The Mounting card on Artful Gallery fixes your print to a rigid substrate ("Fine Art Mounting uses an archival glue to fix your print to a solid backing"). Useful for unframed prints intended for permanent display. Mounting is configured separately from framing; you can mount-only, frame-only, or do both.
Substrate options
The Substrate dropdown offers:
Conservation-grade
- Aluminium — flat, lightweight, conservation-grade.
- Dibond — aluminium-composite panel; rigid, exhibition-standard.
- Acrylic Reverse — print laminated behind acrylic. High impact display.
Display use
- 5mm Foamboard / 10mm Foamboard — economical, lightweight.
- 3mm Foamex / 5mm Foamex — lightweight rigid plastic.
- Display Card — light board for short-term display.
- 12mm MDF — heavy and rigid, indoor only.
Where the substrate supports it, you'll also see a Colour dropdown (Black / White / Natural) and a Hanging Method dropdown (Battens, Subframe, Keyhole, Nail Hanging, Mirror Plates, D-Rings & Cord, or No fixings — depending on substrate and print size).
When to use mounting
- Permanent gallery / commercial display.
- Modern minimalist aesthetic where you want the artwork to be the focal point without a frame.
- Pairing with a Tray Frame for a clean, frameless look.
When to skip
- One-of-a-kind originals you might want to reframe later — mounting is permanent and irreversible.
- Paper / texture is part of the artwork's value — mounting flattens that.
- Standard framing — Standard frames don't need mounting; the print sits in a window mount.
How to add mounting
In the order journey, on the Framing & Mounting card choose Archival mounting. This opens the Mounting card — pick a Substrate, then Colour and Hanging Method where offered, and click Confirm.
Substrates that need a print of at least 180 mm on the shortest side are disabled (shown with a "needs ≥180mm" note) until the print is large enough.
Turnaround
Standard mounting (Aluminium, Dibond, Foamboard, Foamex, MDF): adds ~5 working days to production turnaround.
Acrylic Reverse: adds ~10 working days.
Pricing
Each mounting option adds to the order total based on print size. Acrylic Reverse is the priciest; foamboard the cheapest. Live total updates as you change.
Mounting + paper
C-Type papers with their durable emulsion mount best. Cotton-rag Giclée papers are too delicate for dry mounting and may not be offered as a combination. The system filters available options based on the paper you've already picked.
Size availability for fixings
Battens & Subframe fixings are available on prints with a shortest side of 30.5 cm (12") or larger — the mounting step shows this hint alongside the options.
Acrylic Reverse specifics
Acrylic Reverse needs a Backing choice (White Perspex / Black Perspex / Aluminium / Dibond, same price) and is offered on C-type Matt paper only.