Faqs

You've got questions, we've got the answers!  And if you can't find it here please email us at info@littlemonkeymetal.com

Framed Art

If you bought one of our framed pieces recently... thank-you! If you were given a piece ... lucky you! Now you have questions...

As you can see we don’t put hardware on the back of the frames. This is because our art can be used in many ways; it can be suspended in a gazebo or framed into a fence or most commonly hung on a wall. The front is the side that is closer to the front of the frame. This leaves more space on the back for your screws and gives a better shadow behind the art.

Our suggested ways to install:

Hang on Dry-Wall - To hang on dry-way you just need to put in two screws that are level with each other and spread out approx 2/3rds the size of the art. Screws should be left sticking out of the wall approx 1.5”. The frame then rests on the two screws and the weight of the frame is what holds it down. This makes hanging easier as you don’t have to hit exact corner spots, you can slide the piece left/right to center and if you’re lucky you can hit one or two studs. If the piece is over 10lbs then you’ll likely want to use wall plugs for any screws that don’t go into a stud.

Suspend in a Gazebo or Window - Because we use solid spruce wood you can put eyelet screws right into the top of the frame and then suspend your piece in a window or from an overhead hanging support.

Frame into a Fence - Again with solid spruce wood you are safe to screw directly into the wood. Our metal panels generally sit about 1/8”-1/4” into the wood. So be careful not to hit the panel with your screws. The wood has MinWax or Varathane decking stain on it and should be restained every 3-5years to keep it’s color. We use color ‘Early America’, however over time the wood will accept any color.

Principles of Care:

1. Watch for unusual situations. Be aware of situations out of the ordinary and seek advice before acting.

2. Use common sense. Do not perform any recommended maintenance action if your common sense tells you it may be harmful or if you are unsure about an effect. You may be encountering a special situation so ask if you are unsure.

3. Proceed gradually & with caution. Test a small hidden area before moving to a highly visible area.

Routine Cleaning:

1. Cleaning: Typically all our art needs is a dusting every now & again. We find the best brush to use is a dry, clean paint brush. The bristles will knock the dust off and not get caught on the metal.

2. Washing: Windex & a rag are the best way to clean. The powder coating that we use is often textured for a more smooth appearance. Therefore, we suggest that you use a rag to clean and not paper towel as paper towel will leave a thousand little bits. Be careful rubbing a textured surface too vigorously as it may flatten the appearance of the texture. The rag can also be used on the wood to give it a wipe down after you’re finished on the metal.

Repair:

1. Paint Touch-Ups: Touch-up paint can be used to repair small scratches or nicks. Try to find a color and finish as close as possible to the powder coat. Often for Black Sandex we use a black Sharpie permanent pen to fill in fine scratches, then rub it in with our finger.

2. Staining The Wood: We use Minwax Wood Finish decking stain to protect the wood. Our most common color used is ‘Early America’ and for touch-ups we use Dark Walnut (most often) or Ebony (for dark touch-ups). You can pick up Minwax stain pens at any hardware store for quick touch-ups. Liberally apply stain around the area and then rub it with a rag.

Yes! The metal is powder coated to protect the steel and the wood has decking stain on it.

We use Minwax Wood Finish decking stain to protect the wood. Our most common color used is ‘Early America’ and for touch-ups we use Dark Walnut (most often) or Ebony (for dark touch-ups). You can pick up Minwax stain pens at any hardware store for quick touch-ups. Liberally apply stain around the area and then rub it with a rag.

Unfortunately no. We do not offer custom sizing in the framed art. We only do our wood framing a couple times a year and therefore are strict about the sizes we do.

What we do offer is custom panels that can be cut to any size. Then you can frame the panel into whatever project you are working on. See 'Made-To-Order --> Decorative Panels'. Minimum order size is $250.

Silhouette Art

I love it! Now where to put it?

