A picture can convey a thousand words, especially if it is of your children, or is of happy memories from your childhood or from a memorable family trip. Regardless of how invaluable your pictures are, you will not be doing justice to them if these pictures are not adorned by beautiful wooden or metal photo frames. Wooden photo frames have been getting popular once again in recent times and it is extremely important for you to know the differences between the various kinds of wood that are used in making photo frames so that these frames can complement your beautiful pictures.
For starters, there are basically two types of wood that is used in making picture frames - hardwood and softwood. Unlike what these words suggest, hardwood is not necessarily hard and difficult to work with (conversely, softwood is not typically soft and easy to work with). The names of these two types of wood come from the fact that hardwood is typically extracted from deciduous trees that produce covered seeds (like apple or walnut) while softwood is usually derived from evergreen trees that produce seeds with no cover (like pine trees).
When it comes to making photo frames, a hardwood is generally the kind that requires more work than softwood. One of the easiest ways to find if a photo frame is made of hardwood or softwood is by scratching the surface with your nail - if you can see the wood peel off or if you can easily make a visible scratch, then it is softwood. Otherwise, you can be assured that the frame is made with hardwood.
So which of the two kinds of wood should you pick for your photo frame? There is no one right answer. Hardwoods are definitely more attractive given that it is possible to have beautiful grain patterns over their surface. Also, hardwood frames have greater longevity. However, softwood frames too are becoming increasingly popular in recent times because of their ability to be molded better.
Hardwoods are generally more expensive but you can always purchase cheap wood frames that will suit your budget. While purchasing a photo frame of a particular wood, check out if the frame is made with the material or has the particular finish. For instance, oakwood finish frames are typically made with ramin wood and are just coated with oakwood and hence come cheaper than oakwood photo frames. Again, there is no right pick between the two of them and it depends on your budget.
Photo frames are not something that you should be replacing every year or two. Hence, it is very essential that you pick a material that has good longevity. Another thing that you must keep in mind is that your walls are beautiful when you have multiple pictures adorning them. In such cases, ensure that the color of the frames complement the color of your wall besides blending well with each other.
So go ahead - pick a frame to showcase those lovely memories from the past on your walls.
