Supplier advice

[dalesframer2021]

Hi Everyone
Hope you are all well!
Starting out framing and looking for online supplier recommendations, looking for moulding and mountboard to practice with, plus not having to order silly quantities and decent postage etc..
Thanks in advance for replies
Andy

[fitz]

Hi Andy. There are many suppliers around and over time you will no doubt build a good relationship with your preferred ones. For me I use Lion mostly as their customer service and delivery times are first class. I’m based in Scotland and can order from Lion at lunchtime one day and get the delivery next day. Their products are very good however for mountboard you need to order a minimum of 10 boards but this can be mixed and matched with backing board, foam board, display board etc so not too bad. Wessex are also excellent and have their own delivery vans. Good for glass and they will deliver single sheets of mountboard if necessary. The Lion Value range of mountboard is very good and competitively priced. I also buy moulding and mount boards from Centrado and get my stretcher bars from Eternamedia who will cut to size and their prices are very good too. Best wishes from Scotland

[pramsay13]

If you just want some to practice online maybe check with a framer near you or even have a look on here or ebay for job lots.
For supplier I use Centrado who send a van once a week.
They are reasonably priced and you can order individual lengths and sheets although there is a minimum order for carriage paid.

[prospero]

When you are starting off you don't really have a track record in the trade and it can be a bit difficult. You have to
develop the 'trade' mindset. It's not the same as buying 'retail'. If you want to buy at wholesale prices then you have
to accept minimum order levels and don't expect everything to be perfect. There will be a certain amount of 'corkage'.
Don't expect them to deliver one length of moulding.


Wessex are probably the most comprehensive. And, they deliver in their own van. You can order and pay on their website.
They will probably cater for 99% of you needs.

D&J Simons have a good range of mouldings. Lion are good for sundries.

If you are just learning to processes then it's an idea to see if any framers near you have a heap of offcuts that you could buy
for a few quid, just to practice on. That's what I did in 1984.