A Versatile Frame Moulding For Stretched Canvas
Have you seen these frames and wondered what they are used for? They are called Float Frames. Instead of the frame sitting on top of your art, a float frame rests under your art. It is a frame designed to lay behind a painting or stretched art to make the art appear as if it were ‘floating’ within the frame.
Why would you use a float frame?
Float Frames:
- Allow the viewer to see the sides of a canvas
- Give stability to a canvas and prevent warping
- Can appear minimal or invisible
- Are available in a variety of colors, sizes and materials
A float frame is more versatile than you would imagine.
Traditionally float frames are used to rest behind a stretched canvas. It gives a clean, contemporary look.
You can also add a frame within a frame for a dramatic, multi-dimensional effect.
Sometimes you need to raise the art above the frame.
Using a float frame can be a great way to add another frame to your moulding stack, leave a visual distance between your art & frame, extend the depth of the moulding for shadowboxes, or add character to your framing. We’d be happy to show you our float frame collection!
Traditional Stretch vs. Gallery Wrap – Which is best for a Float Frame?
With traditionally stretched canvases, the fabric is wrapped around shallow stretcher bars (plain wood frame) and secured to the sides. The edges are unpainted and staples are visible. The canvas is usually intended to be framed before presentation. The shallow depth ensures the canvas can fit inside normal frames.
With a gallery wrap, the fabric is wrapped all the way around the edges and secured to the backside of the stretcher bars. Edges are painted and finished; no mounting methods or staples are visible.
When using a float frame, the depth of the stretcher bars is a matter of preference, based on the look you want. Ask us about your options. Either way, when using a float frame, it is best to have the edges painted (even if it is painted black) since a little edge will show.