Surface Finish Hand Painted

Hand painting is one of the most versatile finishes we offer. Applied by brush, it allows us to match any colour you need, whether that is a specific shade to complement your artwork, a tone picked from your interior scheme, or an exact reference from a colour system like RAL, NCS, or Pantone. Beyond flat colour, hand painting opens up a range of decorative techniques that are difficult or impossible to achieve with spray finishing.

What Hand Painting Looks Like

A hand-painted frame has a character that sets it apart from sprayed or factory-finished alternatives. Depending on the technique used, the surface might show subtle brush texture, a quality that many people actively prefer for its warmth and handmade feel. Alternatively, the brushwork can be minimised for a smoother, more uniform appearance, though it will never have the mechanical perfection of a sprayed finish.

The real strength of hand painting is what happens beyond a simple flat colour. Our finishers can apply techniques including:

• Stippling, a dabbing technique that creates a fine, mottled texture, useful for softening colour or adding visual depth

• Veiling, applying a translucent wash over a base colour, allowing the layer beneath to show through for a layered, atmospheric effect

• Patination, building up colour and tone to suggest age and natural wear, creating a frame that looks as though it has developed character over time

• Distressing, selectively wearing back layers of paint to reveal the wood or an earlier colour beneath, creating an aged or vintage appearance

These techniques can be combined, and the level of each effect is entirely adjustable. A lightly veiled frame looks very different from one with heavy distressing, even if they start from the same base colour.

How Hand Painting Is Done

The frame is first prepared, sanded smooth and primed to ensure the paint adheres evenly. If a gesso base is needed (for example, on carved or ornamental profiles), that is applied and cured before painting begins.

The paint is then applied by brush in one or more coats, depending on the colour and the desired effect. Solid, opaque colours usually require two to three coats with light sanding between each. Decorative techniques like patination or distressing involve additional steps, building up multiple layers, allowing them to cure, then selectively working back into the surface to create the finished look.

Colour matching is done by eye and by reference. If you provide a colour code (RAL, Pantone, NCS) we can mix to match. If you have a physical sample, a fabric swatch, a paint chip, even a photograph, we can work from that too. Where a frame needs to sit alongside existing pieces in a room, getting the colour right is important, and we are happy to prepare test samples before committing to the full frame.

Where Hand Painting Works Best

Hand painting is a good choice when you want a specific colour, a decorative paint effect, or a finish with visible handmade character. It is particularly well suited to:

• Matching a frame to a particular wall colour or interior scheme

• Period-style or antique-look frames where distressing or patination is needed

• Restoration work where a new frame needs to match the character of an existing one

• Ornamental or carved profiles where brush application follows the contours of the moulding more naturally than spray

• Projects where you want a warmer, more characterful appearance than a sprayed finish provides

For projects that require a perfectly smooth, uniform surface with no visible texture, spraying is usually the better option. Hand painting and spraying are complementary finishes rather than competing ones, and we will recommend whichever suits your artwork and setting.

Compatible Materials

Hand painting works on both wood and metal frame profiles. Wood is the most common choice and accepts paint readily, especially when properly primed. Metal profiles can also be hand painted, though the preparation involves different primers to ensure a lasting bond. The full range of decorative techniques, stippling, veiling, patination, distressing, is available on both materials.

Durability and Care

A well-prepared, properly painted frame is a durable finish that will hold its colour and surface for many years in normal indoor conditions. The paint is sealed and cured before the frame leaves our workshop, so it is resistant to everyday handling during hanging and adjustment.

For routine care, dust with a soft, dry cloth. Avoid damp cleaning or household sprays, which can dull or mark the surface over time. If a hand-painted frame is accidentally chipped or scratched, repairs are usually straightforward, we can touch up the affected area to match the original finish without needing to repaint the entire frame.

Distressed finishes are inherently forgiving. Because the surface is already designed to show wear, minor marks tend to blend in rather than stand out.

Cost and Commissioning

Hand painting is generally one of the more cost-effective finishing options, especially for straightforward colour applications. A single flat colour on a standard profile is quicker to apply than gilding or complex multi-layer finishes. The cost increases with additional decorative work, distressing, patination, and multi-colour effects take more time and skill.

The main factors that affect pricing are the size of the frame, the complexity of the profile (flat profiles are quicker to paint than carved or moulded ones), the number of coats and techniques involved, and any colour matching that requires custom mixing.

If you have a colour in mind or a decorative effect you would like to explore, get in touch. We are happy to discuss the options and provide a free, no-obligation quote for your project.