Custom framing shouldn't feel intimidating. To ensure you feel comfortable during your design consultation we have put together a guide of our most frequently asked questions, as well as the terminology and processes we use at Anthology when creating your framing package. Our goal is to help you approach your next (or first!) custom framing project with clarity and confidence.

Anthology FAQ's

What is your typical turn around time for framing?
- Our average turnaround is 4 weeks, however we can rush orders if the materials for your project are readily available. A rush charge will be added to projects needed quicker than four weeks to move you ahead in the queue.
How much does custom framing cost?
- When it comes to custom framing, there is no “one size fits all” approach. We design each frame package to be unique to the art you are bringing in, so there is no set price based on size or materials. We offer a wide variety of framing materials from standard gessoed to hand painted frames from Italy. We are happy to work with your budget and recommend stopping by with your art for a no pressure consultation! We can provide a quote for you to take home with you if you aren’t ready to commit after your consultation, and we will honor those quotes for 30 days after your initial consultation.
Do you do object/art restoration or conservation?
- No, we do not do in-house restoration, but we have several referral partners we can direct you to depending on the medium and needs of the piece.
Do you repair or restore damaged frames?
- We do not do frame repair or restoration. We will refer you to Erin Schoepke, owner and frame conservator at Denver Frame Restoration, for any frame repairs or restoration needs. Once a frame has been restored we can work with you to update the framing package within it to bring it up to conservation grade standards, or use the frame for a new piece of art you’d like to fit into it.
Do you do glass or mat replacements?
- Absolutely! We always have a selection of UV glass and mat board in stock. In most cases, we can do the replacement while you wait!
If I want to reframe a piece, can I keep the matting or glass on the piece and just update the frame itself?
- Yes! However if your piece does not have conservation grade glass or archival matting, we will recommend updating the overall package to ensure your art is protected for decades to come.
Do you have a limit on the size of pieces you will frame?
- Each case is unique and we are happy to discuss your specific project’s needs. Standard framing materials often have a maximum size of 4’x8′, however please reach out to discuss your oversized project, even if it exceeds standard framing materials.
Do you frame 3 Dimensional objects?
- Yes! We create custom mounts and shadowboxes in house for a wide array of 3D objects. You can browse our gallery here
Do you do art appraisals?
- No, we do not. We will refer you to Christine Whaling Art Advisory or Saks Galleries in Cherry Creek for those needs.
Do you buy art?
- No, we do not buy art.
Where can I learn more about the portrait photography studio?
- Head on over to Anthology Portraits for all your photography needs!

