Notes from the workshop.

How to choose the right glass for your artwork

Standard, conservation and museum glass — and when each is worth it.

Glass is the part of a frame people think about least and notice most. Get it wrong and a beautiful piece sits behind a mirror of reflections, or fades quietly over a decade in the wrong light. There are three broad choices, and the right one depends on the work and the wall.

Standard glass is clear, inexpensive and fine for prints of no great value hung away from direct light. Conservation glass adds a UV-filtering layer that blocks the majority of the ultraviolet light responsible for fading — the standard we use for anything original, sentimental, or irreplaceable. Museum glass goes further again, combining UV protection with an anti-reflective coating so the glass all but disappears, letting you see the artwork rather than the room behind you.

If a piece carries financial or emotional value, conservation-grade glass is rarely a decision you regret. We'll always tell you plainly what a particular work needs, rather than defaulting to the most expensive option.

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Why good framing takes two weeks

What's actually happening between drop-off and collection.

Most jobs take around two weeks. We carry hundreds of moulding samples and dozens of matboard colours in the workshop — and thousands more are accessible through Virtual Framer — but your chosen components aren't always in stock and may need to be ordered in.

Once we've seen your artwork and agreed on a direction, we order the specific moulding and matboard your piece calls for — sourced from Australia's most respected framing suppliers — and wait for them to arrive. Then the work itself: cutting mats to the millimetre, joining and finishing the frame, fitting the glass, and sealing the back for the long term, and a final check before it leaves the studio.

None of this is slow for its own sake. It's the difference between a frame that looks right for a season and one that protects and flatters a work for decades.

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Design Your Custom Frame

Framing heirlooms and antique works

Caring for the pieces that can't be replaced.

Some of the most rewarding work that comes through the studio is the oldest — inherited oils, century-old prints, maps and documents. These pieces ask for more than a tidy frame; they ask for conservation.

That means acid-free, alpha-cellulose matboard that won't burn the edges of the paper over time, archival mounting that can be reversed without harming the work, acid-free backing, and UV-filtering glass to slow fading. Where an older frame is worth keeping, we'll restore it rather than replace it. And if a piece needs attention before it's framed — a print to be flattened, glue or old felt to be removed — we'll tell you honestly rather than hide a problem behind a beautiful moulding.

If you have something old and uncertain, bring it in. The first conversation is the most useful part of the process.

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Design Your Custom Frame

General framing tips (all artwork types)

Seven things worth knowing before anything goes behind glass.

• Preserve, don't just display

  Always choose materials that protect your artwork: UV-protective glass, acid-free mats, and archival backing.

• Understand your goals

  Is it about preservation, aesthetics, storytelling, or resale value? The right approach follows from the answer.

• Avoid DIY framing for valuable pieces

  Even small mistakes — adhesives, pressure, moisture traps — can cause irreversible damage.

• Float mounting isn't always right

  It's only suitable for pieces where the edges are part of the story — deckled edges, signatures, and the like.

• Think about where it will hang

  Sunlight, humidity, and airflow affect materials — so different methods suit different spaces.

• Know that framing is reversible (or should be)

  Reversibility is crucial for conservation. Insist on it for anything of lasting value.

• Framing enhances value

  Thoughtful, professional framing not only preserves but also increases perceived value.

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Design Your Custom Frame

Framing options

A type-by-type guide to mounting, matting and glass for different works.

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Design Your Custom Frame