This guide covers safe handling, hanging, cleaning, and care for Artelo's standard and premium picture frames and framed prints, plus handling paper prints during framing. Check the product and options on your order before using this information in a listing.
Glazing: acrylic or glass?
Standard frames use shatter-resistant acrylic. Acrylic can still scratch, crack, or break if dropped or handled roughly. Shatter-resistant does not mean unbreakable.
Premium frames use real glass. Handle glass carefully: impacts can cause cracks, chips, or sharp fragments. Do not display a frame with damaged glazing.
Both ranges are available in oak and metal. See our frame specifications for current options.
Acrylic and glass can look different depending on the lighting and viewing angle. Clear glazing does not by itself establish an anti-glare, anti-reflective, or UV-filtering specification. contact Artelo at [email protected] or by creating a case within your Artelo account for confirmed details for the exact product before making those claims or quoting a UV-protection percentage.
Unpacking and handling
Open the package on a stable surface and remove the outer packaging and protective corners carefully. Keep cutting tools away from the frame and glazing. Check the frame, glazing, backing, and hanging hardware for damage before display. Watch for loose pins or other small parts in the packaging.
Hold the frame by both sides, with one hand on each side. Never lift or carry it by the top moulding alone. Get help with a large or heavy frame, and rest it on a clean, soft surface when needed.
Framing service and protective film
When the framing service is selected, Artelo installs the print and removes the acrylic's protective film before shipment. Without the framing service, the customer places the print inside the frame and removes the film from both sides of the acrylic before completing assembly.
Protective film may make acrylic look cloudy or scratched. Follow the supplied unpacking instructions and peel only the removable film; do not use a blade, abrasive, or solvent to remove it. If you cannot identify the film, or marks remain after it is removed, contact Artelo at [email protected] or by creating a case within your Artelo account before further cleaning or disassembly.
“Ready to hang” means the artwork is assembled in the frame. You still need to install suitable wall fixings and hang the piece securely.
Handling prints and fitting your own artwork
Handle paper prints with clean, dry hands, support the sheet, and avoid touching or rubbing the printed surface. Keep food, drinks, and cleaning products away from the artwork. The damp-cloth cleaning guidance below applies to the frame and glazing, not to paper prints.
When opening a frame, work on a clean, stable, soft surface and support the glazing. Mats, when included, sit between the artwork and glazing and are removable. After inserting artwork, make sure the backing fits properly and the turnbuttons secure it before lifting or hanging the frame.
Do not force thick or layered artwork into the frame or close it under pressure. For papercuts, raised artwork, or additional mounting materials, check clearance and secure closure using a sample of the complete assembly or contact Artelo at [email protected] or by creating a case within your Artelo account first.
Hanging hardware and wall fixings
Artelo frames have pre-attached sawtooth hangers for portrait or landscape display. Hanging pins go into the wall and are an optional add-on; they are not automatically included. See available add-ons.
Use wall fixings compatible with the installed hangers, your wall material, and the weight of the complete framed piece. Follow the fixing manufacturer's installation instructions and load limits. An optional hanging pin is not suitable for every wall or installation.
Engage the installed sawtooth hangers. Never rest the frame moulding directly on a nail or screw. The small turnbuttons that secure the backing are not hanging points.
If there are two hangers across the top in your chosen orientation, use both with a separate suitable wall fixing for each.
If a fixing cannot engage the hanger securely, stop and seek advice. Do not bend, remove, or improvise hanging hardware to make it fit.
Keep supporting the frame until every required hanger is securely engaged. Check the installation periodically and after moving the frame.
For step-by-step instructions, see How to Hang Your Artelo Frame.
Choosing fixings for the frame's weight
Confirm the weight of the complete framed piece, including the glazing, backing, and artwork, before selecting wall fixings. Do not use the print dimensions or a packaged shipping weight as a substitute. If you need weight information, contact Artelo at [email protected] or by creating a case within your Artelo account with the size, standard or premium frame type, material, and order or product reference.
Cleaning and care
Use a clean, soft microfiber cloth. For acrylic, lightly dampen the cloth with water and wipe gently; avoid rubbing with a dry or gritty cloth.
Do not use abrasive pads or cleaners, ammonia-based cleaners, alcohol, acetone, or other solvents on acrylic. Ordinary window-cleaning sprays may be unsuitable.
For the frame and glass glazing, start with a soft cloth lightly dampened with water when needed. Use gentle pressure.
Apply moisture to the cloth, not directly to the frame or glazing. Do not soak the frame or allow liquid to run behind the glazing or onto the artwork.
Sunlight, heat, and humidity
Display indoors in a dry location, away from direct heat, open flames, and direct sunlight. Avoid condensation, steam, splashes, and locations where the frame may be knocked or pulled down. Do not assume that a paper's moisture resistance makes a complete framed print waterproof or suitable for outdoor use.
For a bathroom or another humid location, contact Artelo at [email protected] or by creating a case within your Artelo account about the exact product before ordering. If the backing bows, the artwork becomes wavy, or the turnbuttons no longer hold the backing securely, take the frame down safely and email [email protected] or create a case within your Artelo account.
Children and safe placement
Frames are decorative items, not toys. Hanging pins pose a choking hazard. Keep them out of reach of children at all times. Keep glass frames where children cannot pull them down or strike the glazing. Avoid placing frames above cribs or other locations where a fall could cause injury.
Keep other loose hardware, small parts, plastic bags, and packaging out of children's reach.
Damage or safety concerns
Do not hang or continue using a frame with cracked glazing, loose joints, damaged hangers, an insecure backing, or an insecure wall fixing. Keep children and pets away from damaged glass and do not handle fragments with bare hands.
[email protected] with the order number, product details, and photos if they can be taken safely. Describe whether the issue affects the glazing, frame, backing, artwork, or hardware. For delivery damage and replacement requests, see Artelo's Order Issues Policy.
Product information for sellers
Use specifications that match the exact paper, ink, frame, glazing, and mat in the product you sell. Paper weight, thickness, fiber content, finish, and certifications can differ between products. Do not extend an acid-free, archival, cotton, or FSC claim from one component to the entire framed product without confirmation.
An archival paper rating is not a guarantee that the finished print will retain its color for a stated number of years. Light, environment, and handling affect its condition. Email [email protected] or create a case within your Artelo account for supporting specifications before making longevity, certification, or material-safety claims.
GPSR and selling into Europe
GPSR requirements can apply when selling into European markets even when the seller or production partner is based outside Europe. Confirm the manufacturer, applicable EU-based responsible economic operator, and required product identification and safety information for your products and branding. Etsy sellers can consult Etsy's GPSR guidance.
This care guide is not a compliance certificate or an appointment of an EU Responsible Person. Artelo's US contact address below is not an EU Responsible Person address.
Artelo contact and product information
Artelo, LLC
440 Caswell Lane
Mount Sterling, KY 40353
United States
Support: [email protected]
For product safety questions or details needed for a listing, email [email protected] or create a case within your Artelo account. Include the exact product variant and destination market so we can identify the information you need. Use only the glazing, hardware, and care details that apply to the product you are selling.