Let's face it, you'll always want your picture frames to look the best they possibly can. That's why when you buy frames, get everything necessary - including picture frame hardware - to display your photos the way you want.
Picture frames displayed on table tops or dressers need easel back stands. Ready made frames are commonly sold with an easel back stand that lets you display your photos either vertically or horizontally. But buying inexpensive frames without backings may make it difficult to display your picture frames how you want. You'll need to buy or create a backing to hold the picture in place or display it with an easel.
Wooden Easel Stands
Built-in easels are common in ready made frames, but if a particular frame doesn't have one, you can buy individually sold easels made of wood or metal. You can find table top easels or floor stands. In homes, table top easels are more common, while floor stands are usually used to display pictures by professional photographers.
If you plan to hang your picture frame on the wall, check beforehand that the frame it is made for such a purpose. Some picture frames are made exclusively for table top display so you'll be unable to add hanging hardware to the frame. For instance, frames that have a lacquered wood or velvet back are often not designed to hang on the wall.
Picture frames that come with built-in picture frame hardware usually have a type of ring or triangular loop that goes around a nail on the wall. There are easy to use and make hanging your picture a snap.
However some wall frames do not have hanging hardware. You may need to install it yourself, or a frame retailer can do it for you. There are two kinds of picture frame hardware that you can add yourself:
Sawtooth hangers -- ones with serrated edges used to cling to a nail on the wall
Eye hooks, which use wire strung through them to hold the frame to the wall
Of these two kinds of picture frame hardware the sawtooth hangers are much easier and faster to install. It only needs two small picture frame nails. The sawtooth hangers come in various sizes that accommodate different sizes of picture frames. Using other types of nails can ruin your picture frames, so only use the small frame nails that come with the hangers. Eye hooks are a bit harder to install, as you need to screw two of them in and thread a wire through them.
Before buying a picture frame, always find out what kind of picture frame hardware it includes as this will save you time and effort when displaying your picture.