Congratulations, you’ve finally received your long-awaited university diploma. Your diploma is one of the most expensive and valuable credentials you will ever earn. Don’t keep this achievement tucked away in a drawer or rolled up in its original tube. The tube or folder you may use for storage is likely not acid-free, and an acidic holder will contribute to damage over time.
We know the thought of framing a diploma can be daunting. However, the framing experts at Church Hill Classics make it easy. Read on for some creative ways to display diplomas and surefire tips for how to frame documents like a professional.
1.) Custom Diploma Frames
When framing a diploma, only one of three primary choices is recommended. The best way to display diplomas and preserve your documents is by showcasing them in custom diploma frames.
Putting your degree in a handcrafted diploma holder is highly recommended, because quality custom framing is completely reversible. That means you can easily remove your high school or college document at a later date without damaging it. In fact, this approach boasts many unique benefits:
Advantages of Custom Framing
- It’s easy to change the style or colors in your frame, should the need arise. Art printing and framing styles change over time. If you redecorate or relocate, your original mat colors may not mesh with your new decor. In that case, you can easily switch them out with updated standard, linen, or suede mats in brand-new color combinations.
- Allows safe removal of your diploma to be reproduced, if necessary. Should you need to take a photocopy, you can easily remove the degree from its frame. Once you’ve made a copy, re-inserting your diploma is easy.
- The document is safely “isolated” away from the glass to greatly reduce the risk of humidity damage. Housed behind quality matting in a custom frame, your diploma will not come in direct contact with the glass. Make sure, however, that you choose a frame with UV-protective glass to prevent your diploma from yellowing and cracking over time.
It’s never too soon to put this “personal marketing tool” to work in your home or office. Showcasing your diploma or multiple degrees is a great way to put your school pride on display. It reminds customers and clients that you have the credentials to support your expertise. A diploma holder can safely preserve what will certainly become a treasured family heirloom.
2.) Permanent Lamination with Wooden Plaque
The least expensive option (which is not recommended) is to affix a degree onto a plaque instead of choosing a frame. With the plaque, a diploma is showcased on a wooden board with a sheet over the document for protection. If you laminate your diploma to a cherry or mahogany wood board, you can never remove it.
Because your diploma is permanently encased, you can never change or update its look. Over time, low-quality plastic and glue involved in the lamination process will break down. The lamination will turn cloudy and eat away at your document.
If your diploma has a gold seal or a Cum Laude honors sticker, it will be destroyed. Lamination completely flattens the embossed wording on the seal so you can no longer read the honors inscription. Why would you take a chance with one of the most valuable documents you’ll ever own?
This is not how to frame a diploma correctly. It may seem easy and aesthetically pleasing at first, but lamination will yellow and destroy your precious degree in the long run. It’s one of the worst ways to display diplomas.
3.) Slip-in Acrylic Diploma Mounting
Some floating acrylic frame styles allow you to easily slip your diploma in behind plastic. Obviously, this option is not acceptable for a diploma. Some of these frames use four brads that may require poking holes in the document. The “slip-in” plaque style is not ideal because the document comes in direct contact with the acrylic. If moisture builds up or if exposed to high humidity, the document can stick to the acrylic and tear upon removal. In some cases, this lack of “breathing room” for the document can contribute to staining or even mold and mildew growth.
Should you frame your degree with this method? It may be a good temporary solution as you wait for your custom frame to arrive. But it’s not recommended for long-term storage for the reasons mentioned above.
Tips for Selecting the Best Diploma Frame
When it comes time to choose a diploma frame and framing your degree, these tips can help:
- Your diploma should never be dry-mounted, spray-mounted, or otherwise permanently adhered to a board for framing.
- Your diploma should be custom-framed using a high-quality mat. The mat both showcases the document and keeps it away from the glass.
- Matting and backing materials should be acid-free and designed for document preservation. This will be indicated in the documentation for the frame or on the mat board samples and specification sheets. Depending on the size of your document, the mat for certificate frames should typically be 2.25″ to 3″ wide.
- Choose an attractive frame that coordinates with your home or office environment. For a custom frame, check out the many modern diploma styles and options that Church Hill Classics has to offer. Plus, we offer a 100% happiness guarantee so you can shop with confidence.
- Select a custom frame with UV-protective glass. Then choose a location for your diploma that is out of direct sunlight.
- A document should be hung within a frame’s mat opening. Remove mat, flip it over, and use two strips of archival tape to attach degree to top of mat opening. Alternatively, attach archival mounting covers to the frame’s backing board. The document must have room to expand and contract with changing temperatures. Even a slight “wobble” in the document is preferable to permanently pressing it flat and causing damage.
If you’re a soon-to-be college graduate, now’s the time to start thinking about preserving your diploma. But it’s never too late to give your diploma the respect it deserves.
For parents, a custom frame for your degree is the ideal graduation gift. What better tribute to your child’s many years of hard work and dedication? Many wonder, “Should I frame my degree certificate?”, and the answer is clear. Custom framing is the best and only option.
Shop Church Hill Classics Custom Frames
We don’t sell pre-assembled products at Church Hill Classics. Each frame is designed and built according to our customers’ specifications by a team of skilled artisans and framing experts.
A Church Hill Classics frame is the safest and best option to showcasing your achievement. This is especially true when it comes to protecting, preserving, and displaying this truly priceless document you worked so hard to earn. Here’s why:
- Our diploma frames are handcrafted and custom-made in the USA.
- We use matting, backing, and mounting materials that meet the Library of Congress’ rigid standards for archival document preservation.
- Our frames are available in a variety of frame styles and frame mouldings.
- Church Hill Classics products feature the officially licensed school names, seals, logos, and wordmarks of thousands of universities and colleges.
We can help you know how to display diplomas, awards, photographs, and more. Design a diploma frame with our user-friendly online tools to create and coordinate frames to suit your personal style and decor. This way, you can visualize every possible combination before you buy! If you need help, our live customer service specialists can answer any framing, shipping, or ordering questions you may have.
With more than 30 years in business, we’re industry experts on how to display a diploma. Our custom frames are shipped with everything you need for easy and secure installation. Frame your diploma in no time and never let the thought of how to frame a degree intimidate you again.
