RoughCollie Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 (edited) I took 2 framed lithos to Michaels to have double mats replaced and non-glare glass put in both. The outside of the frames measure about 30" x 35". The quote I got was $700 for both. That seems very high to me, so I decided to do it myself. I questioned whether the lady at Michaels had made a mistake in her calculations, and she assured me that she had not. Can I do it myself if I've never done it before? I just cannot figure out how something that seems to be relatively simple can cost $700. That is not a typo! Thanks, RC Edited January 2, 2012 by RoughCollie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unicorn. Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 Glass is expensive, but even that seems a bit high. Is Michaels your only option? Do they run specials on custom framing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 Do you have any U-Frame It (or comparable) places in your area? You do the labor, with their direction and it is much cheaper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 That is insane. You can call around glass shops and get a quote for just the glass. Glass is not that expensive. (Also, Michael's always has 50% off framing coupons all over the place. Definitely use one if you decide to go there!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoVanGogh Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 I just took in a poster and the original quote was $150. :glare: No matting, but I did want no-glare glass and a nice wood frame. The poster was a non-standard size or I would have done it myself. I decided to go with plain glass and a simple metal frame and it cut the cost in half. I don't know about doing a double-mat. Would you try cutting the mat yourself? I have always struggled cutting mats. (I took photography classes in college and we had to mat our own pictures.) Micheal's runs coupons. Otherwise try Aaron Brothers or Hobby Lobby. Maybe an independent place? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OLG Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 Framing has gone through the roof lately. If you are very good with the exacto knife and can afford to 'learn' on a few sets of mats you could do it yourself. Double mating is tricky:001_smile: Maybe you could find a shop that would work with you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoughCollie Posted January 2, 2012 Author Share Posted January 2, 2012 (edited) The lithos are already framed. All I need are: * 2 mats each * 2 pieces of glass There is no other place to go for this around here. We're lucky we have a Michael's. Hey, we do have a community college; maybe they have an art department and I could call the person in charge for advice. Maybe they have a course on this subject. Gosh, the mats that are now in use can be the templates for new mats. This just can't be so hard. Edited January 2, 2012 by RoughCollie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 I'd search online to order the mats, and then I'd call local home-glass shops for the glass, or worst case, look online for the glass, too. One online place that popped up with a quick google: http://www.matshop.com/products/mats/custom_cut_matboard/94/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoughCollie Posted January 2, 2012 Author Share Posted January 2, 2012 (edited) One online place that popped up with a quick google: http://www.matshop.com/products/mats/custom_cut_matboard/94/ There's a general store here that cuts glass, so I plan to talk to them about that. Thanks for the link. I went to the site and it looked very interesting -- a whole lot more interesting than doing this myself! Edited January 2, 2012 by RoughCollie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyof4ks Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 That is insane. You can call around glass shops and get a quote for just the glass. Glass is not that expensive. (Also, Michael's always has 50% off framing coupons all over the place. Definitely use one if you decide to go there!) :iagree: We had a triple pane, low-e picture window that is 7ft X 3 ft put in this summer for less than $600. A couple of pieces of single pane glass for picture frames should not cost more than that! Call local glass shops and get some quotes. Mats should be cheap to have cut to size, but I don't know where to find those other than a craft shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 That's just the matting and the glass? That does seem insane, even with the cost of framing so high. I always thought it was the labor (so that's cutting the mat, but also fitting the frame) and the frame that made it so high. In your situation, the frame and the labor associated with it are moot so I would think it would be a lot less than that. I went once to a frame shop and had the glass on an existing frame replaced by just giving them the measurements for it. They then cut and sold me the glass, which I picked up a few days later. I forget how much it was, but it was less than $50. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSMom2One Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 That quote seems QUITE inflated. I really think that sometimes this happens when they really don't want to do a project. KWIM? Also, you're bringing them your own frames, and that is one of their main sources of income so they might be padding the rest significantly. Actually this is usually done by matting first, then framing the matted artwork, rather than framing first and then matting. By going at this backwards it could be very problematic, depending on the size of the pictures and the size of the frames you have chosen. Another possibility is that your art work may be a non-standard size and the whole thing may require custom cutting. At any rate, I would never pay that much for this sort of thing -- and I'm an artist! Honestly, RoughCollie, your idea to go to the local community college is a really good one. I would encourage you to go that route. If that doesn't work and you would like some personal input on how to do it yourself, send me some digital photos and I'll try to help you. Blessings, Lucinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 I would think an art student could do the mats for you and you could buy the glass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoughCollie Posted January 2, 2012 Author Share Posted January 2, 2012 At any rate, I would never pay that much for this sort of thing -- and I'm an artist! Well, me either! Who can afford that? Trust me, very few people who live here can, and if they could, they would not go to Michael's. I went there because I thought it would cost $200-$300 to take care of both pictures. They are two of my favorites, or I would chalk it up to a lost cause. I got the idea of doing it myself when Amazon had a gold box sale on a mat cutter. How much time would it take a person to cut 4 mats, considering they will have the old mats there to use as templates? Let's say the glass is $200 and the mats themselves are $100. Is the mat cutters time worth $400 for this job? If so, where do I sign up for lessons? