The Framers Forum

Is there any way to remove a warp from a frame? 16" x 43" 37mm square moulding.... pivots on opposite corners if you know what I mean.

The quick answer is no.

You can spend a couple of hours faffing about re-cutting the mitres and so on. You may get lucky, but all in all making a new frame is the only option.

Break the frame down and sight along the lengths. Chances are it's just one rail that is twisted. Save the good bits.

Have you tried putting together with the work. glass and backing, sometimes it can cure the problem

Thanks for the feedback...

Yes... tried putting the artwork in but NBG! it's one thats come back. Got strap hangers on it as it's so wide and not very tall but if it had got string it wouldn't notice so bad.

Was hoping I hadn't got to make it again.

Sometimes if it's a skinny moulding and the warp is not too bad, the glass/back will pull it true. (We've all done it. ). 37mm is a bit too meaty for this. Sometimes the glass will straighten the frame a bit, but if it's not dead flat it means the glass is bending. Glass will bend. Not good as the glass will be under a small but constant tension. It's just waiting for a short, sharp shock. A slammed door could do it.

Twisty frames are just one of the slings and arrows that framers are heir to. If you never get one you are very lucky.

Security fixings screwed to the wall that would straighten the bugger out.

Is it me or is this becoming more common, when I first started framing (late 80's) didn't seem to happen much, now not a week goes by without at least one frame twisted and warped.........

Agree with SteveN. Quite common now on narrow mouldings. Tend not to worry too much though as they straighten with glass and backboard in. Always check the wider ones before cutting, often have to work around bent sticks, often just a foot or two at one end. Its a bit like buying timber from B and Q. Guess it is a reflection on the quality of the raw materials.

I agree that the quality of timber has declined over the years. But having said that, twisty bits have always been problem with me. One reason I migrated to hand-finishing..... Some mouldings seem more prone to twisting than others.

Sometimes a twist can be quite localised and you can cut out a bad section as you go without significant wastage. You can usually tell when you cut it if it doesn't sit flat on the chopper bed. It's not worth trying to use a bad bit. All that will happen is that it will spoil the other three nice straight rails. A few bits here and there are to be expected to some extent, but if you start getting a lot - particularly on an expensive moulding, save the bad bits and ask for a replacement or credit.

Global warming its all those hot summers we are getting