What is preventative conservation framing

Preventative conservation framing can be described in the following words, “The appropriate housing to display the intrinsic beauty and interest of art or artefacts, while prolonging its life by securing the art/artefact in a mechanically and chemically stable environment. It minimizes the problems caused by deterioration of the components of the art/artefact and other problems introduced by environmental factors such as air pollution, heat, light and humidity.”

Preventative conservation framing requires attachment methods to be reversible with no alteration to the artwork or artefact and the materials used in the framing must pass the standards set for preserving the items to be displayed. It must be understood that preventative conservation will not prevent deterioration of the item on display but it will reduce the rate of deterioration. Information on this matter should be obtained from the framer at the time of framing.

Owners of works being prepared for display should be wary of framers who use terms such as ‘acid free’ when speaking about ‘conservation’ framing. In many cases ‘acid free’ does not fit the requirements for preventative conservation framing and most qualified preventative conservation framers no longer use the term ‘conservation framer.’