The reasons to frame a poster are: longevity (a frame with UV-protective glass significantly extends the life of a print in a bright room), aesthetic weight (a frame adds physical presence and signals intention), and protection (framing prevents corner damage in high-traffic areas). The reason not to frame immediately: it is expensive, time-consuming, and the perfect frame for a particular print is often not the first one you buy. Get the print on the wall first. Frame it when you know where it belongs.

Black frames are the most versatile choice and the most popular at 98types. A thin black frame (under 2cm width) works with film posters, dark-palette lyric prints, and any print that already contains strong blacks or deep colours. Black frames add visual weight and formality -- they signal that the print is taken seriously. They work in dark aesthetic bedrooms, living rooms with neutral furniture, and home offices.

White frames are the natural companion to light-coloured prints -- anime posters, pastel palette maps, and lyric prints with a warm or cream background. White frames make a print feel lighter and more airy, which is particularly effective in small rooms where a black frame would be visually heavy. They work in Scandi-style rooms, light-coloured bedrooms, and bathrooms.

Natural wood frames -- light oak, maple, or pine -- occupy the middle ground. They add warmth without the formality of black and work well with London map prints, vintage-style posters, and any print with warm tones. Natural wood frames are the strongest choice for plant-filled or cottagecore rooms where the organic material connects to the overall aesthetic.

Gold frames work with very specific prints -- particularly art nouveau-adjacent designs, vintage posters, and prints with warm amber or cream tones. They can be overwhelming in a modern room but are the correct choice for a maximalist or gallery-inspired interior.

A frame border that is more than 2.5cm wide for an A4 print, or more than 3cm wide for an A3 print, starts to steal visual attention from the artwork inside it. The frame becomes the focal point rather than the print. This is occasionally intentional -- a wide ornate frame creates a museum-quality presentation for a single important piece -- but it is almost always a mistake for the casual poster display.

The recommended frame widths by print size:
• A5 prints: 1-1.5cm frame border. Thin frames only.
• A4 prints: 1.5-2cm frame border. Thin to medium.
• A3 prints: 2-2.5cm frame border. Medium. Go thinner for minimalist rooms.
• A2 prints: 2-3cm frame border. Standard gallery width.
• A1 prints: 2.5-3.5cm frame border. The larger the print, the more border it can carry.

The exception: a mount (the white or cream card border inside the frame, around the print) changes the equation. A print with a 4cm mount displayed in a 1.5cm black frame will look exactly right even though the total frame presence is 5.5cm per side. The mount is visual breathing space, not decorative addition.

Mounts serve three functions: they protect the print from touching the glass (which can cause condensation damage over time), they create visual distance between the print and the frame (which makes the artwork feel more considered), and they allow a non-standard print size to be displayed in a standard frame (a 29.7x42cm A3 print can be mounted in a 50x70cm frame with a wide cream mount, for example).

For lyric prints and film posters at 98types, a cream or white mount is usually the correct choice. It adds formality and visual weight without changing the colour of the print itself. An off-white or warm cream mount is slightly more flattering than a stark bright-white mount for prints with warm tones.

When not to use a mount: large prints in gallery arrangements where each piece should carry maximum visual weight (a mount reduces the apparent size of the print from a distance), prints with border-to-border designs where the composition runs to the edge, and any context where you want the print to feel contemporary and direct rather than formal.

Standard glass is the default for most frames and works well for prints displayed in rooms without direct sunlight. It is heavy, can crack, and has a slight greenish tinge visible at angles, but it is cheap, available everywhere, and does its job reliably.

UV-protective glass blocks up to 99% of ultraviolet light, which is the primary cause of colour fading in prints over time. It is significantly more expensive than standard glass but is the correct choice for prints displayed in bright rooms, near windows, or intended to last decades. The 98types 260gsm archive pigment inks are already formulated for longevity, but UV glass extends that protection significantly.

Anti-reflective (AR) glass reduces glare, which is valuable in rooms with strong overhead lighting or windows behind the viewing position. AR glass makes the print appear as if there is no glass at all.

