Handle with care

When carrying and transporting a picture, grasp the frame firmly on both sides. If you have to store pictures, make sure they are stacked vertically and the right way up. When stacking pictures, stand them ' glass to glass' so that the hangers do not touch or damage the frame.

Eye level display

Remember most pictures are designed to be viewed at eye-level. When hanging a group of pictures of different sizes align the top edges. Groups of pictures need not be hung in symmetrical patterns, but they should follow some sort of overall design. Try arranging them on the floor first.

Ideally pictures should not be hung above radiators. Extreme or rapid changes in the temperature can cause paper and wood to warp and dry out and adhesives tend to fail.

Hang securely

Use two hooks on the wall, each set about a quarter of the way in from either side of the picture. Check the cord, or other hanger you use, is designed to support the weight of your art work. The hooks or hangars we supply are designed to hold the weight of the frame under normal use, but sometimes the weight of the art, or item, can alter the hanging system's strength.
Where safety is critical, in a child's bedroom for example, double check the item is securely hung.

A gentle clean

Dust frames, or treat with a soft brush, rather than applying water or cleaning fluids. Do not use cleaning fluids or water on the varnished surface of oil paintings or acrylic glazing, again dust carefully, vigorously rubbing on the surface of acrylic can sometimes lead to a mild scratch on the surface. If you have to use a fluid to clean the frame then don't apply chemicals direct to the frame, glass or acrylic covering.

Out of light

Try not to hang your pictures directly opposite large windows as sunlight fades colours and discolours paper. The solution for this is UV coated glass but it is very expensive. The cost of this product is about 35 times the price of normal glass.

What is the size of a frame or mount ?
 

When describing the size of a picture frame always use the inside measurements and not the outside. The width is the smallest of the two and the length is the larger. If you want the framer to construct a frame from your measurements then be sure to consider the rebate (the lip on which the picture or object sits, behind the frame). It is actually the inside measurement of the rebate that needs to match the size of the picture. The framer will give a tolerance of 2mm to ensure the picture sits comfortably. If in any doubt then just ask for advise. It is often better to give the framer the measurements of the picture and the rest can be calculated accordingly.

Glass or Acrylic?

The advantages of acrylic are a) it is lighter than glass, and b) it will not break or smash and is, therefore, safer in that respect. All other advantages lie with glass. We use 2mm float glass, sometimes called Galleria glass. An alternative would be non-glare glass (wrongly called non-reflective glass sometimes). As the name implies this will soften sharp reflections but is more expensive than normal glass.