The wrong frame doesn’t just look bad — it can permanently damage your artwork within 5 years.
Acid in cheap backing boards yellows photos. Moisture trapped behind poorly fitted glass destroys canvas. Fading from UV exposure strips the life from prints you paid good money for. And none of it is obvious until the damage is done.
Choosing the right frame is one of the most important decisions you’ll make for any piece of artwork — and yet most people spend more time picking the nail to hang it on. At Off The Wall Framing in Rockdale, Sydney, we’ve been helping homeowners, artists, collectors, and businesses frame their most treasured pieces for over 30 years. In this guide, we break down exactly how to choose a picture frame for canvas art, prints, and photos — covering frame style, colour, material, matboards, and glass — so you get it right the first time.
1. Framing Canvas Art: Floater Frames, Depth & What Actually Works
Canvas paintings and canvas prints have unique framing requirements. Because canvas is stretched over a timber stretcher bar, it already has depth — and your frame choice needs to work with that structure, not against it.
Should You Even Frame a Canvas?
A gallery-wrapped canvas (where the image wraps around the sides) looks perfectly fine unframed in a contemporary space. But adding a frame gives the piece a more finished, intentional look — and it adds critical physical protection to the edges, which are the first thing to wear and collect dust.
Our recommendation: if the piece has sentimental or financial value, frame it. If it’s a decorative print in a casual space, gallery-wrap is fine.
The Best Frame for Canvas Art: Floater Frames
For canvas, the go-to choice among professional framers is the floater frame. Unlike a standard frame that overlaps the artwork’s edge, a floater frame surrounds the canvas with a small visual gap — typically 3–5mm — giving the piece a gallery-quality, suspended appearance. This is the best frame for canvas art in almost every situation.
What to look for in a floater frame:
- Depth: Must accommodate your canvas thickness. Standard canvases are 18mm–38mm deep. Always measure before ordering.
- Timber floater frames: Add warmth. Ideal for landscapes, portraits, and traditional oil paintings.
- Metal floater frames: Sleek and contemporary. Best for abstract, photographic, and modern works.
- Colour: Black and natural timber are the most versatile. Gold adds a gallery or classical feel.
- No glass needed: Canvas texture is part of its appeal. Glass traps moisture and flattens the visual depth of the work.
We offer fully custom canvas framing built to any dimension.
2. Framing Art Prints & Posters: Style, Size & UV Protection
Paper-based art prints and posters are far more vulnerable to damage than canvas — UV light, humidity, and acidic materials are their enemies. Getting the frame for art print right means thinking about both how it looks and how well it protects.
Matching Frame Style to the Print
The frame should complement the artwork, not compete with it. Here’s how to read the piece:
- Minimalist or Scandi prints: Thin black, white, or natural oak frames. Let the artwork breathe.
- Vintage, botanical, or retro prints: Ornate gold or antique timber frames reinforce the nostalgic character.
- Bold graphic or pop art: Brushed silver or chrome metal frames suit the clean graphic edge.
- Fine art photography prints: Wide white matboard inside a slim frame gives a gallery-quality, prestigious feel.
- Motivational / typographic posters: Simple black or white poster frames. Don’t over-dress them.
Standard vs. Custom Frame Sizes for Australian Prints
Off The Wall Framing stocks ready-made frames across all Australian ISO sizes — A5, A4, A3, A2, A1, and A0 — a cost-effective option when your print matches. But if your print is a non-standard size, our custom picture framing Sydney service builds a frame to your exact measurements.
Browse all standard Australian frame sizes — in stock and ready to ship.
UV-Protective Glass: Is It Worth It for Prints?
Short answer: yes, especially in Sydney. North-facing rooms in Australian homes receive consistent, intense sunlight year-round. UV light is the primary cause of colour fading in art prints and photographs, and the damage is irreversible.
Glass options explained:
- Standard glass: Affordable but offers zero UV protection. Fine for low-light areas only.
- UV-protective glass: Filters up to 99% of UV rays. Essential for prints in lit rooms. Our most recommended upgrade.
