Frame Destination

When you find the perfect picture frame for your photograph, painting, or print, the next step is hanging it correctly. Mistakes in this step can be bad news for a number of reasons, including falling picture frames, unlevel frames, and even damaged artwork. Before hammering away at your wall to display your pictures, know what to do — and know what NOT to do.

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO:

1. Find the right spot — before you drill.

2. Fasten brackets and hangers to a stud.

3. Only use quality picture-hanging fixtures.

Step 1. Find the Right Spot — Before You Drill

When you're preparing to hang your picture frames, identify the right place first. If you're using a one-hook picture frame, you can figure out approximately where you want to hang it, and then nail or screw in the fastener. But when it's time to mount a picture frame that has multiple brackets, things get a little trickier.

Hold the picture frame against the wall, then check to see if it’s level. You could try eyeballing it, but to be accurate, use an actual level. Once the frame is level, use a pencil to mark the corners of the picture frame on the wall. (It’s easier to erase a pencil mark than a nail hole. Truly words to live by!) Next, measure the corner of the picture frame to the point where the brackets should attach, again using a pencil. This is where you'll drill or nail the fasteners or brackets Steps to hang a picture .

If it turns out that you marked the points incorrectly, you can easily fix them. Use a clean rubber eraser to remove them from the wall. Wipe the wall down with a dampened rag to make sure it's clean. Always let it dry completely before you attempt to hang anything. Pencil lead can streak on wet surfaces.

Step 2. Fasten Brackets and Hangers to a Stud

Some rules are made to be broken, but securing a picture into a stud is one that you shouldn't break unless you want to risk creating a big mess.

A wood stud provides something solid to brace the fastener in. It’s way stronger and more stable than dry wall, and can safely secure your picture frame. Sometimes you can get away with fastening the picture wherever you want if it is lightweight enough. Thumbtacks and print images can be hung almost anywhere, but as soon as you add in the weight of even a typical metal picture frame, you run the risk of the frame falling and breaking. To find the stud, thump on the wall and listen for a “solid” sound. (No stud will elicit a “hollow” sound.) For a better shot at success, you can use a stud finder.

Step 3. Use Only Quality Picturing Hanging Fixtures

Yes, you could use thumb tacks. You could even use finishing nails. But the fact is, if you want to make sure your frame keeps cradling your beloved artwork, give them something solid to hold onto. Cheap plastic brackets and plated metal brackets typically won't do the trick any more than inexpensive finishing nails.

Find good, quality fixtures to hang your frames with — and pay especially close attention to the weight limit. Most good brackets come with a breakdown of the weight you can safely hang from one, two, or more brackets. Do not go over this weight. You might not think a pound or two will not make that much of a difference, but it can. Also remember that there's nothing wrong with using a stronger bracket than you need.

When you get a piece of artwork in a beautiful picture frame, make sure you hang it properly. Following these tips will help you to do it right the first time and leave your walls just as beautiful as before.

Things to Avoid When Hanging Pictures

These are some common mistakes people make when hanging pictures:

1. Using improper hanging equipment

2. Eyeballing the height placement

3. Eyeballing multiple piece arrangements

4. Lack of planning for gallery walls

Using Improper Hanging Equipment

A single nail usually won’t do the job, especially with heavier pieces. While using a single hook might work for some smaller pieces, most of the time it’s extremely difficult to get the artwork perfectly straight without using another hook. Using two hooks, one on each side, ensures that the weight of the piece is evenly distributed on each side, keeping it from tilting. There are also picture-hanging kits available at most retailers that include the correct brackets, wall mounts, and other hardware needed to hang your piece correctly according to its weight and size. Just any nail won’t necessarily work — and if it does, it is still generally not secure for the long run.

Even though adhesive hooks are not ideal, sometimes renters don’t have a choice in the matter; most landlords and property managers don’t allow renters to put holes in the walls. If you fall under this category, the “two-hook” method still works. Just be sure to get the right adhesive hook for the weight of your piece. Otherwise, you’ll defeat the purpose of using the hook when your artwork falls to the ground.

