How to Make a Picture Frame

Last Updated: October 20, 2021 References Tested

Picture frames can be the most pricey and restrictive part of capturing your favorite photo or picture. Making your own picture frame is a great way to personalize your home décor and to create a device that is truly appropriate to the image inside of it. To make a picture frame, you'll need to assemble a cardboard mat, four wood or metal sides creating the outline of your frame, and the glass or plexiglass front used to protect the picture. You can also personalize the frame with decorative elements.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Matting the Frame

1
Measure your mat. The mat is the plain paper or cardboard border which goes around a picture inside of a frame. Using a mat will make your picture and frame look more professional and finished. It will also make it easier to see the picture. Before you begin measuring your material, you should determine how wide you want the mat to be.^{[1]
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- A good estimate is roughly ¼ to ⅓ of the width (shortest dimension) of the image.
2
Measure your picture. After deciding on the width of the mat, measure the picture itself. Double the mat width you have decided on and add this to the picture length and width. The resulting measurement will be the length and width of the outer edges of the mat.^{[2]
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- The inner edges of the mat will be equal to or slightly smaller than the image to be framed.
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3
Cut the outer edges of the mat. You will need to cut the mat once you have marked your measurements. Thinner mat materials like paper or cardstock can be cut with an exact-o knife or scissors. Thicker materials, such as the thin cardboard that matting is usually made from, can also be cut this way but will look more professional if you use a mat cutter.^{[3]
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- Cut the outer edges. Cut the outer edges of the mat according to the measurements you took.
- You should use a ruler to mark the places where you will cut.
- You should also use an angle to be sure that your corners are even before cutting.
4
Cut the interior of the mat. The interior should be equal to or slightly smaller than the picture you will hang. On the back side of the mat, draw the measurements of the original image. Subtract a small amount from the original measurements if you wish the mat to overlap the image slightly. Cut the material with the appropriate tools.^{[4]
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5
Place the photo inside the mat. With the back side of the mat facing down, place the image down-facing as well and center it in the square. Tape the top two corners to the mat vertically and then place horizontal tape over the vertical tape, one piece on the mat and a second on the picture.
- Now your picture will be secure in the mat but have enough flexibility to keep it from bowing or wrinkling.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Making the Frame

