Odd-sized art, be it postcards, vintage photos, posters, or a magazine cut-out, can pose challenges for framing. The only easy way to combat the problem is to have the art custom framed. That can be pricey. The affordable, and likely smart way to go could be to use a standard-sized picture frame with two sheets of mount board to double mount the art within the frame and rather than fixing the art within the frame, it can be float mounted instead.
The trick to pulling it off successfully is to ensure you have a picture frame with enough depth to accommodate it. Not the overall size, like the height and width. Inside the frame, depth is what’s required because including two sheets of mount board and the item that’s to be framed, may require a frame moulding with a deep depth to fit it. Thinner frame profiles may only be able to accommodate a single mount.
The process works like this:
- Take the measurements of the item to be framed.
- The first mount board will be used as a backing board, sitting behind the item in the frame as the backdrop. That mount will be the size of the frame.
- The second mount is the one to have the aperture... The window to show your art or item through in the frame. The aperture size is the size of your print or item. The rest of the mount board fills the frame.
- Between the two picture mounts is where your art is placed. It can either be fixed to the mount or hinged so that it hangs down to create the illusion of it floating within the frame. It’s a technique that adds some depth, giving it added visual appeal.
The challenging aspects…
The type of frame to use depends on the depth of the picture frame. Using a double mount technique to float an odd-sized print between two sheets of foam core mount board may require a deeper depth within the frame. For those types of projects, you may be better with a shadow box frame to have more depth to work with.
The thicknesses of mount boards are generally 3/16” or 1/8” thick. Double mounting with a 1/8” mount board would take up a quarter inch. You’d need at least a depth of ¼” or 6.35 mm depth within the frame just for the mounts. The frame also needs an extra depth of at least 0.5 mm for standard paper and more for thicker photo paper. A 300-gsm photo paper can be 13 mm in thickness.
When you add the depth of the mount board to the thickness of the paper, you’d be looking at 6.35 mm for the mounts, and then 13 mm for the print. 19.35 mm overall. That would require a picture frame with a deep rebate. When you are ready to buy picture frames, either online, or in a store, that is the term to look for – deep rebate picture frames.
Online stores list the depth of their picture frame mouldings. In frame stores, speak with the framer. Let them know the weight of the paper (300 gsm as an example), and if you want it single or double mounted and then they’ll advise on the type of frame mouldings that would give you the depth required. Otherwise, if you are buying picture frames online, check the information details for any of the frame mouldings or contact the store’s customer services for advice before placing an order.
The best workaround for projects with framing challenges from odd-sized art/objects is to go with a standard frame size to accommodate the width and height, regardless of the empty space it will leave. The empty space is filled with the mount board, which can be almost any colour so it can be used to add to the visual effects. Additionally, for odd-sized art, you can enhance the framing of them by weighting it within the frame by positioning the aperture window off-centre.
Standard-sized frames are always going to be a more cost-effective option to custom framing projects. The real professional finish comes from ordering made to measure picture mounts to create a custom aperture to fit odd-sized items that then fit within a standard-sized photo frame.