Home › Forums › The Learning Center › Studio Tips and Framing › Cradled panels
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Jon.
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February 4, 2018 at 1:18 pm #450745
Hi, I have a question and so I will try to explain if I can..
I understand the concept of cradled panels…I get it, but what if I dont like that, or that my BIG abstracts arent suited to cradled panels and arent going to work and yet what if I want to paint on wood, where does that leave me?
So, my question is What are my options after painting on a plain sheet of birchwood with regard to hanging?
Would it be only a floating frame?
I have tried to explain hopefully you will understand what I am getting at.
Katie Black Fine Art"Life is far too important to be taken seriously." - Oscar Wilde
February 4, 2018 at 4:20 pm #559545I paint on uncradled hardboard. This makes it convenient to store since it’s less than a 1/4″ thick. When I want to display, I have all options open to me.
You can mount the panel in a floater frame — or a conventional frame. I have a 30″x24″ in a conventional and there is no warping. If warping were a problem I could attach 1″x2″s to the back of the frame that don’t go all the way to the edge of the painting leaving a 1/4″ boarder so that it would still fit in the frame.
You can also cradle the panel after it’s painted and display it that way.
What I often do is mount two strips to the back of the panel that are about 2″ short of the edge of the panel and attach a hanging wire to that. So the panel sticks out 1 1/2″ from the wall like a cradled panel and has no frame or boarder like a cradled panel – but when viewed from the side instead of seeing the strip of wood of the cradle- it appears that the panel is “floating away from the wall.
http://s3.amazonaws.com/wetcanvas-hdc/Community/images/18-Sep-2019/1999899-sigsmall.jpg
STUDIOBONGOFebruary 5, 2018 at 12:41 pm #559539Hey thanks that’s helpful.
When you mount two strips of wood to the back of the panel, do you use glue or screws?
Katie Black Fine Art"Life is far too important to be taken seriously." - Oscar Wilde
February 6, 2018 at 10:28 am #559538Your main concern would be warping, Katie. The thinner the wood, and the larger the piece, the more potential to warp. Most cradled panels are made with mitered edge pieces that are glued to the bottom of the flat piece of plywood, or masonite. (apparently, pressure treated masonite is considered the best). But, if your top piece (plywood/masonite) gets large, then you begin to put in back braces. Just like a window but on the back.
You would use c-clamps or other clamps to hold the piece in place until it drys. You have to apply even pressure along the entire edge, and you cannot clamp too tightly because you will end up with dimples on the painting side of the surface. (In other words, you need a box of c-clamps to do this).
If you will be painting on a plain wood panel, and would like to put it in the floating frame there would be a problem because the floating part of the floating frame is a deep channel between the inner side of the frame, and the outer edge of a cradled board, or stretcher frame if it is canvas.
Youtube has a bunch of tutorials on making the back braces for cradled panels, and also making, and inserting the painting into the floating frame.
No longer a member of WC. Bye.
February 6, 2018 at 2:10 pm #559546Hey thanks that’s helpful.
When you mount two strips of wood to the back of the panel, do you use glue or screws?
I use wood glue (Titebond II) . I use 10# weights from a weight lifting set to hold the strips down while the glue dries (1/2 hour)- but you could even use some heavy books. Since a panel is thin, if you were to use screws you’d have to put them in from the painting side, and that would not work for a panel that was already painted.
Rather than glue the entire strip – which you would normally do, – sometimes I only place a few dollops along the length. This makes it easier to remove if at some point you want to store it and have it take up less space – or put it in a different type of frame.
These strips also act as support to keep the panel from warping.
I use 3/16 hardboard rather than birch panels. Hardboard (masonite) costs less, is less prone to warping, and easier to prep. A sealer is not necessary with hardboard. I paint the back with house paint, and the painting side I just gesso as you would canvas. The grain does not lift (there is no grain) like birch tends to do, and it is smooth with no imperfections like birch sometimes has. If you do use hardboard use the 3/16″. It is also sold in 1/8″ thickness but the 3/16″ is better.
http://s3.amazonaws.com/wetcanvas-hdc/Community/images/18-Sep-2019/1999899-sigsmall.jpg
STUDIOBONGOFebruary 6, 2018 at 2:16 pm #559540Thanks Katy, you have obviously been down this route..and your advice is good.
I never thought to look on Youtube..so thanks for that I will go look.
Katie Black Fine Art"Life is far too important to be taken seriously." - Oscar Wilde
February 6, 2018 at 2:19 pm #559541I use wood glue (Titebond II) . The panel is too thin to use screws. I use 10# weights from a weight lifting set to hold the strips down while the glue dries (1/2 hour)- but you could even use some heavy books.
Rather than glue the entire strip – which you would normally do, – sometimes I only place a few dollops along the length. This makes it easier to remove if at some point you want to store it and have it take up less space – or put it in a different type of frame.
These strips also act as support to keep the panel from warping.
I use 3/16 hardboard rather than birch panels. Hardboard (masonite) costs less, is less prone to warping, and easier to prep. A sealer is not necessary with hardboard. I paint the back with house paint, and the painting side I just gesso as you would canvas. The grain does lift (there is no grain) like birch tends to do, and it is smooth with no imperfections like birch sometimes has. If you do use hardboard use the 3/16″. It is also sold in 1/8″ thickness but the 3/16″ is much better.
I’m going to buy some Masonite as that appears to be the best from what you and Katy have said..I will definitely get the 3/16″
Thanks a lot I appreciate it..
Katie Black Fine Art"Life is far too important to be taken seriously." - Oscar Wilde
February 21, 2018 at 9:03 pm #559543Tempered hardboard (masonite) can cause SID (Support Induced Discoloration) if you don’t seal it first before putting acrylic gesso on it. Any type of wood sealer / primer that is compatible with acrylic gesso will do the job.
March 6, 2018 at 6:57 pm #559542sorry, just I just spotted this..thanks!
Katie Black Fine Art"Life is far too important to be taken seriously." - Oscar Wilde
March 8, 2018 at 5:39 pm #559544Welcome.
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