Preparation of the frame before finishing is a crucial step in making a beautifully finished frame that will last for many years. The gessoed frame undergoes multiple stages of sanding and preparation before being finished.

With the frame painstakingly prepared for finishing, sheets of gold or other metals are applied leaf by leaf and then toned to achieve the desired finish.

Some frames require carving or are combinations of carving and molding techniques. With an average of 20 years of experience, each of our craftsmen is thoroughly schooled in the old-world methods.

Every Frame Master frame begins by hand-selecting each piece of the highest quality American hardwood, chosen for its strength and tightness of grain. We use only kiln-dried wood, grade select and better.

Using our own proprietary formula-known to have been used by framers to the British Crown of Buckingham Palace-the composition is hand pressed into molds to form frame ornaments.

Before being applied to a frame, each ornament is individually hand-trimmed and detailed before further preparation for finishing.