You just finished a canvas. Or maybe you finally bought that original oil sketch from an artist on Instagram. Now it’s sitting on your floor, leaning against the baseboard, looking a little bit sad and naked. You look up custom framing prices and realize it’s going to cost $300 for a piece of wood and some glass. It’s soul-crushing. Honestly, spending more on the border than the actual art feels like a scam.
But here’s the thing: cheap frames for paintings don't have to look like plastic junk from a dorm room.
The secret isn't just finding the lowest price tag at a big-box store. It’s about understanding the "markup" culture of the gallery world and knowing where to pivot. Professional framers charge for labor, specialized machinery, and conservation-grade materials. If you’re protecting a $50,000 Picasso, yeah, pay the pro. If you’re trying to make a $40 thrift store find look like a masterpiece, you need to get crafty.
The Big Box Reality Check
Most people head straight to Michaels or Hobby Lobby. They wait for the 50% off coupons. It’s a classic move. But even with the discount, those "ready-made" frames often have flimsy cardboard backs and thin plexiglass that warps if you even look at it funny.
If you’re going the retail route, look for the "Belmont" or "Studio" lines. These are usually solid wood or at least a decent MDF. Avoid anything that feels light as a feather. Weight matters. A heavy frame suggests density, and density suggests quality to the human eye.
👉 See also: Using the Word Lucrative: Why Most People Use This Power Word Wrong
Check the clearance aisle first. Always. Retailers often mark down frames with tiny, imperceptible chips in the corner. You can fix those with a $5 metallic wax rub or even a Sharpie. I’ve seen $80 frames dropped to $12 because of a scratch that literally disappeared once I hung it in a dimly lit hallway.
Thrift Stores and the "Ugly Art" Strategy
This is where the real experts live. Go to Goodwill, Savers, or your local church basement sale. Don’t look at the art. Ignore the faded 1980s floral prints or the weird "Live Laugh Love" signs. Look at the wood.
You are hunting for "the bones."
Antique shops are gold mines for cheap frames for paintings because people often undervalue the frame and overvalue the terrible painting inside it. If you find a solid oak or ornate gilded frame for $15, buy it immediately. You can pop the old art out, throw it away, and insert your own.
Modernizing Vintage Finds
Sometimes the frame is the right shape but the wrong vibe. It’s too "Grandma’s parlor."
👉 See also: What Non Binary Mean: Beyond the He and She of Modern Identity
Grab a can of matte black spray paint. Or, if you want that high-end "Plein Air" look, use a product called Rub 'n Buff in European Gold. You just smear it on with your finger. It transforms a plastic-looking gold frame into something that looks like it was plucked from a museum in Florence. It’s a total game changer for budget decorators.
IKEA: The Great and the Terrible
We have to talk about IKEA. The Ribba frame is iconic, but it’s also the most "IKEA" looking thing in the world. Everyone recognizes it. If you want your art to stand out, stop using the Ribba.
Instead, look at the Lomviken or the Silverhöjden. They have thinner profiles and metallic finishes that look significantly more expensive than they are.
Pro tip: Throw away the paper mat that comes with cheap frames. It’s usually a weird, off-white color that makes your art look yellow. Go to a local frame shop and ask them to cut you a "custom mat" for your cheap frame. It’ll cost you $10–$20, but the precision cut and the high-quality cotton texture will make the whole setup look like a $200 custom job.
The Canvas Problem: Floater Frames
Painting on canvas is a nightmare for budget framing because canvases are thick. Standard frames won't work. You end up with the back of the painting sticking out an inch from the wall.
You need a floater frame.
Traditionally, these were expensive. Now, you can find "L-shaped" wood molding online or at hardware stores. If you’re even slightly handy, you can build your own for about $15 in materials. You basically build a box that’s slightly larger than the canvas and screw the painting in from the back. It creates a gap between the art and the frame, making it look like the painting is "floating."
It’s the cleanest, most modern look for contemporary art.
✨ Don't miss: The Truth About Wedding Hairstyles for Women and Why Your Pinterest Board Might Be Lying
Where to Buy Online Without Getting Ripped Off
If you hate leave the house, the internet is your best friend—but only if you know where to look.
- Pictureframes.com: They have a "clearance" section that is actually legit.
- Frame It Easy: Great for weird sizes. If your painting is 11.3 x 14.7 inches, they can do it without the custom shop markup.
- Amazon Basics: Honestly? Not bad for simple gallery walls. Just replace the plastic "glass" with real glass from a local hardware store if you want it to look high-end.
Material Matters: Glass vs. Acrylic
Cheap frames always come with cheap covers. Usually, it’s thin acrylic that attracts dust like a magnet and scratches if you breathe on it.
If the art is important to you, consider the "UV factor." Standard glass or plastic lets in light that will fade your painting over five years. If you’re using cheap frames for paintings, you can still upgrade the "glazing."
You can buy a sheet of "Museum Glass" or "Conservation Clear" and swap it into a $10 thrifted frame. The glass is where the protection happens; the frame is just the jewelry.
Don’t Forget the Hardware
Nothing screams "I bought this for five dollars" like a frame that hangs crookedly on a piece of string.
Ditch the sawtooth hangers. Use D-rings and braided wire. It makes the back of the painting look professional, and it stays level on the wall. If you’re selling your art, the back of the frame matters almost as much as the front. It builds trust with the buyer. They see a sturdy wire and think, "This person knows what they’re doing."
The Psychological Trick of the "Oversized Mat"
If you have a tiny 4x6 painting, don't put it in a 4x6 frame. Put it in an 11x14 frame with a massive mat.
The white space (negative space) forces the viewer to focus on the art. It creates a sense of "importance." This is why high-end galleries often have tiny sketches in huge, expensive-looking borders. It’s a classic trick to make small, cheap art look like a deliberate, curated choice.
Practical Steps to Get Started
- Measure twice. Measure your painting’s height, width, and depth (thickness). Write it down on your phone. You’ll forget it the second you walk into a store.
- Scout the "as-is" section. Hit up HomeGoods or TJ Maxx. Sometimes they have framed "art" that is objectively terrible, but the frame itself is high-quality wood. Buy it for the frame, toss the print.
- Invest in a point driver. If you’re going to do this often, spend $20 on a Logan Point Driver. It’s a tool that shoots those little metal tabs into the back of the frame to hold everything in place. It’s way better than trying to bend tabs with a screwdriver and hurting your thumbs.
- Use spacers. If you’re framing an oil painting or an acrylic that is still "curing," don't let the glass touch the surface. You can buy tiny plastic "spacers" that stick to the edge of the glass and keep it a fraction of an inch away from the paint.
- Clean your glass with coffee filters. Seriously. Windex and a paper towel leave lint. Coffee filters leave a streak-free, professional finish.
Framing is the final act of creation. It defines the boundary between the "real world" and the world of the painting. You don't need a massive bank account to make that boundary look sophisticated. You just need to stop thinking that "custom" is the only way to get quality. Sometimes, the best frame is the one you rescued from a dusty bin and gave a second life.