Easy Picture Frames

A picture frame is a container added to a picture in order to enhance it, make it easier to display or, in some cases, to protect it. Picture frames are usually made of soft or hard wood although other materials are also used, including aluminum or polystyrene. A picture frame may be of any colour or texture, but gilding is common, especially on older frames. Some picture frames have elaborate mouldings on them, which may relate to the subject matter of the picture.

The picture frame may contain a pane of glass, in order to protect the picture. Glass may be treated with various coatings, the most common being UV filters. The most expensive glass, Museum glass, has a coating which makes the glass non reflective and practically invisible.

"L"-style frames are a simple variety that are constructed with a single L-shaped border of wood, with the bottom part of the L, or rabbet, at the front of the frame to hold in the glass, object and backing, which are secured in from the back. In this type a frame, a framing mat should be used to distance the object/picture from the glass, because condensation quickly accumulates inside any frame and causes damage to the picture.

Shadowbox frames have an additional channel cut into them, which the glass is inserted into. This allows the picture to be framed without a mat and still have protection from condensation.

Attractive and unique picture frames can be made with basic tools, for some only a saw and a square are needed. It is much easier to cut mitered corners with a miter box or trimmer, if the fit is not exact the angles can be fine tuned by sanding them. Often a cause of poor fitting joints is that the two opposite side pieces are not exactly the same length. A disk sander is a very handy tool to have to adjust the angles to fit, there are plans to build one here.

Miterless Frame

Make a base using 3/8" thick material as shown in fig.1, the inside dimensions should be standard photo sizes, 5 X 7, 8 X 10, 11 X 14, etc. For the top use strips 1/2" wider than base, use thicker and wider material for the corner blocks. Glue top pieces to the base as shown in Fig 2.

Rather than using corner blocks, cut strips 3/8" wider and glue on top of base lapping the joints as shown in Fig. 3

Traditional Molding Profiles

Clamping

There are several ways to clamp your frames, perhaps the easiest way is to use a picture frame clamp. There are manufactured ones available or you can build your own. Masking tape will also work, simply lay a strip around each corner to hold it together until the glue sets. Rubber bands cut from innertubes can be used but it is difficult to keep the parts together while stretching it around the frame.

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