How to Attach a Photo to a Mat

Mat boards, cut into frames, are often used by professional and student photographers to present their photos for portfolios, critiques and shows. Used alone or with an additional plastic, metal or wood frame, mats not only look elegant, but serve a practical purpose to protect glossy and semi-glossy photos from scratches. When you permanently glue a photo to a mat board, it decreases the value and lifespan of an image. To preserve a photo's quality and value, photographers usually attach photographs to a mat using tissue hinges or photo corners, which can be removed without damaging artwork. If your photo has a border, use photo corners, as they offer more support than tissue. If your photograph takes up the entire paper, attach it with hinges.

Attaching with Photo Corners

• 1

  Place your photo under the mat and center it.

• 2

  Hold the photo in place using paperweights.

• 3

  Lift up the mat.

• 4

  Peel off the adhesive backing of your photo corners and carefully place them over the corners of your photo. Use 5/8-inch photo corners for a ¼-inch border, and 1 ¼-inch photo corners for a 5/8-inch border.

• 5

  Firmly press the corners of your photo onto your mat board.

• 6

  Fold the mat over your mat board to frame your photo.

Attaching with Hinges

• 1

  Place your photo under the mat and center it.

• 2

  Hold the photo in place using paperweights.

• 3

  Lift up the mat.

• 4

  Cross one piece of tissue or tape over the other piece to form a capital "T."

• 5

  Fold the "T" in half, with the adhesive side out. You have made a "V" hinge.

• 6

  Make another "T" with two more pieces of tape, and fold it the same way. You have made another "V" hinge.

• 7

  Lift up the top edge of your photo and press both of the "V" hinges underneath, one on either side. Place them with the top of the "T" down. The other halves of the tape, the stems of the "Ts," will hold the photo in place.

• 8

  Press your photo down on top of the hinges.

• 9

  Fold your mat over.