There a few ways to put a bordered background to keep
the text off of the border. Here is a very easy way to
do it..
Just before you put in the <body background tag put about four<UL> in font of them. You may have to put more <UL> or maybe less, it depends on the width of the border.
I used four <UL><UL><UL><UL> for this background I am using. Make sure you close it at the bottom of the page with the same amount of that </UL></UL></UL></UL> you put in at the top.
Thats is all there is to it for putting on a bordered background using this method..Hope it works for you.