Tests proved that at any given breaking strain, the extension with cheaper nylon was around 26%, while with polyester and polypropylene fibre, only around 12% at failure loads. This low stretch characteristic is a great benefit to framers and installers. Polyester and polypropylene cannot rot, nor will moisture from the atmosphere change their characteristics.
Picture hanging cord from LION has been tried and tested over many years, it is the trusted go-to cord for picture framers. Our picture cord is braided and made from polyester fibre, opposed to cheaper nylon alternatives.
As a guide, to allow for 'shock' loading, the frame weight should be no more than about one quarter of the breaking strain, in the case of No 1, about, 22kg.
Low-Stretch picture cords are amazingly strong. No 1, has been lab tested and snapped at 89kg.
Every framer fears the news from a customer that "the picture cord broke and the picture fell onto the grand piano". Sometimes the cord did actually break, but often that would be an old cotton cord, which could rot or wire which corroded. More likely, the cord becomes untied from an eye or D Ring, or an eye itself pulls out, breaks or comes open. Take care to always select hangers for the frame which are more than strong enough.