A4 white smooth wood frames

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daveym
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A4 white smooth wood frames

Post by daveym »

I've been looking for reasonably priced half decent quality contemporary A4 white deep frames. I've been using Rio frames for some time and these measure 25mm deep x 18mm thickness. I've had a few issues where the joins are poor and also it's obviously not a decent wood as the white material peels on the inside and some sections have bubbles.

Because I'm selling these on ideally I'd like to purchase at no more than £10.00 per frame. I'm guessing that for this price I probably would still not be able to get actual wood but just wondered if anyone can point me in the direction of any reputable suppliers. To start with I'd prefer ordering a small amount with a fast turnaround rather than large quantities in one go.

The type of frame I'm after must be smooth with no grains or actual texture within the appearance of the outer white wood.

thanks for any help.
Not your average framer
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Re: A4 white smooth wood frames

Post by Not your average framer »

From your description of the white finish peeling and the joints not being good, I am thinking that these frames are probably produced from what is known as a paper wrapped moulding, which in simple terms means that a self adhesive latex coated paper is literally wrapped around what ever is underneath (quite often MDF).

This sort of frame is not what I would call to use your own words "half decent", in fact far from it. the self adhesive on the reverse side of the paper looses much of it's grip in the hot weather we have been experiencing of late and tends to lead to the problems that you are describing. I would suggest that you need to consider avoiding paper wrapped frames completely and to see what you can get in terms of a real wood, or plastic frame from a local framer.

To be honest, the ten pounds figure you mention is probably a bit on the low side to get you something worthwhile if you are talking about fairly small quantities. At this stage, I would suggest that you give our forum members some idea of the actual quantities you would consider and see if anyone is interested in coming back to you, with regard to what they can offer to you.
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
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Steve N
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Re: A4 white smooth wood frames

Post by Steve N »

You get what you pay for, simple, you can't have cheap and quality at the same time
Steve CEO GCF (020)
Believed in Time Travel since 2035

Proud to sell Ready Made Frames
http://www.frontierpictureframes.com
http://www.designerpicturemounts.com/
Not your average framer
Posts: 11014
Joined: Sat 25 Mar, 2006 8:40 pm
Location: Devon, U.K.
Organisation: The Dartmoor Gallery
Interests: Lost causes, saving and restoring old things, learning something every day
Location: Glorious Devon

Re: A4 white smooth wood frames

Post by Not your average framer »

No you can't have cheap and quality at the same time and it is not only that, but the exchange rate of the pound against other currencies means that the pressure on material prices is squeezing margins at the budget end of the market is driving the better quality budget priced items out of the market.

Lowest price is the budget market driver right now and as a result it's all about selling what is still selling at a price that will give you a viable margin. So if the specification for these frames is make, or break and there is no longer anything decent in the major stores at that sort of price, then the mass market stores is no longer where you are likely to find frames of the same specification. This means paying more to get what you want.

Unfortunately, if your marketing model won't stand the current cost price, I don't think there's much that can be done about it. Chasing the lowest price to get the best volume of sales is no longer a viable way to make money and plenty of us already know this. I don't think the market is going to get any better for a while yet, but there are always deals to be made, if both parties can get something worthwhile out of the deal.
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
User avatar
Steve N
Posts: 2992
Joined: Sat 21 Jul, 2007 2:32 pm
Location: Somewhere Staple Hill Bristol
Organisation: Frontier Picture Frames ltd
Interests: Walking our retired Greyhound,art, falling asleep on sofa in front of the telly
Location: Now in Bristol
Contact:

Re: A4 white smooth wood frames

Post by Steve N »

It's at time like this when we could do with a like button in the posts, because I would clicked it in Marks post, very well explained Mark , you will just have to make do with a thumbs up :yes:
Steve CEO GCF (020)
Believed in Time Travel since 2035

Proud to sell Ready Made Frames
http://www.frontierpictureframes.com
http://www.designerpicturemounts.com/
Not your average framer
Posts: 11014
Joined: Sat 25 Mar, 2006 8:40 pm
Location: Devon, U.K.
Organisation: The Dartmoor Gallery
Interests: Lost causes, saving and restoring old things, learning something every day
Location: Glorious Devon

Re: A4 white smooth wood frames

Post by Not your average framer »

Thanks Steve for the thumbs up, but I can't take much credit for passing on things that most of us longer in the trade already know. It's quite a learning curve when you first start in this business and other framers took the time to tell me things I needed to know, I'm just putting back in some of the help I received in my earlier days and not looking for any points for doing so.
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
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