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Overview.
The reason that frame finishing is not at the end of this information pack, is that it is not about the final steps concerned with finishing a framing job. Instead it is about tasks needed in order to make the frame ( timber component ) ready for progression along the assembly line, so to speak.
It is a good idea to make these changes before you have assembled your picture, as they may include dirty work that can dirty your other components.
3.1 Sanding.
When some frames are cut they leave a burred edge, that needs a small amount of sanding to look finished. While many frames come out of the basic manufacturing process without this requirement, the majority need some level of touch up.
To sand the corners, simply use a light grade sandpaper & gently sand off any rough spots in a smooth fashion.
3.2 Puttying.
Many frames need some level of putty work. The majority of simple mouldings don't need anything, though s few specific types will always need extra attention.
The putty that most framers use is not putty at all, but something called nail hole filler. This material comes in a variety of colours that can be mixed to match most frames. While not exactly cheap it is something that you will not have to buy often & will be a necessary purchase to finish many jobs.
3.2.1
Heavy gold frames have heavy gold ornamentation, that inevitably never matches up on the corners. Because of this, they need much fiddling around with, & the use of a relatively large amount of putty. You may need a gold putty, as well as the colours needed to make up the wash colour. This colour is the colour usually washed over the frame to give a softer look. It is this colour that sits in the lower parts of the relief, & it is this colour that it is most important to match.
3.2.2
Deep frames offer a unique difficulty, in that the front of the moulding is far from the back. No surprises there, but most frames are joined from the back meaning that the front is then left relatively unsupported. To get around this, we staple in from the side of the frame. This in turn leaves a small hole to be filled.
It is because of this staple on deep frames, that we must know which way up a frame is being hung. We tend to staple in from the bottom & the top, not the sides. This means that when the frame is on the wall the holes are unseen.
3.2.3
White frames will show up a lot of things, especially small gaps in the frame joins. If you are going to be using these mouldings, be prepared for a little fiddling about.
3.2 waxing.
One of the simplest finishes possible, waxing is basically just scrubbing some bees wax into raw timber before buffing it off. The great thing about waxing is that it can leave the timber looking more natural than other finishes. Also when frames are used many times, or transported about a lot, scuffs & grubby marks can be sanded off & a new coat of wax can be very quickly applied.
3.3 Staining.
Staining timber is one of those things that you need to have prior knowledge of before coming to KIT frame. You can make it as complicated or as simple as you wish, but the general idea is to scrub a solvent based tint into the wood until you have the colour you wish.
Things to remember are that stains soak easily into the end grain of the timber, so be careful not to apply too much to the corners. Also remember to stain a little way under the lip of the moulding to that you have a smooth finish.
3.3 Alternatives.
Other finishes that work well on frames are, gilding, shabby chic / recycled look & limewashing.
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