Kehyställä

Kehyställä is a Finnish term used primarily in informal speech within crafts and art framing to refer to the practice of mounting and enclosing images or objects in a frame. The word signals the activity of preparing, assembling, and finishing a framed work, typically in a workshop or studio setting. In standard Finnish, the actions are usually described with kehystys (the act of framing) or kehystää (to frame); kehystellä or kehyställä appear mainly in regional dialects or colloquial usage and are not common in formal terminology.

In practice, kehyställä encompasses several steps common to picture framing. These include selecting an appropriate frame, choosing a mount or mat, cutting or fitting glazing, preparing a backing, and securing the artwork with reversible mounting methods to preserve its condition. The term also implies attention to presentation and care, as framing combines visual aesthetics with conservation-minded handling of the work.

Materials and techniques associated with kehyställä emphasize preservation and display quality. Framers often use acid-free mats and backings, UV-filtering glass or acrylic, and archival tapes or corner brackets to minimize damage over time. Precision in measuring, mitering corners, and ensuring the artwork sits correctly within the frame are regarded as essential skills within the practice.

Kehyställä is most commonly encountered in art studios, frame shops, galleries, and museum conservation workshops. While linked to the broader concepts of framing and presentation, it remains a colloquial term whose precise usage can vary by region and profession.