If you have newly discovered how awesome woodworking is, you will undoubtedly be looking into projects that can be done with ease using the most basic tools. Alternatively, you may have some excess or scrap wood or are just looking to do something creative.

Well, making a picture frame is an excellent project. You can hang it in your home, gift it out, or sell it.

If you have a couple of pictures you want to put on display, please stay for a while. This piece will show you how to make a picture frame.

Required tools

The tools you need for this project are basic. They include a table saw, miter saw, hammer, hand glue, measuring tape, and wood router.

The following steps are applicable to any size of a picture frame. However, let us create an 11” by 14” picture frame. The steps include:

Step 1

Set your table saw at an inch to 1.5, measure from the blade to the fence, and divide the maple board into two equal halves. The width must be the same. Ensure you are working with the size of the frame you want – if you want a narrower width, then run it through the table saw accordingly.

Step 2

Use a router to cut a rectilinear groove through one of the lengths of each piece. Measure half an inch for this. Since the picture frame will lie on the rectilinear groove, ensure you cut the size that suits the picture you want to frame.

Step 3

Use the miter saw to carve a single end of the pair of boards at a 45° angle. Ensure that the rabbet stays in place throughout this process. If it skips out, your entire project will be affected. After each board gets an angle, the rabbeted edge should be fixed opposite the pointier side.

Step 4

The longer side of the picture to be framed should be measured. Transfer the measurement to one of the boards and add an extra 1/16”. It should be marked on the rabbeted edge, then cut at a 45° angle in the opposite direction of the first cut. Repeat the process on the other pieces to make an identical set.

In all this, the rabbeted side must stay within the frame.

Step 5

Put the pieces together to form a rectangle, like most picture frames. The rabbet groove should sit inside the frame; always remember this when making this project.

Put wood glue on the joints and use brad nails to fasten them together. The excess glue should be cleaned immediately, and the project should be left to dry through the night.

Step 6

Run the frame through your sander and clean up the mess with a wet cloth. Apply your finish after the wood has dried completely.

Fit the glass into the frame and slide your picture face down on it. Then flip the riveted area back in position and secure the project with brad nails, glazing points, or other options at your disposal.