Eyeballing the Height Placement

Nothing is more frustrating than trying to eyeball the placement of artwork. It may look straight while you’re up close to the wall, but once you step away, it could be crooked or too close to the floor.

Before you begin to hang your artwork, measure 57 inches from the floor — that’s the ideal height for the center of the artwork to be. This height is at eye-level for most people, and it is the most commonly used measurement in art galleries and museums. Using a leveler will also ensure the piece does not tilt one way or the other.

The 57-inch rule is not where the hook should be; that must be calculated using the placement of the wire on the back of the frame. Using our inexpensive Picture Hanging Tool is an easy way to mark the spot to put the picture-hanging hook on your display wall.

Eyeballing Multiple Piece Arrangements

When hanging multiple pieces next to one another, the 57-inch rule is even more important. Otherwise, the pieces won’t flow together properly. Hanging all of the pieces at eye level will create consistency. When hanging an arrangement of pieces in one location, you can use the “string and pushpin method,” where you measure 57 inches from the floor, marking each desired picture-frame location with a pushpin and running a string between them to ensure everything is lined up.

Lack of Planning for Gallery Walls

When creating a gallery wall, pre-planning where the frames go saves you the headache and hassle of continuously rearranging the pieces on the wall, creating dozens of holes during the process. A commonly used and effective method for pre-planning a gallery wall is to use craft or butcher paper. Lay a large piece of paper flat on the floor and arrange your frames in a way that looks appealing to you. Larger art placed toward the left can create a sense of harmony.

Trace the frames out on the paper — including the placement of the hooks — and tape the craft paper to the wall with painter’s tape. Hammer the nails for the hooks through the paper on the wall where indicated. Take the paper down (careful to not damage the frames) and use the craft paper as your guide. Voila! The artwork is exactly where you intended.

Last Updated February 27, 2021

When we’re packing up to move there are a few things that get special wrapping and packing attention: electronics, dishes, mirrors, and glass. Your framed and unframed artwork and photos should be right up there with other valuables. Whether you’re packing a one-of-a-kind art piece or precious family photos, most art can’t be replaced if damaged. So take the time to get the right packing supplies and to carefully wrap and pack your artwork before moving day.

Packing Picture Frames

When you take your framed photos and art off the wall and side tables, take the time to pack them up carefully and properly. When packing framed art, every part needs to be protected from damage: the frame, the glass, and the photo itself.

To keep everything well away from damage, place frame corner protectors on the frame, then slip the whole thing into a GalleryPouch™ bubble bag. The GalleryPouch™ was specifically designed with framed art in mind, so frames fit easily in the pouch and sharp corners won’t puncture the extra reinforced air pockets. You can order the GalleryPouch™ in popular frame sizes and custom sizes to fit all frames. (They’re also great for protecting electronics and other valuables during moving without dealing with thin traditional bubble wrap and rolls of tape.)

Next, box the whole thing up. Moving and storage companies offer picture and mirror boxes in a variety of sizes that will further protect your framed pieces. If the box is bigger than the bubble-bagged piece, line it with packing peanuts or newspaper so that there is no room for the piece to shift or slide around.

Finally, pack and move the boxes so that the pieces are standing upright; placing boxes flat can cause warping and heightens the risk of broken glass (that will then scratch or otherwise damage your photo or art). Make sure that the boxes are packed in a way that keeps them from sliding during transit.

Packing Unframed Art & Loose Photos

Whether your unframed art and photos are displayed or in storage, they’re particularly vulnerable during a move. Putting your art and pictures in a file folder or shoe box and then stuffing that into a larger moving box isn’t enough.

Even the slightest amount of exposure to the acids that naturally occur in paper products could cause damage to your photos or art – and many moving materials are made of paper or cardboard. To prevent contamination and exposure, place all your photos and unframed art in archival-quality, acid-free packing or storage materials such as acid-free clear plastic bags and acid-free tissue paper. Once the photos are in acid-free materials, pack them in an enclosed space that is strong enough to protect them – like a museum-quality storage box or the GalleryPouch™ (both options are also acid-free). These materials will help keep your unframed art and photos from being crinkled, torn, scratched, or damaged while moved, and also protect them from the harmful materials in moving boxes.