Custom Framing FAQ's

What do you mean by conservation and archival grade materials?
- At Anthology we only use these types of materials to create your framing package as they work to prevent deterioration of your piece by neutralizing acids, blocking UV light, and ensuring that anything touching your art is the safest material for it. Archival grade refers to the makeup of the materials used in custom framing, like mat boards. Archival materials do not degrade, bleed, or emit harmful gases over time making them suitable for preserving your art piece for decades to come. Conservation grade materials, like UV glass, work to prevent damage to your art before it happens by neutralizing threats such as air pollutants, water, or gases from coming in contact with your art. Additionally, we only mount your art using standard conservation practices meaning that everything we do here is completely reversible and will never cause permanent damage to your piece.
Wait, materials can emit gas over time?
- Yes they can, through a process called off-gassing. Materials that are not archival or conservation grade can contain acid, lignin, or unstable compounds and as they age emit gaseous byproducts. As the gas vaporizes it will be trapped in the sealed frame, causing it to react with the art leading to discoloration and chemical deterioration over time. Wood products, adhesives, tape, and plastic are all common causes of off-gassing, though art itself can off-gas during drying and aging depending on its medium.
What do you mean by a mat revel?
- This refers to how much mat you want to see around your art piece, typically between 2″ and 4″. When using more than one mat on your piece, this will also refer to how much of the bottom mat(s) you want exposed beneath the top mat. Reveals when layering mats are typically between 1/8″ to 1/4″ in width, and they act as a subtle accent boarder that adds depth to your piece.
What is a weighted bottom?
- A weighted bottom is when the bottom of the mat is cut wider than the tops and sides. Our eyes have a different optical center than a geometric center, so widening the bottom mat can correct a common optical illusion that makes geometrically centered art appear as if it is sinking or sitting too low.
What is a window cut?
- A window cut is a mat with an opening cut just smaller than the size of the art so it will sit on top of the piece, covering a small amount of art all the way around.
What is a reverse bevel?
- A normal bevel, which is the sloped cut you see on widow cut mats, is typically cut at 45 degrees and revels the inside of the mat board (typically white). A reverse bevel cuts the 45 degrees behind the opening so there is no white from the mat showing.
What do you mean when you say “full bleed”?
- This refers to pieces that are printed to the edge of their paper. In framing, a “full bleed” means there is no mat being used, and the piece will have spacers to keep the art from touching the glass or acrylic directly.
What are spacers, and why do you use them?
- Spacers function to keep art from touching glass or acrylic directly, usually when floating artwork or if a mat is not used for the project. Spacers can be made of acrylic, wood, mats, or foam core.
What is a rag mat?
- This is a premium mat board made from 100% cotton fibers rather than chemically treated alpha-cellulose, which is what standard archival mats are made with. Rag mats are naturally free of acid and lignin gases, and offers the highest level of conservation available for mat choices as they will endure for centuries without breaking down. Rag mats are typically used for historical documents, vintage prints, or extremely valuable/limited edition pieces of art. Due to their composition of 100% cotton, rag mats are the same color all the way through and you will not see a white line when cutting a bevel for a window cut.
What are “hinges” in art framing?
- Hinges are used to mount print and fine art pieces to an acid free backing board using small strips of archival quality mulberry paper with a water soluble methyl cellulose or alcohol soluble cellulose adhesive called Klucel G. Hinges are completely reversible, and can be removed or adjusted without any permanent damage or adhesive residue left behind on your art. Hinges are used at the top of a piece, and occasionally on the sides, to hold the art work in place while also allowing room for the paper to expand and contract over time. We do not use wheat starch or rice paste adhesives at Anthology; due to their nature as organic food sources, these adhesives can attract silverfish and other insects over time.
What is a pedestal float?
- A pedestal float, also referred to as a raised or museum float, is when your art is mounted to an acid free foam board that lifts the piece up from the mat board it rests on. This technique turns your art from a two dimensional piece into a three dimensional piece, and adds depth to your art that gives the illusion that it is floating freely within the frame.
What is a direct float?
- A direct float places art directly on top of the mat without covering any part of the piece. Hinges are placed on the back of your art using a pass-through technique, ensuring the art is secured to the mat board safely and that all edges of the art are visible. This is a common mounting method for pieces that have deckled, raw, or uneven edges.
What is a shadowbox, and when would you use one?
- Shadow boxes are deep, enclosed frames that are used to present three-dimensional objects too big for traditional frames.
What are the different types of glass and acrylic used, and what are their benefits/differences?
- At Anthology we only use True Vue Museum Glass, Conservation Clear Glass, Optimum Museum Acrylic, and Conservation Clear Acrylic. Size, value, and circumstances determine when we recommend acrylic over glass, however we use acrylic on any piece that is over 36″x48″ for safety purposes.
What is dry mounting?
- Dry mounting is a permanent, non-reversible, process that adheres the art to an acid free foam core or aluminum dibond. Dry mounting makes art very flat, and is only appropriate in certain circumstances.
What is the difference between veneer and gessoed frames?
- A veneer frame takes a thin piece of real, natural wood and adheres it to a stable core (like durian wood) to give the look of a premium hardwood frame without the cost. A Gessoed frame, or gallery frame, is a wooden frame with layers of gesso that smooths out wood grain and gives a smooth, consistent surface to a frame.
What is a float frame, and when would you use one?
- A float frame is a modern style of frame that makes your piece appear as if it is suspended in mid-air by leaving a gap between the art and the frame. Float frames are appropriate for gallery wrapped canvases or wood panels where the art extends to the sides, ensuring that the entire piece is visible. Since they are typically used for canvas or panel pieces, and do not have a rabbet, float frames cannot accommodate glass.
What do you mean by stacked frames?
- This means that we take two different mouldings and stack them together to create one single, customized frame. This technique can add contrast, depth, and dimension to your framing package.
What is a fillet, and when would you use one?
- A fillet is a small strip of decorative wood that can be placed along the inside edges of a frame or embedded into a window cut mat board. These are often used as accent pieces in framing, adding a refined transition between the artwork, the mat, and the primary frame.
Can you reprint old photo prints into larger resolutions for framing?
- Yes! We work with some of the best printers in town and can have your vintage prints placed on traditional photo paper, canvas, metal, or watercolor paper. We can print your newer digital prints as well, anything from photos on your phone to digital files provided to you by a professional photographer.
I had a print rolled in a tube for years. What should I be aware of when framing it?
- When you bring in a rolled print, we will store it flat under pressure to help relax the paper to lay it flat. Prints that have been rolled for long periods of time will show rippling when it is framed, even with matting, as the fibers of the paper have been fractured. Dry mounting rolled pieces can eliminate the ripples, however we do not recommend this for high value pieces as this is a permanent, non-reversible process. If you have a high value piece that has rippled from being rolled, we will recommend that you send the piece to a conservator first to either repair or linen back your art before framing.
What are the different methods used at Anthology to hang framed art?
- Hanging hardware is always provided with your finished framing package, and is dependent on the size of the frame. We offer wire, D-Rings, security hardware, cleats (Z bar), and wall buddies at Anthology. We will discuss which option is best for your piece during your consultation.