1
Choose your materials. You will want to choose materials that not only appeal to your needs and sense of design, but which are also high quality and appropriate the the image you are framing. Many different woods, glues, metals, and nails are available and should be carefully chosen to create a superior final product. Here is some more information about each of these materials:^{[5]
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- Wood shape. The wood you choose will depend largely on your own preferences and what the frame will be for. You can use either moulding or plain lumber. Moulding will give a more elaborate, finished look and is best suited to larger or more traditional images and interior designs. Plain lumber gives a cleaner, simpler look and is best suited for smaller or more modern images and interior designs.
- Wood type. You will also have to decide what type of wood you want to use. Many woods are suitable for this purpose, especially hardwoods, so you should decide mainly by preference for the appearance. It may be easiest to use the same type of wood used in other objects in the room where the frame will sit or hang. This will help the frame look like it belongs in the room.
- Metal. If you'd like to cut your frame out of metal instead of wood, you should follow a similar process, but use a circular saw with a diamond tip blade to cut the metal. Just connect the frame with metal L-corners and matching screws, using a power drill to make holes for the screws first.
- Glue. Using wood glue will work best. Other glues can be used if wood glue is absolutely unavailable but it is best to used the glue designed for this purpose. Wood glue is cheap and generally readily available at hardware and craft stores.
- Nails. The nails used in this project will depend partially upon how large the frame will be. Thicker, longer nails will needed for large and thick frames. Thinner, shorter nails will be needed for smaller frames. Use the correct nails to ensure that the wood is held firmly in place and will not split.
2
Measure the dimensions of the frame. Measure the length and width of the outer edge of the mat. This will be the necessary dimensions for the inside edges of the frame. In order to figure out the length and width of the outer edges, you will want to use this formula: L = E + (2 x C) + (2 x W).^{[6]
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- L represents the length or width measurement you will use to cut the wood. E represents the length or width measurement of the mat. C is the clearance around the mat (this will probably be a very small measurement, such as 1/16"). W is the width of the frame material itself.
3
Cut the frame. Cut the the frame according to the measurement provided by the formula. You will need two pieces cut to the length measurement and two pieces cut to the width measurement. You should remember the old adage: measure twice, cut once. Being accurate is very important, as any difference in the sizes of the wood pieces can result in the frame fitting together unevenly or not at all.^{[7]
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- After the initial cut, you should angle the ends in order to fit the pieces together. Cut the angles so that they point towards each other, leaving one edge shorter than the other.
- You can use a miter saw set at a 45 degree angle or you can mark the angle by hand and cut it with a handsaw. This second method is inaccurate and not recommended.
4
Cut a frame rebate. This is the lip on the inside of the frame which will ensure that the glass does not fall through the opening. You can do this either by using a straight bit to carve the lip into the back, inside edge of the frame or by creating a thinner frame and attaching it to the back of the first.^{[8]
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- This secondary frame should be larger in width and length, so as to accommodate a piece of glass which would be too large to fall through the opening of the frame.
- Be sure that the rebate is deep enough to accommodate the glass, mat, and nails which will be used to hold the materials in the frame.
5
Color your frame (optional). You may wish to customize your frame to better match with the room in which it will be placed, or to accentuate an aspect of the photo or picture you'll place inside it. Before inserting the glass, image and mat, you can add paint or stain to the wood. The color of each is entirely up to you. Here's how you can paint or stain your picture frame to give it more flavor:
- Paint. If you decide to paint the frame, be sure to use a type of paint appropriate for the wood. Latex-based paints will give a smoother, shinier appearance. You can paint the frame one color or you can paint on designs. Use long strokes and several coats to produce an even appearance.
- Stain. Stain comes in a variety of colors. Try to choose one which closely matches the other wood stains in the room where the image will hang. You may wish to test the stain first on scraps of the wood, to see how many coats will be needed and how it will interact with the grain of the wood. With a stain it is best to add before putting the pieces of the frame together. This will give the stain a more even appearance. Use a stain brush to further ensure a professional finish. When the stain has dried, you can finish with a varnish to give the frame a nice shine.
6
Put it all together. Fit the pieces together like a puzzle so that a square or rectangle is formed. Make any adjustments that are necessary but keep in mind that changing the angles too much will result in the frame fitting unevenly. Here's how to do it:
- First, glue the frame together, using clamps and angles to keep it firmly in place. You will want to ensure that the angles dry correctly.
- When the glue has dried, gently hammer in a nail at each of the four corners to secure the pieces together. The nails should be driven into one side of the frame, passing through one piece of wood and into the other, reaching as close to the midpoint of the wood as possible. They should also be placed perpendicular to the line of the joint.
- Use wood filler to fill any gaps.
7
Insert the glass. Glass will need to be custom cut to fit the measurements of the rebate. You can do this yourself but it will likely be easier and cheaper to go to a glass shop or hardware store and have it done professionally, as special tools and skills are required for cutting glass safely.
- You don't have to use real glass. Plexiglas or any clear plastic can work just as well. These materials may not look as nice but they will also be less prone to shattering or breaking if the frame ever falls.
8
Insert the picture. With the frame facing down, place the image and mat into the frame. Once it is centered, use either glazier’s points or nails placed parallel with the mat to keep the image, mat, and glass in the frame. This is the last step to making a picture frame. Now you can think about decorating the frame and the perfect place to hang it up.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Finishing Touches

1
Decorate your frame. You can further embellish your frame with decorations. You may choose to add details with gold paint for a more traditional appearance. Another option would be to add small objects such as seashells or buttons by gluing them to the frame. This is a great way to make the frame match the theme of the picture it contains. Here are some other ways to decorate your picture frame:
- Take parts of old broken jewelry and glue them to the frame with an adhesive craft glue. For example, if you have a cute flower that broke off a ring, a pendant from a broken necklace, or just one cute earring with an eye-catching design, you can glue them to different parts of the frame, or combine them to create an elaborate design.
- Frame the photo inside a page from a meaningful book or newspaper article. To do this, trace the mat on the reverse of the page and then cut it out. After that, trace the photo on the center, and cut about 1/8" in from the outline of the photo to avoid having the edges show. Then just flip over the sheet, put the photo under the mat, and clip the frame in place. For more durability, you can laminate the article frame first.^{[9]
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- Stamp the frame. Find a cute frame that represents the person in the photo -- for example, if it's your little girl and stars are her new obsession, pick a starry stamp. This is perfect if you've painted the frame white or a lighter color, so the stamp is visible and contrasts with the frame.^{[10]
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2
Hang the frame. There are two main ways to easily hang the frame once you've finished decorating it. Just make sure that the frame has dried if you've glued anything to it before you proceed. Be sure that no matter what hanging method you use, it is carefully measured and centered. This will ensure that the picture hangs evenly.Here are your main options for hanging the frame:
- You can place a string, made of either metal or some other strong material, across the back. This can be attached by adding pegs or nails to the back of the frame, one on each side, and attaching the string at each end.
- Another option for hanging would be to add a hook, which can then be placed on a nail in the intended wall.

Printable Picture Frames

Community Q&A

Question

Can this be embellished into a very fancy frame?

Community Answer

Yes! You can decorate this frame however you want. You can put on fake flowers, rhinestones, beads, etc. Be creative!
Question

What is a mat cutter?

Community Answer

A mat cutter is a device used to cut a mat to size so you can line it up perfectly.
Question

Is there a simple way to make a picture frame?

Community Answer

Follow the instructions listed in the article.