DIY Custom Picture Frames

Step 2 Measurements, Materials, and Tools

Measurements: There are a collection of dimensions that we will use throughout the tutorial. The next step has details on how to calculate each one.

• PD: Picture Dimensions - Width and height of the thing to be framed. In this example it is a panorama print.


• OD: Outside Dimensions - Width and height of the matt board and mounting board.


• MID: Matt Inside Dimensions - Width and height of the inside of the matt, always slightly smaller than PD.

Materials: The following is a list of the materials we will make the frame out of.

• 1 photograph, print, drawing, document or some other flat piece of art to frame. For this tutorial I use a panorama print of a photograph I took on a trip to London in January of 2005.


• 1 piece of chip board at least OD in size


• 1 piece of matt board at least OD in size


• Enough acid free paper to cover an area at least PD in size, with a little left over (2"x6" or so)


• Acid free glue


• 1 piece of glass, plexiglass, lexan, or lucite at least OD in size. For this tutorial I chose lexan because the frame will be very large and lexan is a lot lighter than glass.


• 4 pieces of molding, picture frame boards (basically the same as molding except it already has a rabbet on the back side), or strait boards. Two of them must be at least FOD-width long and the other two FOD-height long. A little longer is preferable to just the right size. For this tutorial I'm using 1/2" by 2" poplar straight boards which will produce a very simple and elegant frame.


• At least 4 joint fastners.


• Glazer's Points


• Stain, paint, or some other finish. For this tutorial I will be using spray paint.


• Hardware to hang the frame later.

Optional Materials

• Wood filler: It is quite a challenge to create a perfect set of miter joints. You can use the wood filler to fill the gaps, but if you plan in staining the frame, make sure to use wood filler that matches the stain or stainable wood filler.


• Wood glue: You can use some wood glue to help reinforce the joints, but because it is an end to end joint, you will have to use joint fasteners.

Tools: The following is a list of the tools needed to convert the materials listed above into a picture frame.

• A clean, flat workspace much larger than the frame under construction. I used the kitchen floor because my frame is too large to put together on a table or workbench.


• A sharp box knife


• Pencil


• Angled matt cutter. If you plan on making more than one frame over your lifetime, it is worth investing in this tool. Mine cost $35 and it is more than made up for in the savings you will gain by doing your own custom framing. I will have alternate instructions if you choose not to get this tool.


• Straight edge


• Glass, plexiglass, lexan, etc. cutter if you don't have it cut to size for you (highly recommended, particularly for glass).


• Router or table saw to create a rabbet


• Miter box and hand saw (unless you have a very well calibrated power miter saw or table saw)


• Hammer


• Corner clamp


• Tape measure


• Sand paper

Comments

[StoryAddict]

I concur with longouyang. I'm going to try and copy/paste to notepad and clean it up to read. sad day :/

[longouyang]

the html formatting doesn't seem to work here, and makes the page kinda hard to read.