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New Eco-Friendly Bamboo Picture Frames

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In celebration of Earth Day on April 22, we’re proud to announce our new line of eco-friendly Bamboo Picture Frames.

These eco-friendly frames are made using sustainable crops, like bamboo and rubberwood, so they don’t contribute to deforestation of our planet like most wood frames. Plus, these frames only use water based stain so you never have to worry about the use of harsh chemicals or oils being used to make your frame. And when it comes to packaging, even the packaging material is made with either recyclable or biodegradable packaging material so it won’t add to landfill waste.

And most importantly, these sustainable eco-friendly frames will look beautiful. Here are just a few of our new bamboo picture frames:

The Sierra Matted Bamboo Picture Frame has a beautiful wide 1 3/8″ molding that is available in two colors: Sierra Natural Matted Bamboo Picture Frame and Sierra Brown Matted Bamboo Picture Frame. The molding gently curves down to the opening of the frame and has a beautiful bamboo grain that gives this frame a beautiful natural beauty.

If you’re looking for a more pecan color, this wide Teton Wide Matted Bamboo Picture Frame is another frame where you’ll be able to see the gorgeous bamboo grain. This bamboo frame has a wide flat 1 1/2″ molding and is perfect for any photo that you want to have a warm look. The bamboo frame is stained with a warm pecan wood-like tone.

We also have some contemporary styles in a basic style in both black rubberwood and natural bamboo. They’re available without mats in sizes 4×6 and 5×7 as the  Shasta Natural Bamboo Picture Frame and the Shasta Rubberwood Black Picture Frame or they’re available with mats in the following sizes: 8×10, 11×14 and 16×20. These frames have a simple flat 5/8″ molding front and have a depth of 3/4″. They’re perfect for a simple style frame that’s environmentally friendly and affordable.

And, if you want a slightly distressed look with your bamboo picture frames we also offer two black bamboo frames with a slightly distressed finish.  We offer the Shiloh Distressed Black Bamboo Picture Frame that has the frame edge worn where you can see the brown bamboo wood underneath the black stain. This frame has a narrow 11/16″ molding so it’s perfect for when you want a narrow distressed black frame to accent your photo. If you’d prefer a wider distressed black frame, then the Tahoe Black Bamboo Picture Frame has a wider 1 1/2″ molding and a less distressed look than the Shiloh frame. The frame edge on this frame is only slightly distressed.

And this last set of new bamboo frames is perfect for when you want to give some extra contrast to your photo. This black bamboo frame style has a beautiful natural bamboo edge on the outside of the black bamboo stained molding. This frame will give your frame a distinct look and make your photo get noticed. This frame style comes in two frame molding widths. The Zion Black Bamboo Picture Frame comes in 4×6 and 5×7 and has a 1 3/16″ inch molding whereas the Zion Black Matted Bamboo Picture Frame is slightly wider with a 1 1/2″ molding and a white mat and comes in either an 8×10, 11×14 and 16×20 size.

We hope you enjoy these environmentally friendly frames and feel good when displaying your special memories.

Think Twice About Digital Picture Frames

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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 😀

Picture Frame Hardware

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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.

How to Avoid Damaging Your Picture Frames and Photos

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Old Photo
Image by zanaceabuna75 via Flickr

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!

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