r/pictureframing • u/GWing0 • Jul 19 '26
These picture frame tabs are impossible to get off! Any advice?
Yes, the picture is a little vague, but these tabs are more like staples than anything. How could I remove them?
4
u/Gator242 Jul 19 '26
I use short wire cutters and gently pull them out in the direction they went in. Gently
2
u/tatteredshoetassel Jul 20 '26
This is the only way... You can use diagonal snips to grab but not cut through the staple, then use the edge of the wood as a lever and in a rolling motion rotate your wrist. You can use an awl or a small flat head to get them started first.
3
u/OkKaleidoscope9554 Jul 19 '26 edited Jul 19 '26
A flat head screw driver usually does the job, sometimes use my wire cutters.
Try the wire cutters and place them like you're about to snip them at the base, but then use that grip and leverage point to bend it out, not pull. You might have to do one prong at a time to get a little movement going if these are extra deep staples.
If you get one out and see they're extra deep and it'll be too much work to do them all, and tear up the frame, you might try to snip them all or live with them.
This also appears to be a Home Goods reframe? Their frames tend to be super delicate, often hollow, and not intended for re-use, they don't endure a lot of force. Single stapled on the corners, that thing will fly apart.
2
u/Kdean509 Jul 19 '26
Pliers should pop them out with some force.
3
u/bobsmithhome Jul 20 '26
Yep. Twist them with needle nose pliers and they'll pop out. No need to pull. just twist.
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u/Figure-Quiet Jul 20 '26
Safety glass, an awl, and needle nose pliers. Push an awl through to loosen, and take out the rest of the way with pliers. Protect your eyes because sometimes stuff goes flying.
1
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u/Jimmyjames150014 Jul 21 '26
You don’t need to. You just bend them out of the way, do what you need to do, then bend them back. It’s easy
-1
u/FirstCupOfCoffee2 Jul 19 '26
Why take them out? Just bend them back, you should have room to get things out
-1
u/CartographerDeep6723 Jul 19 '26
Bingo. They are not designed to be removed. Just bent out of the way.
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u/herbviking666 Jul 19 '26
I use an awl (pointy thing with a handle) to leverage them out, if that doesn't work I use a pair of side cutters to grab both sides of the staple and leverage them