Plastic Framed 61" x 45" Advice

[ybakos]

Hi Framers,
I'm an amateur seeking your advice. I had a local frame shop frame a large 60"x44" map, and to keep the price and weight down I was recommended a vinyl/plastic "fake wood" frame.

After hanging, the top edge flexes/bends and bows out from the wall. The plexiglass also bends, such that there's a big gap between it and the paper map. I've lived with it for a couple years, but can't bear it any more!

Do any of you have suggestions on how I might either:

• "brace" or reinforce the top edge of the frame to keep it from flexing / bending / bowing out
• change the mount points of the hanging wire to reduce pressure causing the bending
• redo the whole mounting with tools/techniques/hardware that I do not know about

I've considered "Hangman" or French Cleat mounting, but I worry that this will just cause the thing to sag downward. (?)

I'm open to anything, but would like to keep the existing frame (don't want to pay to have it completely re-framed).

The frame is 61" x 45", 3" wide and 3/4" thick. Photos are attached here.

Thank you for any advice!

 

[wpfay]

Welcome to the G.
There are a number of steps in remedy short of replacement, though this kind of combination was never designed for anything that big.
Not necessarily in the correct order:
Get rid of the wire hanger and use a two point hanging system on the vertical rails, or a cleat hanger as you suggested, but perhaps on both top and bottom rails,. The inward force created by the wire is a large part of the problem.
Reinforce the frame with a more rigid backing, like a piece of 1/4" plywood or Masonite panel screwed directly into the back of the frame.
Plexiglas (Acrylic) was probably the right choice, but what thickness? The most common is 1/8" (.118") and would be marginal at that size, and certainly add little rigidity to the engineering. If you are able to beef up the framing and use a more well designed hanging system, the acrylic might not be an issue.

 

[ybakos]

Oooh, I like it. I think I'll start with reinforcing the backing, especially to get the lingering flex out of the frame. Do you think 1/8" or 3/16" hardboard/masonite would be too thin? Guess I can hit the hardware store and see what thickness is stiff enough at this size.

Thank you for those ideas.

 

[tedh]

1/8th should be fine, but that wire has got to go. Drop by frame shop and ask for a couple of double D rings. Screw them into the hardboard and frame about 1/3 of the way down, and hang them on two 40-pound hangers.

 

[ybakos]

Thanks again @wpfay and @tedh . It took me a while to get back to this project.

• I chose some 1/4" wood from Home Depot instead of a denser hardboard, to save a little on weight. It has some flex to it and is not as stiff as hardboard. In addition, the stuff is fragile and splits easily. Let's see how this goes.
• Removed the wire and screwed in hooks, and the backing paper. I cleaned the remaining paper adhesive from off the back of the frame.
• I did some final trimming of the plywood board to accommodate the corner hardware and bring it 1/4" in from the edges of the frame.
• I used a powered staple gun to mount the board to the frame. The staples should penetrate the plastic frame just enough to be secure. I planned on using glue as well, but if the wood fails to be stiff enough and I go with the hardboard, it will be easier to pull the staples and remove the plywood without the glue.

Now, I am about to get those double D rings @tedh suggested. However, I have a new question about hanging this thing. The entire framed piece with new backing board now weighs 30 pounds. The frame is 61" wide, and I'd like to be able to hang it from the studs (16" spacing) in the wall. It sounds like I won't be able to quite get the studs, although I would like to.

Are there some "tricks" to be able to mount something like this (61" wide) onto studs that are at 48" and 64" ? Or would 30 pounds be fine with two simple plastic expanding drywall anchors and screws?

 

[Matthew Hale]

drywall anchors will do. I've hung much heavier items using them with no issues. I personally like the "snap-toggle" variety, but there are other alternatives. If hitting a stud will make you feel better, consider swapping the d-rings for a z-bar or cleat style hanger. with a wide enough span you could have a few screws anchored directly to studs.

 

[wpfay]

What Mathew said with the aluminum cleat hanger, and if you want to take some torque out of the frame, mount a cleat at the top rail and at the bottom one.

 

[Prospero]

With things of that scale you need to think 'out of the box' and take the frame out of the equation altogether.

I did a huge map - just under 6' square with plexi glazing. I made a big subframe out of 8mm x 100 pine cladding
which I cunningly constructed so it was in two layers. This allowed me to form half-lap joints without a lot of intensive
woodworking. I made a 'bed' for the map (it was two rolls spliced) out of MDF + foamcore and placed the plexi on it.
Taped the edges. In this state I could have hung it on a wall as it was. The subframe also allowed me to incorporate a
cleat system.

As it happened it did end up with a chunky frame on it, but could just as well have take a skinny one.

 

[David Hewitt]

• I used a powered staple gun to mount the board to the frame. The staples should penetrate the plastic frame just enough to be secure. I planned on using glue as well, but if the wood fails to be stiff enough and I go with the hardboard, it will be easier to pull the staples and remove the plywood without the glue.

Now, I am about to get those double D rings @tedh suggested. However, I have a new question about hanging this thing. The entire framed piece with new backing board now weighs 30 pounds. The frame is 61" wide, and I'd like to be able to hang it from the studs (16" spacing) in the wall. It sounds like I won't be able to quite get the studs, although I would like to.

Are there some "tricks" to be able to mount something like this (61" wide) onto studs that are at 48" and 64" ? Or would 30 pounds be fine with two simple plastic expanding drywall anchors and screws?

The backing board or support system with a cleat system as mentioned above will support the entire frame. On heavy items I prefer both top and bottom support, especially if in drywall. A item of this size you should allow you to hit several studs.
Also being a plastic frame, I recommend eliminating staples and secure with screws as long as you can get without protruding through the frames surface. Space the screws to accommodate the rigidity of the frames structure.

 

[Joe B]

Best suggestion is to stay away from plastic moulding. It breaks super easy and is near impossible to repair and you have seen another one of the issues about plastic moulding. In 20 plus year I have yet to frame anything using plastic moulding for a number of reason but I have reframed at least 100 pieces that plastic moulding was originally used that got broken in one way or another. Oh, I'm going to hear about this

 

[Larry Peterson]

Oh, I'm going to hear about this

Not from me. The best place for plastic moulding is the dumpster.

 

[ybakos]

Thanks everyone! Two drywall anchors and the 61x45" frame is back on the wall, flat and stable. For now, haha.

Finally...