The object must be mounted on the backboard of the mat, never on the reverse of the window. Under no circumstances should it be glued directly to the backboard. The traditional method is to use paper hinges and an appropriate adhesive. In recent years corner supports or edge strips have become popular since they require that no adhesive be applied to the object. Hinges, corner supports, and edge strips all allow the artifact to be easily removed from the mat if necessary.
Hinges are small rectangles of strong, archival-quality paper, preferably Japanese kozo .
Part of the hinge is adhered to the reverse of the object and part to the backboard. Two common types of hinges are shown below. Folded hinges are recommended when the edges of the sheet will be shown. Sheet hinged to backboard of mat with folded hinges. Sheet hinged with tab or pendant hinges.