Ikea Clip Frames

[Ed Richards]

Ikea sells a clip frame - glass front, board back, with clips to hold it together and hang it - in 20x28 for $7.99. I like the look of clip frames and I am curious if anyone has experience with these or clip frames in general. Do the large ones like this hang well or do they flex? Do they break if you look at them sideways?

[steve barry]

clip frames....well i like the look too. but, from the ones ive used, the flex, esp that big. but not so much that they look goofy hanging on the wall. and they break real easy too. its not tempered glass for 8 bucks, its real thin picture glass, the edges are exposed, and the clips holding it together are creating pressure points on the glass. so yeah, if you look at it sideways they break. i sandwich my photos between thick mat - so i am at the limit with the clips when i use them. so maybe if you used reg thickness mat the pressure would be reduced, but then you would have even more flex, the thinness and the exposed glass edge are still there.

i do like the way they look though. i wonder if someone makes a higher end clip frame. would probably be easy enough to make too....thin ply back, tempered glass, and some clips with rubber buffers or something.

[IanG]

They hang well, I've been using the Ikea variety for over 20 years and haven't had a problem. For photos I've always used a window mount.

Ian

[domenico Foschi]

I have seen those frames, so to speak, also in an exhibit at Freestyle in Los Angeles.
I believe that this kind of display has to be fit for a specific kind of work: not all styles of photography works well with it, or viceversa.

[Toyon]

I would be reluctant to going larger than 12x16 as the clips are not very strong.

[Pat Hilander]

I've had good luck the the 11x14" size, but like stated above, I wouldn't trust ones bigger than that to hold.

[cowanw]

Like Ian said.
The big ones have more clips.
The glass breaks if you drop it. (duh)
Regards
Bill

[Kirk Gittings]

Ikea sells a clip frame - glass front, board back, with clips to hold it together and hang it - in 20x28 for $7.99. I like the look of clip frames and I am curious if anyone has experience with these or clip frames in general. Do the large ones like this hang well or do they flex? Do they break if you look at them sideways?

For my students show at SAIC, we encourage their use for cost and uniformities sake. We encourage them to print on a larger sheet of paper using a generous border rather than mats to keep it simple and cost effective. The only problem seems to be some pressure areas, somewhat like newton's rings, that show up near the clips on some papers like premium glossy. We have exhibited many very well received student shows this way. Personally, for my work, they don't look "finished" enough.

[briennedugas]

:eek: Ok, at the risk of sounding like a dummy, HOW ON EARTH are the clips supposed to be attached?? I have it clipped in, but I wondered if anyone could tell me what the back of the frame should look like assembled. Thanks!!

[cowanw]

The backs are masonite, Possibley smooth on one or both sides. I put smooth side in. There are elogated holes on the back, top bottom and sides. The clips are curvy on one end and square like on the other. Angle the square end over the glass to be sure it catches the glass surface and rotate the clip longways so that the curved end comes in contact with the back on a hole. Push untill it clicks or the bump on the curved end sets into the hole on the back. Repeat until all the clips are on.
Or Buy a new one and look at it before you start.
Regards
Bill

[Charles Hohenstein]

I don't have an Ikea near me. Are these frames or the equivalent available over the Internet? 16x20 would be a nice size.

[drew.saunders]

I don't have an Ikea near me. Are these frames or the equivalent available over the Internet? 16x20 would be a nice size.

According to http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/96471400

"Sorry, this product is not for sale on our website, check if it is available in your local store."

But, long ago, I bought similar clip frames from Crate and Barrel, so other places might have them.

Drew

[Kevin Convery]

personally, I like the look of clip frames. I have a few personal and family type photos in clip frames as well as two 'real photos' of mine in clip frames. The bigger they are the easier they break seems to be the general rule of thumb. Also, just about every show I've contributed to has had in the framing guidelines, "DO NOT use clip frames or saw tooth hangers" both of those like to fall off walls for no reason.
Is this just home use/for a friend or is it a show?

[Peter Galuszewski]

I have used inexpensive ones for family photos and pictures that have far more emotional value than technical (I won't even venture to "artistic") merit. I like the look, especially with uniformly printed borders on the prints, and I have used various sizes to create a layout on the wall that looks pleasing and interesting (at least to me). I don`t know how the Ikea ones compare, but the ones I have seem to eat a grade of contrast, and the glass always seems to have a colour cast - plus there is a very noticeable issue (that I believe has been already mentioned) of what seem to be "pressure areas" - they look kind of like water has been trapped under the glass and flattened out (but less pronounced), or perhaps like a Newton "non-ring". From my experience, they are not really up to snuff for displaying any serious work - unless the Ikea versions are far superior in terms of glass quality. I believe a matt would solve the pressure spot issue - but the glass would still have to be up to snuff, and of course (again, from my experience) the clips are on the very edge of their design limits trying to hold such a "opulent" sandwich.
Of course, this is just my personal experience, and I suspect the quality varies greatly depending on manufacturer and thus the materials used.