As much as I LOVE picture frames, there is one type of picture frame that we choose not to offer on our website – digital picture frames.

Digital picture frames, if you haven’t seen them in stores, are electronic picture frames that allow you to display digital photos. The problem I personally have with digital picture frames, is that they require electricity and must be plugged in 24×7 if you plan to use them. Call me old fashioned, but this seems extremely wasteful when they are better energy-free options available. However, until now, I never really understood how much energy they used.

According to the Electronic Power Institute, if every home in America had ONE digital picture frame left on day and night (which is typical), it would require us to build FIVE NEW 250 -megawatt power plants. I don’t know about you but to me that screams wasteful.

It was really shocking to me that just one digital frame in every household could make such a horrible impact. So, the next time you think about buying a digital picture frame, think about the difference that you can make by NOT buying one…as together we can eliminate the need for this wasteful use of electricity.

And if that isn’t enough to convince you, think about the money you can save, by not having a picture frame plugged in all the time. For example,  in the average American household, 75% of the electricity used for electronic devices is used when the devices are shut off. According to the US Department of Energy, this energy used on electronic devices shut off translates to more than $100 per year spent on essentially nothing.

So, save money and be green by displaying your pictures in non-electrical metal picture frames and wood picture frames

If you’ve ever bought a picture frame for hanging on the wall and didn’t realize it didn’t come with picture frame hardware then here is a basic overview of the most common types of hardware available. There are different types of hanging hardware depending upon the type of frame you want to hang and its weight.

In most cases, wood frames are what we think of when it comes to installing hanging hardware. That’s because metal frames have too hard a surface and therefore, must have hanging hardware already attached to the metal frame.  Here is just one example of a metal frame that has a metal hanging clip that easily comes on and off depending upon what direction you want to hang your frame. So, the next thing you must consider is the weight and size of the frame.

Ready Made Frame Hardware

For most frames that you buy online or in a store, these are called ready made frames and often include hanging hardware already attached to the frame.  Many of these frames have a hoop or triangular piece of hardware riveted on the back of a frame already for hanging.The most common type of ready made hanging hardware is a hoop or ring. With these all you have to do is put a nail in the wall and hang your frame. These are found on small to medium sized frames that aren’t very heavy. However, when the frames get larger in size and heavier, that’s when you generally have to install your own hanging hardware.

Alligator Hooks

This type of picture frame hardware is what is often called an alligator hook. Alligator hooks have a jagged edge and are secured to the frame by small nails. They are super easy to install and come in different sizes depending upon the size and weight of the frame you want to hang.  To install them on the frame, all you have to do is center the hook on the back of the frame and place a nail on each side of the hook. Super simple. Alligator hooks are generally designed for solid wood frames that range in light to medium weight.

Screw Eyes

This type of picture frame hardware is a little harder to install but is designed for larger and heavier frames. Screw eyes are screws with a circle like end that is designed to hold a wire. To install them you put a screw eye on each end of the frame and then connect the two screws eyes with picture frame wire. Here is an example of how the screw eyes are used. As you can see when you string the wire between both screw eyes, you want to securely wrap the end of the wire around each end to make sure the wire won’t slip off.

Just remember that anytime you install frame hardware yourself, remember to size the hardware to the frame you’re hanging. So, if you’re hanging a small frame, then you can use smaller hardware and smaller nails or screws.  Whereas, for large heavy frames you want to use frame hardware that’s designed for the extra weight. Also make sure that the length of the screw or nail is appropriate to the thickness of the frame as using too long of a nail or screw can badly damage or even ruin your frame.

To help protect your photos and keep your picture frames looking great for years, here are four things you should do.

Avoid Direct Sunlight

The sun’s powerful rays are damaging to your pictures so you want to avoid displaying your picture frames in direct sunlight. This will help reduce fading of your pictures and wood photo frames.

However if you can’t avoid displaying your pictures where they have direct sunlight shining on them, there are a few things you can do. If you’re concerned about your pictures fading, you should first have them reproduced by a reputable photo restoration service. This way you will have a high quality copy of your picture that you keep in a safe place so you can replace your other picture once it begins to fade from the sun. For most people framing pictures this is the best solution if you have to have your picture displayed where sunlight shines on it.

If you’ve made a copy of your picture, and still want to protect the framed photo, then you can use UV glass or UV acrylic in your picture frame. UV glass or acrylic is more expensive so this is more frequently used for irreplaceable artwork like watercolors, fine art prints and drawings. Just keep in mind that when you use UV glass or acrylic it will reduce the UV exposure but it cannot 100% eliminate it. You may also want to consider using metal picture frames instead of wood as any solid wood will fade over time with direct sunlight.

Watch Out for Moisture

Often times we think of moisture or water damage caused by devastating problems like floods, but moisture damage can also be caused from everyday steam.  Make sure you avoid displaying your framed photos in areas like a bathroom or above a kitchen sink. Moisture damage can cause your picture to warp or can completely ruin it if your picture sticks to the glass. The best solution is to only put unimportant pictures in these areas, preferably in aluminum metal frames that won’t rust. Or, to avoid the problem altogether don’t display pictures in these areas.

