Conservation Matting & Framing

Preserved the right way.
From print to frame.

Conservation-grade matting and framing done entirely in-house with acid-free materials, white gloves, and a standard borrowed from museum archivists. We print, mat, and frame under one roof, which means your artwork never leaves our hands until it's ready to hang on yours.

See Framing Options
100% Acid-Free · Always White Glove Handling Conservation Grade Standards Print · Mat · Frame In-House By Appointment · Waukesha, WI
The Standard

Not just framed.
Preserved.

Conservation framing is not the same as standard framing. Every material that contacts your artwork mat board, backing, adhesive, glazing must be acid-free and archival. Acid and off-gassing from inferior materials will yellow, fade, and destroy artwork over time. We use nothing that isn't conservation grade. No exceptions.

Every piece is handled with white gloves from the moment it enters our studio to the moment it leaves. That's not a selling point it's the minimum standard for anyone who takes preservation seriously.

⬤ Our Materials Standard
We use Crescent and Bainbridge mat boards the industry standard for conservation framing when lead time allows. For rush orders we stock conservation-grade acid-free mat board in white and assorted colors, available same or next day. All glass options available at every price point. All frames are solid wood, built by Jarhead Woodworks and shipped to our Waukesha studio.
Why It Matters
Acid Destroys Art
Standard mat board contains lignin and acids that migrate into your artwork over years. The yellowing and fading you see in old framed pieces isn't age it's acid damage. Conservation-grade materials stop that process entirely.
UV Light Fades Everything
Standard glass does nothing to block UV. Even indirect light fades prints and artwork over time. Conservation and museum glass block 97–99% of UV radiation your piece looks the same in 30 years as it does today.
Handling Is Everything
Oils from bare hands transfer to paper and media and cause irreversible damage. White gloves aren't ceremonial they're the difference between a print that lasts a lifetime and one that doesn't.
Mat Board
Conservation matting

The mat is not decorative.
It's structural protection.

In-Stock Conservation Stock
Conservation-grade acid-free mat board on hand in white and a range of colors for quick-turn orders. Always in stock, always conservation grade. Same day or next day availability.
In Stock · Rush Available · Same / Next Day
Crescent Select
Our preferred name-brand mat board. True conservation grade, acid and lignin free, full color range. Available with 7–10 business day lead time from our supplier.
Available with Lead Time · Full Color Range
Bainbridge
Premium conservation mat board to museum-quality standards. Ideal for high-value or irreplaceable pieces. Same lead time as Crescent. When only the best will do.
Available with Lead Time · Museum Grade
Mat Specifications
Custom Sizing
All mats cut to your exact specifications in-house. Standard sizes, oversize mats, double mats, and specialty cuts all available. Maximum 42 inches wide.
Single & Double Mats
Single mat for clean, modern presentation. Double mat adds depth and a color accent reveal commonly used to tie the mat to tones in the artwork or frame.
Print to Mat In-House
We print on archival papers with pigment-based inks in-studio, then mat immediately in-house. Your print never has to leave our hands from output to preservation in one studio.

All mat cutting done in-house. Maximum mat width: 42 inches. All projects priced individually — contact us with your dimensions and artwork.

Custom Framing

Frames built by hand.
Shipped to our studio.

We partner with Jarhead Woodworks - a craftsman who builds custom solid wood frames to our specifications and ships them directly to our Waukesha studio. Every frame is built to order in the profile and finish you choose, with physical corner samples available in-studio so you can see and feel the wood before we place your build.

This isn't a catalog frame pulled off a shelf. It's a frame built for your piece, in the size you need, in the wood profile you choose. Turnaround from Jarhead Woodworks is approximately 7 days.

Wood frames only. Built to order. Frame style selected in-studio from physical corner samples. All framing is contact-for-quote.

Jarhead Wood Works Logo

Wood frames only · Built to order · Frame style selected in-studio from physical corner samples · All framing is contact-for-quote · Turnaround approximately 7 days from order placement

Glazing Options
OptionUV ProtectionBest For
Standard GlassMinimalLow-light interiors · Budget
UV-Protective GlassUp to 99% UVMost residential framing
Museum Glass99% UV · Anti-reflectiveFine art · Archival · Heirloom
Conservation AcrylicUp to 99% UVLarge formats · Lightweight

All glazing options available at every price point. Museum glass recommended for fine art, archival prints, and any piece of significant value. We will advise on the right option for your piece.

Industry Credentials
Professional Picture Framers Association — Member
True North Image Works is a member of the Professional Picture Framers Association the industry body that sets the standard for conservation framing practices, ethics, and craftsmanship. Membership means accountability to a standard, not just a claim.
The True North Advantage

Print. Mat. Frame.
All under one roof.

Most photographers have to trust a print shop with their file, then trust a frame shop with their print. We eliminate that chain entirely. We print in-house on archival papers with pigment-based inks, mat immediately in-studio, and frame to conservation standards all without your artwork changing hands.

01
Archival Printing
In-house on archival papers using pigment-based inks rated for 100+ year display life. Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-series printers, color-calibrated output, exact color matching to your file.
In-House · Pigment Inks · Archival Papers
02
Conservation Matting
Cut in-house the same day as printing. Crescent or Bainbridge when lead time allows. Acid-free conservation stock always on hand in white and assorted colors. White gloves, no exceptions.
In-House · Acid-Free · White Glove
03
Custom Framing
Solid wood frames built by Jarhead Woodworks, shipped to our Waukesha studio. Museum glass available. Print to finished conservation-framed artwork all in one place.
Custom Wood · Museum Glass · 5–7 Days
The Process

Handled with care.
Every step of the way.

01
Consultation
Tell us about your piece artwork type, dimensions, display environment, and budget. We advise on mat board, glazing, and frame style. You select your frame from physical corner samples in-studio.
02
Materials & Build
We order your materials if needed, cut your mat in-house, and send your frame specs to Jarhead Woodworks. You'll know where your order stands at every stage.
03
Assembly & Pickup
Once all materials arrive, your piece is assembled in-studio with white gloves, inspected, and packaged for pickup. Turnaround 5–7 business days from material receipt.

Your art deserves
to last a lifetime.

By appointment only — Waukesha, WI
Conservation matting · Custom wood framing · Museum glass · Print-to-frame in one studio · 5–7 day turnaround