Alternatives for mats on big piece

Create a Post
Frame Enthusiast

Frame Enthusiast

Grumbler
Joined
Oct 29, 2023
Posts
21
Loc
Mexico
Business
Framing Shop
Hello everyone!
I have a couple of framed embroidered fabrics that are already mounted on old damaged frames, the client wants to change the frame and would like to add mats to the pieces, the problem is that the size is 43” x 75” so, no mats available for that size, what can i suggest him for this size? Something I can paint? Something similar to a mat?
Thanks in advance!
 
In the past I have made huge 'mats' from raw 70mm x7mm obeche wood profiles with a bevel edge.
Here in the UK I can buy it 'off the shelf' but it's not that difficult to get some milled.
It's thick enough to underpin but if the weather is a tad damp it's a good idea to 'normalise' it in a warm room
before cutting/joining in case it shrinks and shows a crack in the corner.
I fill the grain with decorators' fine surface filler and give it several coats of acrylic paint. Any color you like.
I should mention that if you are painting it the glass needs to be elevated slightly to stop the glass bearing
on it or you can get weird optical effects where it touches.
 
We can create fabric wrapped fibermats that size. They are available in thicknesses of 1/8", 1/4", 3/8", up to 49" x 97" and 1/2" and 5/8" up to almost any size. Crating and shipping will be costly but we do a substantial part of our business in oversized products like this. rick@rianfabrication.com
 
We have access to 48"x96" mats in White, Warm White, and Black (may be discontinued).
I believe those colors are also available in 60"x104"
Your suppliers may not carry that size.
You could use a liner instead of a mat. If they want something with color, a hand wrapped liner is a nice touch.
 
I would try to go with the fibremats Rick H suggested. Even though matboard might be available in the extra large sizes mentioned, do you have the equipment, space, and ability to cut a mat that size? Also, such a mat has very little structural integrity, and would be quite difficult to handle, move, and work with, without ruining it.
:coffeedrinker2: Rick
 
Rick Hennen said:
We can create fabric wrapped fibermats that size. They are available in thicknesses of 1/8", 1/4", 3/8", up to 49" x 97" and 1/2" and 5/8" up to almost any size. Crating and shipping will be costly but we do a substantial part of our business in oversized products like this. rick@rianfabrication.com
Click to expand...
I checked the fiber mats out, they look great! sadly im in Mexico, so the shipping / import might not make them viable for me :(
 
Frame Enthusiast said:
I checked the fiber mats out, they look great! sadly im in Mexico, so the shipping / import might not make them viable for me :(
Click to expand...
Are you able to get 48 x 96" foam core board? If so, perhaps you could make a fabric wrapped 'mat'.
 
I went with a black 48x96 mat when I did a large papyrus. But I might consider trying to splice mats with overlapping mats at the seam to make a double or triple thick mat essentially then fabric cover it with franks glue and fabric. Might work or not, but I would give it a shot as it sounds like a good option to remove the shipping variable and essentially opens up unlimited color options. I guess if you have access to other substrates that are rigid enough and in larger form factor, one might be able to bypass the mat splicing idea.
 
Check Frank's Fabrics Mat Liners. I believe they have them in various widths, just order length, cut and join like a liner and wrap with fabric. You will probably have to fill and sand the mitres before priming and wrapping wrapping but I would think it would be much easier than splicing mats.
 
Frame Enthusiast said:
I checked the fiber mats out, they look great! sadly im in Mexico, so the shipping / import might not make them viable for me :(
Click to expand...
That may be the case depending on where you are in Mexico. If you're on the Baja Peninsula anywhere near San Diego it may not be that costly. We are actually only about 17 miles from the Tecate border crossing. One way to keep those costs down is to ship numerous items at the same time so the costs are distributed amongst several projects instead of just one. It would probably cost the same to ship 5 items as it would be to ship one. We are always willing to explore the opportunity even if it doesn't work out in the end.
 
Frame Enthusiast said:
Yes! I do have foam core board! I've never done one on foam board though!
Click to expand...
It's not as conservation, but a former employer of mine did it, on a big piece.
It can either be a solid window, cut in a piece of foam core, or four sections spliced
together, (with support on the back, then wrapped with fabric. Have you ever made a
fabric-wrapped mat, with matboard?
 
Shayla said:
It's not as conservation, but a former employer of mine did it, on a big piece.
It can either be a solid window, cut in a piece of foam core, or four sections spliced
together, (with support on the back, then wrapped with fabric. Have you ever made a
fabric-wrapped mat, with matboard?
Click to expand...
Ive done it with mats, small ones tho, so it wasn't very difficult, I did the four sections spliced, This might be a good option with foam core!
 
Unless you are using a thick, textured fabric for wrapping, I don't see how it would not show the seam of spliced foamcore, especially at a size like that because it would be hard to avoid it flexing.
:coffeedrinker2: Rick
 
Rick Granick said:
Unless you are using a thick, textured fabric for wrapping, I don't see how it would not show the seam of spliced foamcore, especially at a size like that because it would be hard to avoid it flexing.
:coffeedrinker2: Rick
Click to expand...
Cutting a window on the foam core would be the better way?
 
You can invent hand made mats for such instances.
1739576834486.webp
1739576786179.webp
1739576745307.webp
1739576696433.webp
 

Attachments

  • Delureanu.webp
    Delureanu.webp
    76.3 KB · Views: 10
Create a Post
Back
Top