Martin Kirkwood

While surfing the internet I came across eFrame.co.uk
They appeared to be able to make custom mounts and frames for my original paintings at half the cost and in half the time of my local high street picture framers? What? Really? That’s what I thought so I went ahead and ordered a small frame and mount to my exact requirements using their website and this is what happened….

I placed my order on Friday 24th July 2009. It arrived today, YES just 7 days later. It arrived in an enormous box. It’s only a small painting I wanted to have framed which you can see on the far right of the photo….

The reason for the enormous box became apparent when I started to unwrap it. It’s an unusual way of packaging things but I was impressed The small frame fixed to stiff card and held well away from the edges of the enormous box where it couldn’t get damaged unless an elephent trod on it in transit. Not very likely in the UK.

OK, so I now have it all finally unwrapped and unpacked. Let’s have a closer look at what they have sent me front and back…

I’m impressed, it’s even come with all the necessary fixings to be able to hang it like they promised..

Here is a close up of the mitre joints. So far I am thrilled and can’t find any fault with it.

Well there has got to be something wrong with it. Let’s take it apart and try to put my original painting in it. I was really disappointed to notice the perspex glazing was scratched (glass is available as an option). My disappointment very quickly turned to delight when I realised the scratches were on a protective film that easily peeled off the perspex on both sides.

Maybe they’ve made it the wrong size and my painting won’t fit. That will be a real nuisance because it’s an original painting. I can’t enlarge or reduce it. Maybe it doesn’t look exactly like they said it would on their website’s preview? Spot the difference….

How easy was it to assemble? Well, If I hadn’t kept stopping to take photographs It would have taken less than 5 minutes. The only tool required was a screwdriver to be able to attach the supplied fixings to the back of it. (note. The backing tape was supplied extra but one roll will last ages.)

The finished, custom made frame, ordered, made to measure, delivered in 7 days and assembled by me in 5 minutes.

So what did it cost?

Frame, mount, glazing, mdf backing board made to my exact specifications and accurate to the millimetre, including fixings. £UK18.70p
Shipping by express courier $UK6.10p

My local high street framer would charge over £UK40.00p and it could take 3 weeks instead of 7 days. Will I be using eFrame.co.uk again? Yep sure I will.