The art of vinyl: framing vinyl records for display
For better or worse, we’re in an age of digital music. Yet, to the delight of audiophiles everywhere, the humble vinyl record is enjoying a surprising renaissance, with sales showing little sign of slowing.
As well as pure nostalgia, enhanced sound quality and being able to actually own your music, another big reason people love vinyl is the joy of physically having an album, artful cover and all. From the cosmic wonder of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon to the deliberate minimalism of The Beatles’ The White Album, classic vinyl album covers are as much a part of music history as the records themselves, and deserve to be displayed in the rightful fashion, alongside other treasured music memorabilia.
Whether you’re a serious collector or in the early days of your collection, framing vinyl records for display is a great way to showcase your favourite albums and protect them for years to come. At SohoFrames, we specialise in creating beautiful handmade picture frames, so from the turntable to the wall, we can help you transform your favourite records into framed masterpieces.
In this article, we’ll walk you through our process of vinyl framing.
1. Choose Your Style
First, we invite you to either an in-person or remote video consultation to help you select your ideal vinyl frame design. We’ll then discuss what exactly you want framed: either the sleeve, the record, both the record and sleeve side by side, or the record protruding from inside the sleeve. If you have a more unique layout in mind, we will work with you to achieve this.
Our inventory boasts over 500 styles to accommodate any aesthetic preference. Pick from a myriad of materials, including White American oak, polished aluminium, and even custom-carved solid acrylic. We can also spray your frame with almost any colour code to complement the album’s cover, and in a variety of standard and specialised finishes. Whether you want to frame your Back in Black record in a circle of liquid metal obsidian, or have your Midnights sleeve framed in a soft perimeter of lavender, we can make it happen.
For that added bit of personalisation, you can also select from a wide range of dry mounting options, including coloured and textured mounts, text boxes, and custom engraving. You might even opt to “float” the mount with a border of breathing space or frame straight to the edge, showcasing its art from corner to corner.
2. The Perfect Fit
Next, in order to hold the sleeve and record in place, we will typically use acid-free tape — one of the safest ways to mount a record — although sometimes stronger adhesives are needed.
That said, there is an alternative method that involves using apertures — the opening inside the mount through which the pictures are displayed — which allows for safe vinyl framing for display without any damage to the sleeve or record. Although, it’s worth noting that not all arrangements are possible with this method, and the apertures will have straight cuts to ensure that the edges of the sleeve and record remain visible.
Once secured, you have the option of floating both using a small 3 mm spacer to keep it away from the glass, or a deeper 12 mm spacer for a greater sense of depth. To enhance the aesthetic appeal, we’re able to add a bevel-edged window mount around the float. Finally, we can frame your vinyl record with or without a spacer based on your preference.
3. Make the finishing touches
Lastly, we will make the finishing touches to your framed masterpiece, turning your turntable treasure into a true work of art. To safely display your vinyl record, we recommend selecting anti-reflective glass with high-grade UV protection. Our art glass blocks up to 99% of UV radiation, which greatly minimises the chance of light damage.
The pièce de résistance? Putting your own creative stamp on your record. From plaques and photos to drum sticks and concert tickets, your beloved pieces of music memorabilia can be placed in the frame alongside the record to show off your love for music or commemorate that concert of a lifetime.
Once the design is finalised to your liking, we can install it for you to ensure that the record is displayed in the optimal way aesthetically-speaking and the album and your walls aren’t damaged during the process. You can get same day framing on almost all of our options, in addition to night-time/out-of-hours emergency service if required — all of which is available for customers within London and the M25.
And that rounds of our vinyl framing process! To learn more about our services or to schedule a consultation, please contact us today.