Acrylic (perspex) is lighter than glass, safer (it does not shatter), and easier to handle for large-format prints. It scratches more easily than glass and should be cleaned with a soft cloth rather than glass cleaner. For large prints (A2 and above), acrylic is usually the practical choice.

No glass is completely acceptable for prints in low-humidity, low-direct-sunlight rooms. The 98types 260gsm museum-grade paper is robust enough to display without glazing in a standard home environment. The risk is dust accumulation and potential UV fading over years.

Washi tape corners are the standard no-frame method for rented spaces. Washi tape (Japanese paper tape) is low-tack, removable, and leaves no marks on most painted walls. Use a small square in each corner. The tape is visible, but if the colour is chosen deliberately (gold washi tape on a dark print, white on a light print), it becomes part of the aesthetic rather than a solution to a problem.

Clip frames / poster clips suspend a print from a wooden or metal rod using small clips at the top edge. The print hangs freely, the bottom edge swings slightly when the door opens, and the whole thing looks like a deliberate design decision. Available from most home stores for under £10.

Leaning prints on a shelf, mantelpiece, or floor against a wall is the most casual and the most versatile option. Prints can lean against each other, overlap slightly, and be rearranged without any fixing. The visual rule: a leaning print works best when it is propped against something (a book, a plant, another print) rather than standing alone.

Magnetic poster rails (a wooden rail at the top and bottom of a print, held by magnets) keep the print flat without piercing it and look minimal and considered. They work particularly well for large lyric prints displayed as statement pieces.

Song lyric prints: Thin black frame, no mount. The typography of lyric prints is designed to be read from close range, and a black frame provides the visual border that separates the text from the wall without interrupting the reading experience. White frames work for lighter lyric prints (Harry Styles, Taylor Swift pastel era). Avoid wide frames for any lyric print.

Film posters: Medium black frame (2-2.5cm), no mount or a very narrow mount. Film posters are designed with full-bleed compositions -- the image runs to the edge. A mount reduces the apparent size of the graphic. Keep it tight. Dark aesthetic film posters (The Shining, A Clockwork Orange, Twin Peaks) look exactly right in black frames. Lighter-palette film posters (Spirited Away, My Neighbour Totoro) work in natural wood or white.

London map prints: Natural wood or white frame, with or without mount. Maps have a cartographic delicacy that benefits from frames with warmth. The 98types red-yellow-blue map prints pair particularly well with a warm natural wood frame.

Funny prints: These often work best unframed or in a simple thin black frame. The casual quality of the humour is slightly undermined by an elaborate framing decision. The print that says "Alexa, do the dishes" in a wide ornate gold frame has lost the argument.

Anime and Ghibli prints: White or light natural wood frame. The warm, organic illustration quality of Studio Ghibli prints is flattered by lighter frames. Black frames work for darker anime choices (Akira, Perfect Blue).

Cleaning the glass: Use a dry microfibre cloth for regular dusting. For smears or fingerprints, slightly dampen the cloth with water -- never spray liquid directly on the glass. The 98types inks are sealed in the paper surface and will not be affected by moisture on the glass above them.

Protecting from sunlight: The single most damaging factor for any print is prolonged direct sunlight. UV-protective glass significantly reduces this risk. If UV glass is not an option, hang prints where they will not receive direct midday sun -- west or east walls rather than south-facing walls in a north-facing room, or north walls which receive no direct sun in the UK.

Humidity: Avoid hanging prints in very high-humidity environments -- directly above a bath or shower, or in rooms with persistent condensation issues. The 260gsm paper is robust but not waterproof, and sustained high humidity can cause expansion and buckling over time.

Backing boards: For prints stored unframed or rotated seasonally, store flat in an acid-free cardboard folder or tube. Never fold. The 260gsm paper will not crease easily but a fold will permanently alter the surface texture.

Re-framing: 98types prints are standard A-size and will fit any standard A-size frame without trimming. If you change frames, the print itself does not need to be touched -- remove it from the old frame by the edges and insert it directly into the new one.