Storing of art prints

Collecting art is no longer just for the wealthy, people can start collecting art prints for as little as one hundred dollars. Prints are bought to decorate homes, offices, and retail environments. They are framed and hung on walls. If you chose not to frame your print for now use the guide below for some tips on storing your print.
Works of art on paper are by tendency fragile and the aging of a print is a natural chemical and biological process. The dangers that could deteriorate your precious art prints include:
• Light:  Exposing prints to direct sunshine and also artificial light from bulbs is one of the worst and most frequent mistakes. When you frame prints use a UV glass.
• Humidity:  Humidity causes ugly brownish spots sprinkled over the print. Storing art prints with high humidity and without air circulation will inevitably cause damage. 
• Heat:  Exposing prints to extreme temperature fluctuations cause expansion and contractions of paper.  This is true in winter months, where rooms are chronically over-heated. Museums keep a constant temperature in their exhibition rooms.
• Pollution: Pollution comes in the form of acids in papers and furniture, dust, dirt or the sweating from your hands. It causes the colors to bleach out and it causes discoloration of the paper.
• If you receive your print in a tube, the first thing you need to do is take it out and lay it flat.

Special Blueprint cabinets for storing prints and maps are best. Metal cabinets are better than wooden ones because metal has no chemical emissions.

The prints should never be stored in a way that two prints are in direct contact with each other. Put each art print into a separate acid-free paper folder and store them in horizontal position.