How to Cut Glass for a Custom Picture Frame

If you want to custom-frame a picture, you will need a piece of glass that is the perfect size for your photo or painting. You can custom-cut a piece of glass for a picture frame by following these steps.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Sheet of glass
• Glass cleaner
• Glass cutter
• Lubrication
• Tape Measure
• Straight edge
• Dry erase marker

1. Clean the piece of glass you are going to cut with window cleaner. Clean glass breaks easier than dirty glass.

2. Lubricate your glass cutter with sewing machine oil, kerosene, stove or motor oil before cutting the glass with it.

3. Choose a straight edge that is heavy, durable and long enough to cover the entire length of the glass. You need something that will not move while you use it to cut.

4. Measure how big you need the glass to be with a tape measure. Alternatively, you can lay the glass directly over the picture that you are framing and cut directly over the picture to get the right size.

5. Mark the glass where you need to cut at the top of the glass where you will start the cut to the bottom with a dry erase marker.

6. Lay the straight edge where you want to cut and draw your glass cutter along it from the top to the bottom without stopping.

7. Hold one side of the glass against the surface of the table, while holding the glass over the edge. Gently snap the glass where it has been scored.

Tips & Warnings

• A tiny sliver of glass in your eye could impair your vision for the rest of your life. It is very important that you wear eye protection when cutting glass.
• Make sure that your glass cutter is sharp and free of chips in the blades or you could break the glass in an unintended way or the cut may not come out clean.