How to Matte Paintings

The painting is viewed through the window in the matte board.

A matte, also spelled matt or mat, is a decorative border that goes around a painting. When framing canvas paintings, you should use acid-free matte board to avoid damaging the artwork. You can cut matte board at home with a craft knife and secure it and the painting to a frame with offset clips. When framing a canvas painting, you only need the front part of the frame and glass is not required.

Things You'll Need

• Ruler
• Matte board
• Pencil
• Sharp craft knife
• Frame
• Masking tape
• 4 offset clips
• 4 screws
• Screwdriver

Instructions

Cut the Matte Board

1. Measure the painting with a ruler.

2. Place the matte board on a hard, flat surface with the back of the board facing you. Use a board that's 1 inch wider and longer than the painting.

3. Draw a square or rectangle in the center of the board using a pencil and ruler. The height and width of the square or rectangle should be less than the height and width of the painting. This is the window the painting shows through.

4. Align the ruler with one of the window's edges, and cut along the edge with a sharp craft knife. When cutting, hold the craft knife with the blade pointing straight down. Cut along each edge in the same manner.

5. Push out the inside portion of the matte board gently. Set the inside portion aside.

Frame the Painting

1. Remove the backing and glass from the frame, if necessary.

2. Place the frame on a hard, flat surface with the back of the frame facing you.

3. Place the cut matte board on top of the frame with its back facing you. Center the matte board over the frame's opening.

4. Tape the corners of the matte board to the back of the frame with masking tape to prevent it from moving.

5. Place the painting on top of the matte board, and center it inside the frame and matte board.

6. Place an offset clip 1 to 2 inches from the bottom left corner of the canvas and another 1 to 2 inches from the bottom right corner. The side of the clip containing a hole rests against the matte board and the other side rests against the canvas stretcher bar.

7. Place an offset clip 1 to 2 inches from the top left corner of the canvas and another 1 to 2 inches from the top right corner. The side of the clip containing a hole rests against the matte board and the other side rests against the canvas stretcher bar.

8. Place screws in each of the offset clips.

9. Use a screwdriver to drive the screws through the matte board and frame. Depending on the thickness of the matte board, you might need longer screws than those provided with the offset clips. If you're using longer screws, they must be shorter than the total thickness of the matte board and the frame when they're added together.

Tips & Warnings

• Save time by purchasing a professionally-cut matte board.

• Use a tabletop matte-board cutter to create clean cuts and speed up the process.

• Install a new blade in the knife when you notice any signs of dullness, such as messy cuts or having to apply excessive pressure when cutting.

• If you don't want to scratch the cutting table, place a cutting mat under the matte board.

• Clean the surface you're cutting the matte board on to prevent the matte board from getting dirty.

• If you can't find matte board in the right size, buy a larger matte board and cut it to size with a craft knife.

• Paintings on thick paper and other flat media can be matted without a frame. Affix the paper directly to the matte board with hinging tape.

• If you want to use glass in the frame, use glare-free glass that provides UV protection.

• Cutting matte board with a dull blade results in messy cuts.

References

• The Luminous Landscape: Matting - The Why and How of Matting Photographs
• BeyondDream.com: How to Stretch and Frame Canvas Oil Paintings
• Aaron Brothers: FAQ