Framing Oil Paintings

Candy

SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
Joined
Feb 9, 2005
Posts
1,543
Loc
Holland, MI
I have an oil painting I want to frame and I want to make sure and do it properly. Do I need to do anything more than line the rabbet (sp?) of the frame with an acid free framers tape to keep the wood from touching the canvas? The painting is not extremely expensive but I do not want to do any damage. Thanks for any assistance you can offer!!
 
Lining the rabbet with Framers Tape won't do much good. It would slow down acid migration for some time, but it is not gas-impermeable, and acid would eventually get through it.

I suggest lining the rabbet with a metallized (foil) tape, which is gas-impermeable. Lineco makes the one I use; I buy it from Light Impressions (#2354), but all of the archival material suppliers should have a comparable product.

Also, to make a "pad" on the part of the frame's rabbet that contacts the face of the painting, apply a strip of "Volara". This is a 1/32" thick, black, adhesive-backed foam tape made for the purpose. I buy it in 1/2" wide rolls, from University Products (#018-1232).

As far as I know, that's the best you can do for an oil painting.

Unless...
The painting has heavy texture at its edges. In that case, you might want to use strips of 100% rag mat board as a rabbet pad.

Or, if that isn't enough, you can space the frame off the surface of the painting with offset clips for fitting. This method leaves a gap between the face of the painting and the frame -- usually less than 1/8" -- which can be unsightly; and dirt/debris/insects can accumulate in the gap, which might do more damage than the frame's contact would do.
 
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