Help, I haven't been framed!
April 7, 2014 7:22 AM Subscribe
Where can I find a variety of sizes and styles of square, white picture frames, without spending a small fortune on custom framing? (Anwhere from 4"x4" to 20"x20"; wood preferred.)
We've tried going down the route of buying some random square picture frames at Goodwill and painting them, but frankly we're incompetent with paint and they ended up looking like crap. I've spent some time searching various frame sites, but haven't had a lot of success - lots of 8x10, 4x6, etc, but very few square frames. Anybody have a favorite site or store (US-based) they've seen that has a good selection of square frames? (Difficulty: No Ikea, at least not for another 6 months.)
We've tried going down the route of buying some random square picture frames at Goodwill and painting them, but frankly we're incompetent with paint and they ended up looking like crap. I've spent some time searching various frame sites, but haven't had a lot of success - lots of 8x10, 4x6, etc, but very few square frames. Anybody have a favorite site or store (US-based) they've seen that has a good selection of square frames? (Difficulty: No Ikea, at least not for another 6 months.)
If you want uniform looking frames, Ikea frames are a pretty good deal (not super cheap, but cheaper than your other options)
EDIT: you said no ikea. sorry. I've always ended up.
posted by larthegreat at 7:33 AM on April 7, 2014
EDIT: you said no ikea. sorry. I've always ended up.
posted by larthegreat at 7:33 AM on April 7, 2014
Former Picture Framer here.
4x4 and 5x5 are standard sizes for frames and occasionally you'll be able to find 12x12 frames for records, but other than those three there are no square frames that you'll be able to purchase off the shelf.
Manufacturers make frames for standard print sizes just like they make shoes in standard shoe sizes. Outside of these you're going to have to have something custom made.
posted by TooFewShoes at 7:45 AM on April 7, 2014 [2 favorites]
4x4 and 5x5 are standard sizes for frames and occasionally you'll be able to find 12x12 frames for records, but other than those three there are no square frames that you'll be able to purchase off the shelf.
Manufacturers make frames for standard print sizes just like they make shoes in standard shoe sizes. Outside of these you're going to have to have something custom made.
posted by TooFewShoes at 7:45 AM on April 7, 2014 [2 favorites]
I've definitely gotten square frames at Michael's.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 7:55 AM on April 7, 2014
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 7:55 AM on April 7, 2014
I've found square frames at Frames-Direct, but they don't seem to have any white. Not a lot of real wood, but the molding shapes they use are quite good, and they don't feel or look like cheap plastic frames -- mind, they don't feel like the wood frames from American Frame, but they don't cost like them either. (As far as painting frames -- scrub them with a brush, maybe a bit of TSP, use spray paint rather than brushing it on.)
posted by jlkr at 8:04 AM on April 7, 2014
posted by jlkr at 8:04 AM on April 7, 2014
Why not collect thrift shop frames and hire someone else to paint them? It would be an easy (and hopefully inexpensive) job for a cabinet maker, for instance. Even a handy DIY homeowner with a spray gun could solve your problem, I think.
posted by summerstorm at 8:09 AM on April 7, 2014
posted by summerstorm at 8:09 AM on April 7, 2014
Did you try spray painting the frames? Sometimes that comes out more uniform.
Square and white are hard to find. Look for "sectional" frames which you put together, but be warned you'll probably have to paint those, too. I have had luck with Pottery Barn for white frames in the past.
posted by blnkfrnk at 8:45 AM on April 7, 2014
Square and white are hard to find. Look for "sectional" frames which you put together, but be warned you'll probably have to paint those, too. I have had luck with Pottery Barn for white frames in the past.
posted by blnkfrnk at 8:45 AM on April 7, 2014
Response by poster: Yeah, I tried spray paint - I can actually do a very passable job of painting walls, trim, etc. I'm just apparently especially incompetent with spray paint, as literally -everything- I have tried to spray paint in the past 4 years has ended up with little patches of crackly-wrinkles in at least one spot on them, regardless of how well I've cleaned, primed, etc them. I've pretty much given up on spray paint as a way to paint anything at this point.
Good recommendations so far - I'll definitely try Michael's, I don't think I've looked there, though it may just be a matter of hitting them when they have something in stock.
posted by jferg at 9:23 AM on April 7, 2014
Good recommendations so far - I'll definitely try Michael's, I don't think I've looked there, though it may just be a matter of hitting them when they have something in stock.
posted by jferg at 9:23 AM on April 7, 2014
Depending on what you're using them for (if you're actually framing photos, this comment won't be helpful) you could use stretcher bars made for canvases. You can buy them unfinished and paint them yourself very cheaply, and make any custom size you want.
