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The Best Wooden Picture Frames

Last updated on August 3, 2024
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Our Picks For The Top Wooden Picture Frames

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Product Overview
Key Takeaway
 Top Pick

Emfogo Real Glass Insert Wooden Picture Frame

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Emfogo

Real Glass Insert Wooden Picture Frame

This 4-by-6-inch picture frame comes in multiple wood styles, including walnut and rustic white. The high-definition glass puts the focus on your photo, while the smooth boarding at the back offers extra protection. The design makes it versatile enough for both vertical and horizontal photos, and it comes with a wall hanger and a screw for easy mou...

Overall Take

Classic OptionChoose from a variety of classic wood types with this frame, which is a great addition to your office or living space.

 Runner Up

PETAFLOP Easel Back Wooden Picture Frames, 7-Pack

PETAFLOP

Easel Back Wooden Picture Frames, 7-Pack

You'll get a set of seven frames in this set, each made from composite wood and real glass. You can choose from a variety of finish styles, with each frame holding one 4-by-6-inch photo. It comes with mounting hardware, along with an easel back, giving you the option to hang or display it horizontally or vertically.

Overall Take

Great for Larger RoomsFill a wall in your large, high-ceilinged room with these picture frames, which let you create a collage of your favorite photos.

 We Also Like

Q.Hou Pre-Attached Hanging Hardware Wooden Picture Frames, 6-Pack

Q.Hou

Pre-Attached Hanging Hardware Wooden Picture Frames, 6-Pack

High-quality MDF wood gives this frame a durable, lightweight build that looks like real wood. It features a rustic finish with burnished brown spots for extra authenticity. You'll get six frames in this set, suitable for displaying together or to spread throughout your home.

Overall Take

Easy to AssembleThe tabs on these picture frames are easy to lift to make inserting your photos easy.

 Strong Contender

RPJC Easy Open Tabs Wooden Picture Frame

RPJC

Easy Open Tabs Wooden Picture Frame

Solid wood and high-definition glass make this 11 X 14 picture frame durable and sturdy. The backing has easy-open tabs to help you load and unload photos without the use of a tool to pry them away. The frame is ¾ inches wide, making the total finished size 12.5” x 15.5” x 0.75”.

Overall Take

Versatile OptionDisplay larger photos, prints or keepsakes in this 11 X 14 picture frame that you can use with or without the included matte.

Buying Guide

Although technology has changed the way photos are taken and stored, there’s still an interest in print photographs. In fact, even younger generations are printing and displaying print photographs as their ancestors once did.

Picture frames have long been a popular way to display your print photos. The right frame can help you show off your favorite images around the house or at the office. But frames also shield those photos from elements that can break down the gelatin layer that helps protect modern prints. Pollution and moisture can deteriorate that shield over time, causing the image to fade.

When looking for a picture frame, you might not prioritize the glass that covers the picture, but it can help protect the precious momento beneath it. Both glass and acrylic keep outside elements out, but glass can look classier and provide better visibility. For extra-special keepsakes that you don’t have in digital format, you can buy frames with glass designed to shield the items beneath from UV rays, which offers an extra layer of protection.

The frame around your photo is an important consideration, as well. It can be tempting to look for one that enhances the decor of the area where it will be stored, but complementing the photo should be top priority. If your photo has warmer tones like brown and orange, darker wood frames will likely be the best choice, but for cooler tones like blue and green, stick with lighter woods.

The design of the frame is something else to consider. You can find rustic frames, ornamental frames and frames that have a simple classic wood look. This is where you can choose a frame that matches your decor. You’ll also find picture frames with slimmer profiles that don’t stand out as much. If your space has a modern theme, choose one in solid black or white (instead of basic wood shades) to complement that aesthetic.

What to Look For

  • One of the top things to consider when shopping for a frame is the size of the image or item you want to put inside it. Prints are measured in inches and come in many sizes, from 4 by 6 inches and 8 by 10 inches to 18 by 24 inches and 24 by 36 inches. The smaller frames are the most popular, but if you’re framing a degree, artwork or some other non-photo item, you may find yourself shopping for larger sizes.
  • The glass that shields the photo can sometimes obscure your view. Some come with high-definition glass that helps optimize the images beneath.
  • Frames have a protective backing that holds the photo in place. This should should be made of a material that won’t damage the photo. It is usually held in place by metal prongs that you pry back to slide the photo inside. Some are easier to pull back than others, so you might want to keep a screwdriver or other tool handy.
  • Most modern prints will have an original in digital format somewhere. Make sure those are backed up regularly. If you have keepsakes in print format only, consider scanning them and adding them to your backed-up files so that you’re protected against loss and fading.
  • If you have enough wall space, you can buy multiples of the same frame and create a wall collage. This helps show off your creativity while also displaying your favorite photos. Some frames are sold in sets for this very purpose, although you can also purchase these sets and spread the frames around a room or entire home.
  • Check out whether a frame is made from solid wood, composite wood or some other material. Solid wood can be pricier and heavier, and there are other options that offer the same look.
  • With most photo frames, the backing has an easel that lets you set it up horizontally or vertically. Many also come with a hanger that lets you mount it to the wall. If you plan on going this route, make sure you’ll have the tools and hardware necessary to hang it.

More to Explore

Although picture frames as we know them didn’t come around until much later, ancient Egyptians could be credited for the concept. Their carvings would often include carved frames around their artwork, helping separate images from the wall surrounding them. But the first wooden frames came along in Europe in the 12th and 13th centuries, when they were used for paintings. This continued into the 14th and 15th centuries, with framed paintings mostly seen in churches.

The Italian Renaissance brought framed paintings to the estates of wealthy nobles. In the centuries that followed, frames expanded both in popularity and materials. Instead of simple frames, furniture builders used silver, bronze and other metals to make them, taking them to the next level. In the 16th century, frames began to develop a lower profile, emphasizing the items stored within more than the frame itself. The slimmer, simpler style that’s seen today became more common than thicker, overly ornate styles.

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