Making picture frames

If you have an unusual size of a poster or picture or just want something more personal or different then making picture frames can be a way to do this very thing. There are lots of different materials that you can use in making picture frames. It can be as simple as using cardboard or popsicle sticks and using the opportunity to make a rainy day project for your children or as complicated as using a saw and other tools and some wood  and related materials to use in making picture frames.

First steps in making picture frames

One of the first steps is of course to measure the item you intend to frame and see how large of a picture frame that you need to create. Don’t forget that the mat you use is what determines the size instead of the picture unless you aren’t going to include a mat and then just measure the item you wish to frame.

Making a Wooden Frame

In making picture frames, you must first choose the framing material. You can get wood for making frames at a hobby store or lumber yard; it depends on the kind of wood you want to use. Then take the measurements you got from the item you wish to frame. Measure out the four pieces of wood to the correct length. Use a handsaw to make the cuts. Each piece needs to be the length you want plus twice the width of the wood; this is to allow for the corners to be mitered.

Next, lay out the four pieces of wood in the shape of a frame. In making picture frames, you need to be careful to cut the ends of the wood frame pieces so that each on has a 45 degree angle. This is called mitering. If you have a special miter box you can use it to hold it so you can cut it easier, otherwise you must be careful to hold it tight by some other means such as a vice.
Special rules apply for making 11×14 picture frames and panoramic picture frames - read about that by following the links.

Next, take some wood glue and some corner clamps and put the glue on the cut edges and hold them together with the clamps. Do this to all the four corners. Let it dry over night to be sure in making picture frames that it is secure. After it dries you can add a hanger to
the pack so it can be put on a wall.

Decorating Frames

Another idea in making picture frames is to buy some plain frames and decorate them to show your own style. You can pick up some wooden plain frames and then some glue, buttons, yarn, glitter, etc. Let your imagination help you to decide what to use to decorate the frames. This is great project for younger children to do when making picture frames for something like a mother’s day or a father’s day gift.

Next, designate an area of a table or floor for making picture frames. Then take apart the frames you bought and save the glass somewhere safe so it won’t get broken. Then, you can paint the frames if desired. If so, you must then wait until the paint dries to continue on with the making picture frames project.

After the paint has dried, you can take the other decorations you bought and glue them to the frame anyway that you wish. Then, when all dry, you can put the frames back together again with the glass and add in the picture of your choice. Your recipient will love these since the children made them special with lots of love and imagination.

Popsicle Sticks

Another idea for making picture frames if the children are abit too young for the aforementioned project is to save up some Popsicle sticks and use them for a simple frame. Just take four clean and dry Popsicle sticks and lay them crossways to make a square. Carefully glue the connecting parts together and let dry. You should have a square shaped frame. This simple frame can be decorated as the ones above with buttons, glitter, etc. Then, you can take a small picture and cut it to fit the frame. Be sure to leave some extra room, as you will need it for gluing the picture to the Popsicle frame. Let dry and voila! Another masterpiece!

These are just three ideas for making picture frames that you can use. Whatever you do, your recipients will love that you made it yourself!