How Much Does Custom Framing Cost?

Custom framing costs more than grabbing a ready-made frame off the shelf. That is the honest starting point. But the gap between a mass-produced frame and a bespoke one is not just about price. It is about what happens to your piece over the next 10, 20, or 50 years. At Harten, we have been building frames for over 50 years, and the most common question people ask when they first get in touch is simple: how much is this going to cost me?

The short answer is that custom picture framing starts from around £200 and goes up depending on size, materials and complexity. But that single number does not tell you much on its own. This guide breaks down what you are actually paying for, gives you starting prices across every type of framing we offer, and explains why custom work costs what it does.

What Affects the Cost of Custom Framing?

Every frame we build is made to order. There is no standard price list because no two jobs are the same. But the same handful of factors drive the cost on every project.

Moulding Material and Profile

The frame itself is usually the biggest single cost. A narrow softwood moulding costs a fraction of a wide hardwood or hand-finished profile. Tulipwood, oak, walnut and ash all sit at different price points. Wider profiles use more material and take longer to cut, join and finish. If you want a painted or gilded finish, that adds hand-finishing time on top of the raw material cost.

Glazing Type

Standard float glass is the most affordable option. Anti-reflective glass reduces glare but costs significantly more. Museum-grade glass adds UV filtering to protect your piece from fading. Acrylic glazing is lighter and shatterproof, which matters for large pieces or high-traffic areas. The glazing you choose can shift the total cost by a noticeable amount, especially on larger frames where the sheet size is significant.

Mount and Matting

A single mount in standard white board is straightforward. Double or triple mounts, fabric-wrapped mounts, or conservation-grade acid-free board all add to the cost. The mount is not just decorative. It creates an air gap between the glass and your artwork, which stops condensation damage. On conservation jobs, the mount materials matter as much as the frame itself.

Size and Complexity

Bigger frames need more material, larger sheets of glass, and more workshop time. But size is not the only complexity factor. Unusual shapes, deep shadow gaps, floating mounts, and multi-aperture layouts all add time. A straightforward rectangular frame is simpler to build than a frame with an irregular cutout or a floating mount that suspends the artwork away from the backboard.

Labour and Craftsmanship

Every frame is cut, joined, finished and assembled by hand in our workshop. That takes skill and time. A simple frame might take a few hours from start to finish. A complex conservation job with hand-painted finish and multiple mounts could take days. You are paying for the hands and experience that build the frame, not just the wood and glass.

Starting Prices by Framing Type

These are our starting prices for each type of framing. Every job is different, so your final cost will depend on size, materials and any special requirements. But these figures give you a realistic baseline for budgeting.

Standard Picture Framing

Starting from around £200. This covers a simple moulding with standard glass and a single mount for a small to medium-sized piece. It is the most common type of job we do and the entry point for custom framing. Even at this level, you get a frame built to your exact dimensions with proper fitting and finishing. See our picture framing page for more detail on what we offer.

Canvas and Tray Framing

Starting from around £250. Canvas framing involves building a tray frame around a stretched canvas, leaving a visible shadow gap between the canvas edge and the frame. The canvas sits inside the frame rather than behind glass. The moulding profile needs to be deep enough to accommodate the canvas stretcher bars, and the shadow gap spacing has to be precise and consistent all the way round.

Box Framing

Starting from around £350. Box frames are deeper than standard frames and designed to hold three-dimensional objects like medals, shirts, memorabilia or textile art. The depth of the frame, the internal mounting method and any lighting requirements all affect the price. These are more involved builds because each object needs to be secured properly inside the frame without causing damage.

Oversized Framing

Starting from around £500. Anything over roughly one metre in either dimension counts as oversized framing. The material costs increase because larger sheets of glass or acrylic are disproportionately more expensive. The frame joints need to be stronger, and handling big pieces safely through every stage of the build takes more time and care. We frame pieces up to three metres regularly.

Acrylic Box Framing

Starting from around £250. Acrylic boxes are fabricated from clear acrylic sheet, bonded and polished to create a seamless display case. They work well for three-dimensional objects, sculptures or items that need protection without the visual weight of a traditional frame. The cost depends on the size of the box and the thickness of the acrylic used.

Custom Mirrors

Starting from around £400. Custom mirrors are built with the same moulding and finishing options as picture frames but with mirror glass cut to your dimensions. Larger mirrors cost more because the glass is heavier, the frame joints need more reinforcement, and fitting hardware needs to be rated for the weight. We build mirrors from small decorative pieces up to full wall installations.

Conservation Framing

Starting from around £600. Conservation framing uses acid-free materials throughout, UV-filtering glazing and reversible mounting techniques. Every material that touches or surrounds the artwork is chosen to prevent degradation over decades. This matters for original art, antique prints, signed limited editions and anything with financial or sentimental value that you want to protect long-term.

