Space the final frontier: are you conquered by clutter? daunted by disorganization? A careful redesign of your frame shop's storage solutions may be just the thing to help maximize space and minimize hassle

Art Business News, April, 2004 by Tricia Bisoux

Therefore, every table is not just a work surface, but also a means to store materials and customer artwork underneath. Walls can accommodate everything from shelving, to wall-mounted equipment, to hooks for a variety of tools and materials, to, of course, moulding storage.

Vertical moulding storage is often ideal, as it helps keep warpage to a minimum. Many framers have creatively adapted materials found at local hardware stores to create functional, protective vertical bins for their moulding.

Sarah Howman of Urban Framing outlet in Christchurch, New Zealand, for example, uses roofing material that she found at the hardware store as a creative means to store moulding. The pre-painted roofing material is made with regularly spaced extensions that create the perfect dividers to keep moulding off-cuts safely in place, organized by color and type.

Marty Cipolla of Ft. Worth, Texas-based Marty & Pat's Frame Shoppe lined the walls of his shop's back room with custom-built vertical racks with movable dividers so that moulding storage can always be customized to the shop's current needs. Moulding is arranged alphabetically first by vendor and then by color. This way, even though the shop has a computer program tracking inventory, a quick look at the racks can also make it clear what moulding is in stock.

Framing on Wheels

Almost important as storability when it comes to flame shop storage, is portability. In small shops especially, space often has to serve more than one purpose, and equipment and storage may need to be rotated into and out of premium space as tasks require. This makes wheels great additions to any storage plan.

"Anything that rolls is a super answer to maximizing storage space," stated Breininger. "And of course, if one table can nest underneath another, that's even better. You can keep your small space open, but the moment you need to work, you just roll tables out."

Howman of Urban Framing Outlet has taken this advice, equipping almost every table and workbench in her 23- by 23-foot workshop with wheels. Making tables and benches easily portable makes it easier for her to keep her shop clean, organized and functional.

"I have to think about moving heavy furniture more than a man might," said Howman. "I have all my tables and workbenches on rollers, so that I can move things around easily. This makes it easy for cleaning as well, which was a bear when I first bought the business. Each day I can move workbenches away from the walls and give the floor a good vacuum to keep the dust down. That's major."

Howman also built a trolley for her hot press that allows her to slide the press under another work surface when it's not in use. In this way, she protects the surface of her press and retains valuable workspace in her back room.

"Some framers use the top of the press as a work surface, but with this table, I can keep my press looking pristine," Howman said. "My shop is at the ends of the earth, and if something goes wrong with my equipment, I'd be without it for a long time. I have to take care of all the toys I have."