You found the perfect painting. You know the wall where it’ll hang. Now visualize how it will look as our comp shopper chats with three picture framers.
What services does your company provide?
Chris Buckner: "We offer quality custom framing with museum-quality conservation. We also offer open-, limited- and original-edition artwork."
Phil Westphal: "We provide custom framing services. Basically, if you want it framed, we'll try to give you what you want. We can pretty much frame anything."
Chuck Hausafus: "We provide custom framing, and we're also an art gallery with everything from blown glass to acrylic and oil canvases, and sculptures."
What's the most common thing people have framed?
Buckner: "It's mostly personal photos, memorabilia, jerseys and personal, sentimental belongings."
Westphal: "The most common things are pictures, prints and posters."
Hausafus: "We see everything from canvases to certificates, diplomas and jerseys."
How do you charge?
Buckner: "It's mostly the materials you pick that will determine the price but the estimates we give are exact."
Westphal: "Pricing is broken down based on the size, but we have to have the item on hand to be able to give a quote."
Hausafus: "It's priced by the foot and we offer different types of glass priced by size. So everything's by estimate by the size."
What are the best materials for conservation?
Buckner: "You want non-acidic materials and UV protection glass."
Westphal: "You want a UV-protective glass and an acid-free mat and backing."
Hausafus: "The matting and backing should be acid-free and you want UV glass that prevents fading."
What's the most unique or most valuable thing you've ever framed?
Buckner: "We've done everything from guitars, drum heads and cymbals to antique baptismal dresses and very old scrolls."
Westphal: "We've seen some wonderful things: documents signed by Abraham Lincoln, WWII medals, Mardi Gras masks and pieces of ancient Mayan pottery."
Hausafus: "It may not be valuable by itself, but it's valuable to the client. We've done Purple Heart medals, family photos and signed jerseys."