If you want to personalize a gift or put together a page full of memories for all to see then scrapbook picture frames are the way to go.  Scrapbook frames let you proudly display all kinds of fun keepsakes safely in a frame instead of hidden away in a scrapbook. But in order to select the right scrapbook frame for your special pages and keepsakes, there are two things you need to consider first before choosing a scrapbook frame.

1) Thickness of Your Scrapbook Page

Before you start looking for a scrapbook page, you need to consider the thickness of your scrapbook page. All you need to do is measure the thickness of the page you want to display (or the thickness of any future scrapbook pages you’ll want to display).

If your scrapbook page is rather thin (about 1/8″ or less) and only has pictures and  paper mementos on it then a standard scrapbook page frame should be fine.

However, if you want to display anything thicker than several sheets of thick paper then you need to consider the frame depth as part of your scrapbook frame buying criteria. Scrapbook frames that have a depth thicker than 1/2″ are generally called shadow box frames because they can hold small objects behind the glass of the frame.  However, not all shadow box frames can be used as scrapbook frames due to the size of the opening so always double check. To eliminate confusion, we’ll refer to them as scrapbook frames with specific depths.

Here are a couple of examples of scrapbook picture frames that have an opening width of 1/2″ and 1 3/4″ between the glass and frame backing. When buying a scrapbook frame with a specific depth,  always make sure that the frame depth you want is the measurement between the glass and the backing. Often times, the overall frame molding depth is used instead of the space between the glass and backing. If you’re not sure, ask your quality frame retailer for clarification.

2) Ease of Use

With scrapbook frames, you need to have a frame that is easy to change the scrapbook page so you can change it regularly.  Some scrapbook frames have backs that are hard to remove which means you will be less likely to switch different scrapbook pages regularly. What you want to find, is a frame that can have the backing removed in just a few seconds. The most common type of backing has clips that slide out of the way like shown (on the picture on the top right). Another easy to use backing is this patented system on this metal scrapbook frame where the top easily slides off (as shown in the picture on the middle right).  Both of these are easy to use and make changing out pages a snap.

Another thing that needs to be easy to use is how the frame is displayed. You want a frame that comes with everything you need so you can display it how you want.  Most good quality scrapbook frames (with depths up to 1/2″) usually have easel back stands and hanging hardware already installed on the back of the frame (like the one shown here on the bottom right). However, frames with extra thick depths like 1 3/4″ usually only have hanging hardware as they can stand upright on their own.

So, the next time you shop for a scrapbook frame you’ll be sure to find one that you’ll love for years to come!