Canvas Stretching and Framing FAQ'S

What is a stretcher bar?
- This is a piece of wood that builds the internal framework of a canvas that holds it taut, and can be adjusted by the artist to expand the frame to tighten the canvas if it loosens over time. Stretcher bars are often removed from a canvas after it is complete for shipping purposes, and we can build a customized stretcher bar for your art in house and re-stretch the canvas for you.
What is a strainer bar?
- A strainer bar is a piece of wood that builds a rigid support frame to a canvas used for mounting it on a wall. Unlike stretcher bars that are expandable, strainer bars are rigid with V-nailed corners and cannot be adjusted once the canvas is mounted to it.
What is board mounting a canvas?
- Like dry mounting a print, board mounting a canvas permanently adheres it to an acid-free foam board to make the canvas flat and remove any wrinkles or waves within it. This can be appropriate for smaller canvas that you may not necessarily want re-stretched but would like to frame. However just as with fine art pieces, we do not recommend this process for high value pieces as it is non-reversible.
What is a gallery wrap?
- A gallery wrapped canvas is where the artwork expands over the edges of a stretched canvas. Gallery wrapped canvases are secured to the back of a stretcher or strainer bar, providing staple free edges. A float frame is the most appropriate frame for these types of pieces to ensure you can see all parts of the art.
What is a giclee canvas?
- A giclee is a high quality reproduction of a piece printed onto a canvas that mimics the texture, color, and detail of the original artwork.
What are common issues with works of art on canvas?
- Visible staple marks, out of square frames or art, warped stretcher bars, and insufficient canvas margins are the most common issues we see at Anthology. During your design consultation, we will go over the condition of your canvas and determine the best steps to take to preserve and present your artwork.
What do you mean when you say you’ll “line the rabbet” of my framed canvas?
- The rabbet of a frame is the recessed L-grove along the edge of the frame that holds your package together once it is secured in with framer’s points. When framing canvas, we line the rabbet with acid-free lining tape or metal frame sealing tape to keep the wooden frame from coming in direct contact with the art. This will keep paint from transferring to the frame over time, as well as protect the painting from the lignin gas released from wood.
Do I have to stretch a canvas to frame it?
- No! Board mounting your canvas is always an option for pieces that have been removed from stretcher or strainer bars. However, if your art is a high value piece we will recommend you stretch it over board mounting it to keep your art’s integrity.
I have a canvas I would just like to have stretched. Do I have to frame it?
- No! We will stretch the canvas for you and fit it with hardware appropriate to hang it on your wall as is.
Can I frame a canvas that is on a stretcher bar?
- Yes!
Do you frame canvas with glass?
- No. Paintings on canvas are typically done with oil or acrylic paint, and the paint needs to “breathe” and cure over time. Canvas fabric will hold onto moisture, and if enclosed in glass this can cause issues with mold and deterioration over time. In cases of extreme value, acrylic may be appropriate.
Is my canvas too big to frame?
- Probably not, but please reach out and ask!

