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Author Topic: How much margin do you leave for mat board overlap?  (Read 5416 times)

earlybird

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How much margin do you leave for mat board overlap?
« on: January 23, 2016, 03:36:01 pm »

Hi,
 I am struggling with reconciling three things: a habit of cropping *full frame* in the camera, a choice of a print paper sizing that accommodates the resulting 3:2 ( or 2:3 ) ratio, and a concern about wasting the expense of blank space as margins for mat board overlap.
 For example; I can order a print of a 10"x15" or a 11"x16.5" image on a 12"x18" sheet for the same price. It seems like the 10"x15" would be easier to mat, but I don't really know much about it. I do know that I would like the prints to be compatible with the use of T-Hinge tape mounting. How little mat board overlap distance is not enough?

 Thank you.
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earlybird

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Re: How much margin do you leave for mat board overlap?
« Reply #1 on: January 24, 2016, 05:49:03 am »

I had considered that this might not be an appropriate forum section to post this question but I could not find another area that seemed to discuss mounting prints. If there is a better place to address the question I will appreciate a suggestion to ask else where.

Thank you.
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drmike

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Re: How much margin do you leave for mat board overlap?
« Reply #2 on: January 24, 2016, 08:03:57 am »

I'd like to help but I don't really understand the question :)

You can get your 10x15 print, then you want to mount using the T-hinge technique so you seem to be asking how much paper should be behind the aperture in the mount to make it work well.

Is that it?

Are you cutting your own mounts or buying them ready cut with aperture cut as well?

I'm sure someone more knowledgeable than me will be along shortly :)

Mike
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Herbc

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Re: How much margin do you leave for mat board overlap?
« Reply #3 on: January 24, 2016, 12:49:01 pm »

IF I understand the question, which I read as "how much margin around the image is good", then my answer is 1 inch all around.  That leaves room for a signature and handwritten title, and you keep your sanity by not having to worry about a mat slipping out of place and showing the edge of the print. You can buy precut mats from any number of suppliers, and you are in bidness.

 8)
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BobShaw

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Re: How much margin do you leave for mat board overlap?
« Reply #4 on: January 24, 2016, 08:48:36 pm »

This is a "how long is a piece of string" question. It depends a lot on the size of the work.
Whatever looks good to you is the answer.
I normally have about 40mm on small prints up to about 60mm on bigger ones.

The aspect of the print should have nothing to do with the format you took it in. It is purely what looks best compositionally.
I always mat with symmetrical borders.
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earlybird

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Re: How much margin do you leave for mat board overlap?
« Reply #5 on: January 25, 2016, 08:32:40 am »

...you seem to be asking how much paper should be behind the aperture in the mount to make it work well.

Is that it?

Yes that is what I am asking about.

Thank you.

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drmike

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Re: How much margin do you leave for mat board overlap?
« Reply #6 on: January 25, 2016, 09:44:41 am »

I believe I said someone more expert than me would be along shortly and so they did :)
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earlybird

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Re: How much margin do you leave for mat board overlap?
« Reply #7 on: January 25, 2016, 10:26:44 am »

IF I understand the question, which I read as "how much margin around the image is good", then my answer is 1 inch all around.

How much of the 1" is hidden under, or overlapped by the mat board?

Thank you.
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GrahamBy

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Re: How much margin do you leave for mat board overlap?
« Reply #8 on: January 25, 2016, 04:33:00 pm »

I think it would depend on how the print is mounted. If it is dry-mounted with double-sided film, then I can't see why you would need more than 3mm of overlap.

If otoh it is only held with photocorners and the mat plays a role in holding it in place, you'd want rather more.
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One Frame at a Time

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Re: How much margin do you leave for mat board overlap?
« Reply #9 on: January 25, 2016, 10:00:02 pm »

On smaller prints I usually leave 3 tenths of an inch so that .15 inch approx is behind the mat.  On 16x20  I leave .2 on all sides.  This isn't from a book, just the way I'm framing prints from my 17 inch printer.

