Inexpensive Pre-Cut Mats

[Ektagraphic]

Hi Guys- I have been invited to enter 20 photographs into a gallery and I am looking for a place online that I can find some inexpensive but still fairly decent pre-cut mats. Mostly 11x14 prints. The best deal I could find was black mats for 11X14 that were $4.10....Thanks

Patrick

 

[DLM]

Try ezmats.com

I've ordered mats from them before and was satisfied with them. I haven't ordered them that big, though. Mine were 8x10 for me to sell at a farmers market.

 

[Ektagraphic]

They have a great price but they have a minimum order of 50 and I rarely mat things so that is quite a bit for me....

 

[fdi]

You did not say what type of mat board you were looking for, or how large the borders are. If I assume, less expensive decorative mat board with borders that allow an 11x14 image to be placed in a 16x20 frame then here our price each at various quantities:

Decorative buffered paper mat board 11x14 artwork / 16x20 frame size
Qty 1: $4.44 each
Qty 4: $3.29 each
Qty 10: $2.56 each
Qty 25: $2.10 each

If you are ok with smaller borders, then our prices go down. If you want museum quality matboard then our prices go up. Our standard opening is larger than most precut since we only cut 1/4 inch smaller instead of 1/2 inch smaller. In other words our opening would be 10 3/4 x 13 3/4 to allow more of the image to show. We can also do custom for our customers that need to float mount or bottom weight.

Cheers,
Mark

Hi Guys- I have been invited to enter 20 photographs into a gallery and I am looking for a place online that I can find some inexpensive but still fairly decent pre-cut mats. Mostly 11x14 prints. The best deal I could find was black mats for 11X14 that were $4.10....Thanks

Patrick

 

[Rick A]

Try Porters Camera in Iowa, they stock reasonably priced pre-cut mats that you seek. You may find that buying in bulk from ezymat.com is cheaper. One thing to keep in mind, no matter who you buy from, there is an extra shipping fee for size. You can do what I do, find a local frame shop and have them cut the mats for you. I'm good friends with the local framer here, she's happy to have the income, and cuts exactly what I want for the same price as pre-cuts.

 

[bsdunek]

Dick Blick has some good deals right now: http://www.dickblick.com/products/savage-value-priced-pre-cut-single-mats/

I just bought over $100 worth of mat board because of their sale.

 

[Mahler_one]

I would try to support those who are sponsors on our thread. Frame Destinations and others certainly deserve our trust- and moreover, our orders. JMO.

 

[Mahler_one]

I neglected to add that "acid free" does not necessarily indicate "archival quality". Archival quality materials might not be that much more expensive, and if the prints are being considered for sale to a third party, then I think that adding the caveat, "Archival Mounting" could be important. Indeed Pat, one could posit that Archival Mounting would be necessary if one offers prints for sale.

In addition, some of our sponsors offer very reasonable archival quality "kits" which include archival board, mat, and frame.

 

[Whiteymorange]

I've purchased from Frame Destinations and have been quite pleased with the value for dollar, with the combination of frame, glass and mat the best time saver I've found yet. I've also been ordering from Dick Blick for over 30 years, and will continue to do so, but if I were only buying a few cut mats, it would be from FD rather than the pre-cut cheapies that are in catalogues from places like Dick Blick. You do get what you pay for. Every couple of years I buy a bunch of those that DB sells, and they end up being only usable for quick hangings where the drawings/paintings/photos will be up and down within a couple of weeks.

Of course, if you're willing to cut your own, matboard from DB is fine, but remember what Mahler one mentions: Acid free and archival are not the same thing.

 

[Ektagraphic]

I think I'll go with Frame Destinations cheapest option seeing I need 25 and they will be used in a gallery for a month and then the photos will be put into my "archives"....Thanks for the advice.

 

[Ektagraphic]

Do the cheapest Frame Destinations mats come with any kind of backing?

 

[Ektagraphic]

Well, I am running out of time as I need them for around 5/19 so I am just going to buy them off of Frame Desitinations

 

[DLM]

The Frame Destination mats look to be a good deal. It says on there that the backing board is separate. They recommend foamcore, but you could always use another piece of matboard w/o the window if you want instead. I guess it all depends on how you plan to mount the prints. If you order from FD, I'd at least get the Alphamat 4-ply, and wouldn't hesitate to get the 8-ply if you feel it would compliment your work well.

 

[Michael A. Smith]

We, at Lodima Archival Materials are sponsors here at APUG (under "Lodima") and we have the lowest prices for museum quality board and by far the finest quality board. 100% acid-free mat board does not protect the prints as well as ArtCare Board--the only board we sell. See the article on our web site Dead Link Removed. The article consists of an interview with the inventor of ArtCare Board, along with results of testing that compares ArtCare Board with other 100% acid-free all rag museum board.

All of our window mats are custom cut with our computerized mat cutter to your specifications. No "standard" sizes, although since we are first and foremost photographers ourselves, we are happy to make recommendations. And we have no minimums.

Michael A. Smith

 

[removed-user-1]

Glad this thread came up. I too have a small show to get ready for, on the cheap.

 

[fdi]

Do the cheapest Frame Destinations mats come with any kind of backing?

We sell the mats and backing board separately since different people are doing different things. Under the “Components” section of our website you will find “Mat Board”, “Mount Board” and “Uncut MatBoard”. Foamcore is the least expensive option for backing board. The least expensive foamcore is regular and we also carry Bainbridge Artcare treated acid free archival quality foamcore. Our least expensive papermat board is ok for temp framing. It is made of wood pulp so it is not naturally inert. Although it is buffered so that it is acid free, it will over time return to being acidic. You might consider using the papermat and regular foamcore for your display but if anyone wants to buy a print then I would move it to Artcare foamboard and Bainbridge AlphaMat or AlphaRag mat boards which are made of alpha cellulose or cotton rag (naturally inert materials). These mat boards are also buffered and treated with the Artcare process so they are museum quality.

Cheers,
Mark

 

[ddolde]

Another thumb up for Frame Destination. Great prices and service with a huge choice in sizes.

http://www.framedestination.com/