Hi Selena, and welcome to WC

I’m not sure where you are from.
Here in the UK we very rarely use dust covers just sealing the backs of the frames with special tape.
In the US and I think Australia, from what I have seen, dust covers are made from brown or black craft paper.It is normally dampened after it is on to tighten it. It is advisable to use a water soluble adhesive in case the frame needs to be opened at some time in the future.
Hope this helps.

Hi Selena,

Backing paper has not been widely used here since the 1960s probably because it has a tendency to dry out and crumble, or get eaten by bugs.

The tape just seals the backing to the frame. Yes the tape removes easily, but does not dry out like other tapes and fall off. I am not sure of the availability of it in the US. It is called framers backing tape here. I will try and find a source for you if you want to go that route.

Here is a pic. of how our frames look when finished.

Hi Selina

No there are no disadvantages to using tape. It is there to seal against the ingress of pollutants,bugs etc. and it fulfils this function very well. We use special MDF for backing that is sealed on both sides. I think it is something like your masonite.

On your side of the pond, people seem to think the frame is unfinished if it doesn’t have a dust cover. I don’t think they have been widely used here since the 1960s. How often does someone take a painting off the wall and look at the back.:rolleyes:

No we do not use moisture barriers. Think I will have to do an article called myths of framing

I have some more pics that will show you how we do it. The tape is very flexible so goes into the rebate, on to the backing board.

Another difference in our framing is that we don’t seal the backs of art on canvas normally,and the reasons I have seen why it is done over there are not convincing. Just adds to the cost.

I have visited the US a number of times and to be quite honest I prefer our style of framing.

The last time I was there I saw some really awful framing in some very upmarket galleries. More attention had been paid to quantity rather than quality. In some cases the frame totally overpowered the art, and one of the reasons we frame is to enhance the art. I also saw some super framing at a small co-operative run by artists, and had quite a chat with the artist that did the mounting and framing. In fact I was so impressed I bought one of the prints she had mounted bought it home and framed it.

I will see if I can find a source online for the tape we use.

Hi David and welcome to WC.

Dust covers went out of general use here in the UK in the 60s. Most framers here use a special tape to seal the back of the frame. This has probably come about by the dust covers drying out and crumbling, they are also very prone to insect attack and fingers and other objects being poked through them.

IMHO a properly taped frame using the “correct” tape, looks every bit as professional as a well done dust cover The “fine arts trade guild”, whose standards most framers work to make no mention of dust covers even at museum level framing.

However they are very much in use in the US, ( I saw some dreadfull examples in galleries on a recent visit ) and I believe the latest fashion is some kind of black paper.:rolleyes:

For art hung in a very humid room like a bathroom, the glass, mounts and backing should be taped at the edges prior to it being put in the frame.

HI everyone!
I hate to say it but we still use dust covers here in the U.S.
I have to agree that there is most likely a better way to do this but when customers here see something unfamiliar they go “What the heck”
and don’t buy because even if its better, they think it’s being cheap, even though it’s not.
Also I’d like to say that I have a lot of customers that live near or on water
and after trial and error the way that David explained it is exactly how I do it.
Because the paper is thick it seems to absorb a lot of moisture.
My prints are 100% cotton, is very succeptible to moisture and will wrinkle very badly in even the lowest of moisture conditions.
From what I’ve heard we do a lot of things that would be considered not good
here.
But we have to make some decisions based on what our clients want.
Not to say that I”m not interested in a new way for my own personal framed pieces.
Mick-Is this tape like a thin foam with an adhesive on both sides?
Or is it like a clear packing tape with adhesive on both sides?
Please explain and maybe together we can find all the materials here for everyone to use. Maybe we can start a trend.(sometimes trends can change things here)
Thanks,

Hi Mick!
From what you are explaining,you wrap tape all the way around to the front of the glass to seal it to the backing, but not enough to see up front.
I’ve never seen that done here.
Most frame shops just drop it all in the frame then install frame clips.
Then they use doublesided SCOTCH tape to put on dust cover paper.
The tape they use usually comes loose in high moisture areas.
Thats why I use glue. They also use a thin dust cover paper where I use very thick.
The closest Thing I know to aluminum backed tape here is an all aluminum
tape we use for A/C duct work in homes.
I have used hot glue for this application before, it seemed to work also,
although I’m not sure how long.
I can definantly see where taping it into a sandwich would work also.
I will check on the masonite to possibly get a better clue to what your using.
The tape that you showed looks like the wax paper tape we have here used in packaging for shipping.

Hi Selena!
Hope your getting something from this.
Any questions?
Feel free to ask.
Thanks,

Thanks for the link Mick!
I’ll have to order some to do some comparisons.
Fortunantly, I’m pretty good at finding materials that I’ll make sure are the same.
Can I get the backing material on this site too?