Deep Box Frames

3-D art looks better in a deep box frame
Stick a wedding dress to a wall and it’s still just a wedding dress stuck to a wall. A normal frame would do little to help it. Present it in a deep box frame, where we’ve carefully secured it against movement with a custom colour matched white finish, however, and it announces itself as something special meant for appreciation and consideration.

In case you’re thinking that “wedding dress” seems like an unusual example that we’ve just plucked from the air, it’s not. We’ve framed all kinds of things like football shirts, a series of paper bags, a set of beer pump icons and many other delightfully interesting objects for our clients. We’ll be happy to do the same for you.

Wide range of custom finishes
A carefully chosen finish can elevate a frame from an everyday object to a thing of beauty. Interior designers often ask us to match frames to images that their clients have seen and thanks to our mastery of many techniques we are able to do so.

Sprayed frames are a labour of love. Our framers start with an undercoat, then alternate between applying further coats and sanding them to a smooth finish. The final protective sheen can be as matte or as shiny as you wish. In either case, the final effect is a modern gallery-ready finish that adds the final aesthetic touch to the piece while concealing construction details.

We can gild a profile fully or partially with gold, silver or platinum leaf to add a wonderful aged effect. Gilding is time intensive and materials are costly, so we also offer gold or silver gilding creams that achieve a similar finish at a much lower price.

Stains can be sprayed or applied by hand to a wide variety of raw woods to really bring out the grain, or combined in various ways to achieve an interesting glow through effect.

While sprayed frames look clean and modern, sometimes you may want the rustic finish that only hand painting can give. Some styles of frame really come to life when we combine different brush types and sizes or apply stippling.

You might prefer a framing wax finish, for a professional look that’s still tinged with warmth; it enhances the wood while also protecting it.

Gesso is another option, a traditional and versatile favourite that can serve as the base for a wide variety of finishes, from the traditional to the almost ceramic look of the highly modern.

Choice of protective glazing
Glazing can give 70-98% UV protection, scratch protection, anti-shatter coatings and anti-reflective properties. We can mix and match features to fit with your requirements and budget.

We can glaze your art to suit its particular characteristics, with options from 2mm to 6mm in thickness. We always recommend thicker glazing for larger pieces, as this ensures stability.

Glass and acrylic glazing come in 3 main types, standard, anti-reflective and museum. There are many more sub-varieties, each with their own unique features and subtle characteristics. We could probably list them all day but you might prefer if we simply use our experience to select the one that best matches your art’s requirements for you.

Greater visual impact than a normal frame
Our bespoke Deep Box Frames literally make your artworks stand out, whether they’re destined for homes, galleries, offices or hospitality spaces. 3D pieces certainly require the extra ‘breathing room’ afforded by encasement in a deeper profiled frame, but box frames are also worth considering when you want to present flatter art in a more flattering light.

The likes of oil on canvas and textiles give a much stronger impression when they’re mounted beneath non-reflective UV resistant glass or acrylic, in a deep custom finished frame made of strong Tulipwood or any of our other preferred materials.

Splines
Splines are sections of wood set into the frame’s corners to provide extra strength, but you may also appreciate how they look. With a choice of contrasting woods with different grains or finishes, they can add greater interest as a decorative feature that finishes the frame.

Construction
We’ve served many famous professional artists because we consistently meet their exacting standards for fully bespoke frames, custom finishes, and guaranteed delivery dates.

We make all of our frames by hand to exactly match the dimensions of your artwork. We don’t use destructive fixing methods on your art, which means no glue, nails, staples, or anything else that could damage your work. Your art is unique, and we strongly believe the frame that presents it should also be one of a kind.

Profile
We recommend a strong wood for the frame to ensure that it is sturdy and safe. We often use Tulipwood as it offers a great balance of price and strength, but we are always happy to recommend others to fit your needs and budget.

The depth that you decide on is up to you. It will obviously need to be deeper than the height of your work to accommodate construction materials such as glass, mountboard and subframe, but you can go deeper if you think that this will add to the overall aesthetic. In fact, you can go as deep as you want.

Deep Welded Aluminium Box Frames
We can also create welded aluminium box frames. You can see the process in the video below.