How to Make Photo Frames

Choose material. You’ll want to choose materials that not only suit your needs and taste, but they’re also high quality and match the photo you want to frame. There are many different types of wood, glue, metal, and nails in the store and should be carefully selected by you to create a complete masterpiece. Here is more information about each material for your reference:

• Wood style. The type of wood you choose will largely depend on your preferences and the intended use of the picture frame. You can use plywood or raw wood. Plywood will give a picture frame a more detailed, finished look and is best suited to large or traditional pictures and interior designs. Raw wood will give a picture frame a more refined, simple look and is best suited for small or modern pictures and interior designs.
• Wood type. You also need to decide what type of wood you will use. Many types of wood are suitable for this purpose, especially hardwood, so you should decide mainly on your own preferences. It’s easiest to use the same wood as the other items in the room where you plan to put or hang the picture frame. This will help the frame fit better into the room.
• Metal. If you want to cut the frame out of metal instead of wood, you should follow the same process, but use a circular saw with a diamond blade to cut the metal. Connect the edges of the frame with an L-shaped metal joint and suitable screws, using a drill to make holes before screwing in the fixing screws.
• Glue. Using wood glue is best. Other glues can also be used if wood glue is not available at all, but it is still best to use glue made for this purpose. Wood glue is fairly inexpensive and is usually available at craft and materials stores.
• Nail. The type of nail used for this project will depend in part on how large the frame is. Large and thick picture frames will require large and long nails. Small picture frames will need smaller and shorter nails. Use the right type of nails to ensure that the slats are firmly attached to each other and will not come apart easily.

Measure the frame size. Measure the length and width of the outside edge of the photo pad. These will be the dimensions needed for the inner edge of the picture frame. To calculate the length and width of the outer edges, you would use the following formula: L = E + (2 x C) + (2 x W). ^[1]

• L is the length or width measurement that you will use to cut the wood. E is the length or width of the photo pad. C is the clearance around the pad (very small size, about 1.5mm). W is the width of the material bar that makes up the image frame.

Cut frame. Crop the image frame based on the data calculated by the above formula. You will need two long sides and two wide sides to make a picture frame. You should remember the old adage: measure twice, cut once. Working correctly is very important, because if the size of the pieces of wood is wrong, the edges of the picture frame will not fit together or will not be able to fit together at all.

• After you have cut the slats for the edges of the picture frame, you should cut the ends beveled so the slats can stick together. Cut the corners so that they are facing each other, we will have one side shorter than the other.
• You can use a circular saw to cut the angle set to 45 degrees or you can mark the angle to be cut with a pen and cut with a hand saw. The second method is often difficult to be precise and is not recommended.

Frame mortise cut. This is the inside edge of the picture frame to keep the glass from falling on the inside. You can make it by using a straight drill to carve the edge into the back, inside of the frame edge, or by creating a thinner frame and attaching it to the back of the main frame.

• This second frame should be made larger in both length and width, to be able to keep the cover glass from getting inside the picture frame.
• Make sure the mortise is deep enough to accommodate the glass, photo pads, and nails, which will be used to hold the materials that make up the frame.

Decorate photo frames (optional). You may want to customize your frame so that it better fits the room where the frame will be placed, or to highlight a certain angle of the photo or painting that you will be putting in the frame. . Before attaching the glass, pictures and backing, you can paint or stain the wooden frame. The color is completely up to you. Based on this you can paint or dye your photo frame to give it its own color:

• Paint. If you decide to paint a picture frame, make sure you use the right paint that matches the wood. Latex paint will give a smoother and shinier appearance than other paints. You can paint the frame in one color or paint it to your own design. Apply long strokes and multiple coats to evenly apply the paint to the frame.
• Dye. Dyes come in many colors. Try to choose a color that closely resembles the other wooden items in the room where you will hang the picture. You should test the dye on wood chips first, to see how many coats of dye are needed and to see how it will interact with the grain on the wood. With the dye method, it is best to do this before attaching the components of the picture frame together. This will make the dye appear evenly across the frame. Use a stain brush for a professional finish. Once the dye has dried, you can add more varnish to give the frame a glossy sheen.

Tie it all together. Put the pieces of material together like a jigsaw puzzle to make a square or rectangle. Adjust again if necessary, but keep in mind that changing the angles too much will cause the frame to attach unevenly. Here’s how to mount the frame:

• First, glue the frame together, using clamps and a ruler to secure the materials. You will need to make sure the corners are properly glued before continuing.
• When the glue has dried, gently nail the four corners so that the edges stick together. Nails should be driven into one edge of the frame, through one edge and into the other, aiming to strike as close to the midpoint of the bar as possible. You should nail the nail perpendicular to the seam between the two sides.
• Use wood putty to fill in the gaps.

Install glass. The glass will need to be cut to fit the frame’s mortise dimensions. You can do it yourself, but it’s easier and cheaper to take it to a glass cutter and let them do it more professionally, as you’ll need special tools and skills to cut glass safely.

• You don’t have to use glasses. Plexiglas (organic glass) or any clear plastic will work. Other materials may not be as beautiful, but they are also more difficult to break if the frame is dropped.

Attach the image. With the picture frame placed face down on the table, place the photo and mat inside the frame. Once it is in the center of the frame, use a glass tip or nail placed parallel to the photo pad to hold the photo, backing, and glass in place within the frame. This is the final step to make the photo frame. Now you can think of decorating the picture frame and a perfect place to hang it.

Decorate photo frames. You can add lipstick to the photo frame by decorating. You can choose to add detail with metallic gold paint to a traditional photo frame. Another option is to add small accessories like shells or buttons by applying glue to the picture frame. This is a great way to make a picture frame match the subject matter of the photo it contains. Some other ways to decorate photo frames:

• Remove old broken jewelry and stick them on the picture frame with craft glue. For example, if you have a cute flower that fell out of a ring, a broken pendant, or a pretty earring with an eye-catching design, you can stick them on different places. on photo frames, or combine them together to create a sophisticated design. ^[2]
• Embed pictures in the pages of a meaningful book or article. To do this, use a pencil to trace the shape of the photo pad onto the reverse side of the page and then cut it out. Then mark the position of the photo in the center, and cut about 3mm from the outer edge of the photo to prevent the edges from coming out. Then simply turn the cut paper over, place the photo under the photo pad, and clip the frame to its rightful place. To increase durability, you can laminate this paper frame. ^[3]
• Stamp on the picture frame. Find a cute frame that corresponds to the person in the photo — for example, if it’s your little girl and stars are her thing, choose a stamp with lots of stars . It would be perfect if you painted the picture frame white or light color, as the stamp will be visible and contrast with the picture frame. ^[4]