If you’re not displaying your unframed art, keep it stored in these acid-free, archival materials to preserve them over time. More on that in our blog, How to Store Photos Without Them Turning Yellow.

Happy moving!

Many of us think of photo corners like the ones in the photo albums our grandmother had. Beautifully constructed with thick black paper and black photo corners, these were designed to house a multitude of memories while adding an extra touch to help showcase the entire collection. As times have changed, so has our approach and knowledge of the proper care for photographs. Today’s photo corners are not those of yesteryear; these are now mostly built for archival use and rely on a clean, minimalist design to help hold your pictures in place.

Alternative attempts at fastening photos down can be quite damaging. Some try to use spray adhesive for the simplicity of the process, but harsh chemicals can quickly damage pictures by interacting with the substances used to process your photos. In order to maintain the integrity of their photographs, most photographers utilize archival polypropylene photo mounting corners. Polypropylene acid free photo corners will not harm your pictures. An added benefit of the self-adhesive backing is that while they remain firmly in place, there is no added distraction from the art and display of the photographic work.

Frame Destination offers photo corners that are crystal clear to allow for full viewing of your images. Multiple sizes are available to fit your mounting needs and come with 100 to 500 per box. The best part is that our Lineco adhesive photo corners have all passed the Photo Activity Test. The Photographic Activity Test (PAT) was created by the Image Permanence Institute of America to test the quality of picture storage materials.

Whether you are constructing family photo albums or scrapbooking your memories with pictures, archival grade photo corners will help protect your photos. The clear corners will not clash with your photographic design and you can rest assured that the photo corners will not yellow over time or circumstance. Our line of photo corners are high-quality yet affordable. Ordering online through Frame Destination is a simple process.

If your hobby is photography, a visit to Frame Destination is well worth your time. Frame Destination is the photographers supply stop for a wide array of photo framing supplies including as print weights, hanging kits, cleaning supplies and a full line of storage materials. We offer complete ready frames or made to order through our step-by-step custom frame process. Artists agree, Frame Destination is the perfect online store for the professional or hobby photographer. Order your customized picture frame online today and discover how easy it is to perfectly showcase your work.

Many of us think of photo corners like the ones in the photo albums our grandmother had. Beautifully constructed with thick black paper and black photo corners, these were designed to house a multitude of memories while adding an extra touch to help showcase the entire collection. As times have changed, so has our approach […]

Is the high cost of framing keeping those great family photos in a storage box instead of on your wall where you’d like them to be? Framing doesn’t have to be expensive, especially if you consider a few simple tips that will help lower the amount you spend on high-quality frames for your cherished photos.

1. Don’t Buy From a Big Box Retail Store

Brick and mortar stores may claim they have the lowest prices on frames, but that’s typically not the case. Retailers act as the middlemen between manufacturers or distributors and the end customer — and they mark up the prices on frames to pay for their services and high overhead. Frame Destination, on the other hand, keeps its overhead low by purchasing direct from the manufacturer and offering frames though its online store. Frame Destination also makes all its frames in the U.S.A., so its prices don’t include extra overseas transport or import costs that may be built into other retailers’ prices.

2. Order Larger Quantities

It might seem counterintuitive, but buying more at once can actually save you money on both the price of the frames and shipping costs. Ordering a larger quantity of product and having it shipped in one order is much more economical than multiple small orders. Frame Destination offers volume discounts starting at a quantity of 4, and for some products such as mats, you can often find larger bundles at drastically reduced prices versus the per-piece price in the clearance section. If you are framing a collection of art, this is a great way to keep a look consistent and save money.

