Mount vs frame

Two distinct components people sometimes confuse. The frame is the outer moulding — the wood, metal, or composite border that holds the whole presentation together and hangs on the wall. The mount (or "mat board") is a separate layer of stiff acid-free card inside the frame, cut with a window so the print sits in front of it. A framed print can carry a mount or not; the mount is an optional layer.

The frame's job is structural. It holds the glazing, backing board, and artwork as one solid unit. It defines the outer dimensions of the finished piece and gives the artwork its visual border against the wall. Frame mouldings come in dozens of profiles — slim, deep, ornate, minimalist — and the choice is a major part of the finished aesthetic.

The mount's job is presentational and protective. Visually, it gives the print a margin of breathing room between the image and the frame, which usually reads as more considered and gallery-shaped. Practically, it lifts the print off the glass — without a mount, paper and glass can stick over time in humid environments. The mount is reversible: it can be removed or re-cut at any point.

Three things to know when choosing. A mount adds 5-12cm of finished size to each side of the print, so a mounted print needs more wall space than an unmounted one. The mount itself doesn't affect the print's archival longevity (assuming acid-free card, which is standard for fine-art framing). And a printed signature in the lower margin is partially or fully hidden behind a standard window-mount — float framing or a wider mount window solves this if visibility matters.

Our framed prints carry a mount by default. You can opt for an unmounted frame on every product page; the print then sits directly against the inner edge of the moulding, giving a flatter, more graphic finish.