All the silhouettes - trees, animals, sugar skulls etc. have welded brackets on the back. These brackets stick out about 1/2". The result is your piece of art will sit off the wall and cast beautiful shadows behind it. The brackets also have a key-hole shape cut into it so that the wind or someone bumping it can't slide it off the screw head. Mini Hearts do not have brackets to hang. Use two nails or screws to create your desired angle.

Principles of Care:

1. Watch for unusual situations. Be aware of situations out of the ordinary and seek advice before acting.

2. Use common sense. Do not perform any recommended maintenance action if your common sense tells you it may be harmful or if you are unsure about an effect. You may be encountering a special situation so ask if you are unsure.

3. Proceed gradually & with caution. Test a small hidden area before moving to a highly visible area.

Routine Cleaning:

1. Cleaning: Typically all our art needs is a dusting every now & again. We find the best brush to use is a dry, clean paint brush. The bristles will knock the dust off and not get caught on the metal.

2. Washing: Windex & a rag are the best way to clean. The powder coating that we use is often textured for a more smooth appearance. Therefore, we suggest that you use a rag to clean and not paper towel as paper towel will leave a thousand little bits. Be careful rubbing a textured surface too vigorously as it may flatten the appearance of the texture.

Repair:

1. Paint Touch-Ups: Touch-up paint can be used to repair small scratches or nicks. Try to find a color and finish as close as possible to the powder coat. Often for Black Sandex we use a black Sharpie permanent pen to fill in fine scratches, then rub it in with our finger. And for clear we use clear rust inhibitor spray paint from either Tremclad or Rustoleum.

Yes, all our art is powder coated and can hang outside. We find black is the most robust coating. Over time the clear powder coat will show rust along the cut-lines.

Yes, we can do BIGGER sizes only. The artwork is designed to the size that we cut it. So we do not go smaller than our inventoried size because we risk the image not holding together properly. We will however go BIGGER! Our sheets of steel are 4ft x 8ft and 4ft x 10ft. So we can cut any shape within those constraints. Which means we can do a 9ft tall tree if you like!

Fire Pits

These are gorgeous!!! How do I keep it looking good?

Yes! Sorry but it's true! All steel will eventually rust. The good thing is our pits are made from a thick enough metal that the rust is purely cosmetic. If you don't mind the look of dark red, then don't worry. If want to keep your pit looking new then we suggest you add more paint every 3-years. And once-a-year to the grates.

First clean it out as best you can. Dump out any left over wood and charcoal. Scrap any lumps of ash off the bottom. Hose the pit off. Once dry, go ahead and paint.

We suggest high-heat spray paint (may be labeled BBQ Paint) from either Tremclad or Rustoleum. Or, the canned version of paint is a lot thicker and will last longer, but of course is slower to apply.

Yes but you need to protect the surface. We suggest putting down a layer of rubber BBQ mats with a few black slate rocks on top. This will make a visually attractive pad and will protect the surface underneath.

Shipping policy

As a member of the CFIB (Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses) we get very good rates with various couriers. SHIPTIME gets quotes from all the couriers and then shows you the cheapest and/or fastest options for your package.

*** Note - As we are out in the country most couriers take 3-5 days before they come pick-up a package. Keep in mind your package will likely take an extra week on top of the estimated time frame.

Right now we only ship across CANADA. We will likely ship to the USA sometime in 2021.

If the item you have ordered is in stock then it typically takes us 2-3days to package it and the courier 3-5 days to pick-up. So please allow a week on top of the courier's shipping estimate.

Returns and exchanges

We want you to be thrilled and happy with your purchase.  If something is unsatisfactory please send us an email with a picture.  Given the hand-done nature of our artwork there will inevitably be slight differences between the web photo and your exact piece.  This is also what makes hand-done artwork so cool ... each piece is unique!  We will offer in-house credit if the piece meets our quality standards.  If it does not then we will exchange your piece for a new one.

Email: info@littlemonkeymetal.com