Float mounting, explained simply

Float mounting is when the artwork sits on top of the mat board, rather than behind a window cut into it. You see all four edges, clean, without a matboard overlay. It shows off texture, deckle edges and the hand-made nature of the piece.

When float mounting shines

• Deckle-edged handmade paper (watercolours, print editions)
• Photographs printed on rag paper where the white border is part of the aesthetic
• Works on unusual substrates (cardboard, linen, vellum)
• Anything signed or chop-marked that you want to show

How we do it

We use acid-free archival hinges (usually Japanese paper) on the reverse of the work, attached only along the top edge. The piece hangs from these hinges with just enough tension to stay put, but allows natural paper movement with humidity. No tape, no glue, no adhesive contact to the artwork face.

Float vs standard mat, a quick comparison

• Standard mat: window cut into a mat board, covers the artwork edge slightly. Cleaner for rectangular work.
• Float mount: work floats on the mat, edges visible. Shows character.
• Deep float: float mount with extra depth between the work and the glass. Luxurious for special pieces.

If the edges of the work are part of the art, float it.

Does it cost more?

Slightly. About $35 more than a standard window mat. For works where the edge matters, it is the difference between "a print on a wall" and "an artwork on a wall."