Framing An Oil Painting

[237SJ]

I found an oil painting of my childhood home at my Mum`s house. It`s on canvas board. I would like to frame it. Would I just put it in a frame or should it be behind glass?

[Canary42]

Up to you really. Glass protects from cigarette smoke etc but can obscure detail and also make it difficult to site the picture without reflections interfering with viewing. I have several oil paintings and none are glassed.

[shoota]

Nothing to stop you glazing it if you wish but the convention is that oils aren't glazed.

[DTCwordfan]

if you are going to glass, best go for the better ones as there is a difference........uv won't be necessary.

[237SJ]

Thanks. I think I`ll leave it glass free. I don`t know whether to mount it or leave it as it is - I don`t want to lose any of the picture.

[shoota]

Generally oils are not mounted, they just go straight in a frame.
Should you decide to mount it then it would probably be best to glaze it in order to keep the mount flat and clean. Putting a mount on bumps up the cost of a frame as you then need a much bigger one.

[237SJ]

Right - I`ll leave it unmounted. I think that will look better anyway. One last question. I have identified a place for it. I want it in the hallway but it will be above a radiator. Would that damage the painting? I don`t think the frame will warp because I have had another picture (print) there for years. It`s the actual painting I`m thinking about.

[shoota]

Ta for BA :-)

The heat from a rad shouldn't warp the picture as long as it is a couple of feet away and the rad isn't scalding.