Rolled Canvas, Frameless or Custom Frame? How to Choose the Finish for an Original Painting
You have found the painting. The size is settled. Then the product page asks one more question: Rolled Canvas, Frameless or Custom Frame? The price jumps at each step, and it is not obvious what you are actually paying for.
Every original painting in our shop is hand-painted and comes with a certificate of authenticity, and every one is offered in the same three finishes. Here is what each one means, what it costs on real paintings today, and how to pick.
What arrives at your door
Rolled Canvas ships rolled in a sturdy hard paper tube, with an extra 2″–5″ of white border around the image. That border is there so a framer can stretch it over any kind of wooden stretcher bar. Our shipping page notes that the canvas returns to flat once it is stretched.
Frameless arrives already stretched on a wooden frame, ready to hang, with no outer frame. The edges of the canvas are the finish.
Custom Frame arrives framed and ready to hang. Framed paintings are packed in a custom-built wooden crate or a double-walled box.
What each finish costs (live prices)
The steps between finishes are consistent, so you can estimate before you open a product page. Here are three paintings at one size each:
| Painting and size | Rolled Canvas | Frameless | Custom Frame |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beaune, 24×24 in (60×60 cm) | $142.99 | $216.99 | $284.99 |
| The Majestic Lion, 24×30 in (60×75 cm) | $163.99 | $237.99 | $305.99 |
| Castaway (three-panel set), 24×20 in (60×50 cm) | $312.99 | $474.99 | $618.99 |
On the two single-canvas paintings, stretching adds $74 over Rolled Canvas, and a Custom Frame adds $142 over Rolled Canvas, or $68 more than Frameless. On the three-panel set the steps are $162 and $306, because you are stretching or framing three canvases, not one. Shipping is free on every order.
Which finish fits which buyer
Choose Rolled Canvas if you already have a framer, or a frame in mind. It is the lowest price, and it lets you choose the stretcher depth and the frame style yourself. The trade-off is that you or a framer have to do the stretching before it can hang. Before you decide it is the cheaper route, get a quote from a local framer for stretching and framing, and compare that number to the $74 or $142 step above.
Choose Frameless if you want to unpack it and hang it. A stretched canvas with no outer frame suits modern and minimalist rooms, and textured, thick-paint pieces look at home that way. It is also the natural choice for a gallery wall, where you want the paintings to sit together without competing frames.
Choose Custom Frame for a finished look, or for a gift. If the painting is going to someone else, arriving framed and ready to hang means nothing is left for them to sort out.
The one policy detail worth knowing before you order
Our returns page says items should be returned in their original condition and original packing, a strong paper tube, and that framed paintings are not accepted for return or exchange. If you are buying a piece you have only seen on screen and want the most flexibility, Rolled Canvas keeps that path open. If you already know it is the one, that is no reason to avoid a frame. Just make the decision knowingly.
A quick way to decide
Ask yourself three questions. Do I already have a frame or a framer? If so, Rolled Canvas. Do I want it on the wall this week without extra errands? Then Frameless or Custom Frame. Is the painting a gift? Then Custom Frame.
Ready to browse? Start with the original paintings collection, look at the square-format paintings if your wall wants a compact piece, or see the multi-panel sets if you want a statement. If you need help with a size that is not listed, our contact page is the place to ask.
