Picture Framing Tips and Tricks

Thank you for visiting Victorian Frame Company! This is your online source for quality wood frames, framed mirrors and bubble glass. These add their brand of flair, beauty and personality to a room.

Here are some tips and tricks to help you enjoy these products more:

• Check and double-check the frame’s dimensions. Buying online is convenient, but it’s also easy for you to make a mistake if you don’t take careful note of the measurements. Of course, Victorian Frame Company offers a money-back guarantee, but the inconvenience of having to send the frame back and waiting for the right frame to arrive could easily be avoided. The width is the length from left to right while the height is the length from the top to the bottom. When measuring round, oval frames, look for the tip or point that is the farthest from the center. The measurements are done by measuring behind the lip, from the back of the frame. The lip is about 3/8 to ½ inches long and prevents the picture or artwork from falling off the frame.
• Check that you have enough rabbet depth. Measure the approximate combined thickness of the photograph or artwork, the glazing, mounting board, matting boards (if any) and backing board. Then, add a clearance space of 2 to 3 mm for the foldable steel pegs that hold the backing board in place. If you have all these layers and not enough rabbet depth, the contents will stick out from the back. If you feel that your items need more depth, you can think about getting a custom display case or a shadow box frame.
• Trouble-shooting wrong frame sizes. If you ordered the wrong size, you could still do something about it. If the frame is too large for your photo, you can incorporate a matting board. If the frame is too small, then it may be time to consider sending it back for a different frame or using the small frame for something else.
• Take note of the dimensions of the outside frame. Hanging on the picture frame on the wall requires an understanding of proportion. This is with respect to the frame’s position on the wall, as well as the other items of furniture (i.e. the sofa or the console table) where the frame will hang over.
• Add matting or spacers. Matting boards are smaller “frames within the frames,” adding another smaller opening above the photo. Spacers are plastic or cardboard inserts that are placed under the edges of the frame. Both serve to provide some “breathing space” for the frame, preventing the photo from making direct contact to the glazing. Humidity may cause some condensation to form on the inside of the glazing. The photograph or artwork will tend to stick to the glazing, causing some damage to the piece.
• Ask for color samples. Simply using what you see in your computers may not work. The actual color of the frame may not be accurately translated by the colors that you see on the screen. We provide up to 3 color chips for free to help ensure that you have the exact shade and finish that you like. Ideally, the frame should provide a complement to the colors of the photograph and if possible, the color of the wall.
• Decide whether to go “archival” before you buy your picture frame. Conservation techniques not only involve using materials that protect and preserve your photo, but also using mounting methods that are reversible. This is especially important if you are mounting a treasured and hard-to-replace photograph or artwork. Before you make your purchase, decide whether the item you are framing merits these conservation techniques since archival materials are more expensive. If you do decide, consider ordering UV-protective glazing, acid-free backing and matting boards, as well as archival adhesives and tapes.
• Clean acrylic glazing with care. When it comes to glazing, acrylic is a good choice. It is lightweight, shatter-resistant and can come with UV protective and anti-glare capabilities. However, it is not scratchproof. It can be easily damaged and scratched if you use harsh cleaning materials. Once the acrylic is scratched, these scratches can no longer be removed. When cleaning acrylic, take it out of the frame, clean it with warm water and a mild dish liquid, then dry it out before putting it back on the frame.
• Get more life for your frame. A simple picture frame with a neutral color can be used to highlight a gallery of artwork as the pieces are created. You can use the picture frames to showcase your child’s artwork without spending too much for frames.
• If in doubt, ask. If you have a picture frame question that is not addressed in our FAQs, feel free to give us a call. This leaves a lot of guesswork out of your online purchase of frames. What’s more, your question may be something that we can add to our current FAQs and can help someone else.