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 You can learn to do matting. If you have the cutter and follow straight lines. I remember learning with an exacto knife and getting the angle was hard but I think the cutter would solve that problem. Is there a tutorial on You Tube? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3littlekeets Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 Hi! Was that with Michael's regularly offered 60% off coupon? If not, just wait a week or two and they will have a coupon for 60% off framing. Occasionally, they offer 60% and an additional 10%. For my money, though, I had GREAT luck on ebay. I sent a framer my measurements and they sent me the frame, mats, and glass. I don't know how much shipping would add to the expense for such large glass pieces, though. If you want my seller's information, let me know and I'll go look it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KidsHappen Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 I had two prints double matted, and framed with non-glare glass about ten years ago. It was about $500 which I thought was ridiculous at the time but apparently inflation has been pretty good to the industry. I have one print that I want to transfer to one of the old frames and get one of the old prints reframed in a new frame with mats and non-glare glass but I can't afford it. I really don't know when I will be able to either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSMom2One Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 Well, me either! Who can afford that? Trust me, very few people who live here can, and if they could, they would not go to Michael's. I went there because I thought it would cost $200-$300 to take care of both pictures. They are two of my favorites, or I would chalk it up to a lost cause. I got the idea of doing it myself when Amazon had a gold box sale on a mat cutter. How much time would it take a person to cut 4 mats, considering they will have the old mats there to use as templates? Let's say the glass is $200 and the mats themselves are $100. Is the mat cutters time worth $400 for this job? If so, where do I sign up for lessons? For a beginner it might take an hour to hour and a half perhaps. Two if you are slow. But it might be a good idea to get some extra mat board to practice on first. Remember: measure twice, cut once!! You can get info online on how to cut mats. It doesn't take rocket science. You will also get info with your mat cutter. I highly recommend Logan brand mat cutters BTW. I've had mine for years and it's wonderful. Mat board and foam core are not that expensive. You can order online through Dick Blick and it shouldn't cost a fortune unless you're going to do some fancy double or triple matting. Or you could just head over to Michael's to buy the mat board and save some bucks on shipping. Oh, and be sure to get some good, acid free framer's or linen tape to hold the art work in place. Don't EVER use other types of tape when matting and framing. (The adhesives can ruin the artwork.) You're a handy gal from what you've told me before, so you'll do well with this. Maybe you'll get so good at it that you can hire yourself out in the area where you live. :~) Blessings, and have fun! Lucinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cera Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 I think Michael's inflates their prices quite a bit because they always have a 50% off framing coupon in their sales flyers. If you wait for the coupon and then take each item in individually you would wind up paying $350 for both which doesn't seem too high considering the anti glare glass (which is more expensive). It would certainly be easier than tracking down the glass and the mat and then doing it yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSMom2One Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 I think Michael's inflates their prices quite a bit because they always have a 50% off framing coupon in their sales flyers. If you wait for the coupon and then take each item in individually you would wind up paying $350 for both which doesn't seem too high considering the anti glare glass (which is more expensive). It would certainly be easier than tracking down the glass and the mat and then doing it yourself. I wouldn't even pay half of the quoted price. That's still ridiculous considering she's providing frames. Lucinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 As others have said, Michael's always have 50-60% off framing coupons -- so their standard prices are INSANE. ... My own experience was that they did an awful job too though, so I wouldn't go back even for a decent price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMA Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 I just realized that you just want the mats and glass replaced. You can go to a glass place and get the glass type you want cut to size. My FIL does this all the time with everything that needs replacing, even glass in frames. I would call around to local framing shops and ask about cost of the matting. I found the quality and price is better than Michaels. I had a needlepoint redone from Michaels at a local shop because they didn't know how to frame it. I got my money back from Michaels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 No advice on mats, but when bil sent us a framed print he sent it without glass and recommended we get glass cut to size at Home Depot. I don't know if they would have non-glare but if they do it would probably be cheaper than a frame shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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