The Professional Framer's Secret For Cutting A Double Mat

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Logan's Complete Guide to Picture Framing The Professional Framer's Secret for Cutting a Double Mat Home » Learning Center » Complete Guide to Picture Framing » The Professional Framer's Secret for Cutting a Double Mat Guide Navigation Introduction to Picture Framing & Matting

The Purpose of Matting
Do it Yourself Framing
Introduction to Picture Framing

Designing Your Picture Frames and Mats Color Selection

Reading Artwork
Selecting a Color
Tips on Choosing Colors in Matting

Matboard Types

Matboard Types
Understanding Differences in Mat Boards

Frame Types

Frame Types
What is Conservation & Archival Framing

Mat styles

Mat Styles
Determine Window Size
Designing Mats for Standard Size Frames
Designing with Standard Sizes
Mat Size and Proportion
Mat Proportion
Should Mat Bottom be Wider?
Trends in Matting Design

Glass types

Glazing Your Artwork
Glazing
Glass or Plexiglass?

Measuring and Sizing Picture Frames and Mats Mats

Measuring and Sizing Picture Frame Mats
Border Finder
Measuring for Mats
How to Calculate Border Size

Frames

Standard Frame Sizes
How To: Standard frame sizes
Basic measuring for Picture Framing

Costs of Picture Framing

How Much Can You Save by Doing Your Own Picture Framing Yourself?
Why is Picture Framing so Expensive?
How Much Should Picture Framing Cost?
How to Hold Down Cost of Picture Framing

DIY Picture Frames

Measuring for Frame Making
Cutting Picture Frame Moulding
Sanding Picture Frame Moudling
Joining with Studio Joiner F300-1
Joining with Pro joiner F300-1
How to Get Perfect Corner Joints
Tips for Joining Using Pro Joiner
Types of Wood Used in DIY Framing
Can You Use Hardwood Nail on Soft Wood?

Mat Cutting Cutting mat board sheet to size

Making the Most of a 32 x 40 Sheet
Trimming Mat Board to Size
Trimming Mat Board to Size with Straight Edge
Trimming Mat Board to Size with Compact
Trimming Mat Board to Size with Simplex

Cutting a single rectangle mat

Mat Cutting
Cutting Single Mat Using a Straight Edge
Cutting a Single Mat With a Simplex-Basics
Cutting a single mat with a simplex-detailed

Cutting a Double rectangle mat

Cutting a double mat
Cutting a double mat- detailed professional version
The professional framers secret for cutting a double mat
How to measure and cut a double mat,

Cutting a stepped corner rectangular mat

Cutting a stepped corner mat – basics
Cutting stepped corner mats – detailed
Offset (stepped) corner mat

Cutting an Inlay Mat

Cutting an inlay mat

Cutting a V groove mat

Cutting a v groove mat with the trim –and-tape method
Cutting a v groove with the tape – and –flip method
Cutting a v groove using a logan V groover (discontinued)

Adding decorative ink lines to rectangular mats

Adding decorative ink lines to your mats

Cutting multiple opening mats

How to cut a multiple opening mat
Multiple opening mat examples

Cutting oval and circle mats

Cutting oval and circle mats
Cutting a double oval mat
Cutting a double inlay mat
Cutting a roman mat
Cutting an arch mat
Cutting a notched oval mat
Cutting an oval or circle mat
Proper cutting technique model 201

Mat Cutter Choices

Understanding the differences between mat cutters
The crucial importance of a squaring arm in mat cutting
Sorting out the differences in the new simplex mat cutters

Mat Cutting Help, Troubleshooting and FAQs

Slip sheets
The importance of using a slip sheet when cutting
The importance of using a backing sheet
Why am I getting a ragged cut?
How to avoid rough or ragged edges when cutting mats
Dealing with inconsistencies in the bevel edges
Adjusting your mat cutter for proper blade depth
The importance of proper blade depth
Why am I getting a hook in the corners or curve in the bevel cut?
How come I don't cut all the way through the mat board?
How to conquer overcuts and undercuts?
Dealing with overcuts and undercuts
Why am I getting overcuts in the corners?
Why are my mats not coming out square?
Why is my bevel cut going the wrong way?
How to cut left handed
How to cut a 40" sheet of mat board on the 32" compact mat cutter
Is using production stops the fool proof way to get perfect mats?
Tips for working with production stops on your mat cutter
Basic mat cutter maintenance

