Picture frames can be expensive due to the wood molding used, which come from trees with certain characteristics. Wood used for picture frames have to be durable, strong, have well-defined wood grain, and are not prone to warping.

The Popular Wood Materials for Picture Frames

There are plenty of wood options used for picture frames, either for residential or commercial use. Here are some of them:

• Jelutong – A wood native to Malaysia, Borneo, and Southeast Asia. This is primarily used for carving, wood sculptures, and moldings. It usually comes in yellowish color.
• Meranti – Popularly known as the Dark Red Meranti, this wood also comes in white, light red, and yellow. Its grain can appear straight or interlocked.
• Obeche – This is scientifically known as “Triplochiton scleroxylon.” It’s a West-African tree that can stand 65-100 feet in height. It has a light yellow color.
• Ramin – This is a white to pale yellow wood often used in picture framing. It’s prone to spalting as well as blue fungal staining. It can stand to as much as 100 feet. Ramin also comes from Indonesia and Southeast Asia.
• Cedar – This is a popular wood used in many woodworks and furniture. It can stand to the height of 30 meters maximum. Its scientific name is “Chamaecyparis thyoides.”
• Olive – An average Olive tree can range from 25-50 feet in height. It’s widely used in many woodworks, carving, and picture framing projects because of its yellowish to dark brown contrasting streaks.
• Walnut – The English Walnut can grow to as much as 85 to 115 feet. Its grain is usually upright and straight, but can also be irregular. It has a medium texture as well as a moderate but natural luster.
• Oak – This comes in various colors, stains, and textures. The popular ones are red, white, black, bur, scarlet, and chestnut oak. They’re categorized into two, the red and white oak. This appears to have a light to medium brown hue, and its grain is characterized by medium to large pores.

Wooden Picture Frames

Using timbers for frames by simply veneering them on a budget substrate is usual practice. In Utah, this is also done in picture framing jobs. The veneered frames come in and out of style, however, the level of finish applied to the veneer can vary from season to season.

The trends used in picture framing are dynamic, as they adhere to contemporary tastes in furniture creation. Although some standard designs are used for contemporary artworks. Nowadays, there are more photographs being framed than paintings. Photographs are usually smaller than oil paintings and usually work well with plain or minimalist moldings.

Whatever kind of wood you choose to create picture frames be sure to check out the warp and twists or winding before cutting them into various pieces. A lot of the headaches associated with creating these frames can be avoided by choosing high-quality frame moldings. Your DIY picture frame project can benefit from the right kind of wood, so find the best one that will match your framing needs.