Tips for How to Frame a Diploma

It took many all-nighters and many hours of studying to get you to your graduation stage this year, so you can’t help but beam with pride when you finally have that diploma in hand. You’ve snapped photos of yourself holding your diploma, and now you’re ready to put it on full display in your home or office. The question is, what exactly is the right way to showcase this prized piece of paper?

As a general rule of thumb, custom diploma framing with backing, mounting, and matting materials is the most preferred way to hang your academic diploma. Fortunately, with the right approach, the custom diploma framing and hanging process don’t have to be complicated. Here’s a rundown on the top tips for how to frame a diploma.

How to Frame a Diploma Step 1: Select the Perfect Custom Degree Frame

As you seek to draw attention to your recent academic achievement, you must choose a frame that will both complement and highlight your diploma. For starters, you’ll want to decide on the best layout for your diploma frame. For instance, you could simply hang your diploma as is, or you could add something extra by incorporating a personalized engraved plate into your frame. Other features to add include a place to hold and display your tassel and/or even a place to showcase a photo of you with your diploma.

Molding

Once your layout is solidified, you’ll need to choose a hardwood molding that will draw all eyes to your diploma. A wide variety of molding colors are available to suit your taste, your style, and even the decor of the space where you plan to hang your diploma. For instance, you can easily choose premium black for a bold look or mahogany for a fresh, elegant, rich look. 

Matboard

When you’re deciding how to frame a diploma, you may have the option of choosing a matboard, or matting, for your frame. This material will give your diploma a nice, finished look. Although you could choose neutral colors like black or white, you also have the option of selecting other hues—such as dark red, yellow, or even orange—for a truly unique look. Consider a color that matches your institution’s colors to sport your school pride.

Glass Cover

You might also be able to choose the type of glass you want to cover your diploma. The glass included in your frame should help to block the suns’ rays to prevent fading, as well as protect your diploma from dust. Regular glass typically offers 50% protection from ultraviolet rays. However, you could use museum-quality glass instead to give your diploma 99% ultraviolet protection. 

How to Frame a Diploma Step 2: Prep Your Diploma for Framing

As you work framing your diploma, keep in mind that you’ll want your diploma to be as flat as possible before you frame it. If you’re trying to frame an older diploma, you may need to undo any curls that have developed on their corners using weights. Leave the weights on for 1-2 days, or until your diploma is fully flat and ready to hang.

How to Frame a Diploma Step 3: Put Your Diploma in the Frame

Once you receive your custom degree frame in the mail, remove it from the bubble wrap surrounding it and place it facing down on the wrap. Then, remove the back of the frame with a screwdriver. 

Next, you’ll need to remove the matting and foam core board from the frame. Afterward, lay your diploma facing upward on the foam, and tape it to the board. You’ll then need to put the matting on top of your diploma. Finally, place your diploma “sandwich” back into your custom frame. Your frame will then be ready for hanging.

Showcase Your Accomplishment

At Perfect Cases and Frames, we are proud to be your leading provider of diploma frames. We offer nine layouts as well as a variety of mounting options. In addition, we take into account that diploma sizes vary depending on the institution, so we offer a variety of sizing options. As a result, you should have no problem with finding a frame that fits perfectly with your diploma. Also, note that once you purchase your custom degree frame from us, we can easily show you how to frame a diploma as well. 

Display your achievements with pride today by ordering one of our matchless diploma frames at Perfect Cases and Frames!