Handyman DIY: How to make your own picture frame

Step 1: Choose your frame type and timber
Decide which type of picture frame you would like to make. You should take into consideration where the frame will be hung and what will go inside of it. Always hang a picture with the rest of the room in mind. If you are making the frame for a specific picture of photo, write down the measurements of the picture. It is easier to use picture frame moulding as it comes with the groove for glass insertion. If you select timber you will need to use a router to create the groove for the glass.

Step 2: Square the Moulding
Use a handsaw to cut and square the moulding into 4 pieces. (1 for each side of frame)

Step 3: Mitre Box Cuts
Using a Mite box and handsaw, cut the corners one at a time at 45 degrees making sure the timber is orientated correctly. Practice using the mitre box on a few pieces of unwanted timber first before tacking your picture frame creation.
Step 4: Putting the pieces together
Lay the cut frame pieces out onto a flat work surface and arrange them so that they form the correct frame shape and joints. Use wood putty to fill any gaps at the mitered corners.

Step 5: Glue & Clamp
Use wood glue and corner clamps to join the corner sections of the frame. Apply the wood clue along the cut edges, press the pieces together, and hold the pieces in place with a corner clamp. Glue and Clamp all four corners. Check setting time on your glues packaging to see how long to wait before handling the frame again.
Step 6: Flip the frame so that the back is facing up.

Step 7: V Nails
Apply V nails along each glued corner seam with a hammer. Place one nail toward the inside edge. The midpoint of the nail should rest on the seam and the open portion of the V should be pointed toward the inside edge of the frame.

Step 8: Drying and staining
Remove the clamps and allow the frame to dry overnight. Only sand and stain or paint once the glue is completely dry. To achieve a natural wooden look for your frame, varnish the wood, apply 2- 3 coats. Varnishing ensures the wood is protected from the environment making it long lasting and with an elegant shine.


Step 9: Test Glass
Test that the thin glass sits in the frame groove.

Step 10: Place Art
Insert artwork or photo and hammer nails into the backing, securing it around the edges of the frame.

Step 11: D Rings
Attach the D rings on the side of the frame about 1/3 down from the top of the frame. Tie the picture wire or string allowing enough length to adjust the height as needed when you hang the picture.

Should you need help hanging pictures you should consult a professional picture hanger.

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Where to hang your painting?

Aside from the aesthetics of where to hang your painting you need to take into consideration the longevity of your painting too. Ideally you would want to hang your painting on a wall which has a wall stud where you can surely anchor the wall hooks, away from any heat source with reasonable humidity and not in direct sunlight.

Hanging your painting
if you are hanging a heavy picture on your plaster walls, make sure you source a wall stud or beam. Lightweight pictures can hang from hooks that stick with adhesive to the wall like 3M or with using a nail. If you have many pictures or artwork that you need to hang maybe you should consider a professional gallery hanging system.

Finding the Wall Studs in plaster walls/gyprock.
Knock on the wall until you hear a solid backing. You could also use an electronic stud finder which beeps or flashes when it passes over wall studs or ceiling joists. Wall studs are usually placed 400 or 600mm apart.
If the best place for you to hang your picture is not near the wall stud, you can use a toggle, which once drilled and screwed in; it will expand and spread the pressure on your wall.

If your walls are brick, simply drill a hole with a masonry drill bit and then hammer in a plastic plug and insert screw.

Depending on your picture weight you wish to suspend your picture from a metal hook secured to the frame or from the paintings wire.
Hanging Wire
The hanging wire should be looped through eye screws, secured in the right and left sides of the frame positioned a third of the way down from the top of the frame.
Measure the wire and tighten to hang so that the wire is not visible once the picture has been hung.
Mark and Nail
Measure and mark the top of the frame when you have it positioned correctly on the wall, you may need to a chair and a ladder. Hold the picture wire up with your finger and measure the distance from your finger to the top of the frame. Measure down that distance from the pencil mark you made on the wall and mark that spot. Nail the picture hook into the wall where you made the mark.
Carefully hang picture and adjust until it is straight.

Tools checklist
Electronic Stud finder (optional)
Spirit Level
Hammer
Drill and bits (masonry)
Eye screws
Hanging Wire
Toggles (optional)
Plastic Plugs
Screws