3. Bundle Your Frames with Other Supplies

Instead of ordering supplies from multiple retailers, include them in your order from your frame retailer to save on setup or shipping costs. Frame Destination offers a large variety of supplies such as clear bags, mount board, sealing tape and cleaning supplies. The more you order from one retailer the more you save on shipping. And with the free shipping promotions and order discounts Frame Destination offers seasonally, the savings just keep adding up. Plus, Frame Destination has one of the best shipping protocols in the business: it goes to extra lengths to ensure that no matter how many items are in your order, they will all arrive in perfect condition.

4. Forgo the Face-to-Face Interaction

Custom frame shops are typically more expensive because they have staff on site to interact with customers. The best custom frame shops will have certified picture framers who understand how to frame and are available to answer questions and make suggestions. They also do the final assembly on the frame, presenting you with a completely finished product. Another advantage is that picking the finished frame up yourself from these shops reduces the chance of shipping damage. However, the extra on-site staff and service means higher-paid employees, more expensive equipment, more expensive supplies — and higher costs.
On the other hand, if you know what you need and don’t need the face-to-face guidance, you can save money by buying online or through a distributor — but even they may have different requirements or offer different levels of service. Be aware of those before you try to buy — for example, Larson-Juhl requires framing customers to have a retail store, but Frame Destination has no such requirements for customers.

Frame Destination will also notify you if part of your order is out of stock, while other companies might ship an incomplete order — and you won’t know until it arrives on your doorstep. And with Frame Destination’s extra care shipping methods, it’s highly likely you’ll be consistently delightedly by the quality and condition of your frames when they arrive at your doorstep.

5. Go the DIY Route

You can save a lot money by buying the raw material and creating the framing package yourself. However, this requires equipment, time and skill. You can create custom mat boards more efficiently — and with better quality — with a $1200 mat cutter than a $250 one.

If your volume and craftsmanship is up to the task, you can save money in the long run, but if not, creating your mat boards, mount boards and frames yourself may end up being more expensive than buying new. Consider the time and money you will spend buying the equipment and learning how to use it, not to mention maintaining it. And, if you’re just starting out, the cost of mistakes includes starting over with a new piece of material, so be patient and prepared for higher costs in the beginning.

6. Pick the Right Quality for Your Budget

There are levels of quality and price to fit any project and budget. One of the best mat boards offered at Frame Destination, for example, is the Bainbridge Alpharag, an archival cotton-based mat board. For the smaller budgets, opt for the Alphamat which is alpha cellulose instead of cotton, a comparable archival mat board but not museum archival. To continue to lower costs, you can adjust the quality and density in mat board as well as choose glass or acrylic options that best fit your project’s budget and the desired longevity of your art.

Picture frames don’t have to be expensive to be beautiful. Experiment with both high-end and economical options for your frames to save money — it might take some trial and error, but your memories and masterpieces are worth it.

When you are starting a framing project, choosing the proper elements may be a little confusing. Framing a prized piece of art requires choosing a frame type – metal, wood or plastic; the matting to protect and showcase your picture and the glazing. You can either elect to use glass or acrylic; both have their benefits and disadvantages. Deciding on the glazing that you use depends on your budget, how and where you’ll be displaying your piece as well as the need for conservation.

Acrylic Is Lighter

Acrylic is a resilient material that is less likely to shatter than glass, given the same circumstances. Acrylic glazing is best used in larger format artwork and if shipping will be a concern. If you will be shipping large pieces of artwork, the cost to ship will be cheaper and the trip easier – with less likelihood of breakage, with a picture framed with acrylic glazing. Another consideration is if you artwork will be in an environment with children. Framed artwork with glass can fall and shatter, both the heavy frame and the shards of glass can be dangerous if young children are nearby.

Allows for More Light

Acrylic lets in about 10% more light than standard glass, making it clearer and giving better light to view your work. Your artwork will shine with the clarity and radiance that was intended when glazed with acrylic. But with more light comes the greater possibility of damage from sunlight and UV rays.