You can see in this photo how they fit together and what the completed frame looks like.
posted by rachaelfaith at 9:30 AM on April 7, 2014
You can see in this photo how they fit together and what the completed frame looks like.
posted by rachaelfaith at 9:30 AM on April 7, 2014
I like PictureFrames.com for modular frames. You choose the size you want and put them together yourself. It's easy. They have wooden white frames. It looks like a 4x4" frame in their simplest style would be around $30 with non-glare acrylic and foam core backing (and no mat).
posted by sevenless at 9:31 AM on April 7, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by sevenless at 9:31 AM on April 7, 2014 [1 favorite]
If you do go to Michael's, DO NOT ENTER THE STORE without a coupon. There are tons on their website and they have an app with exclusive coupons, too. Sometimes you can get 20% off your purchase, or at least 40% of a regular priced item. Good luck!
posted by hungrybruno at 9:58 AM on April 7, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by hungrybruno at 9:58 AM on April 7, 2014 [1 favorite]
I always thought it was very strange that 11x17 is not usually carried in most stores. These days you can easily find them on the internet, but it always struck me as odd that you could find many prepackaged frames 11x14 or smaller, or 24x36 poster frames easily, but not 11x17 at your local department stores, or even at many frame stores. For the last 15 years or so, 11x17, or sometimes even 12x18, is the largest standard paper size you can put into most laser printers in the $800-$12000 range, but most places still think that is a custom, nonstandard size.
posted by chambers at 11:08 AM on April 7, 2014
posted by chambers at 11:08 AM on April 7, 2014
Upon review, it's really weird to see that none of the majors-- Nielsen-Bainbridge, Framerica, Larson-Juhl, or Carolina-- sell to the public a readymade white frame or white frame kit. Any of these manufacturers would sell you a wholesale/trade batch (like, a container's worth) of white moulding, but for some reason they won't sell per inch to the public, only to custom framers. And you don't want to go custom unless you have to.
Speaking of custom-- anything under 7x7 is tricky. Neither Michaels nor Aaron Brothers will be able to cut you anything custom under 7X7 or so, and this may be common across the industry (it has to do with what the saw can grip safely.) Seriously, try calling around to custom framers in your area-- especially the mom-and-pops-- because they will have the most flexibility. Mom-and-pops may also have some odd-lot white moulding lying around they will cut short and sell to you, though you may wind up doing your own joining.
Danielsmith.com has good, inexpensive Nielsen frame kits that they'll sell to the public, but no white among them (they have a natural maple/blonde wood, but no white.) Dick Blick's carries an aged white, but not in a square. They seem to have a white Nielsen moulding that is out of stock, but YMMV. They do make a white moulding, I just don't know why you can't seem to get it ready-made. Pottery Barn has some white frames starting around $20, but few squares, again. If you're able to go to a wide white mat and a very narrow pale-silver moulding, that may get you close to the look you're after.
My only other suggestion is to look into wood moulding-- wall trim or chair rail trim, for example-- at your local lumber shop or Home Depot-- you can miter that, whitewash it, and join it. Sort of depends on how crafty you want to get. If you can nail into the edges, you might want to just do a strip frame-- basically nail wood stripping into the sides of the canvas and paint them white.
I suspect that in the near future, white squares will be easier to find-- white is a huge design trend that is not going to go away any time soon, and digital printing is the way people do photography now (and Instagram is a square format!) It takes a few years for marketing/manufacturing to catch on to this kind of thing. I know that doesn't help you right now, though :(
posted by blnkfrnk at 12:48 PM on April 7, 2014
Speaking of custom-- anything under 7x7 is tricky. Neither Michaels nor Aaron Brothers will be able to cut you anything custom under 7X7 or so, and this may be common across the industry (it has to do with what the saw can grip safely.) Seriously, try calling around to custom framers in your area-- especially the mom-and-pops-- because they will have the most flexibility. Mom-and-pops may also have some odd-lot white moulding lying around they will cut short and sell to you, though you may wind up doing your own joining.
Danielsmith.com has good, inexpensive Nielsen frame kits that they'll sell to the public, but no white among them (they have a natural maple/blonde wood, but no white.) Dick Blick's carries an aged white, but not in a square. They seem to have a white Nielsen moulding that is out of stock, but YMMV. They do make a white moulding, I just don't know why you can't seem to get it ready-made. Pottery Barn has some white frames starting around $20, but few squares, again. If you're able to go to a wide white mat and a very narrow pale-silver moulding, that may get you close to the look you're after.
My only other suggestion is to look into wood moulding-- wall trim or chair rail trim, for example-- at your local lumber shop or Home Depot-- you can miter that, whitewash it, and join it. Sort of depends on how crafty you want to get. If you can nail into the edges, you might want to just do a strip frame-- basically nail wood stripping into the sides of the canvas and paint them white.
I suspect that in the near future, white squares will be easier to find-- white is a huge design trend that is not going to go away any time soon, and digital printing is the way people do photography now (and Instagram is a square format!) It takes a few years for marketing/manufacturing to catch on to this kind of thing. I know that doesn't help you right now, though :(
posted by blnkfrnk at 12:48 PM on April 7, 2014
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by xingcat at 7:24 AM on April 7, 2014 [1 favorite]