What Tools Are Needed for Matting?

Board-Mounted Mat Cutter

• In the past people used a ruler and knife to mark and cut mats. A person with a steady hand can cut high quality mats after a lot of practice, but the process takes a lot of time. A board-mounted mat cutter with an adjustable ruler allows anyone to make extremely accurate cuts, giving your mat clean corners. A good board-mounted mat cutter also has the option of locking in the measurements so that you can make multiple mats of the same size without having to go back and reset the cutter.
  
  

Razor Knife

• The razor knife allows you to cut the back board to the correct size to fit the art and the frame. The knife works best if it has a very sharp blade, so change the blades regularly. Foam core, a common back board for photographs because of its ability to keep photographs flat so they won't ripple in the frame, requires several cuts. Use the razor knife first to score the backing, then make additional passes over the same cut. Gradually cutting through in this way will make a cleaner and more accurate cut than if you attempt to cut the board in a single pass.
  
  

Oval or Circular Mat Cutter

• Regular mat cutters only cut straight lines. To make an oval or circular opening you will need a cutter designed specifically for that purpose. You can adjust the cutter to vary the size of a circle and the size and height/width ratio of an oval. The cutter requires either waste mat board or some other material beneath the mat so the blade does not get damaged as it cuts through the mat.
  
  

Computerized Mat Cutters

• The expense of computerized mat cutters makes them only practical for those who cut large numbers of mats. Expense aside, however, computerized mat cutters allow the mat to become almost as artistic as what it goes around. These cutters can cut shapes into mats and can cut V-groves for accent lines without cutting all the way through the mat board. By interfacing with a computer, mat designers can easily and quickly create and save detailed custom patterns to meet the specific requirements to best display any artwork in any installation location.