Also, if you live in a climate with high humidity you should also be aware of picture frames or artwork with a sealed back. Sealed backs prevent the artwork or picture from breathing and, in a high humidity climate, they can trap moisture. You can spot a sealed back because they are usually taped or glued shut. To help avoid having moisture damage in a high humidity climate, you can use spacers or picture frame mats in your frame as they create an air pocket between the glass and picture. This will help prevent the picture from getting stuck to the glass.

Spray Cleaner Warning

This may seem rather obvious, but never spray glass cleaner on the glass of a picture frame when the picture or artwork is still inside. All it takes is a little drip of glass cleaner to seep underneath the glass and come in contact with your picture to damage it. Instead, always take your picture or artwork out of the frame before you ever clean the glass. And, when you  clean both sides of the glass, make sure the glass is properly dried with no cleaner residue on it before replacing your picture in the frame.

Never Stack Your Picture Frames

The last tip to avoid damaging your frames is to never stack your frames on top of each other. In the vast majority of cases, stacking your frames, will scratch the frame finish and permanently damage them. If you need to move your frames, just use a towel or other soft cover to put between each frame. It may take an extra couple of minutes but it will keep your frames looking nice for years.

Another common way frames get damaged is when people set the face of the frame down on a surface to remove the picture. This can easily scratch the frame so always lay a towel down on the surface before you take your frame apart.

If you remember these tips, your picture frames will be sure to retain their beauty and look great for many years to come!

If you want an inexpensive way to make your photographs look even better, then you should consider using a picture frame mat. Picture frame mats are commonly used by professional artists and photographers to help make their artwork stand out. Just look at the difference a mat can make with the two images below (Landscape image courtesy of Jason Lee).

In addition to making your photographs look even better, picture frame mats can also help you save money if you have a unique sized picture to frame. Often times by using a picture frame mat, you can avoid the higher cost of having a custom frame made. All you have to do is find a ready made picture frame in a bigger size than the image you want to frame and then get a mat with an opening to fit your photo or artwork. If your artwork or photo is a standard size, you can get a pre- cut mat or if it’s a unique size you can have a mat cut.

Another great benefit of picture frame mats is that they can also help protect your picture or artwork. By using a mat it prevents the picture or artwork from coming in direct contact with the glass. This is important (especially in humid climates) because moisture can get trapped inside the frame between the glass and print and damage your picture.

How to Select a Picture Frame Mat

In order to select a mat there are three things to consider: the type of mat, the size and the mat thickness.

Type of Mat

Mats really come in a couple different types: archival and standard. Archival mats (also called rag mats) do not contain any acid, chemicals or wood based materials that can degrade your pictures or artwork. They are used for pictures or artwork that you want to protect like family heirlooms, special artwork or old family photos.  Archival mats are a bit more expensive but, if you’re trying to protect something special it is certainly worth a few dollars more.

The other type of mat is the standard mat which is made from paper or wood based products. These mats are commonly found in frames and are less expensive than archival mats. The problem with these mats is that they will deteriorate your artwork or pictures over time. However, if you have a picture that you can easily replace, then using an archival mat isn’t really necessary.

For most people, the best way to tell if a mat is an archival or standard mat is to ask. However in most cases you can assume a mat is a standard mat unless it’s specifically identified as archival.

Mat Size

The other thing to consider when choosing a picture frame mat is the size. When getting a picture frame mat you want to make sure that you have two sets of dimensions: the inner opening and the exterior size of the mat. It may seem silly, but often times people get so focused on the inside dimensions of the mat that they choose a mat that won’t fit in their frame. So make sure to understand that the the inner opening is the cut out space that displays your picture or artwork while the outside dimension is the size that must fit inside your frame.

Mat Thickness or Depth

Often times, people don’t realize that you can get mats in multiple thicknesses or depths. That means that you can stack up multiple mats in one frame to give your artwork added depth or color emphasis.  Multiple mats are often referred to as double mats, triple or sometimes even shadow mats.

Single mats are usually used just to add a little emphasis to a picture or to help protect it from touching the glass, while double mats are often used to bring out extra emphasis or depth.  You can find double mats that have two single mats placed right on top of each other or you can also find mats where they have spacers in between the two mats for a shadow look. The mat on the left is a single mat whereas the mat on the right is a shadow mat.

If you really want to give your pictures or artwork a super custom look, you can choose a double mat with two different colors. As you can see from this picture below, the two frames both have a double mat with two different colors.  This can really make the picture stand out and give you a way to highlight specific colors in your picture or artwork.

However, if you already have a frame selected for your picture or artwork, make sure that the frame can accommodate the extra depth of a mat. Most frames can accommodate a single mat, but if you put two mats inside the frame, often times the frame back won’t fit in most ready made frames. So, if you want to use a double mat or thicker, find out if your frame can hold the extra thickness by checking the depth of the rabbit (the inside depth of the frame).

Now that you now know more about picture frame mats, be sure to try one out the next time you want to frame a special picture. You’ll be glad you did!