Since our inception in 2014, Artist Surfaces have researched and developed Wooden Painting Panels design and fabrication processes. We have always strived for technological and material advancements.
We began our journey using Poplar/Tulipwood planed all round for our subframes that were mitre cut, stapled and glued. For the front surface we originally used long grain Birch Plywood.
Poplar/Tulipwood is a hardwood that is ivory in colour and grown in sustainable forests which could be supplied at an economical rate compared with other hardwoods.
Very early in the process we discovered several issues with both materials and fabrication processes.
The Poplar/Tulipwood was always season too quickly causing the subframe to twist, warp and ark on most things we fabricated over 80x90cm. The wood had too much moisture contained in the wood and when stored or cut it would release the pressue. No matter how many cross bars we inserted, it was always 50/50% whether the panel would of sufficient quality. This was not an acceptable product we felt we could offer to our customer base. As such we began our search for alternative solutions.
It is also worth noting that due to the unpredictability of the poplar/tulipwood, we suffered a 50% off cut waste rate. This we felt was an unacceptable level of material loss.
Whilst the stapled corners were a subpar method for construction and could potentially splay.
This was not an acceptable product we felt we could offer to our customer base. As such we began our search for alternative solutions.
The long grain birch plywood we used for on the front surface of the panels caused multiple issues with edge splinters and grain flakes that would travel sometimes the length of the panel.
These issues led to a rethinking of our company aims and channeled our ethos into creating museum grade painting panels.
We reformed our method of stapling subframes in 2015 by investing in a Hoffman machine. This machine allowed us to insert invisible Hoffman keys that would create strong corners stopping any future splaying.
We changed our material choice from poplar/tulipwood to birch plywood strips cut from 35mm sheets in 2016. This seemed at first to be an ingenious problem-solving idea.
However, we found that over long panel lengths the panels would incur a slight arc that would be consistent for all panels over 150cm. Again, adding numerous cross bars did nothing to abate the arcing issues.
During this period our customers noticed a difference in extra weight due to the density of birch plywood. Birch is a phenomenal material, strong and incredibly durable, yet weight became an issue. This was also true for delivering parcels and we had a limit on how many panels we could effectively send in one parcel. This them increased or packaging and delivery costs.
We also experimented with 45-degree corner braces. These helped to ensure each panel was made perfectly square. This extra process created much more work, and our customers were polarised in their appreciation and dismay, often sighting that the braces complicated hanging. As such we stopped including these corner braces.
In 2016 we also changed from long grain Birch Plywood to cross grain. Cross grain was different to long grain, by both the orientation of the wood grain and surface sanding. Cross grain runs the shorter direction of the plywood sheet as opposed to the longest length with long grain. It is also sanded against the grain which refines the surface and densifies creating a more consistent surface.
One of the draw backs of long grain are the fluffy wood fibres that appear and rise when the surface comes into contact with moisture. The long grain could also suffer from consistent machine lines that would develop over time and were imperceptible before painting. Moving to cross grain was of huge benefit when preparing panel surfaces for priming, as it required far less preparation in order to achieve smooth surfaces.
Subframe issues were one of the greatest difficulties that we faced. As a company, we had already developed our Combi Painting Panels to great success. These were our fist great leap forward into the world of warp free painting panels.
Using the aluminium subframe was a game changer. We were operating a 60% success rate with our Birch Plywood Wooden Painting Panels as opposed to a 100% success rate with our Combi Panels. Our material off cut rate was greatly reduced and our weight differential between our Wooden Panels and Combi Panels had been halved.
This was because aluminium box section is much lighter than Birch Plywood and much stronger. It does not react to humidity or temperature changes.
We set to work in 2016 on designing and developing a new system to incorporate aluminium with the aim of creating the world’s first warp free painting panel.
With the new combination aim of utilising both aluminium and wood for our subframes, we needed to rethink our material choices. We visited and met with many leading plywood suppliers and discovered Poplar Plywood, which was a relatively new material to market. Poplar plywood was furniture grade material that was 50% lighter than Birch which was sustainably sourced and PEFC and FSC certified. The only down side was its density which was lower. Its strength was also in doubt and limited the creation of painting panels of any significant dimension without aluminium intervention.
However, from our experience of fabricating wooden painting panels, there would never be a plywood or hardwood that would ever be capable of making a painting panel without movement or warping issues. Wood is a natural material and by its very nature will always be susceptible to movement and contain natural defects.
However, using the Poplar Plywood in combination with the aluminium created a symbiotic relationship permitting the Poplar Plywood to utilise aluminium’s warp free attributes as its own.
