Fitting Pictures to Aluminium Frames

The glass in aluminium frames is 2mm thick. It is imperative that when lifting frames or glass that it is lifted evenly with 2 hands, never lift the glass or frame from a flat surface by one corner, you could be guaranteed to break the glass.

Sideloading Aluminium (frames that have screws in the rear of each corner) remove the rubber gaskets around the frame then loosen two of the screws in the corners of one side of the frame to enable you to remove one side. Once one of the aluminium sides is removed which will leave you with a 3 sided frame you can then slide out the glass and backing together.

You can then “sandwich” your artwork and mat if applicable between the glass and the backing board back and slide the whole thing back into the 3 sided frame and rejoin the aluminium side you have removed by simply screwing it back together again.

Ensure that you tighten the screws all the way and then replace the rubber gaskets.

Note that the rubber gaskets are designed in a wedge shape, this is a design so that (depending on the thickness of your artwork or whether you are using a mat with your artwork) the whole assembly once completed is fitted tight and is stable.

Now reposition the hanger if necessary.

Repositioning Cord Hanger Aluminium frames that have cord hangers on the frames are generally fitted in the horizontal position. These hangers can be changed to hang vertically by simply squeezing the hairpin hanger together and clipping out of the aluminium channel and repositioning in the vertical channel, it may be necessary to shorten the cord.

Backloading Aluminium Frames (frames that have a ‘spring clip” in each of the corners when removed from the back)

Place the frame face down on a flat clean surface. Slightly depress the spring clip where it meets the lip of the frame, and slightly swivel the clip and it will release from the frame, repeat for remaining 3 corners.

Remove the backing board and without removing glass (clean if necessary) place your mat (if applicable) and artwork face down against the glass, reposition the backing board and replace the spring clips taking care to ensure the flared ends of the spring clips locate securely under the lip of the frame.

Bend out the appropriate hanger, which is stamped onto the backing board to facilitate hanging.

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