Archival mounting and framing

[equinox]

Hi, I am new here.
I make giclee prints on acid free paper and want to sell these works matted and framed. My frame shop makes contour shape-cut acid-free mats for me. The frames I use are, to avoid a too high retail price, simple wood-black picture frames with a mdf backing (with those metal clams on the back). I remove the floater glass and replace it with persplex/plexiglas.
-My question is, I see a lot of online tutorials on how to mount a print/photograph to a foam-core mount board.
But.. my frame is not that thick, and I am sure that a matt AND a foam-core mount board is too much and that I cannot get the metal clams of the mdf backing in the grooves of the frame. So my idea is to mount the print to the mat with the right tape (I mount it only on the top, right?) and put a sandwich of acid-free paper between the print and the mdf backing. Is that a good way to go in this case? Thanks!

[JFeig]

The frames I use are, to avoid a too high retail price, simple wood-black picture frames with a mdf backing (with those metal clams on the back).

It sounds that you are using "off the shelf" ready made frames. You are limiting yourself from the "start line". I suggest that you contact a professional custom picture framer to find a frame that is more suited to your actual needs.

[equinox]

It sounds that you are using "off the shelf" ready made frames. You are limiting yourself from the "start line". I suggest that you contact a professional custom picture framer to find a frame that is more suited to your actual needs.

Yes, they are off-the-shelf frames. I certainly did contact a professional frame maker, as I wrote, the price for a custom-made frame is unfortunately too high for me at the moment. My choice for now is an off-the-shelf frame. It is not the frame I have an issue with, see below:

Simple question: I see a lot of online tutorials on how to mount a print/photograph to a foam-core mount board.
But.. my frame is not that thick, and I am sure that a matt AND a foam-core mount board is too much and that I cannot get the metal clams of the mdf backing in the grooves of the frame. So my idea is to mount the print to the mat with the right tape (I mount it only on the top, right?) and put a sandwich of acid-free paper between the print and the mdf backing. Is that a good way to go in this case? Thanks!

[prospero]

Welcome equinox.

You are thinking along the right lines. The correct way is to hinge the print to a board beneath the print, which in turn is hinged all the way along one side to to mat. This is a 'bookmount'. It makes the print/mat a separate entity to the frame and allows ease of handling. Hinging to the mat is not the way to treat a thing of worth.

Most readymade frames have woefully shallow rebates and aren't really suitable for things done with the 'proper' matting technique. It's a perennial gripe with framers. A good framer should be able to make you just the bare frame rims at a reasonable price. Not a lot more than readymades and whatever custom size you need. You are already buying the plexi and doing all the assembly.

The use of MDF is frowned upon in some quarters. I use it, but add a membrane of plastic film underneath it as a precaution against moisture incursion. There are alternatives, but they don't offer the same level of physical protection even though strictly speaking they may be more 'archival'. It's a trade off.

[equinox]

Welcome equinox.

The use of MDF is frowned upon in some quarters. I use it, but add a membrane of plastic film underneath it as a precaution against moisture incursion. There are alternatives, but they don't offer the same level of physical protection even though strictly speaking they may be more 'archival'. It's a trade off.

Thanks for your answer!
What if I use a plastic film you suggested to mount the print on, so: mdf backing, plastic film, print attached to it, mat.
I have no knowledge about plastic and acid, could that become a problem or am I save here?

Other way, instead of the plastic film, attach the print to thick acid-free paper, so: mdf backing, acid-free paper with print attached to it, mat.

[prospero]

The print needs to be hinged to a sturdy undermount. Same sort of thing as the mat. Hinging it to paper is making things worse.

[JFeig]

Most readymade frames have woefully shallow rebates and aren't really suitable for things done with the 'proper' matting technique. It's a perennial gripe with framers. A good framer should be able to make you just the bare frame rims at a reasonable price.

This is what I was trying to say.

[equinox]

I most favor a custom made 'victorian style' frame, but I cannot calculate the costs for such option yet. You have to start somewhere and then try to make the best out of it. So, it's not that I think ready-made is a better option. I buy ready-made frames for €12, and they look pretty decent. If I want to go for a custom frame by a frame-maker, I pay €25 to 28 euro's, then I have a blank wood frame and have to paint it black myself. Plus all the extra's like foam core, plexiglas, mat, and so on. I have calculated this over and over, the price difference is too high at the moment.

So, within the marge I have I try to offer the most archival possible option, that is top quality giclee paper, acid free mat, plexiglas, acid free tape, and now I try to figure out some sort of a backing option. I found a 1mm thick acid-free museum (backing)board that I probably/hopefully can squeeze in the frame as well. I'll have to try it..

[equinox]

The print needs to be hinged to a sturdy undermount. Same sort of thing as the mat. Hinging it to paper is making things worse.

I did as you suggested, mat attached to sturdy acid free undermount, giclee mounted to the undermount with 2 acid free tapes on the top.