How Mat Board Sizes, Colors, and Bevels Work
Matboard does four jobs inside a picture frame:
- Spaces the artwork off the acrylic. If artwork touches the acrylic, moisture can build up and the paper can stick. Matboard creates an air gap.
- Adds a decorative border. The matboard color you see in the finished frame is part of the design. It can make the artwork pop or blend in.
- Sets the proportions. A wider mat makes small artwork feel important. A narrow mat is modern.
- Protects the artwork chemically. Archival matboard keeps the paper from yellowing or weakening over time.
Matboard Grades, Standard vs. Conservation
Standard (Paper) Matboard
Made from wood pulp paper. Affordable, and it comes in the widest range of colors. A solid choice for posters, prints, and everyday framing. If a piece matters for the long haul, conservation board is the better pick.
Conservation (Archival) Matboard
Made from 100% cotton or buffered wood pulp. pH-neutral, so it will not yellow or damage your artwork. Best for original art, photos you want to keep, certificates, and heirlooms.
The price difference between the two is small, so for any piece you want to keep, the conservation upgrade is worth it.
Matboard Thickness Options
Matboard thickness is measured in "ply", the number of paper layers laminated together.
- 2-ply, about 1/32 inch. Thin. Usually used as a backing or for layered mat designs (an accent mat under a thicker top mat).
- 4-ply, about 1/16 inch (1.5 mm). The picture framing industry standard. Creates a clean bevel and works for almost all artwork.
- 8-ply, about 1/8 inch (3 mm). Twice as thick. Creates a dramatic bevel that looks like a stepped trough leading to the artwork. Common in gallery and museum framing.
Pick 4-ply for everyday framing. Pick 8-ply for fine art and gallery presentations where the beveled edge is part of the design.
Matboard Colors
Matboard comes in hundreds of colors. The most common picks:
- White and off-white, bright white, antique white, ivory, cream. Safe, gallery-style, lets the artwork lead.
- Black, dramatic, modern. Works for photographs and bold artwork.
- Neutral grays and tans, warm or cool grays. Versatile bridge colors.
- Colored mats, pulled from the artwork. A colored mat picks up a tone from the artwork and ties the whole frame together.
For most artwork, start with an off-white or warm gray. Color mats work best when pulled directly from the artwork.
Single vs. Double Matting
A single mat is one piece of matboard with one opening. Most framing uses a single mat.
A double mat is two pieces of matboard stacked together. A thin reveal of the bottom mat shows through the opening of the top mat. The double mat adds depth and an accent color. Common reveals are 1/4 inch.
Triple mats add a third color reveal. They are common in certificate framing and ornate gallery framing.
How to Pick Matboard for Your Frame
Three decisions:
- Grade. Archival for anything you care about. Standard for posters and short-term displays.
- Color. Off-white or warm gray is the safe default. Pull a color from the artwork if you want it to feel custom.
- Thickness. 4-ply for almost everything. Step up to 8-ply for fine art or gallery framing where you want a deeper bevel.
Mat width (how wide the border is around the artwork) is a separate decision. See our border width proportions guide.
Matboard FAQ
What is matboard?
Matboard is the thick, rigid paperboard used in picture framing to create a decorative border around artwork. The matboard sits between the artwork and the acrylic, giving the artwork breathing room, preventing moisture damage, and adding a finished color border to the framed piece.
What is matboard made of?
Matboard is made of layered paper laminated together for rigidity. Standard matboard uses wood pulp paper. Archival matboard (sometimes called rag mat) is made from 100% cotton fiber or buffered wood pulp that won't yellow or damage artwork over time.
What thickness is matboard?
Most picture framing uses 4-ply matboard, which is about 1/16 of an inch (1.5 mm) thick. Thinner 2-ply matboard is sometimes used as a backing. Thicker 8-ply matboard creates a more dramatic beveled edge and is common in gallery and museum framing.
What is archival matboard?
Archival matboard has been chemically treated or made from cotton fiber so it has a pH of 7 (neutral) or slightly higher. Acidic matboard yellows the artwork over decades and weakens the paper. Archival matboard is required for any artwork you want to keep for more than 20 years.
Can you cut matboard at home?
Yes, with a mat cutter, a tool that holds the matboard flat and guides a blade at a 45-degree angle to make the beveled opening. Hand cutters cost $30 to $100. Without a mat cutter, the bevel will look rough and inconsistent. Most custom framers cut mats on a computerized mat cutter for clean opening edges.
What is the difference between matboard and mounting board?
Matboard is the visible border around the artwork. Mounting board (or foam board) is the rigid backing behind the artwork that you can't see in the finished frame. Both are used in a typical frame, but they serve different jobs. See our matboard vs mounting board guide for details.