Other Glazing Factors

Other glazing factors to consider are UV protection and glare potential and protection. The choice to use the optional UV protection on acrylic matters most if you need to conserve your art piece. A properly protected acrylic glaze should provide about 98% protection from direct sunlight. Another factor is decreasing glare and reflection. Non-glare, which has a single side chemically 'etched' to diffuse light, or anti-reflective, which has an optical coating applied to it. However non-glare glazing reduces the brilliance of your artwork, decreasing the clarity and color with a flatness to the glaze. Anti-reflective coating is more expensive, but the clarity of your work is not affected.

Custom Glazing with Plexiglas®
Frame Destination, online retailers of custom framing and acrylic glazing uses Plexiglas® as their provider of choice. You can opt for any profile – size, shape, portrait or landscape orientation or completely custom. Our selection of acrylic glazing ensures that we can meet your framing needs – no matter what they are. We offer this high quality, resilient glazing in standard, Non-glare or UV protected or both.

Ordering your glazing online is easy with Frame Destination’s simple process. Please use our visual guide to help walk you through the process or get further information on your options in acrylic glazing.

Note: as of January 2017 we currently offer Acrylite® brand acrylic.

Today’s modern picture frames tend to be minimalistic, lacking details or flourishes that could detract from the framed painting or photograph. One of the most popular contemporary framing trends draws inspiration from Scandinavian design. Although it has been around for decades, Scandinavian design still embodies the “modern” look. This look combines functionality, simplicity, and minimalism, and it achieves grace and beauty by using high quality materials that require little embellishment.

Modern picture framing concepts now feature a variety of frame materials, including natural woods whose natural grains are unobscured by paint or dark polishes. Frames are carefully cut, mitered, and sanded to perfection, but each is unique due to the natural wood used in its construction. In some cases, “imperfections” in the wood are allowed to remain, adding a note of interest to an otherwise sleek item. Regardless of the type of wood employed, the finish of these clean, simple wooden frames emphasizes the beauty of the grain.

While beautiful themselves, this style of frame offers an understated look that not only blends in with contemporary décor but may also provide an unexpected ‘pop” in a more traditional setting. The most important concern is, of course, that the frame, while gorgeous, must allow the art to take center stage.

Various Styles of Modern

In terms of design and engineering, the modern aesthetic often requires precise implementation since there is no “fluff” to disguise imperfections. Edges may be slightly rounded or squared. Wood grains may or may not show through. With metal frames, texturing is sometimes desired, although a matte or flat look also works with the modern style. What matters most is impeccable construction, meaning corner angles meet properly and outside edges line up.

Despite the common perception of “modern” as all metal and plastic, wood frames done up in colors and stains also play a large role in the look. Some of the more popular colors used for contemporary themes draw inspiration from hues found in nature; browns and grays regularly prove to be quite popular when it comes to modern picture frames. However, black remains a perennial favorite in modern designs. Any of these hues lend a sophisticated and sleek vibe to any frame, and coordinate well with just about any color scheme both inside the frame and in the room where it hangs.

Many interior decorators are even going with modern picture frames made with “distressed” wood. Lumber salvaged from old structures or torn down barns often possesses character not found in most woods available today, often because the wood came from original old growth forests hundreds of years ago. While in use in barns or houses over the years, salvaged wood gained even more character. The same is true for salvaged marine wood, where years of ocean use results in unique characteristics.

As for the ever-popular modern metal frame, some designers now favor dark, burnished silvery toned metals over flat or high sheen black. Metal frames are often the most popular choice for photographic images, and dark tones beautifully set off both black and white and color images. Depending upon the framed item and the décor of the room, certain textured metals also work well and have been gaining popularity in recent years. Some popular “distressed” metals include a soft hammering or a “pebbled” look, or even a slight patina on the metal.

In the end, it is all about one’s personal taste. If you are going to create a frame from scratch using old barn wood, you had better be a craftsman of considerable skill and experience. For us mere mortals, Frame Destination carries a wide variety of framing kits and materials enabling framers of all skill levels to create a modern picture frame for paintings and art photography. We carry only the finest, acid-free mount boards and regular mat boards, as well as a wide selection of glazing in both glass and acrylic. Framing kits are also available in wood and metal, and we have resources available that can help you make your framing project a success.