- Non-reflective glass: Reduces glare. Great for brightly lit rooms or works hung opposite windows.
- Museum glass: Anti-reflective and UV-protective. Premium option for high-value pieces.
3. Framing Photos: Preserving Memories Without Damaging Them
Photographs are the most emotionally significant items most people ever frame. Whether it’s a wedding portrait, a restored family heirloom, or a professional print, custom photo frames Australia-wide should always use archival materials — because cheap frames damage photos silently over time.
Why Cheap Ready-Made Frames Damage Photos
Mass-produced frames from retail chains frequently use acidic backing boards and non-archival materials. Over time, acid migrates into the photograph, causing yellowing, brittleness, and irreversible colour shifts. You might not notice for a few years — but by then, the damage is done.
At Off The Wall Framing, all custom photo frames use acid-free, archival-grade matboards and backing boards as standard — the same materials used by galleries and museums to preserve artwork for generations.
Tips for Choosing the Right Photo Frame
- Tone matching: Black-and-white photos shine in black, white, or silver frames. Warm-toned photos pair naturally with timber or gold.
- Always use a matboard: It creates breathing room and prevents the photo surface from touching the glass — which causes sticking and moisture damage.
- Use UV glass: For anything with lasting value — family portraits, wedding photos, professional prints — UV glass is essential.
- Think in groupings: If building a gallery wall, a consistent frame colour family creates visual cohesion without looking rigid.
- Size up slightly: A frame that feels slightly generous around a photo almost always looks better than one that feels tight.
Find out more about our photo restoration and framing service.
4. How to Choose Frame Colour, Material & Finish
“How do I choose the right picture frame colour?” is the question we get asked most often at our picture framing Rockdale studio. Here’s the framework our team uses — and it works for almost every situation.
Rule 1: Pull From the Artwork, Not the Wall
Identify a secondary or accent colour within the artwork itself — not the dominant colour — and echo that in the frame. This creates a visual relationship between the frame and the piece without making them compete.
Example: a seascape painting with dominant blues and a small area of sandy beige. A natural timber or warm gold frame picks up that beige accent — and looks far more intentional than a blue frame that simply matches the water.
Rule 2: Use Contrast Intentionally
- Light artwork: A dark frame (black, deep walnut) creates definition and stops the piece from floating.
- Dark or rich artwork: A lighter or natural timber frame stops the piece from feeling heavy.
- When in doubt: Black, white, natural timber, and silver are universally safe picture frame styles — they complement almost anything.
Matching Frames to Your Interior Style
- Hamptons / coastal: White, linen, or bleached timber frames.
- Industrial / modern: Black metal or dark charcoal timber.
- Scandi / minimalist: Light oak, natural pine, or thin white frames.
- Traditional / classic: Gold, bronze, or ornate moulded timber frames.
- Maximalist / eclectic: Mix frame finishes deliberately — unify with a consistent mat colour.
Frame Materials: Which One Is Right?
- Timber (wood): Warm, versatile, available in dozens of finishes. The most popular choice for homes across Sydney.
- Metal: Clean lines, contemporary feel. Ideal for photo framing Sydney and graphic prints.
- Acrylic / Perspex: Lightweight and shatter-resistant. Good for children’s rooms, large frames, or shipping.
- Ornate moulded frames: Traditional and decorative. Suits classical paintings, mirrors, and formal spaces.
5. Matboard & Glass: Do You Actually Need Them?
Matboards and glass are the two most misunderstood elements of picture framing — and the ones most people skip to save money. Here’s what they actually do, and when they’re worth it.
What Is a Matboard and Why Does It Matter?
A matboard (also called a mat or mount) is a flat border between the artwork and the frame. It’s usually white or off-white, though it comes in hundreds of colours and can be double or triple-layered for a premium look.
What a matboard actually does:
- Creates visual breathing room so the artwork isn’t cramped by the frame
- Prevents the artwork surface from touching the glass — critical for photo framing and paper prints
- Adds perceived depth and a gallery-quality finish
- Allows non-standard artwork to fit standard frame sizes
- Absorbs small amounts of humidity, protecting the artwork from moisture fluctuations
We cut custom matboards to any size and colour — same-day service available
Glass vs. Acrylic in Picture Framing: Which Should You Choose?