Mounting Your Artwork Methods of Mounting

Mounting your artwork
Grappling with conservation and archival mounting concerns
Supporting Artwork
Hinge mounting T, V and S methods
A simple method to a T-hinge mount
Trapping methods
Permanent mounting
Wet mounting
Pressure sensitive adhesive mounting
How to mount artwork using positionable mounting adhesive (PMA)
Spray adhesives

Mounting different types of Artwork

Mounting paper art
Hanging paper art
How to mount a watercolor
Mounting Pastels or Charcoal drawings
Mounting stretched canvas
How to mount and frame a canvas board
Mounting Needle art
Framing needlework and fabric
Shadow box mat
Creating shadow box effect
Mounting 3D objects

Glazing with Glass and Plastic

Glazing your artwork
Hard and Fast: Glass vs Plexiglass, Which is better?
Essential tools for glazing when picture framing
Reducing glass to size
Cleaning and cutting glass
Tips for cleaning glass when picture framing

Securing or Fitting your Artwork in a Picture Frame

Fitting Basics
Options for securing the contents in a picture frame
Loading and securing your framing components
Fitting wood frames
Fitting metal frames
Fitting art on canvas
How to hold stretched canvas in a picture frame

Finishing Your Artwork

Installing a dust cover
Installing hanging hardware
Installing hanging wire and bumper pads

Many people find cutting a double mat a frustrating mystery. It seems simple and straightforward but it rarely turns out right unless you know the secret for cutting it correctly.

A double mat is not what many people think it is. A double mat never involves cutting through two thicknesses of mat board. Rather a double mat is just two single mats stacked together, two single mats with two different size windows stacked together so the window of the under-mat appears as a band of color around the inside of the window of the over-mat.

Once the framer grasps what a double mat actually is, the proper way to cut it seems clear. Just take two mats of the same overall size and cut a window in one slightly smaller than the window in the other, and then tape them together.

Actually, it is possible to cut a double mat this way, but the framer nearly always runs into difficulties getting the perimeter edges of the two mats to align while he's getting the band of color to line up in the window.

These alignment difficulties stem from the fact that the original 32"x40" sheet of mat board may not have been square when purchased. Squareness in this instance doesn't refer to the shape of the mat board but to whether it was cut at precise right angles. In fact most mat board is not perfectly square when you buy it.

This slight discrepancy in the squareness, however, doesn't matter much when cutting a single mat. It only becomes an issue when cutting a double mat, because a double mat requires two full size sheets, one for each color, two full size sheets that may be slightly out of square, but not relative to each other.

So when the framer cuts a window in one slightly smaller than the other and tries to tape them together he notices that they are not perfectly aligned along the perimeter edges. He jostles them around until the perimeter edges line up, and then he notices that the band of color in the window is out of alignment.

The solution is simple. Stop trying to line up the perimeter edges. It's not necessary. By making the overall size of the under-mat slightly smaller than the overall size of the over-mat you eliminate the need to align the perimeter edges. Now all you have to do is line up the band of color in the window and you've got it.

Grasping this, you may now take the approach of cutting two different size windows in two different colored mats of the same overall size, and then trimming the edges of the under-mat and taping the two mats together. This can work, but it's not nearly as fast and efficient and as the professional method for cutting a double mat, the secret that eludes many novice framers. Here it is:

Start by trimming the under-mat smaller overall. For example, if your frame size is 16"x20", trim the overall size of the under-mat to 151/2"x191/2", and leave the over-mat at 16"x20".

Next cut the window in the over-mat. Then – and here's the most startling thing about the technique – tape the under-mat to the back of the over-mat before you cut the window in it.

The logic of this is clear when you realize that when you cut the over-mat, as you did a moment ago, you used the perimeter edge of the over-mat against the mat guide of the mat cutter as you marked and cut it. Now, as you cut the under-mat, because you have trimmed it smaller overall and taped it to the back of the over-mat, you will still have the perimeter edge of the over-mat against the mat guide of the mat cutter as you mark and cut it. Consequently, whatever you cut it under-mat must come out perfectly aligned with what you cut in the over-mat.

With this technique you get perfect alignment every time. What's more, when you finish cutting you are finished; the two mats are already taped together; you don't have to fuss around with alignment as you attempt to tape the two mats together.

Remember to replace the drop-out piece back in the window of the over-mat before taping the under-mat to it. You will need the stability through the center of the over-mat as you cut the under-mat. But when you are finished cutting, the double drop-out piece will fall out and you will be finished.

This article reveals the logic and approach for cutting a double mat by the professional method. In the next article I will explain how to measure for the double mat and guide you step-by-step through the process of cutting it.

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