How to Install Picture Frame Molding

Embellish your picture frames with crown molding to give them a rich, baroque look. Different faces, widths and angled cuts help build depth. Crown molding can be added to your existing picture frames using various adhesives and careful placement of finishing nails. You can build a frame using several crown molding faces, to custom fit the artwork you wish to frame. Crown molding picture frames work well with three-dimensional pieces, such as collages.

This article assumes that the reader is an experienced woodworker who is familiar with the safe and correct use of power and hand tools, including a coping saw or jig saw, back saw, and miter box. It also assumes that the reader understands the process of squaring and mitering corners, making picture frames, and joining crown molding.

Although the resources at the end of this article detail how to miter and cope crown molding for ceiling installation, the techniques are the same for making frames. The difference is, instead of framing the ceiling horizontally, you are framing a photo or piece of art vertically.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Crown molding
• Coping saw or jig saw
• Back saw and miter box
• Finishing nails
• Tack hammer
• 5-minute epoxy
• Art to be framed
• Carpenter's pencil
• Coarse, medium, fine and extra fine sandpaper
• Sanding blocks
• Clear acrylic wood treatment

1. 
    

   Measure the piece to be framed. Decide whether or not you wish to miter the corners together or use the rail and stile method for the central portion of the frame. All additional layers of the frame will be mitered and coped. See the diagram that accompanies this step for the three basic central construction methods. The rail and stile methods work best with art that will be placed on a tripod for display. If the art will be hung, rail and stile construction will result in the frame being slowly pulled apart by its own weight over time.

2. 
    

   Make all miter cuts at 45-degree angles. This provides the strongest fit when assembled. Cut two pieces at once by measuring twice the length needed. Make the miter cut between the two pieces.

3. Use the coping saw or jig saw to shape the rear profile of the crown molding. Cut away material from the backside of each end of the short frame pieces until the back profile matches the front profile of the longer frame pieces. This allows them to fit into and over one another at the mitered corners.

4. Sand all the pieces smooth using coarse, medium, fine and extra fine sandpaper, in that order, using sanding blocks.

5. Tack the first layer of crown molding at the corners. Use even, gentle hammer strokes to avoid breaking or cracking the frame.

6. Brush clear acrylic wood treatment over entire piece. Allow it to dry. Use medium sandpaper to smooth any imperfections in the wood treatment and apply a second coat. Allow the pieces to dry again, and then repeat the sanding process using the fine and extra fine sandpaper. Apply a third coat of clear acrylic and allow the finish to dry completely.

Tips & Warnings

• Manual and power tools can cause serious injury. Use caution and wear appropriate safety gear.

Resources

• Crown Molding Profile Catalogue
• Cutting and Mitering Crown Molding
• Video: Coping Crown Molding
• Video: Coping Crown Molding with a Jig Saw