Virtually
all our framing is completed to a Commended or Conservation level,
as the extra material cost is only minimal e.g. all tapes touching
the artwork have non-drying permanent adhesive on an acid free carrier
paper, but are also water-soluble. These tapes are 3 to 4 time more
expensive per roll, but the quantity used means only a few pennies
extra per picture. Very few picture framers use these tapes all the
time, but you will only know when it is too late.
All valuable
artwork and photographs under glass are backed with Alphamount
ArtCare board, which has built in micro-chamber technology to trap
atmospheric pollutants that may enter a frame. Colour photographs
deteriorate in about 10 years, but with ArtCare boards no deterioration
showed at 50 years under accelerated tests.
The glass should
never touch the image as this can cause mould growth if there are
large temperature or humidity changes in a room. The use of a mount is
the normal way to create an air gap, but we can also use other inert
spacers. A mount can also be made decorative in many ways.
Normally
float glass is used, but non-reflective and other more expensive glass are
stocked to provide almost total Ultra Violet protection,
in both clear and reflection control finishes.
