Framing is the difference between a print that lasts fifty years and one that yellows in five. The materials are unglamorous and cheap relative to the artwork, which makes cutting corners here a genuinely bad trade.

Insist on acid-free everything

Mount board, backing board and hinging tape all need to be acid-free and lignin-free. Standard cardboard and masking tape release acids that burn brown lines into paper. Ask the framer directly; the good ones answer without hesitation.

Use a window mount, not direct contact

A mat keeps the glazing off the surface and gives the eye breathing room. For valuable work, ask about UV filtering glazing and a spacer; it costs a little more and prevents the fading that cannot be reversed.

Hang away from heat and daylight

Aim for eye level, roughly the centre of the piece at 145cm, and keep it off radiators and out of direct sun. Even UV glazing is a delay, not a shield, so a wall that never takes harsh light is the best protection of all.

The short version

• Acid-free board and tape throughout
• Always use a mat or spacer
• Avoid direct sun and radiators