I'm speaking about the image itself not paper size.  On a 16 inch print, there is about 1.25 inches of paper along the short side if your mat opening is 15.75 inches. 
« Last Edit: January 26, 2016, 10:44:53 am by One Frame at a Time »
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elolaugesen

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Re: How much margin do you leave for mat board overlap?
« Reply #10 on: January 26, 2016, 03:12:59 am »

When framing prints(or any art work) there are many technical aspects to consider.  If you print the image on a flat piece of paper out of a box then all of the replies so far should work fine.   However if you print from a roll of paper then you have to consider that you have now bent?(broken) the fibres of the paper and if you want it to lie flat without dry mounting, then you need quite a bit of overlap to enable the mat to keep the paper flat.  One other issue, once you have bent the paper it is also more susceptible to showing curls(?) when the environment where it is hanging is very humid.  Mat(textured) art paper especially will absorb humidity.
I know lots of arguments for and against this.  However over the years I have seen changes in paper when it is very humid in the summer and then dry in the winter as the heating is on. (air conditioning changes this)
Therefore consider where it is hanging.....  is it air conditioned, out in the open, heating.......  etc....   ie    Toronto in the summer or arizona

cheers..  elo
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JayWPage

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Re: How much margin do you leave for mat board overlap?
« Reply #11 on: January 26, 2016, 01:41:21 pm »

As a general rule, I always leave at least a 1" border around an image. This is adequate for the print to be hung with "T-hinges" at the top and there is ample room for a signature and edition number on the bottom.

I have also printed 16 x 20 inch images on flat stock 17 x 22 paper when the image will be hung in a portrait orientation. This works fine when the image is matted with a positive reveal (the mat covers a bit of the image), less so with a negative reveal since you only have a 1/2" to play with on the sides. However, a client recently sent me a picture of one of my 16" x 20" images framed with what appears to be about a 1/2" showing around the whole image (so that the signature and edition number were visible). It looks good in the picture, so I can only speculate that the print must have been mounted onto a rear mat board with adhesive before framing.

When I have larger images printed on roll stock I always trim the borders to about 1 1/2" to 2" so that there is plenty of overlap with the mat to keep it flat.
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earlybird

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Re: How much margin do you leave for mat board overlap?
« Reply #12 on: January 26, 2016, 04:12:45 pm »

Thank you very much to everyone for the detailed replies and explanations, they are very helpful.

Thank you.
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Ramonn

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Re: How much margin do you leave for mat board overlap?
« Reply #13 on: January 26, 2016, 06:20:09 pm »

I have been printing my images at 12 x 18 inches on 13 x 19 inch sheets. I then order matts 18 x 24 inches with a centered window of
12.5 x 18.5 inches. With the image in place this creates a "faux" double matt appearance that is quite pleasing. I am then able to buy 18 x 24 frames at reasonable prices when on sale, usually at Michaels.. This avoids needing custom framing which is quite expensive. The final product results in a good image to matt ratio that directs attention to the image.

Check out www.wholesaleartsframes.com for matts
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BradSmith

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Re: How much margin do you leave for mat board overlap?
« Reply #14 on: January 27, 2016, 03:31:45 pm »

Ramonn,
What do you mount to, and how do you mount your image?
Brad
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Ramonn

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Re: How much margin do you leave for mat board overlap?
« Reply #15 on: January 31, 2016, 12:30:56 am »

I usually mount to a backing board or foam core.
Watch these videos for the basic technique.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3n2ossog5Ns  Go to 8 minute mark for the pertinent info.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAV6XQvMB3c

I do the T- hinge method at the top edge of the print only with no other fixation
(no photo corner tabs as in the video). This allows the image to "breathe" and not buckle
with changes in weather/humidity.
As an alternative sometimes I T-hinge the image to the back of the mat
and just lay the mat and photo against the backing board of the frame.

The framing is for my personal use. Probably would refine procedure if offering for sale.


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