You love framed photos! There are reasons for this love. Framing makes any photo look its best, brings many hidden aspects of the photograph to viewers’ notice, protects the photo from fading, yellowing or getting damaged in any other way, adds beauty to your walls, and so on. However, even framed photos can get damaged over time if left without care. If you truly love your framed photos, you should also know how to take care of them, so that their beauty continues to charm you for years. Here are a few tips.
1. Taking Care During Transportation
If you’re moving to a new house, you should take special care of your precious framed prints that inspire creativity and a desire for cultural enrichment as these frames are very delicate and should be handled and transported with utmost care.
- Never forget to carry the frame upright and hold it firmly on both sides or at the bottom. Never hold the top of the frame.
- Transport and store the framed prints upright to prevent pressure being exerted on them or dislocating the mounted item which would have been secured on the top. If you transport a big glazed image on its back with no adequate support, the glass may crack because of vibrations during transport.
- Make sure your frames are supported with soft paddings to prevent any scratches, bumps or knocks. You can use something like an old quilt, blankets or towels as paddings.
2. Choose the Location for Hanging Your Framed Prints Carefully
Hanging framed prints in a wrong location can damage the frame as well as the print inside it. Here are tips for choosing the right location for hanging the framed prints.
Avoid Hot Locations: Framed prints should not be hung above radiators or any other locations in the home where temperatures will regularly become hot from cool or cold. Fluctuations in temperatures can dry out the wood and paper, and make adhesives useless.
Avoid Humid Locations: If framed prints are hung in humid locations, the papers inside the frame are most likely to become damp. Damp paper can cause the picture to wrinkle and develop fungal growth, that further causes discoloration and damage. Such damp locations also include newly plastered walls. Allow at least 6 months for the new plaster to dry out completely. You can build additional protection against humidity inside the framing package; but it will just delay damage if the location is very humid.
Avoid Direct Sunlight: Sunlight contains UV rays which are very harmful for the framed prints and fade colors and degrade paper.
3. Secure the Frame Properly
Once you choose the right location for hanging the frame, make sure you secure it properly. If your frame is big, you should secure it with at least two wall hooks rather than one.
4. Cleaning
You don’t want your framed prints to look dusty and dirty. Regular cleaning is essential for which here are a few tips.
- Never clean the frames with water or cleansing liquids. They can spoil the finish and let moisture enter the frame. Instead, just dust the frames with a soft brush.
- If you have to use a glass cleaning liquid, take it first on a cloth and not directly onto the glass or it could seep inside the frame and cause damage.
- Specialist glass (e.g., Anti-Reflective) has an optical coating on it which can be easily scratched; take particular care of it.
5. Regular Check-up
According to Fine Art Trade Guild, one should take their framed prints to professional picture framer every five years for a check-up. However, one can rectify some problems on their own in the meantime.
- Check the wire or cord on the frame regularly to make sure it has not worn out or come loose. If it has, get it replaced from your framer.
- Check the backside to make sure the tape sealing is intact and hasn’t peeled. If it’s not, get it replaced.
- Check if the content of the frame is not discolored, got small brown dots or insects haven’t entered the frame. In case of any such damage, take advice of your framer.
These tips will help you keep your valuable framed prints unharmed and beautiful for long. Have you started applying them?