120cm square print

[Carol55]

Dear fellow framers,

I have a regular client who has asked us to frame a 120cm by 120cm print on medium weight paper. The prints is worth roughly £200 and they would like 'a simple frame'! HA!

I am trying to think of the most cost effective solution to frame the work but no coming up with a clear direction.

In all my years of framing anything of this size (and above) have been canvases so a little lost.

Can ask for some guidance.

We thought about using Lions 30mm wide L2116 with a sub-frame such as R&H A350 and 3mm glass. But a little lost when it comes to mounting.

Any help please very welcome.

With kindness,
Carol

[Not your average framer]

There is also the question of what to use to support this print and what to use as a backing boards. You have not said if this needs to be conservation framed. I am assuming not conservation framed, but that does not mean that we should not consider it's not consider wether it's not necessary advisable to not bother avoiding acidic materials directly behind the print. If the backing board is to be MDF, the cost of adding a polyester, or polypropylene acid blocking barrier need not be an expensive issue to consider.

I have a massive 600 metre by 1.3 metre roll which I use for ocassions like this. It's just florists wrap from a local packaging suppliers, it's not very thick, but it does the job. I only stock conservation mount board these days and I stock a budget conservation board in certain colours too. With a suitable acid blocking polyester membrane behind the mountboard, I would be happy join bits of mount board from standard size mount board sheets, instead of buying a larger piece specially. BTW, a normal jumbo size sheet of mount board is still not quite large enough for 120cm in both directions.

[prospero]

If they requested 'simple' you can safely assume they mean cheap. The fact is that simple does not equate to cheap
and something that size and that value will not be cheap. I'd be at £600-700 minimum.

Big is expensive. End of.

Forget 3mm glass. It will just make it heavier.

[Not your average framer]

As jobs go, that's not a particularly quick and easy job. To keep the weight down, I would use my usual kraft backing board attached to a light weight sub frame with cross bars, so that I can joint the backing board in the middle of the cross bars. It's going to be heavy enough as it is, so saving a bit of weight makes good sense. I also would be happy to use 2mm glass. 2mm glass is not generally used above ! metre squared, but if the frame is sturdy, it will stop the edges of the glass from flexing.

I rarely use deadicated sub frame profiles as this is an area where cost can be controlled a bit. Simple bare wood profiles are a good possibility for saving money on the main frame, with a basic plain finish. Many of the locals around here don't have much money, so knowing how to work to a limited budget on framing larger items can be important. Of couse saving money on large items, also means saving how much time is spent on doing the job as well. Rural areas are not necessarily affluent areas and making ends meet can mean know how to work to customers budgets.

Avoiding ordering non standard sized backing boards is a normal part of me controlling costs, but unfortunately this will mean ordering an oversized piece of glass, which is less than helpful. The frame will need to be quite rigid and I would be looking at a reasonably sturdy oak frame. Bare wood oak frames are likely to be better value than a larger bare wood pine frame. Also it is very often possible to avoid finishing an oak frame thereby saving expense at the same time.

[Justintime]

You're assuming simple means cost effective. In my experience simple often means black or white!(think Ikea). Its really up to you to have the conversation to figure out exactly what it is they are trying to ask for. Is it look or cost?
Either look at larger stronger profiles that can support this size or like you say add a subframe. Where are they going to hang it? I've discouraged customers from having a large piece of 3mm glass above their bed, unless its got mirror plates.
Acrylic is much lighter but can be expensive.
I use strap hangers for larger pieces or tie the cord
for 2 hanging points marked on the backboard, angling the double d rings at the hanging points.

[Carol55]

Thank you all for your input this has been very insightful.

May I clarify how one would go about mounting the work? DCO then using Perspex, I guess the Perspex would need to be rather thick at 6mm maybe?

Thanks you all again kindly for your thoughts and time.

Carol.

[Justintime]

I would either t hinge it in a window mount or close frame it, hinging it to a piece of same size mountboard, paper wrapped spacers in the rebate to keep it off the glazing. 3mm acrylic should be fine. Line the rebate first with rebate tape to stop damage from the wood. https://www.lionpic.co.uk/p/7891/Lineco ... 32mm-x-25m

[Carol55]

Oh thank you very much Justine. Good advice.

I like the idea of ‘close framing’ as cutting a mount that size will be tricky.

With a ‘close framed’ items are you relying on the spacers to hold the work in place?

And on the same point, is there a concern with regards to cockling as the work is ‘trapped’ in place.

Sorry to raise so many question this project has opened up a few grey areas for me. I have tackled an item that size and have only ‘close framed’ dry-mounted work.

Kind regards
Carol

[Carol55]

Oh I apologies, Justin, not Justine.

[Justintime]

The work is mounted to the mount board. The top hinges should be tight, the sides and bottom slightly loose to allow for movement. The work is placed against the spacers. The points shouldnt be overly firmly positioned. It will allow the paper to move, unless you point it too tight. There is give in a Corri backing board, unlike mdf etc.
Make sure that the work is not tight in the frame(ie the frame is larger than the piece, not the same size). Hope that helps.

[prospero]

I have often close framed large items like posters and such, but to avoid crimping I use this method.....

You need to add a slip (unless you use a moulding with a wiiiiiiiide rebate. About 30mm wide is good.

Sorry for the rough drawing. Basically the slip serves as a mount and a thin strip of linen tape 'jacks up' the back edge.
The print is hinged at the top in the traditional manner, with maybe a few loose hinges at the sides to stop it popping out.

There is an off the shelf gold slip that would work. If you don't want gold you can get a plain wood slip the same size. It can be
underpinned with 5mm v-nails.

** if you are painting a slip then the glass needs lifting off the surface or you can get funny optical effects.

[JFeig]

With the advantage of a POS computer program to quote a price, you have an advantage of taking very little time to develop a price quote.

It is not you job to weigh your quote with the value to the customer. Duck when they shoot the quote down as too expensive.
A quote can always be adjusted with less pricy materials and processes (there is a definite limit to this)