Backing Boards for Picture Framing: Which Should You Choose?
Choosing the right backing board for picture framing helps provide support, rigidity and protection for artwork, photographs and prints. The best option depends on what you're framing, whether long-term preservation is important, the rigidity required and whether you're simply backing the artwork or mounting it directly to a board.
At Strand Framing, we stock a wide range of backing boards and foamboards in standard imperial, metric and A sizes, from economical everyday boards to acid-free and self-adhesive options.
Here's a guide to choosing the right one.
White Core Backing Board – For Long-Term Protection
Our White Core Backing Board is the best choice from our standard backing range when the long-term protection of artwork is important.
The board is lignin-free, alkaline-sized and pH neutral, with a calcium carbonate buffer to help minimise the effects of atmospheric pollutants. It contains no optical brighteners and meets Fine Art Trade Guild (FATG) specifications for standard mountboard.
Best suited to: fine art prints, limited editions, giclée prints, photographs and framing where an acid-free backing board is required.
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Brown Kraft Backing Board – Strong and Economical
Our Brown Kraft Backing Board is a rigid 2.2mm board that provides an economical backing for prints and general framing.
It is not acid free, so it is better suited to everyday framing rather than valuable or conservation-framed artwork.
Best suited to: posters, decorative prints, general framing, commercial framing and high-volume work where economy and rigidity are important.
Foamboard – Lightweight and Rigid
Foamboard is an extremely versatile option for backing and mounting artwork, photographs, posters and displays.
Its foam core provides excellent rigidity without adding excessive weight, making it particularly useful for larger pieces.
Our foamboard is available in 2.5mm, 5mm and 10mm thicknesses.
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2.5mm – useful where rebate depth is limited.
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5mm – an excellent general-purpose thickness.
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10mm – provides greater rigidity for larger pieces and displays.
Best suited to: framed artwork, photographic prints, posters, presentations, signage and larger pieces requiring lightweight support.
Self-Adhesive Foamboard – For Mounting Prints
Self-Adhesive Foamboard combines the rigidity of foamboard with an adhesive surface, allowing photographs, posters and prints to be mounted directly onto the board without applying a separate adhesive.
It's a convenient choice for photographers, print shops, framers and display work.
Best suited to: photographic prints, posters, reproduction prints, graphics, signage and presentations.
Remember that adhesive mounting is generally permanent. For valuable, original or irreplaceable artwork, an appropriate conservation mounting method should be considered instead.
Easifix Self-Adhesive Board – Quick and Convenient Mounting
Our Easifix Self-Adhesive Board is a 1.4mm board designed for convenient mounting of prints, photographs and other suitable printed material.
Its self-adhesive surface provides an even bond and helps minimise movement, creep and surface bubbling.
Easifix is not acid free and is not a conservation mounting board. It is intended as a practical permanent mounting solution for everyday print and photographic work.
Best suited to: photographs, posters, reproduction prints, display work and high-volume print mounting.
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Embossed Backing Board – A Budget Option
Our 1mm Embossed Backing Board is a simple and economical choice for everyday framing. It has an embossed texture on one side and a white matte finish on the other.
Its 1mm thickness also makes it useful where space within the frame rebate is limited.
Best suited to: everyday framing, posters, decorative prints, crafts and budget-conscious projects.
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Kraftliner Greyboard – Rigid and Economically Priced
Our Kraftliner Greyboard is a 1.8mm (1800 micron) rigid backing board suitable for general picture framing.
Like our Brown Kraft board, Kraftliner Greyboard is not acid free, but it provides an economical option for everyday and high-volume framing.
Best suited to: posters, decorative prints, general framing and commercial or high-volume framing.
700 Micron White Backing Board – A Thinner Option
Our 700 Micron White Backing Board is useful when a thinner backing material is required, particularly where the frame has limited rebate depth.
Best suited to: lightweight backing, shallow frames, general framing, crafts and presentation work.
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Which Backing Board Should I Use?
| Application | Suggested Option |
|---|---|
| Fine art or limited-edition print | White Core Backing Board |
| Giclée print | White Core Backing Board |
| Valuable or sentimental artwork | Appropriate acid-free/conservation materials |
| General poster or decorative print | Kraft, Kraftliner or Embossed Board |
| Large piece requiring lightweight rigidity | Foamboard |
| Photograph requiring permanent mounting | Self-Adhesive Foamboard or Easifix |
| Everyday print requiring direct mounting | Easifix |
| Frame with limited rebate depth | Thinner backing board or 2.5mm Foamboard |
| Displays and presentations | Foamboard |
| Budget or high-volume framing | Kraft or Kraftliner Greyboard |
Acid-Free vs Standard Backing Board
Does backing board need to be acid free? It depends on what you're framing.
For fine art, limited editions, photographs, giclée prints, valuable artwork and pieces with sentimental value, appropriate acid-free or conservation-quality materials should be considered.
For posters, replaceable decorative prints and everyday framing, an economical non-acid-free board such as Kraft or Kraftliner Greyboard may be perfectly suitable.
It's also important to distinguish between backing and mounting. A backing board supports the artwork within the frame, whereas products such as Easifix and Self-Adhesive Foamboard allow a print to be adhered directly to the board. Permanent adhesive mounting may not be appropriate for valuable or irreplaceable artwork.
Backing Board or Foamboard?
Traditional backing board is generally thinner and denser, making it ideal for finishing the back of a conventional picture frame without taking up too much rebate depth.
Foamboard is thicker, lightweight and rigid, making it particularly useful for larger pieces, photographs, displays and mounting applications.
As a simple rule:
Choose backing board when you need a relatively thin, rigid board behind your artwork.
Choose foamboard when lightweight rigidity or a mounting surface is more important.
Find the Right Backing Board at Strand Framing
There isn't one backing board that's right for every framing job. Consider the value of the artwork, the level of protection required, the size of the piece, available rebate depth and whether the artwork is being backed or permanently mounted.
At Strand Framing, we supply backing boards, foamboards, mountboards and picture framing materials in a wide range of standard imperial, metric and A sizes.
If you're unsure which board is right for your project, contact us and we'll be happy to help.
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