Shopping Cart | About Us | Send Us Email | Shipping Policies	Order online or by phone: 1-800-246-4726

Article #2: How Much Does it Cost to Frame?

Case Study #1:  18”x24” Wood Sectional Frame with a Double Mat, Acrylic Glazing, Foamboard Backing, Paper Dust Cover and Hanging Wire.  Total Cost =  $51.11

Beginning with a moderately priced wood sectional frame, we will include a double mat cut from two sheets of Crescent Regular Decorative Matboard and a backing board cut from one sheet of Regular 1/8” thick Foamboard.  The glazing will be a pre-sized piece of 18”x24” acrylic.  The dust cover will be cut from a 24”x36” sheet of Kraft Paper, and the hanging hardware will be two one-hole strap hangers with screws and medium duty hanging wire.  We will also use bumper pads, framer’s points, wood glue and adhesive transfer tape in this frame job.

Starting from scratch (assuming you have nothing) you will have to purchase the following:

       1.)  1 Sectional Wood Frame #92829  $36.86 
2.)  2 Sheets of 32”x40” Crescent Regular Decorative Matboard  $4.90 x 2 = $9.90
3.)  1 Sheet of 32”x40” Regular Foamboard 1/8” thick     $5.25
4.)  1 piece of 18”x24” pre-sized Acrylic Glazing  $8.00 (must be purchased qty 3)
5.)  25 each Kraft Paper Dust Covers 24”x36”  $11.99
6.)   1 Roll of #924 ATG Tape   $4.50
7.)   1 roll of self-adhesive linen mounting tape $11.99
8.)   1 Package of 20 each 1-hole Strap Hangers and Screws  $3.50
9.)   25 ft of Medium Duty Hanging Wire  $3.50
10.)  1 Package of 20 lb Hook Hangers and Nails  $1.99
11.)  600 Stacked Framer’s points  $6.99
12.)  8 oz Wood glue  $4.99

Initial Outlay for Supplies:  $109.46  (most will be used again)    

With the exception of the frame and the acrylic, the left-overs from these supplies can be used on subsequent frame jobs.

Framing Cost

A moderately priced sectional wood frame of 18”x24” purchased in the Picture Frames section of Framing4Yourself.com is $33.03.  The pegs to assemble it are included but wood glue will have to be purchased separately in the Framing Making Supplies section of Framing4Yourself.com.

An 8 oz. bottle of wood glue costs $4.99.  You will use less than 1/25^th of the contents for one frame job, so so the cost of glue for this frame job is 20’.  The rest will be used on subsequent frame jobs.

Framer’s point are pointed metal tabs used to hold the stack of matting, backing and glazing in the frame.  A package of 600 points costs $6.99.  The cost per point is .01, and since you will be using four in this frame job, the cost here is 4’.

Matting Cost

Since a sheet of matboard is 32”x40”, and since the overall size can yield two mats of 18”x24”, the cost of a single mat of 18”x24” can be said to be half the cost of the full size sheet.  Therefore, if the full size sheet costs $4.90, the cost of a single 18”x24” taken from it is $2.45.  Because a double mat requires two mats of different colors, two sheets of matboard must be purchased.  So the cost of the double mat is $2.45 x 2 = $4.90. The excess matboard should be set aside for future frame jobs.

Your double mat will be taped together with double-sided adhesive tape.  Typically, you will lay down a line of tape equivalent to the length of each mat border and place a line about 9” long in the middle of the back of the drop-out piece.  You will have two borders 18” long and two borders 24” long, plus 9” – or a total of 93”, just under 3 yards.  Since the price for a roll of 36 yard ATG tape is $4.50, the cost per yard is .125 cents, and the cost for 3 yards is .38. 

Therefore the total cost for your double 18”x24” mat is ($4.90 + .38) = $5.28.


Backing Cost

Foamboard is used for backing the artwork and filling the frame.  Also, the artwork can be mounted against the foamboard.  Foamboard can be found in the Foamboard section of Framing4Yourself.com.

Since a sheet of foamboard is 32”x40”, and since the overall size can yield two backings of 18”x24”, the cost of a single piece of foamboard 18”x24” can be said to be half the cost of the full size sheet.  Therefore, if the full size sheet costs $5.25, the cost of a single piece 18”x24” taken from it is $2.63.  The excess foamboard should be set aside for future frame jobs.


Glazing Cost

A piece of 18”x24” Acrylic purchased in the Glass & Plastic section of Framing4Yourself.com is $8.00.

Return to last page viewed.

Shopping Cart | About Us | Send Us Email | Shipping Policies | Site Map | Home
Copyright © 2007 Framing4yourself.com. All Rights Reserved