How to Frame a Diamond Painting: A Simple Method

Should you put glass in front of a diamond painting?

The question comes up every time a finished canvas is sitting on the table: should you slip a sheet of glass in front of the diamonds? In practice, no. Glass adds a layer between your work and the eye, and that layer works against you. Resin diamonds sparkle because they bounce the room's light back from every angle. A pane of glass, even a good one, intercepts those reflections and replaces them with its own: you end up seeing the ceiling light, the window or your own silhouette instead of the facets. On a very colourful canvas the effect is obvious: light areas turn milky, gradients lose their punch.

There is a second, sneakier problem. Between the glass and the surface of the diamonds, a poorly ventilated pocket of air remains. Depending on the room, the kitchen, the bathroom or a stuffy bedroom, the ambient moisture slowly condenses there. Over time you get whitish marks on the diamonds, sometimes a haze over the glue holding them in place. Cleaning then becomes tricky, because you can no longer reach the surface without taking the frame apart. Without glass, dust does settle, true, but it comes off with a quick wipe of a dry microfibre cloth or a soft-bristled brush, working between the rows. Thirty seconds once a month is enough to keep a canvas clean for years.

For routine dusting, a large makeup or dusting brush works wonders: it picks up dust without snagging the facets. Avoid damp wipes and household cleaners, which leave residue in the gaps. If your canvas is already mounted and you are looking for ways to care for it, take a look at the essential diamond painting accessories: you will find brushes and cloths suited to this kind of surface.

How to frame a diamond painting without a frame

Once the canvas is finished, a frame is not compulsory: several solutions let you display it as it is, as long as you take the weight and rigidity of the piece into account.

• If your canvas is already mounted on a stretcher frame, you can hang it directly: two small fine-point hooks pushed into the wood of the frame, joined by nylon line or ribbon, are enough for a size up to about 16 x 20 inches (40 x 50 cm). For larger sizes, use two fixing points in the wall rather than a single central one, so the canvas stays flat.
• Heavy-duty adhesive strips (high-strength double-sided type) work on lightweight stretcher frames. Clean the wall with alcohol before applying, press for thirty seconds, then wait an hour before hanging. They are not suitable for pieces over 4.4 lb (2 kg) or for textured walls.
• A flexible, unmounted canvas will buckle if you fix it as it is. The simplest approach is to glue it onto 0.2 in (5 mm) foam board cut to the exact dimensions, using repositionable spray adhesive or double-sided strips all around. Foam board stays light, cuts with a craft knife and does not distort the diamonds.
• For a more rigid finish, a 0.12 in (3 mm) MDF panel or a 0.2 in (5 mm) expanded PVC sheet will do the job. Place the canvas face down on a clean cloth, apply the panel, turn the whole thing over and smooth from the centre outwards to push out the air.
• On a wall, discreet fixing depends on weight: adhesive strips for a small size under 12 x 16 inches (30 x 40 cm), a metal-point hook tapped in at an angle for a heavier piece, a wall plug and screw hook beyond 6.6 lb (3 kg).
• A table easel or shelf takes small sizes up to 8 x 10 inches (20 x 25 cm) very well. It is the easiest way to move the canvas around with the seasons, without drilling anything.
• Avoid damp walls (bathroom, kitchen near the hob): condensation loosens adhesive strips and makes foam board warp. Direct sunlight, meanwhile, yellows the resin of the diamonds and fades the printed colours after a few months.

Which frame to choose based on the size and style of your diamond painting

The subject of the canvas and its size dictate the frame far more than trends do. Before you buy, lay the canvas flat, measure the stretched border (not the blank margins) and note the weight: a 24 x 32 in (60 x 80 cm) canvas with its diamonds often weighs more than you'd expect, and that weight will determine how sturdy the frame needs to be.

For large formats, check that the frame's backing is solid, not just a flimsy piece of card: that's what keeps the canvas flat over time. If you're torn between two moulding widths, go for the wider one for a large canvas and the narrower one for a small one. A frame that's too chunky around an 8 x 8 in (20 x 20 cm) piece overwhelms the subject; a moulding that's too light around a 28 x 39 in (70 x 100 cm) piece looks flimsy.

The mistakes that ruin a framed canvas (and how to avoid them)

Even when it is mounted well, a canvas can warp within a few weeks if you make one of these five mistakes, all of which are easy to fix.

• Pulling the fasteners or clips too tight: the canvas dips, ripples between two tension points and the diamonds eventually come loose on the raised areas. Aim for even tension, like a softly stretched drum skin, by fixing the corners first, then the middle of each side.
• Sticking tape or ribbon directly onto the diamonds: when you remove it, you take some of the gems with it and leave a sticky film that attracts dust. Apply tape to the bare edge of the canvas, never over the diamonded area.
• Displaying the canvas in direct sunlight, for example behind a window: the resins yellow and the colours fade, especially pinks, turquoises and purples. Choose a wall that gets light without direct rays, or move it to a different spot from time to time.
• Cleaning with household cleaner, a damp cloth or alcohol: this attacks the coating on the diamonds and can lift the edges. A soft, dry cloth or a soft-bristled brush is enough to remove dust and lint.
• Hanging the canvas right above a radiator, fireplace or heating vent: the heat affects the adhesive and the canvas comes away in patches. Keep the hanging at least three feet (one metre) away from any heat source.

Choosing a canvas to frame: our ideas that look great on the wall

The choice of canvas matters as much as how you display it. A large landscape, for example, fills an entire wall and looks perfectly fine without a heavy frame: a canvas stretched over a frame, resting on a picture ledge or fixed directly to the wall, is enough to dress a bare patch. Panoramic formats work especially well above a sofa or along a hallway, where the eye travels. If you are looking for a piece like this, diamond painting landscape canvases offer generous dimensions that fill the space without overwhelming the room. Forest scenes work on the same principle, with deep greens that suit almost any interior; you will find suitable designs in our forest diamond painting canvases.

Small flower canvases, by contrast, are ideal for hanging as a series. Three identical formats lined up horizontally, about 4 inches (10 cm) apart, create a clean arrangement that only needs a simple, lightweight frame. This is the most economical option and the easiest to adjust if you move home or change rooms. To put together a trio like this, take a look at our floral diamond painting designs: by choosing the same canvas size, aligning them becomes child's play.

A custom canvas, meanwhile, is often intended as a gift. A family portrait, a pet that has passed away, a holiday photo: framed simply, without glass, it becomes something you keep for years. Plan the frame before you start placing the drills, as custom sizes can take a few days to arrive. Our custom kits come in several dimensions, which means you can match the canvas exactly to the frame you have your eye on.

Finally, consistency. Two or three canvases with the same feel, the same palette or the same subject, hung in the same room, produce a far more polished effect than a mismatched mix. Group them by theme, line up the heights, and keep the same style of frame throughout.