Should I Cut Mat Board

Measuring your mat board for the frame is pretty simple no architecture or engineering degree required.

Should i cut mat board. The hand holding the knife should be relaxed and the knife held loosely. It will take two more light cuts to be completely through the board. Before you begin cut your mat board to the size of your frame. Measure the reveal area you want around.

At first your cut will barely penetrate the mat board. Learn how to cut mat boards by hand on this page. It now has grooves worn on the most common lines that i use to cut on those that are 2 5 inches apart. Before you begin cutting mat board learn what kind of frame matting you should use.

Place the mat board on top of the back of your frame backing and trace around it with a pencil. Typically if you cut 2 3 of your own mats your tools will pay for themselves. The logan mat cutter i use runs about 50 for the guide and cutting handle. You ll be using this mat as the window frame for the front of the picture.

Cut the second window frame mat. On the second and successive cuts the knife it will fall into the groove you established with the first cut. Cutting mat board the 1st cut is the deepest. Support the show on patreon https goo gl w3pg2j in this video i show how to cut mat board for some custom picture frames i ve been working on.

First things first whenever you re cutting mat board by hand make sure you have a foam board or a self healing cutting mat below the mat you re cutting. Turn the board and cut the second side. Use an x acto knife and a metal ruler to cut through the mat board. Make sure the water is cool.

I have a 36 x 24 olfa cutting mat that i ve been using for the past three years. The one piece rotating mat is relatively new to the quilting community it has a non slip stationary bottom layer with an interlocking top cutting mat that rotates 360 degrees. After tracing cut out the section of mat board using your x acto knife or other sharp blade. I now use a full cutting system which has been paid for over and over again not to mention the fact that it saves a lot of time.

I ve turned the board upside down and worked from the opposite end but the grooves are everywhere now. It s perfect for cutting squares triangles diamonds circles or any shape that requires turning to cut multiple sides. Don t be in so much of a rush to save money that you end up having to buy a new table because you ruined one while cutting your mats. Cut the second mat board to the exact specifications of the first.

Except for ink stains those are a little tougher to soak your mat place it in a bathtub or container that is large enough so your mat can lie flat. I started out cutting mat board with a very cheap handheld mat cutter.