In 2017 we moved premise to a larger workshop and purchased a 3-tonne cold veneer press. It is not to be understated how this machine changed our business. We were able to glue panels faster and on a much higher production rate. The cold press provided a consistent and homogenous and balanced gluing of the subframe to the front plywood panel. This in turn created the most balanced gluing process for our wooden panels without any voids or imbalance that can occur when clamping. This is especially noticeable when trying to glue cross bars without a veneer press which exudes equal pressure through the entire panel.
The veneer press also enabled us to develop our seamless panel joins. Opening unlimited dimensional sizes and scales that were limited previously by standard sheet material sizes such as 8x4ft and 10x5ft. These panel joins once glued would never split or appear through layers of paint, as such we aptly named them; seamless panel joins and they are exclusive to Artist Surfaces.
We finalised the aluminium extrusion design in 2018 and launched to great success. Since 2018 we have redesigned our extrusion three times, reducing the size the profile and weight each time without sacrificing any structural stability. Each redesign comes with a cost for a new moulding to be created, but it has always been important to us to invest in what is best.
Our offcuts of aluminium are also recycled creating a lower carbon foot print. It is also worth noting that all wooden offcuts are incinerated in our WT5 wood burner to create heat for our workshop as a low carbon energy source. We no longer have any gas supplied to our building. Our electricity is also offset by the install of solar panels furthering our aims of creating a sustainable and low carbon company.
During this exciting period, we invested in new machinery like our upcut mitre saw with Profistop auto-measure function offering precise and clean cuts for our subframe lengths.
The new aluminium extrusion incorporated a useful ‘u’ shaped security hanging bar that featured on all hanging orientations. This was a great but simple new method that allowed artists to hang with confidence and security.
The ‘U’ section was also designed so that interior corner connectors could be inserted with grub screws to tighten and secure the subframe together. These corner connectors also reinforce the subframe to be incredibly strong and flex free. Used in conjunction with the invisible Hoffman keys, the corner connectors created the most comprehensive and stable corner fabrication method to date.
The strength of the aluminium extrusion negated the overuse of cross bars. Reducing cross bars and reduced the overall weight of our wooden painting panels. The new subframe opened new large scale dimensional possibilities that would be warp free. We could now create almost any dimension providing it was logistically possible to transport.
Discovering Poplar Plywood and its benefits permitted the new change in material for the front surface. Poplar Plywood was perfect and had all the right attributes such as; lightweight, easy to prepare, ivory in colour with a tight wood grain, A grade surface with no plugs. The material set our painting panels apart from any competition and still does today.
In 2022, we discovered a brand-new technology. Laser welding. After becoming excited by the miraculous ability of this new technology to weld, we reached out to several companies. After having some demos and understanding the impact that this new technology could have on our products, we took the expensive plunge and invested in a machine.
It is safe to say that we have not looked back. This new technology has again revolutionised our museum grade warp free painting panels. The interior metal corners with grub screws were a fantastic method of fabricating guaranteeing 90 degrees, but have now been decommissioned.
We no longer require the corner connectors. Laser welding is a new form of welding that allows us to weld each corner with the wood attached. This creates a seamless fusion of the aluminium subframe. This would not be possible with tig welding as the aluminium would get so hot that the wood attached would catch fire. Laser welded joins are stronger than the aluminium itself. This further reduces weight again, by using less material.
This new welding method simplifies fabrication down to the quintessential and in our estimation offers the most essential and paragon solution for our corner fabrication process.
We feel that we have push the boundaries and been on the front foot leading the way with what is possible with painting panels fabrication and design. We believe we create the most comprehensive and structurally warp free museum grade painting panels on the planet. We also feel that our price point in regards to our competition is exceptionally good value for money. If you also consider that we are the only company to offer warp free painting panels, not to mention our STUDIO Wooden Painting Panels that offer warp free attributes at a more economic price point.
We have researched and developed since we established the company. Each year improving and problem-solving issues. We have explored and investigated weight problems, crossbar design, panel strength, stability, materiality, machinability, surface quality, conservation, recycled, sustainable and ethically sourced materials.
Before creating Artist Surfaces, I was an artist, this gave me the strategic insight into what a painting panel could and should be. Artist Surfaces will always invest in new processes and technologies. Our mantra will always be to offer the very best surfaces and fabrication processes in the world. We have worked very hard to reach this stage, but will never stop striving for progress and improvement, and we hope you follow us on our journey.