Before framing your pictures decide where you will hang them. How much room do you have? Windowless hallways and stairways are great places to hang photographs because photos are easily damaged by bright sunlight.

Keep the design simple. Select a single mat color and frame style in a variety of sizes. Use a plain black or a natural ash-colored wood frame with crisp white or cream-toned mats. Using the same frame and mat on all the pictures will help unify the many kinds of photos in your family album - black and white, sepia-toned and color. Not only does a mat enhance your photographs, it prevents them from touching the Plexi-glass.

We recommend using our conservation archival materials - Bainbridge Artcare Alphamats, acid-free foam core (mounting board), Filmoplast linen hinging tape and UV Plexiglas. These products will best protect and conserve your irreplaceable family photos.

If you are interested in having multiple window openings to include separate images in a single mat and frame, we can make these for you. Contact us at procut@americanframe.com or call, and we'll help take your order.

If your heirloom photographs are already mounted on a decorative board just consider this as part of your artwork or photograph when measuring for the mat board window.

Center and hinge each photograph in its mat using Filmoplast or comparable tape.

If using two mats, attach your top mat to the bottom mat using adhesive transfer tape, and then center and hinge each photograph.

Peel off one side of the protective paper on the Plexi-glass. Place the exposed side of the Plexi-glass down on the mat with your photograph attached. Peel off the remaining paper.

Carefully lay the frame facedown on a clean work surface and insert your Plexi-glass and mat board with photographs attached. Place your mounting board (foam core) into the frame. Using your screwdriver, install spring clips to the frame to hold everything in place. (For our example we used a Point Driver to secure everything in place because it is easy to use.)

Apply a dust cover by putting adhesive transfer tape on the back of the frame and placing Kraft paper onto it. Using the Dust Cover Trimmer, carefully trim off excess paper.

Secure the hanging hardware.

Before hanging your framed pictures, place them on the floor or tabletop first. Position them closely together leaving only an inch or two between each picture. On a stairway or in hallway, consider butting the frames side-by-side and top and bottom leaving no space between.

When you're all set, transfer them to the wall. If you're hanging them centered over a sofa or chest of drawers begin with the middle picture. For a hallway or stairway begin at the left and work to the right or upward. Be sure to use a level.

Now you are all set to enjoy your special family photographs everyday.