Pallet for Home: Nautical Custom DIY Frames

Nautical Custom DIY Frames

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

custom frames, dittle dattle, DIY frames, frame tutorial

When I posted my gallery wall frames, many of you requested a tutorial. Well, it took me a little while to get back into the workshop but here it is!

Warning: Lots and Lots of photographs! I’m a visual type person and I assume if you are a reader of Dittle Dattle then you are too!

Here is the frame that I will showing you how to build today. The one’s hanging on the wall are 8x10 photos with an over~all size of 14”x16”.

For this tutorial I will be using a 4”x6” glass taken from a dollar store frame. I will be working through the layers starting with the glass size first.

For the second layer, choose some thin boards. I have a verity of boards that I used. It really doesn’t matter as long as it is thin and when everything gets painted you won’t notice if you do use two different materials for the next layer either. I did and you can’t notice.

Let’s get going….

Starting with your glass size, make the next layer 3/4” to 1” larger all the way around. In my sample 4x6 glass, my next layer will be 5x7.

I used a band saw to cut my thin boards. Don’t be intimidated! This tool cuts like butter. If you’ve used a electric knife in the kitchen you can handle a band saw. Promise.

**I do use the guide (gray bar that the board is push up to) to keep my cuts straight.

Repeat the same step for the the third layer making it 3/4” to and 1” inch larger. My third board measures 6”x8”ish.

Now for the fourth and final layer.

Because this is a smaller photograph, I am only going to go about an inch bigger over~all. However, on my gallery wall, I wanted to make them larger so I went 3”-4” inches larger all the way around.

The overall height for this sample will be 9” inches.

The overall width of this sample will be 11” inches.

I scratched out a rectangle with my overall dimensions and knew that I wanted 5 boards, three wide and two narrow. Then I figured out the size of each board. I will cut the boards just a smidge narrower to allow the gap between each board.

Thought I share with you a quick pick of my Dad working on the other side of the workshop on a hand-turned wooden bowl. I love the shape of that bowl! Check out his Etsy shop: Woodexpressions

For the final layer, I’m using pallet/rough sawn lumber.

**Just make sure the thickness of the boards are the same! It will make your life easier!!!

Cut the rough sawn boards and lay them out alternating wide and then narrow. Use a square to make sure everything is straight.

**I place a piece of tape on the square so I know my overall height.

***Lay the pieces upside down.

Cut two small strips of rough sawn wood SMALLER than your overall height. Mine measured at 8” inches.

Glue and nail strips to the back of the boards.

Lightly sand and round corners.

STOP HERE! I like to paint all my pieces first before final assembly.

Once the pieces are painted and sprayed with poly, glue and nail everything together except the glass. I nail through all three pieces of wood under where the glass is. The photo will cover any nail holes.

**Just make sure your nail heads are just under the surface of the wood so that it doesn’t puncture a hole in your photograph.

These are the pieces you will need to mount the glass to the frame.

Drill a small hole next to the glass on center of all four sides. Be careful NOT to over tighten the screw as it will crack the glass. You might be able to put a rubber washer between the glass and the speed nut. I haven’t tried it myself.