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I have some 40" x 52" paintings to frame up and I am wondering what sort of "bumpers" to use for the corners (so the painting doesn't scrape the wall).

I've used those self-adhesive plastic "dots" on framed drawings and they are quick to apply but they seem to get knocked off easily. Is there a framing product "bumper" that is more secure?

I guess I could try drilling a hole in a "dot" and attaching with a brad but that's a hack. Or maybe using something intended for the bottom of furniture.

I haven't done that much framing so I don't know what is standard.

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  • What material is the back of the frame / painting made of?
    – virolino
    Commented Sep 30, 2019 at 5:51
  • @virolino - it's just standard stretcher bars (wood).
    – spring
    Commented Sep 30, 2019 at 13:30

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I cut 'dots' [or squares, or bits of scrap of any shape] from 100% wool felt and glue it down with whatever "crazy glue" kind of epoxy I have at hand. None have come off in 30+ years of hanging art & moving house four times.

On very pointed/raggedy corners or ill-fitted frames, I will cut a shape that covers the entire corner, not just a dot. I like that flexibility with the felt. (The ribbon or sponge methods suggested by virolino would take care of these too)

I like the wool felt over plastic bumps as I feel it prevents wall markings better than the bumps. I have no scientific proof for this, though! Just that I noticed when moving house that my own felted frames left no marks, and the art that came with pre-attached rubber dots lifted dots of stuck paint when removed, where years of trapped humidity & dust had made a tiny seal.

Though I find myself stumped by canvases that wrap around the frame completely, and some are even painted all the way around and meant to be left exposed. No ideas there...

Not sure how the craft store plastic felt would do, I always have 100% wool felt on hand from crafting projects so I use that. Felt dots with sticky backs are sold commercially for framing use and seem to be plastic felt, so using your own plastic felt should be ok.

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    If you don't have wool felt laying around, what's sold in rolls as weatherstripping is good for this. You can get it in different widths at any hardware store.
    – fixer1234
    Commented Sep 30, 2019 at 23:00
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The self-adhesive round "dots" might do more damage than help. However, I would glue some (tough) sponge, or even a thick ribbon (made of) cloth to the back of the painting / frame.

Of course, there might still be some trace of friction on the wall, but it is unlikely that there will be scratches left.

Both wood and cloth are quite friendly to a wide range of glues, so that should not be a problem.

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