Do your floater frames come with hanging hardware?
No. We include only the hardware needed to attach your artwork to the frame. The hardware we send may not work well in all cases. If you need help finding better choices, please
email us for help.
What's the difference between the two kinds of Black floater frames?
We have two kinds of black floater frames. The 1.5” and 2.5” deep ones have one kind of finish/paint, and the 1.25” and the 2” deep ones, another. The 1.5” and 2.5” deep ones are slightly more glossy; the wood grain is visible under the paint. The 1.25” and the 2” deep ones have a matte/eggshell finish; you can’t see the wood grain under the paint. Please see the photo below showing a side-by-side comparison of the finish. The profiles of the two are also slightly different. For exact dimensions, please look at the diagrams on their respective product pages.
What's the difference between Doug Fir, Maple, Walnut, and White Oak?
We have four kinds of natural wood frames. They are not stained or finished in any way, just lightly sanded.
The Doug Fir is reddish in color, typically grainy, and the warmest, most rustic wood we carry. It's also the most variable in appearance from stick to stick.
The Maple is the lightest and most muted of our woods. It's less grainy than the Doug Fir and also more consistent in appearance from stick to stick. The Maple is a harder wood.
The White Oak is darker than the Maple; the Walnut is darker still. Neither is grainy. Both are quite consistent in appearance from stick to stick.
The Walnut and White Oak look especially good when oiled
Do I need to "finish" your unfinished frames?
You don’t really have to do anything to them. You are of course welcome to treat them as you like. They're lightly sanded, with no coating of any kind. If you want simply to protect the wood and to enhance the color and grain, we have many customers reporting success with products like Danish Oil, Watco Oil, Surfix festool oil, Feed-N-Wax Wood Preserver, Minwax wood conditioner and sealer, Daddy Van’s Furniture Polish, and Varathane natural stain. Our only recommendation is to try out the technique first on an inconspicuous part of the frame (inside back). We can include some scraps of the moulding for you to experiment with. Just put a note in the comments field at checkout asking for some.
Can I get samples of your frames?
Yes. We can include up to 3 samples with your next order, free of charge. Just put a note in the comments field at the end of check-out saying, “Please send me corner samples of [A], [B], and [C]. I understand that I can get 3 samples free of charge."
Alternatively, you can place an order just for samples. We'd charge $5 per corner sample, plus shipping. Please
email us what you’d like samples of and your shipping address for a quote.
How do I center my art in the frame?
If the canvas is not snug in the frame and you need help centering the canvas in the frame, you can use thin strips of cardboard, say about 1-2” wide, as spacers. Put the strips on all 4 sides, between the canvas and the frame, to even out the spacing. Depending on the thickness of your cardboard, you may need to glue together a couple or three layers to get the spacing right. Once the canvas is snug, turn it over and place the brackets in the back and mark each hole with a pen. You can then make small pilot holes with a thin nail before driving the screws. Finally, make sure your canvas is square. You can confirm by comparing the diagonals.
What do I do if the frame is too tight?
If the canvases are a little bigger than the nominal size, you may still be able to salvage things. There are a couple of potential solutions. One involves making the frames a little bigger. The other, making the canvases a little smaller. If the fit is close, you may be able to sand down the frame a bit right at the problem spot to make more room. Alternatively, if the paintings have bulges in the corners where the canvas is folded and tucked, you can try to hammer the bulges down to make them flatter. If that doesn’t work, you can cut open the folds and cut out some of the excess canvas. You can then glue the seam back up.
What do I do if my canvas is sticking out of the frame a little?
Check to see if there are bulges in the back of the canvas where the fabric is folded and tucked in the corners. You can cut open the folds and cut out some of the excess canvas. You can then glue or staple the seam back up.