Welded Frames

Starting from around £500. Welded metal frames are fabricated from steel or aluminium, cut and welded to size in our workshop. They are stronger and more rigid than wooden frames, which makes them the go-to choice for very large or heavy pieces. The metal is finished with powder coating or hand-applied paint. Welded frames are a different build process entirely from timber framing, which is reflected in the price.

Why Is Custom Framing More Expensive Than High Street?

A high street framing chain or online service might frame a standard print for £50 to £100. That is a big difference from a custom frame starting at around £200. So what are you actually paying for with the extra cost?

High street framers work from a fixed range of standard mouldings in set sizes. They cut them to your nearest standard dimension and assemble them quickly. The glass is basic, the mounts are standard board, and the fitting is functional. For a poster or a print you like but do not love, that is perfectly fine.

Custom framing works differently. Your frame is built from scratch to the exact dimensions of your piece. The moulding is either selected from stock profiles or made bespoke in our workshop, and can be finished in any colour or texture — making every frame a one-off. The glazing is selected based on where the piece will hang and what it needs protecting from. The mount is cut precisely, and if the piece needs conservation-grade materials, they are used throughout.

Then there is the craftsmanship. Every joint is hand-cut and checked for square. Every finish is applied by someone who has done it thousands of times. The backing is sealed properly. The hanging hardware is rated for the weight. None of these steps are visible from the front, but they are the difference between a frame that lasts five years and one that lasts fifty.

The honest comparison is this: high street framing is a product. Custom framing is a service. You are not just buying a frame. You are paying for someone to assess your piece, advise on the right approach, build something that fits it exactly, and make sure it is protected and presented properly. If the piece matters to you, that service is worth the difference.

How to Get the Best Value from Custom Framing

Custom framing does not have to mean spending the maximum on every job. Here are practical ways to get excellent results without overspending.

• Choose glazing based on the piece, not the price. Standard glass is fine for prints in low-light rooms. Museum glass is worth it for original art or pieces in direct light. Do not pay for UV protection if the frame will hang in a hallway that never sees sun.

• Save conservation framing for pieces that need it. An original watercolour or a signed limited edition benefits from acid-free materials and UV glazing. A canvas print does not. Spend the conservation budget where it protects real value.

• Frame multiple pieces at once. If you have several items to frame, bringing them together saves time on consultation, material ordering and workshop setup. Most framers will offer better value on a batch of work than on individual jobs spread over months.

• Consider simpler moulding profiles. A narrow, clean-lined frame in good quality timber can look just as striking as a wide ornate profile, and costs significantly less. The moulding does not have to be the star of the show. Sometimes the artwork should do the talking.

• Ask about reusing existing frames. If you have a good quality frame from a previous job, it may be possible to refit it with new glass, mount and backing for a new piece. Not every frame can be reused, but when it works, it cuts the cost considerably.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is picture framing so expensive?

Custom framing is expensive because every frame is built individually from raw materials by a skilled craftsperson. The wood or metal is cut and joined by hand. The glass is cut to size. The mount is precision-cut and fitted. It is closer to cabinet-making than to assembly, and the labour time is the biggest single cost. Cheaper alternatives exist for simple work, but they use standardised sizes, basic materials and fast assembly methods that do not suit anything valuable or unusual.

Is custom framing worth the money?

It depends on the piece. For an original painting, a signed print, family heirloom or anything with real sentimental or financial value, custom framing is almost always worth it. The frame protects the piece, presents it properly and lasts for decades. For a decorative poster that you plan to swap out in a year or two, a ready-made frame does the job. The value of custom framing scales with the value of what goes inside it.

How much does it cost to frame a canvas?

Canvas framing at Harten starts from around £250. That covers a tray frame built around a stretched canvas with a clean shadow gap. The final price depends on the canvas size, the moulding you choose and any finishing requirements. Larger canvases need deeper mouldings and stronger construction, which adds to the cost. If you have a rolled canvas that needs stretching before framing, that is an additional step.

Can I bring my own frame to a framer?

Yes, in most cases. If you have a frame you like and it is in good condition, we can fit new glass, a new mount and new backing to it. We will check the frame for structural issues and let you know if it needs any repair work first. This is a good option if you have a quality frame from a previous piece and want to reuse it for something new. Not every frame is suitable for every piece, but we will advise honestly.

How long does custom framing take?

Most standard framing jobs take two to three weeks from consultation to collection. More complex work, such as conservation framing, large welded frames or box frames with intricate mounting, can take longer. We give you a realistic timeframe when you bring the piece in, and we keep you updated if anything changes. Rush jobs are sometimes possible, but they depend on workshop capacity.

Whether you are framing personal artwork for your home or commissioning frames for a commercial project, if you want a straight answer on what it will cost, get in touch. We will give you an honest quote based on what the piece actually needs, not what we think you can be talked into.