Poster framing advice DIY / cheap in the UK

so02see

OK so I know there's a great offer for US colletors but I need advice on getting a few frames for my posters in the UK. I cant afford to go and get them made to fit. I was thinking maybe a standard 60x80cm frame from Ikea or other High Street would be the best but any other ideas to make it look almost as good as a professional job would be welcome.

RKCNDY

Not familiar with what stores you have in the UK, but I would go with the frames from IKEA, make sure you use an acid free backing in the frame. If you have a crafts store, I would look for frame parts, here in the US we have a Micheal's and they sell frame sides in 2pc sets, so you buy one set of 16" and then another set of 32", and then they sell glass or acrylic inserts. You can ask them to cut mats for you if you want. I got 3 pics framed and matted for $40. I've also had a lot of luck with U-Frame-It, a self framing store. I go in and say I've never done it before, and they will do it for me.

so02see

Thanks for the advice. I'll do some more research but I'm not aware of anywhere like the stores you suggest where I can buy all the bits like that.

SarahLou

where in the UK are you?

pdalowsky

take a trip to Doncaster. My framer is awesome, operates as a charity, and has amazed me time after time. Whereas pro shops charge £150 plus, he has never charged me more than £30 other than the hawaii 06 which was £40 - usually tripple matted, and sealed units......a total steal...and a thoroughly nice guy too....

probably as chaep as Ikea and much much much better presented

so02see

Paul, looks like a trip up your way is required. Even just a standard off the shelf black frame, no matt is £30.

I'm in Wolverhampton btw and have 5 maybe 6 posters to frame inc the one in my Profile (signed by my beloved Mr McC)

Plankton

pdalowsky wrote:

take a trip to Doncaster. My framer is awesome, operates as a charity, and has amazed me time after time. Whereas pro shops charge £150 plus, he has never charged me more than £30 other than the hawaii 06 which was £40 - usually tripple matted, and sealed units......a total steal...and a thoroughly nice guy too....

probably as chaep as Ikea and much much much better presented

Wow, that's killer.

I go to a frameshop in Ashbourne which is very good, I've bought some really nice quality frames from there, usually around £40.

Tried a frameshop closer to home in Loughborough and for a bog stanadard black frame the shop wanted about 75-100 - said no thanks and made the longer journey.

I would always recommend a proper frame job that's the perfect szie as opposed to an Ikea job - you'll want to change eventually and then the £20 you spent at Ikea is wasted anyway. A lot of the Ikea frames are awful quality too and bow after hanging.

so02see

Plankton wrote:

pdalowsky wrote:

take a trip to Doncaster. My framer is awesome, operates as a charity, and has amazed me time after time. Whereas pro shops charge £150 plus, he has never charged me more than £30 other than the hawaii 06 which was £40 - usually tripple matted, and sealed units......a total steal...and a thoroughly nice guy too....

probably as chaep as Ikea and much much much better presented

Wow, that's killer.

I go to a frameshop in Ashbourne which is very good, I've bought some really nice quality frames from there, usually around £40.

Tried a frameshop closer to home in Loughborough and for a bog stanadard black frame the shop wanted about 75-100 - said no thanks and made the longer journey.

I would always recommend a proper frame job that's the perfect szie as opposed to an Ikea job - you'll want to change eventually and then the £20 you spent at Ikea is wasted anyway. A lot of the Ikea frames are awful quality too and bow after hanging.

I know you're right about the Ikea frames. I'll stare at the posters and wish I'd done it properly in the first place instead of a patch job. The last thing I had framed cost over £80, that was half the size and a few years ago so couldn't cope with £100 plus x 6.

Great help as always everyone. Thanks

pdalowsky

Ok, no probs, check out a place in Askern Doncaster known as Street Frames,

he's called Ray, and a brilliant framer too, he's been at it for 30 years plus

he's a great guy working with charities rehoming great danes all his life....but if you go to his shop you can work with him as to the glass you want and the mounts and take his advice too

so02see

I like him more if he's a dog lover too

pdalowsky

so02see wrote:

I like him more if he's a dog lover too

oh yeah, he lives with 6 great danes the size of donkeys....