The dreaded melting bumpons

garyfritz

Grumbler in Training
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Dec 25, 2023
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Colorado, US
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Retired
I've seen a number of posts on this topic here, so I thought y'all might find this entertaining.

I have a pair of prints that have been hanging on my walls for 40 years. Last month I noticed a brown stain droozling down the wall. Oh great. I took the print down until I could deal with it.

2-3 weeks later I walked by the remaining print ... and it had TWO brown dribbles!!

Those bleeping bumpons were perfectly stable for four freaking decades, and suddenly 3 of the 4 cut loose within a few weeks. Whaaa ??? (No, there were no temperature anomalies. The house is always between 65 and 74°F.)

I read the recommendations to scrape off what you could, then clean gently with mild dish soap. No go. I can't scrape it off -- it's like sticky liquid. All I can do is smear it. And soapy water has ZERO effect. Fortunately 70% isopropyl softened it and somewhat dissolved it. Multiple passes, letting it soak in a bit, got most of it.
I hope paint will stick to it... the alcohol removed more than the stain. :faintthud:
 
Hi garyfritz. Welcome to the Grumble.
Thanks for reviving this topic.
Your experience adds another nail to the proverbial coffin for those brown rubber bumpers, and adds to the Grumble knowledge base. 👍

I was looking at bumper options from LJ today.
The clear bumpers are getting so much more expensive I thought I'd see what other options I had.
For about 5 seconds I was mulling the brown rubber ones, but then remembered the thread you referred to warning off of them.
The other option is felt pads, they are certainly the lowest price but I don't like the appearance and texture of them as much.
Then I did the math of a case of 1000 clear bumpers only costing less than 10 cents each as a miniscule fraction of the overall cost for any frame job, and the choice is pretty easy to make to stay away from the brown rubber and stick with the "expensive" ten cent clear bumpers.
 
Welcome to the G!
It has been a while since I heard melting bumpon syndrome :)
Like Nik, I use clear bumpons only. I too don't like the felt ones but they do work and is a more budget friendly option.

Let's hope the paint will stick to the damaged spots
 
Hi garyfritz. Welcome to the Grumble.
Thanks for reviving this topic.
Your experience adds another nail to the proverbial coffin for those brown rubber bumpers, and adds to the Grumble knowledge base. 👍

I was looking at bumper options from LJ today.
The clear bumpers are getting so much more expensive I thought I'd see what other options I had.
For about 5 seconds I was mulling the brown rubber ones, but then remembered the thread you referred to warning off of them.
The other option is felt pads, they are certainly the lowest price but I don't like the appearance and texture of them as much.
Then I did the math of a case of 1000 clear bumpers only costing less than 10 cents each as a miniscule fraction of the overall cost for any frame job, and the choice is pretty easy to make to stay away from the brown rubber and stick with the "expensive" ten cent clear bumpers.
I switched to thicker, 3/8" wide felt bumpons from Decor Moulding (United MFRS). They look very professional and give the 1/8" space away from the wall. Just FYI.
 
LJ has the larger felt bumpers as well.
I prefer the felt because I put cardboard corner protectors on every piece and the clear ones are a bit of a PITA when using the cardboard corners. They are also much easier to knock off the back of the frame.
 
LJ has the larger felt bumpers as well.
I prefer the felt because I put cardboard corner protectors on every piece and the clear ones are a bit of a PITA when using the cardboard corners. They are also much easier to knock off the back of the frame.
This is true that the higher clear bumpers can snag on cardboard protector corners that are tightly fit.
I try to attach my corner protectors a little bit loose for just that reason.
 
I think I may have been the first to report this phenomenon here, calling the thread "Hershey Kisses on a Radiator". This was 20-some-odd years ago, and I still get the occasional call about the issue. Those things are little ticking time bombs. I've been using the 5/8" felt pads from LJ for years now, and have been very happy with them. They have decent thickness, and they stay put. And of course, no fears of them melting. Before that I had switched to the clear Bumpons, but I have heard reports about those turning sticky too- in fact I have seen it happen on such things as kitchen cabinets, etc. I used the clear dome shaped ones for metal frames for years, but started having problems with Nielsen branded corner hardware causing gaps in metal frame joins. I switched to buying the AMS polybags with the Euro hangers, which work great, and these come with little white foam bumpers that work very well.
:popc: Rick
 
I use a brown bumper molded to a small nail.
I special ordered them from a company that does that sort of thing...not related to framing at all.
 
I use a brown bumper molded to a small nail.
I special ordered them from a company that does that sort of thing...not related to framing at all.
Like these Piano cabinet rubber buttons.?

41qYoJJUmhL._AC_.jpg
 
Yup, just like them. They are 3/8" dia.
 
 
Have any of you had trouble with the little grey square bumpons that come with Nielsen metal frame hardware?
We use brown felt bumpons for wood, but we still use those little squares for metals.
 
There are two reasons to use bumpers on the bottom corners of a frame:

1. To pad the contact points of the frame with the wall, preventing marks.

2. To maintain an air gap of at least 1/8" between the frame and the wall, so that air can circulate behind the frame. Since most modern HVAC systems use floor outlets and return-air vents near the ceiling, air naturally flows up and down wall surfaces. If the flow of air is impeded, then the area of dead air behind the frame becomes a place for dust and insects to accumulate. Also, if a particular wall has a moisture problem, then circulating the air behind frames is even more important.

Felt bumpers usually go flat under constant pressure and seldom maintain the recommended 1/8" air gap.

Try this idea for better bumpers.
 
Felt bumpers usually go flat under constant pressure and seldom maintain the recommended 1/8" air gap.
On large frames I use these, which are intended as furniture glides. The felt is much more dense than the kind used for dedicated framing bumpers.
Screen shot 2024-01-27 at 3.13.45 PM.png


:cool: Rick
 
On large frames I use these, which are intended as furniture glides. The felt is much more dense than the kind used for dedicated framing bumpers.
View attachment 47922

:cool: Rick
Yes, those would serve the essential purposes of frame bumpers, but my guess is that they are considerably more expensive than other options. If you have a CMC, the "better bumpers" link in my previous post would seem to be more cost effective.
 
Have any of you had trouble with the little grey square bumpons that come with Nielsen metal frame hardware?
We use brown felt bumpons for wood, but we still use those little squares for metals.
I have owned a framing shop since 1989 and have seen my work long term, many times. It didn't take me long to give up on Nielsen bumpons. They don't last long and slide and in general are not long lasting. The positive thing is they are the right shape and size to fit a metal frame. Hope the 'new' Nielsen company will rethink their bumpons
 
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