When you buy a new piece of fine art for your wall, you will probably need to get a picture frame for the art.  Thanks to the market, you have a couple of options.  You can find lots of plastic frames but they aren’t what you would usually call quality.  The bulk of the quality picture frames out there are made of either wood or metal.  So, today we’re discussing the differences between the two so you can better decide which kind you want to use for your new fine art.

While there are a few choices of materials for quality picture frames (from wood to metal to plastics to glass, and many others), wood and metal are the most common choices you will find and can buy for quality fine art.  So how do you choose between these two for your fine art?

Really, it comes to a matter of personal preference.  What do you like?  What are your needs with respect to the image and your personal decor?  If you can answer these questions, you’re most of the way to which kind of frame is the best for you.

Metal Picture Frames

Metal frames have what most people consider to be a more modern look.  They also tend to have a much thinner face profile.  This means that your choice of picture frame will not dominate over the art it displays.  Metal frames are thinner and tend to have a hollow construction.  This means they are far lighter than wood frames and, due to the much smaller amount of material, they also tend to be cheaper.

Metal frames also tend to be made in sections.  This means that if one side of the frame gets damaged, you can remove the damaged portion and replace it.  This is, of course, assuming you can find a replacement piece which is both the right length and style.

Metal frames also tend to need less care.  Metal simply needs dusted or wiped down occasionally.

Wood Picture Frames

Wood on the other hand has a timeless style and a lot more variety.  They can have a profile from almost as thin as a metal frame to several inches wide.  With the endless paint and stain options available on the market today, you have vastly more variety of color choices.

Larger wood frames tend to be very heavy and will not stay on a single nail into drywall.  You will need a much more robust method of holding up the picture in the frame.  You will also need to hang the art straight into a wall stud for extra stability.

Wood, unlike metal, often needs to some kind of periodic maintenance, such as oiling or furniture polish.  It can also get easily marred with everyday activities if you are not careful.

Conclusion

In the end, your choice of wood vs. metal picture frames comes down to what fits your needs best, not only with respect to your taste and the decor, but also with respect to weight.  If you’re trying to hang a larger image somewhere you can’t anchor it as well as you’d like, you might have to go with metal because it is often lighter.  On the other hand, if you’re hanging something in a room with rich wood paneling, a metal frame is going to look out of place.  The choice is ultimately up to you.