Picture frame gaping - help me fix this (with photos)

[oriel3]

I have a bunch of Ikea Ribba picture frames that gape. By this I mean - it's meant to be a rectangle, but each edge buckles slightly so that the whole frame takes on a rounded look. The print that slips out because the little black bendy clips lose their grip on the print. I attach some photos to show what I mean.

Is there a way to fix this? Maybe involving clips/strings that hold the two opposite edges taut? It feels wasteful to throw them away. Please help me save them from the dump!

An extra piece of card cut to size?

Can you describe more what you mean?

I think the key is to get the four sides to stay perpendicular.

Layer up cardboard in the middle of back until it sits flat.

Frames often come with cardboard for this reason.

A thick piece of card, the same size as the hole in the frame, placed behind the poster will pack out the gap between the glass and the clips, keeping the print flat.

I have attached eyelets half way down the long sides and attached them together with net curtain wire to bring them together, if that makes sense?

This ^ is the only solution that really works. Some frames are just too long to support their own weight, so the bottom edge sags.

@13luckyblackcats YES! This is the solution I'm after. What type of eyelets and where did you get them please?

And how did you attach the eyelets to the long side please? If I could please see a photo I'd be so grateful...

Yep, what @13luckyblackcats says. Use screw in eyelets. I use garden wire.

@MadameKali the thing is, the frame is MDF and not that thick. A screw-in eyelet will surely destroy it?

While I've got your attention, where do you get your wooden frames? Someone recommended Habitat (Argos) but they're consistently sold out.

@oriel3 nope, the ones I use only have a very short screwy bit (technical term).
I've discovered the photo shop around the corner (Max Spielman I think) sells frames decent and fairly cheap. Otherwise Amazon isn't too bad

@MadameKali so you just screwed it in and it stayed in? I'll have a hunt for a little screw eyelet!

Yep. I have been known to just staple gun garden wire to the sides of the frames too and then kind of knot the ends together. IKEA frames and their buckling tendancies fuck me right off. I've spent a lot of time working out how I can fix them

YES! Staple gun is a great shout too. I could staple gun the sides, string the wire through the staples and tie together.

What sort of wire do you use? I have some brass (?) picture rail wire, that could work?

Might be a bit thick - the stuff I use is just cheap thin wire with a green plastic coating that I'm sure was sold as "garden wire"

Sorry, I went to sleep v early last night. But @MadameKali has covered it! I've only had to do it do crappy IKEA mdf frames, so they can definitely take it. Let me see if I can grab a photo.

Obviously found one I had done differently, must have run out of eyelets. Still works though. Good luck.

@13luckyblackcats thanks so much! Any chance of a closeup of the eyelet bit please?

So that one is where I've used picture nails to go into the frame, holding eyelets on curtain wire in place (I think there must have already been an eyelet in the wire and that I only had another one spare). I will try and find one where I have used the eyelets the more usual way. As you can maybe see though, we have picture rails and I screw eyelets into everything to hang them, have never had a problem.

Thank you - I'll get some curtain wire (is that right?) and eyelet screws and give it a go

Hope the suggestions work. They sound worth a go.
The problem with posters isn't the poster as such, it's the weight of the glass. If budgets can stretch to it, a metal frame is the solution if you want a very thin one which won't warp. But metal can be very expensive even if an 'off the shelf' size will fit.
For posters where I wanted a very thin frame, I've used metal. I have also used wood, but I use a broader moulding in wood- with wood, the larger the print/poster, the broader the moulding needs to be. A good bespoke framer won't sell you one too narrow for the size you want.

If the poster is of value, to you, or to the world in general, I'd get a bespoke frame done, but they cost ££££s.

@oriel3

While I've got your attention, where do you get your wooden frames? Someone recommended Habitat (Argos) but they're consistently sold out.

Check out the Argos ebay page, often when things are out of stock you can still get them on there.

@TheCanyon wow you're absolutely right, there's an Argos eBay page selling some frames that are sold out online. But a lot more expensive! How strange that they have this other official channel. I'll have a look at metal frames. I'd buy anything at this point for my new prints - very keen to have them up.

[quote oriel3]@TheCanyon wow you're absolutely right, there's an Argos eBay page selling some frames that are sold out online. But a lot more expensive! How strange that they have this other official channel. I'll have a look at metal frames. I'd buy anything at this point for my new prints - very keen to have them up. [/quote]
We don't have an argos anywhere nearby and so feck all nearby for collection or delivery, found this out looking for bikes for our twins I don't look at the website anymore, just check ebay store