcium carbonate added to the pulp to neutralize acid that might in the future be generated from aging of the paper or from atmospheric pollution.

Q. What is the difference between mounting board and mat board?

A. The surface paper of mounting board is smooth & acid-free. It does not look as "pretty" as mat board. Mat board has a coloured surface paper that may be smooth or textured. The core & backing are acid-free, but the surface paper may or may not be.

Q. What is the difference between foam centre board and mounting board?

A. Mounting board is made from wood pulp, making it dense like mat board while allowing it to "breathe." Foam centre board is a plastic product. Its resilient polystyrene memory core "bounces" back after cutting & resists denting.

Q. How do I know what type of board I should use?

A. Your board should be determined by your artwork. Logically, if you are framing an extremely valuable work of art (an original Norman Rockwell, for instance) you would want to use Rag 100 museum boards and 100% acid-free mounting boards. If you are framing a Barney poster for your toddler's room, regular acid-free mat board (which is good for 100 years) will probably be sufficient.

Q. What colour mat board should I pick?

A. Ideally, artwork should be framed for the enhancement of the art itself. Look at the piece carefully. Note the colours that are most prominent: which colour covers the most area and which the least? Use matching colours of the same proportion in the mat and frame. Strive to duplicate the "feel" of the art in its framing. There are no hard and fast rules, but the art and framing should be balanced.

Q.   What is the difference in 2 ply, 4 ply, 6 ply and 8 ply?  Which ply do I need?

A. The term 'ply' refers to the thickness of the mat board. The higher the number, the thicker the board. The most common thickness used is 4 ply (around 1/16th of an inch). You can tell the difference in thickness by saying 2 ply is 1/2 the thickness (1/32") of 4 ply. 6 ply (1/8") is 4+2 ply, so it would be 1 1/2 times as thick. 8 ply (1/4") would be 4+4, or 2 times as thick. It is double the size of 4 ply (double the thickness) . Which ply should you use? That depends on what you are doing!   98% of all mat board sold is 4 ply .   6 and 8 ply mat is often used in museums or galleries for special presentations of artwork or photos. The 45 degree bevel allows the extra thick core to show and gives a dramatic effect .  D ouble matted means you will have 8 ply mat on your artwork if you use the 4 ply board. In most cases, 4 ply works great, and anything more is up to you! If you choose a thicker or thinner matboard, you must adjust the blade on your mat cutter to avoid over or under cuts. If you are just starting out in mat cutting use 4 ply only. Also, some mat cutters (both manual and computerized ) will not cut 8 ply. If you're interested in a great machine that can handle an 8 ply board, check out the Valiani line of cutters!

Q. What is the worst mistake I can make when framing my art?

A. Using a cardboard box for backing and all-purpose masking tape are the Two Critical mistakes. They have so much acid in them - please, use one of the many inexpensive acid-free choices available.