How to Order a Picture Frame From a Catalog

You can create a high-quality, professional look for a wholesale price when ordering frames through a catalog. Your job is to decide what you want and measure accurately. They do everything else and send it to you in a box.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Measuring Tapes
• Telephones
• Art
• Paper And Pencils

1. Obtain a frame catalog (from Westfall Framing, for example), or search online under "custom picture frame."

2. Decide how you're going to frame your art: Mat or shadowbox? Wood or metal frame? Glass or Plexiglas? Archival-quality or museum-quality treatment?

3. Make accurate measurements of the finished piece - include the mat dimensions (if you're using a mat) or the art plus the backing (if you're going to "float" the art).

4. Provide both the full mat measurement (which will determine the frame size) and the window size (the size of the hole that the art will show through).

5. Decide if you will use glass or Plexiglas to cover the art. If you want glass, you'll have to get it cut locally. You can have Plexiglas pre-cut and shipped directly to you.

6. Fill out the order form or place your order over the phone. The phone is a better choice if you're not completely sure of yourself, because the salesperson will have a chance to ask questions and clarify your wishes.

Tips & Warnings

• Sketch everything on paper ahead of time and refer to the sketch when you place your order - this will ensure that you don't forget to add extra space around the art, for example.
• Framing isn't an exact science, because so much depends on the conditions in which the art hangs, but without archival-quality treatment you could see significant degradation in as little as five years. Archival-quality treatment is worth the money for almost anything you value. For "real" art, museum quality is a step up from that.