Where to buy frames?

Buy a frame from a store or order a custom one?

Are you in a hurry? You need a frame for a photo from a sports competition that you want to gift to a friend. What do you do? You rush to the nearest store and take whatever you find. Of course, standard, ready-made frames are a cheap and quick solution, but as soon as you try to place the photo in the frame, you will realize that they are a real headache.

So, let's lay out all the pros and cons so that if you need to frame a special piece of art, you won't have to think for long. Store-bought frames always fall short compared to a custom-made frame in four categories: appearance, size, construction, and versatility.

It may seem that these criteria are too demanding for an ordinary photo. We often hear: “There’s no art here.” It may not hang in a museum, but if you plan to hang it in your living room or gift it to a friend – it means it’s important enough. So, don’t waste money unnecessarily and do it right from the start.

Appearance

A factory-made frame will look cheap. It’s not exceptional, and cheap laminate is no better than free fragrance samples. Entering professional framing workshops, you will have a much larger selection and the opportunity to find frames that match your photo or painting. Good frame makers will definitely ensure everything looks great.

Size

When we say “size,” we mean “shape.” Of course, you will find a large enough ready-made frame for any item, but is it the right shape? The frames displayed on store shelves are made to standard sizes.

Maybe you’re lucky, and your photo is also a standard size, but even if it is, be careful. If the frame sizes perfectly match the photo sizes, it means there’s no room for a mat.

Our clients already know that a mat is placed not just for beauty. It prevents your artwork from touching the glass, which can damage the framed object. Meanwhile, framing workshops will make a perfectly sized frame so that your chosen mat can fit alongside.

Construction

This is a very important aspect, as poor quality will disappoint quickly and severely. Factory-made frames simply aren’t as high quality as custom frames.

Clients have often come with broken glass because ready-made frames fell off the wall. It happens that frames fall for other reasons as well, but in such cases, the frame always collapses. This happens due to the hanging method. Store-bought frames are almost never equipped with hanging wire or string. Instead, they have a metal loop, as shown below.

A real hanging wire is not only a safer solution but also easier to hang.

Both metal and wooden custom frames are joined differently than ready-made ones and are much higher quality. In the picture, you can see that the wooden frame is joined with several staples, holding it firmly. Therefore, they can accommodate various artworks and are more versatile.

Versatility

If you ever need to frame something more than a photo – something heavier and thicker than paper – store-bought frames will likely not suffice. Such frames simply lack depth.

Look at how deep the frame is on the left and right. That metal frame will need to hold the glass, the artwork, and at least the backing. Not to mention the mat. Most likely, there simply won’t be enough space for all of that.

Even if a factory-made frame looks deep, there are clips at the back that hold the backing and thus limit the frame's capacity. So, we promise that looking at a professionally framed artwork will bring you joy every day.

Visit our framing workshops – we will gladly help you choose the most suitable frame.