Mount
Also known as: Mat · Mat board · Window mount
A border of stiff acid-free card cut to surround a print and sit between it and the glass. Provides visual separation, protects the print from contact with glass, and increases the framed size.
A mount — also called a mat or mat board — is a layer of stiff acid-free card cut with a window so the print sits in front of it. The card surrounds the artwork with a clean visual border between the image and the frame, and lifts the print off the glass.
Three reasons a mount matters. It gives the artwork visual space — a print pushed straight up against the frame and glass can feel cramped, while a mount adds a margin of breathing room around the image, which usually reads as more considered and gallery-shaped. It protects the surface — direct contact between paper and glass can cause prints to stick over time, especially in humid environments, and a mount creates a millimetre or two of air gap that prevents that. And it’s reversible — mounts can be removed or recut if you ever want to re-frame the piece at a different size.
There are two common cuts. A standard mount has a single rectangular window cut with a 45° bevelled edge, creating a soft shadow line where the window meets the print. A double mount has two layers — usually a slim accent colour beneath a neutral top — for a touch more depth.
We mount our framed prints by default because most spaces read better with the border. You can opt for an unmounted frame — print sat directly against the inner edge of the moulding — for a flatter, more graphic finish; the choice is presented on every artwork’s product page.