Fitting & Box Frames
This page provides a summary of how best to fit your pictures once the frame has been made. This summary is based on the full set of instructions that is included free of charge with any purchase of a combination kit deal. Please visit our Shop for further details.
Useful Tips for Fitting Picture into Frames
How the back of a frame should look when finished ready to hang on the wall
- Try to keep your work area as dust free as possible
- Use a blanket over the fitting bench to ensure that you do not scratch the frame.
- Use brown gum strip / lick and stick / parcel tape to secure the picture to the mount.
- Use only two pieces of tape to secure the picture to the mount, one at the top left and the other at the top right.
- Use millboard / 2 m.m. Greyboard for backing.
- Use 2 m.m. picture glass
- Clean the glass with cotton cloth, because it does not smear as much as other cloths
- Use Sellotape around the glass / mount / backing sandwich to (a) keep out dust and dirt and (b) keep out thunderbugs
- Use the same sized nails for joining the frames as for fitting the pictures
- Use gum strip to cover nails at back of frame
- Make sure the gumstrip is really wet
- Double loop the picture wire through the screw eyes.
Exert from book Frames and Framing by Andy Parks
It can be frustrating to fit your pictures and then discover stray pieces of dirt when the picture frame is hung on the wall. Therefore make sure your fitting area is well lit. A portable spot light may help you to illuminate the workbench to make all unwanted dust or dirt easily visible.
Useful Tips for Box Frames
An example of a Box frame with the glass held away from the picture
- Ensure that the moulding is deep enough for the item to be framed
- Use the same colour card for the sides of the box, as the colour chosen for the under mounts.
- For the side cards, use two pieces of mountboard held together with white glue.
- Use plenty of glue when sticking two pieces of card together.
- Clean the glass first, as usual, before fitting the side card
- Use a combination of double sided tape and white glue to stick the side card.
- Immediately before fitting, remove dust from the glass with a clean paint brush.
Exert from book Frames and Framing by Andy Parks
When considering which attachment method to use you must consider the value of the art work. For anything of value, such as medals, coins etc. it is recommended that you use a technique that can easily be reversed and the art work can easily be returned to its original state before framing. This is called ‘conservation framing’ and is very important for the preservation of art work. Medals can easily be stitched to mount board. Coins can have cut outs made for them. Most items can be stitched but a pilot hole may be needed and a thimble is a necessary item to prevent pricking your finger on the needle. If the item is too heavy to be stitched can it be framed so that the weight is supported by the bottom of the frame?