Problem Moisture/Mold Accumulating Behind Hanging Frames

[cvm]

Customers bring in framed pieces from time to time that look like this:

- due to condensation caused by the interior temperature being cool with a relatively high humidity level and the exterior temperature being warm

- the hanging picture restricts air movement which causes the space behind the picture to remain moist - excellent breeding ground for mold/mildew

- pretty common down here in the South on structures with solid masonry or poor insulation

- doesn’t happen on interior walls since everything inside is of uniform temperature

 

[wpfay]

Can certainly confirm that and will add that, with a wood framed structure, that is an open invitation to termites.
Yeah, condensation on poorly insulated exterior walls, but the walls themselves or the roof above may be compromised as well.
I've had two instances with a single hole in the back of the dust cover and a small colony of subterranean termites dining within.
Both cases were multiunit buildings (apartments/condos) built in the time after chlordane was banned and before the baiting systems were developed. They were also in places where the builder was trying to bring a bit of the outside in. Skylights, and fireplaces in fixed glass surrounds that caused water intrusion inside the walls.

 

[artfolio]

Where my shop was there were a lot of old buildings which were built with cavity walls but the cavities were compromised by bricks laid across them in the "Flemish Bond" or "French Bond" style. This was designed to strengthen the structure but, of course moisture crossed over into the inner walls. It was wet not enough for the walls to become visibly damp but hang a picture on them or stand a wardrobe against them and you had a major mould problem.

About the only solution was to spend a lot of money or move house.

 

[Finest Fabric]

Kraft paper as a dust cover is terrible, I don't understand why that is the convention among picture framers. It's a cheap hydroscopic material that degrades rapidly. Black Kraft is worse and will stain your walls.

My default up here in New England for "regular" framing is a "European" type backing, flat back tape sealed around the frame with a firm backing board.

If I were in Florida my default would be the same flat back tape treatment but with Tyvek or Coroplast as a backer.

 

[DVieau2]

I would see moldy frame packages on occasion. I would ask where the piece has been, and the answer would be "in storage." People don't think about basements, garages, or the boathouse.

 

[Prospero]

Thicker bumpers will assist in airflow but if a wall is damp it's damp.

 

[tedh]

Happened to me right in my own 1890 farmhouse. It was so bad that, on the North wall, you could see water running down the wall just below the picture. Warm, humid interior, cold wall = condensation.

 

[Rick Hennen]

Many years ago I owned a construction business in NJ. We received a call from a potential client who complained of water running down the inside corner of her living room. Long story short - her house had a cathedral ceiling in that area and the contractor had forced insulation up against the underside of the roof plywood which did not allow for any ventilation. The condensation build up was so bad, most of the roof plywood had rotted in a short period of time and water was actually running down the inside corners of the room. The drywall on that outside wall was destroyed along with the artwork that hung there. I think if I were a framer I would include a written disclaimer with everything I framed. There are just too many variations in the conditions where a piece of art may hang to mitigate all of the potential damage.

 

[Rick Granick]

Interesting idea, Rick. We can do our best to frame items so that they last as long as possible. After that, proper display and care are the responsibility of the customer. The challenge is to give them the proper recommendations without sounding like a science lecture, and scaring them off.
Rick

I often explain why using two hangers is important on a particular piece, or advise against hanging in a sunny location (even with UV-filtering glazing). But, unless the customer asks about hanging in an obviously ill-advised location (such as exposed to the elements), judging the customer's environmental conditions is beyond our purview.

 

[Ylva]

I like the idea of putting something on the back (I have a label that recommends hanging with 2 hangers and I even write in what distance those should be approximately and why it is recommended

Now what wording would be good to advise where to hang or what not to do, in a few sentences

 

[Rick Hennen]

When FACTS was trying to set some written standards for the industry I believe (don't crucify me if my memory is going) one of their recommendations that made sense to me was to include a written document with every framing project that strongly suggested the client bring the piece back every few years for a visual inspection. This would have a two fold benefit, First the framer could see any issues that may have developed and recommend a coursed of correction including relocating the piece to a different location before any real damage is done to the artwork and Second, it could potentially bring more work into the shop. Thought it was an interesting proposal.

 

[wpfay]

When FACTS was trying to set some written standards for the industry I believe (don't crucify me if my memory is going) one of their recommendations that made sense to me was to include a written document with every framing project that strongly suggested the client bring the piece back every few years for a visual inspection. This would have a two fold benefit, First the framer could see any issues that may have developed and recommend a coursed of correction including relocating the piece to a different location before any real damage is done to the artwork and Second, it could potentially bring more work into the shop. Thought it was an interesting proposal.

Routine inspection has been practiced for years in the fine art/museum world.

I generally caution customers that once framed, it isn't "hang and forget", especially with pieces that have some initial value to them. Family photos were "hang on to the negatives', and now "back up your phone to the cloud"...

Despite all the advances in technology in framing, the time honored tradition of annual visual inspection still holds true. It's incumbent on the owner to determine the value vs. cost in doing maintenance on their art, and part of the job of framers is to knowledgeably engage in that conversation.