Framing Cost

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Would you believe we get many phone calls asking that exact question?   

Sometimes, just for the fun of it, I will say: “$49.95” and pause and then explain... 

“it would be like calling up a car salesman and asking how much a car costs.”   There are so many frame choices and prices it’s almost impossible to answer over the phone without a lot more information.  What are  you framing?  What is the size? Do you want a simple minimalist “gallery look” or more of a “decorator look” where we relate the frame and mat to the art while considering it’s surroundings?

I often give price quotes over the phone after a few of the above questions are answered.  This would be the “exact” price as long as the size is correct and frame and other particulars are as used in the price quote.   We have over 4,000 frame styles and 1,000 mat samples to choose from.   The frames are priced from $5.00 per foot to over $100.00 per foot, however most frames are between $8.00 and $20.00 per foot.    (We accept credit cards, checks and cash.)

If you don’t do a lot of custom framing, it can sometimes be a little intimidating going to a frame shop for the first time.   If you don’t know what to expect and don’t want to be embarrassed if the price quote is out of your budget, you don’t have to worry about that here!  Most people come into the shop with what they want to frame in hand and we are happy to give them suggestions and exact price quotes with no obligation.   

Our first goal is to have fun and our next goal is to make enough money so we can pay the bills and keep having fun!    The reason we can keep our prices so low and our quality so high is because we paid off our building many years ago and the two of us do all the work ourselves, so you get the best price and quality everyday.  Often customers come in for a price quote after just getting a quote from one of the big box stores with a coupon for a huge discount.   The customers have often said our regular everyday price was lower than their huge discount price, but our goal has never been to be the cheapest & biggest frame shop in the world.

After all these years in business... we love visiting with and helping our customers. Sometimes that means suggesting framing options that we don’t do.   For example, if price is of upmost importance and what you are framing is a ready made size, I often suggest checking out the big box stores like Walmart, Kmart, Michaels, Hobby Lobby and the Dollar Store.   The most popular ready made frame sizes are: 8 x 10,  11 x 14,   16 x 20,   20 x 24,  24 x 36  and  30 x 40 inches. Usually a mass produced pre-made frame, that is made by the thousands and sent to stores across the country, is priced less than a custom done, one-at-a-time frame.   

Also, if what you are framing is proportionate to a ready made size, you could consider having us cut a mat so the outside dimension will fit into a ready made size and the opening of the mat is made to fit what you are framing.

We have a lot of frame suggestions for “the starving artist”:

My wife and I were both art majors during the hippie days and I even tried making a living as an artist, so we have a soft spot for artists.   We were there, and know what it’s like to try and make a living as an artist.   If you don’t have a ton of money to spend on framing your art, we have all sorts of suggestions.

First, if you are framing 10 or more items for an art show and you are using all the same frames and mats we give discounts for volume framing!   Also, you are welcome to buy your own frame length molding and/or mat boards elsewhere and we will do as much or as little of the work as you like.   If you want us to just cut your wood and or mats from your own stock, or you want us to do the whole job from start to finish we will be happy to do it.  Of course, the more of your time you put into doing the work, the less expensive it will be.

Second,   if you work in ready made sizes, you can find great deals at the local big box stores & on line for those size frames.   Again, if you want us to mat or install your art, we will be happy to do so.

Third, if you have a lot of time and almost no money, try finding frames at thrift stores or garage sales.    I have seen 30 x 40 framed pictures with glass and mats for less than $10.00.  If you take out the picture, glass and mat, then bring in the frame so we can see if it is compatible with our equipment to be cut down to fit the size of your project

One neat trick to get your art on the wall for the least cost is with small magnets: first, hold your art on the wall, next, using post it notes under the four corners, mark just inside the edge of the corners, then remove the art and put a tack in each of those corner spots.  Place your art in that exact position and use tiny magnets to hold the paper to the wall.  No holes in your art!  You can also use longer nails and leave the head of the nail away from the wall and your art will kind of “float” over the wall.

Anyway,  we are here to help!  Don't be afraid to ask.

​The money comes and goes, but the joy is in doing the work and talking to people.​

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We have cleared out space in our basement for a picture frame school for starving artists!

Click on our 

"FRAME SCHOOL"

tab

We rent table space and frame equipment to artists for only ten cents a minute!

The "How to " of framing is posted in the frame school section.