- Standard glass: Affordable, scratch-resistant, heavy. No UV protection. Suitable for low-value pieces in low-light areas only.
- UV-protective glass: Our most recommended option. Filters up to 99% of UV rays. Extends the life of any framed piece significantly.
- Non-reflective glass: Eliminates glare. Ideal for brightly lit rooms or pieces hung facing windows.
- Museum glass: The gold standard — anti-reflective and UV-protective. For high-value art and irreplaceable pieces.
- Acrylic (Perspex / Plexiglass): Half the weight of glass, shatter-proof. Best for large-format frames, children’s rooms, or anything being shipped.
The right choice depends on the value of the artwork, the room’s light conditions, and your budget. Our team will walk you through the options when you visit.
6. Why Sydney Customers Choose Off The Wall Framing
There are dozens of picture framers in Sydney. Here’s what makes the difference when you work with our team in Rockdale.
- 30+ years of experience: We’ve framed everything from children’s drawings to gallery-grade oil paintings, sports memorabilia to corporate installations. That experience shows in every frame we build.
- Archival materials only: We never use acidic backboards or low-grade materials in our custom picture framing. Every piece is built to last.
- Full in-house service: photo restoration, canvas printing, custom matboards, shadow box frames, mirrors — we handle it all under one roof at our Rockdale studio.
- Transparent pricing: No surprises. We give you a full quote before any work begins.
- Pick-up and delivery: We serve customers across Sydney — Rockdale, Miranda, Maroubra, Zetland, Double Bay, Strathfield, Rose Bay, and beyond.
Framing jerseys, medals, or sports memorabilia? See our full memorabilia framing service.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know what size frame I need for my print?
Measure your artwork’s width and height precisely. Then decide whether you want a matboard — if yes, add the mat border width to each side (typically 5–7cm). That final measurement is your frame size. If you’re unsure, bring your artwork into our Rockdale studio and we’ll measure it for you on the spot.
What is the difference between custom framing and ready-made frames?
Ready-made frames come in fixed sizes and use standardised, often low-grade materials. Custom picture framing is built specifically for your artwork’s exact dimensions, using the frame style, matboard, and glass you choose — with archival-grade materials that protect long-term.
Is UV-protective glass worth the extra cost?
For anything with sentimental or financial value — absolutely. UV light causes irreversible colour fading in photos and prints, and Sydney homes receive intense sun year-round. UV-protective glass extends the life of your framed piece by decades. The additional cost is minor compared to the protection it provides.
How long does custom picture framing take in Sydney?
Most custom framing orders at Off The Wall Framing are completed within 5–10 business days. If you have a deadline — a gift, an event, or a move — let our team know and we’ll do our best to accommodate a faster turnaround.
Do you offer framing for businesses and commercial spaces?
Yes. We provide commercial picture framing for restaurants, hotels, offices, retail stores, and corporate spaces across Sydney. Our service includes bulk pricing, installation, and art advisory for larger projects.
Read more about our commercial and corporate framing services.
Can you restore a damaged photo before framing it?
Yes — this is one of our most popular services. We handle photo restoration digitally in-house, correcting fading, water damage, tears, and discolouration before printing an archival-quality copy and framing it. A meaningful way to bring a damaged family heirloom back to life.
Learn about our photo repairs and restorations service.
Get It Right the First Time — Visit Our Rockdale Studio
Choosing the right frame is about far more than aesthetics. It’s about protecting something you care about — a piece of art, a family memory, a personal achievement — and displaying it in a way that does it justice. Whether you need custom picture framing Sydney, canvas framing, photo framing, or expert advice on how to choose a picture frame, our team at Off The Wall Framing is here to help.
Visit our custom framing near me, in Rockdale, or explore our full range of picture framing services online. We serve customers across Sydney including Rockdale, Miranda, Maroubra, Zetland, Double Bay, Rose Bay, Strathfield, and surrounding suburbs.
