How to Make Art Frames

While you can find art frames at your local craft store to meet most framing needs, you may occasionally have a piece of art that requires a custom frame. Custom framers are happy to do the job for you, but rather than spending a lot of money at the custom frame shop, you can do the job yourself. With a few basic tools and a little time, you will have the perfect picture frame for any work of art.

Things You'll Need

• Metal ruler
• Art frame molding
• Miter box
• Chalk
• Tenon saw
• Set square
• Wood glue
• Belt clamp
• Panel pins
• Hammer
• Picture glass
• Backing
• Fixing plates
• Picture-hanging hardware

Instructions

1. Measure the artwork. Remember that a small portion of the edge of the artwork, about 1/8-inch, will be hidden by the lip of the frame. Measure both the sight size and the rebated size. The sight size is the portion of the art you can see when looking at the front of the frame; the rebated size is the sight size plus the portion covered by the lip of the frame.

2. Choose a molding. Go to a craft store or frame shop to purchase art frame molding because it will already have the rebate cut into it. The rebate is the recessed area creating the lip that holds the artwork inside the frame.

3. Determine how much molding is needed. To calculate the exact length of each frame member, or side, add the rebated size of the artwork to twice the heel of the molding. The heel is the back side of the molding, not including the rebate.

4. Cut the frame members at a 45-degree angle using a miter box and tenon saw. Use a piece of sharpened chalk to mark the length of each member as calculated in the previous step. That will be the long edge of each member, which will be the outermost edge of the picture frame.

5. Check to be sure your cuts are square by laying the pieces together and using a set square. If three of the angles are 90 degrees, then the fourth must be as well.

6. Apply glue to the mitered edges and pull the frame members together with a belt clamp. Immediately remove any excess glue.

7. After the glue has completely dried, remove the clamp. Nail the frame together with panel pins, which are small, nearly headless nails. Use one at each end of each side.

8. Insert the picture glass panel, artwork and backing. Go to any glass merchant to get a piece of glass cut to the rebate size of the artwork. The backing should also be cut to the rebate size. Grey pulpboard is an economical backing material that is easy to cut for yourself.

9. Secure the glass, artwork and backing material in place with nails or fixing plates. Fixing plates are types of hardware designed for this purpose. These can be found at your local home improvement store.

10. Attach hanging hardware to the back of the art frame.

Tips & Warnings

• Clamp the molding to the miter box. If the miter box does not have a built-in clamp, use G clamps to hold the molding in position. Before applying glue, clamp the frame together without glue. Mistakes and imperfections can be detected and corrected before final assembly. If using an unfinished frame, apply the finish before assembling the frame. Any glue residue will prevent proper staining. The tiny panel pin nails are difficult to grasp, so use a bradawl to make a tiny hole in the frame to get the nails started.

• Make sure the miter box is clamped down securely to the work surface to prevent it from moving and possibly causing an injury.

References

• The Picture Framing Handbook; Andy Parks; 2009
• Picture Framing Made Easy; Penelope Stokes; 1996