Are there special frames for double mats?

I have been cutting my first mats and came across a video about cutting a "double mat;" two mats stacked on each other and offset slightly.
My question is; are there special "double mat"frames? The frames I have aren't deep enough to allow this.

wood frames will do the trick

Bob Carnie said:

wood frames will do the trick

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Sorry to be such a noob but I'm not sure what you mean.

Wood frames usually have a deeper inset for the mats. Personally, they look a little busy to me, and I prefer the simple look of one mat. Nothing I do gets puts under glass anymore due to reflections, and I like seeing the texture of fiber prints, so they get glued to foam board w/ archival spray glue. Looks like a dry mount. Years of cutting mats for my drawings and watercolours soured me on the mat cutting experience.

momus said:

Wood frames usually have a deeper inset for the mats. Personally, they look a little busy to me, and I prefer the simple look of one mat. Nothing I do gets puts under glass anymore due to reflections, and I like seeing the texture of fiber prints, so they get glued to foam board w/ archival spray glue. Looks like a dry mount. Years of cutting mats for my drawings and watercolours soured me on the mat cutting experience.

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Thanks, that clears it up.

Metal sectional frames also come with different sizes to accommodate various thickness art work. Plus one on using a single mat. If you want a thicker mat use 8ply instead of 4ply. I stick with bright white for B&W prints and natural white for my platinum/palladium prints which are warm tone. I would use matte black or German silver metal frames. I have also used wood frames with a warm black satin finish. Keep the frames simple in a "museum" style. The image should be more important than the frame.

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

jeffreyg said:

Metal sectional frames also come with different sizes to accommodate various thickness art work. Plus one on using a single mat. If you want a thicker mat use 8ply instead of 4ply. I stick with bright white for B&W prints and natural white for my platinum/palladium prints which are warm tone. I would use matte black or German silver metal frames. I have also used wood frames with a warm black satin finish. Keep the frames simple in a "museum" style. The image should be more important than the frame.

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

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Thanks very much.

One last question; what's a good affordable place to buy mat board?

Blicks?

I usually buy Strathmore 4-ply museum board at Blicks. (There is a store about 45 minutes from me.) It's generally priced much lower than my local framing or art supply shops, but it is still expensive! I use a simple matte black metal frame (from FDI - APUG sponsor) and do a double mat with a wider reveal across the bottom where I put my signature. I get enough pats on the back about my "presentation" to assume what I'm doing is not illegal (immoral, or fattening! )

rpavich said:

Thanks very much.

One last question; what's a good affordable place to buy mat board?

Blicks?

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yup, blicks.

I buy from Print File (an APUG supporting company)

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

rpavich said:

Thanks very much.

One last question; what's a good affordable place to buy mat board?

Blicks?

Click to expand...

I wouldn't trust my photos in anything but Dead Link Removed.

Frame Destinations is also an APUG sponsor.

Metal sectional frames by Nielsen are available in a remarkable variety, though one pays more for certain profiles or finishes. I have my own little
framing facility and either buy all my supplies wholesale or manufacture the mouldings myself, so can't be of much help recommending a retail source, though these are always far more limited in their selection than pro framing suppliers. There are all kinds of quality matboards brands too,
depending on your specific print media. I am myself an equipment supplier to large wholesale frame shops, so know the subject quite well.

i'd skip the double mats. In all my years of going to galleries and museums I don't recall ever seeing a double mat. If you want something more impressive then 8 ply is great. Most expensive photographs are matted with 8 ply these days. If you are going to cut your own 8 ply I suggest changing the blade after every two or so cuts.

Most wood frames on the market are not thick enough for double mats, but there are lots that are. Most metal frames are thick enough, but a few are not. The key is the rabbet depth which is the distance from the underside lip of the frame (that holds the glass) to the part of the frame that will sit against the wall. You typically want that to be at least 7/16 or nearly 1/2 inch. Glass is about 1/8, Foamcore is that is less likely to warp is 3/16 (although you can get it 1/8), and then the mats will be 1/16 each or 1/8. Now if you are mounting on 1/2 in gatorboard or using spacers then you will need a frame with a deeper rabbet. Another alternative that is less common is double thick mats, or 8ply rag mat board which is already 1/8 inch thick and provides a more dramatic and noticeable bevel while still allowing you keep a simple gallery style presentation that does not detract from the image.