Frame expert Keith Grayhorse of Grayhorse Framing explains how to cover a matte with linen to give artwork an elegant finish. Then he describes how to join the mitered corners of a frame together. Materials:
Spray adhesive
Linen fabric
Matte board cut to desired opening
Framing tape
Single-edged razor
Bone or pencil
- Cut a piece of linen about 2" larger on all sides than the outer edges of a cut matte board.
- Apply framing tape to the wrong side of the matte along the edges of the opening.
- Spray the right side of the matte board with spray adhesive, and place it face down on the wrong side of the linen. Smooth the linen (figure A).
- Turn the board over. With a single-edged razor blade, slit the linen in the opening of the frame diagonally from each corner toward the center approximately 1" (figure B).
- Run the razor blade parallel to the sides of the matte opening from the ends of each slit, leaving a 1" flap around the inside opening of the matte (figure C).
- Trim away excess linen by running the razor along the outside edges of the matte.
- Turn the matte over. Remove the adhesive backing from the framer's tape. Pull each side of the linen flap over the edge of the matte opening, and stick it to the adhesive. Use a bone or pencil to smooth the linen to the adhesive (figure D).
- Turn the matte over, and push the bone into each corner to give it a crisp appearance (figure E).
Joining Frame Corners Materials:
Framing material, miter-cut
Frame clamps
Drill
Finishing nails
Hammer
Nail set
Wood putty
Wood glue
- Place two adjacent frame sides in a frame clamp, with mitered corners together. Apply wood glue to the mitered corners. Push the wood pieces together, and tighten the clamp (figure F).
- When the glue is dry, drill a small hole from the outside of one piece of the frame close to the corner. Hammer a finishing nail into the hole so that it joins the adjacent side of the frame (figure G).
- Countersink the nail with a nail set and a hammer.
- Fill in above the nail head with wood putty. Smooth with your finger.
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