Damage to Art
Paper
borne art and photographs held in contact with the glass in a frame may suffer mold
growth, image transfer, water staining, and adhesion to the glass due to condensation on
the inside of the glass. These spacers provide the proper airspace to help prevent this
damage.
|
Buckling Paper
expands and contracts with changes in humidity. Lack of air circulation across the face of
the paper will result in buckling due to slight differences in the humidity content of the
paper (i.e., The edges and corners may be more humid than the central area). Proper
airspace will allow the air to circulate and equalize the humidity across the face of the
paper which will help prevent this buckling. |
Glossy Prints
These
spacers will prevent "Newton Rings" and the wet spots that appear on photographs
and glossy prints by preventing the art from contacting the glass.
|
Needlework
When
framing needlework with glass, these spacers will allow the piece to "breathe"
helping to prevent thread rot and mold growth by providing the necessary air circulation
across the face of the piece. Using spacers will also allow you to achieve a fully padded
look without crushing large stitches and knots against the glass.
|
Conservation Framing
These
spacers are quality products for the framer and conservator. The plastic is acid-free and
has no plasticizers to harm fine art. (Test report available). They are made from
KODAR®,
a co-polyester made by Eastman Chemical Co. The acrylic adhesive used on Econospace is
acid-free and will not outgas harmful chemicals. (Of course, the adhesive should be
adhered to the glass, not to the art).
|
Mini Shadow Boxes
The larger
Framespace shapes make excellent mini shadow boxes. They're quick and easy to install, are
mechanically permanent in the frame, and can be painted or backed with colored mat board.
|
Caution You must allow for the free expansion and contraction of the art
and backing materials in a frame. Any pressure against the backing will cause the art to
buckle with changes in temperature and humidity. In wood frames, don't "pinch"
the backing in the frame with diamond points, brads, or fitting staples. Allow a little
looseness so the art can expand and contract freely.
In metal frames, the commonly used spring clips
apply too much pressure against the backing causing the art to buckle. It is recommended
to glue matboard or foamcore strips onto the edge of the backing to almost fill the space
remaining behind the backing. Leave it all a little loose to prevent buckling.
In environments that have great changes in
humidity, temperature, dust, or insects, it is recommended to seal the glass-art-backing
package with tape. This will help protect the art from buckling, dirt, and other damages.
The adhesive against the edge of the freshly cut backing or foam boards will also adhere
to all the little particles that always seem to escape into the frame job.
|
A Note About Allowances
An
appropriate allowance between the glass size, art package size, and the frame size is
necessary to allow for inaccuracies in measuring, marking, cutting, and squareness of all
the materials used in a frame. Expansion and contraction of all materials from temperature
and humidity must also be considered.
|