Art Condition Terminology

When you bring your piece in for framing, we will evaluate the piece with you here to understand the condition that it is in. Below are common terms used in object and art evaluation that we may address during your design consultation.

Abrasion: The wearing away of an object’s surface due to repeated friction or contact with other surfaces.
Accretion: Foreign matter attached to the surface of a piece or object.
Acid Migration: Transfer of acidic substances between two surfaces in contact with each other; often causing localized staining and discoloration.
Blanching: Where a previously clear and transparent surface (e.g. a varnish) has become white and/or opaque.
Bleeding: Where ink, paint, or dye has become partially soluble and has wicked into surrounding areas of the paper or textile, resulting in a blurry appearance.
Blistering: A raised area, bulge or bubble on the surface of an object, often between adjoining layers of different materials. May be caused by a loss of adhesion between two layers, excessive heat, or pockets of trapped air or liquid.
Buckling: Distortion caused by shrinkage or compression.
Chalking: When pigment in a paint layer has turned to powder.
Cleavage: The separation of paint from the ground layer of a painting, which may cause cracking, blistering, or flaking.
Cockling: Wrinkling or puckering that occurs when paper, fabric, or any sheet of support material dries unevenly.
Craquelure or Crazing: A network of fine cracks in a varnish or paint layer.
Delamination: The separation of layers in an object or art
composed of multiple layers, often due to exposure to moisture.
Discoloration: The change in the original color of a material due to exposure of the object to moisture, chemicals, light, or the effect of age.
Embrittlement: The condition of a piece in which it has lost flexibility
and become susceptible to cracking, crumbling, or
breaking.
Flaking: The separation of small, thin pieces of paint or other material coating
from its substrate.

Foxing: Localized discoloration of paper, usually appearing as random rust colored spots on a piece. Common causes of foxing are: fungus, mold, high humidity or dampness, airborne acids.
Friable: Media that is powdery, loosely adhered, and falls easily from paper, like pastel or charcoal pieces.
Loss: Missing area in one or more layers of an object or art piece.
Mat Burn or Acid Burn: The transfer of an acid from a more acidic material to a less acidic material with which it is in contact. Often the result of a window mat made from non-archival material.
Peeling: A thin layer of paint that is becoming detached from a surface and curling back on itself. May also be used to describe the appearance of veneered surfaces that are delaminating.
Shredding: The deterioration of fabric supports (like canvas or silk) where threads split, break, or unravel over time.
Spalling: The flaking, peeling, or chipping away of surface layers in scales or sheets.
Superficial Grime: Dirt and grime that accumulates on a piece due to time, exposure to elements, and handling.
Tenting: Delamination of paint layers above a crack or network of cracks, where the delaminating material lifts upwards to resemble a pitched tent.
Tidemark or Tideline: Localized discoloration that forms at the edges of liquid stains upon drying.
UV Damage: Damage to art due to exposure to sunlight, often a result of frames without UV graded glass.
Warping: Changes to the piece’s original dimensions; often occurs along lines of stress within the material.
Yellowing: Discoloration that affects the varnish layer of a painting and has a yellow tinge.