How to make a solid walnut picture frame // Woodworking | I Like To Make Stuff

I made a beautiful walnut picture frame for my favorite movie poster!

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The poster was in an old, cheap plastic frame encased in acrylic instead of glass. Buying a custom cut piece of glass for this poster would be expensive, so I just reused the acrylic and the cardboard backer.

Before you cut any material for a picture frame, you need to make sure you have enough material. In this case, I measured the poster and added a 1/4 inch to each side. This measurement would be the inside dimensions of the frame pieces. To get the outside dimension (to make sure you have enough material), I added the thickness of the frame, which was going to be 3 inches, to the inside dimension TWICE, so 6 inches. This ensures that you have the artwork's inside dimension, and enough stock to create a 45 degree angle on both ends.

I cut a huge walnut board into 3 inch strips using the table saw. I then used the outer dimension I found in the last step to cut the 4 sides to length. Setting up a physical stop block on your miter saw can help ensure consistent cuts, this is super important when making cleanly-joining corners. If one side is longer than the other, even by a little bit, the corners may not align perfectly.

For smaller picture frames, simple 45 degree miter cuts glued together would totally suffice. The larger the frame, the more those corners need to be reinforced. Some people cut slots in the corners and glue in splines, professional frame shops use underpin nails to join the pieces. I decided to cut a joint I hadn't attempted before, a half-lap joint that looks like a standard 45 degree miter.

This is achieved by cutting a normal looking 45 degree corner on two sides of the frame and then cutting away half the material below that corner. On the opposing sides of the frame, the inverse would be done, cut away the top section to accept the 45 degree corner. This joint creates many strong glue surfaces and it still looks like a traditional picture frame from the outside. I used a wood glue specifically designed for darker woods like walnut.

Because the artwork, the glass (or acrylic), and the backing needs to be secured inside the frame, I cut in a rabbet on the back side. I used a 1/4 inch rabbeting bit on my trim router and made sure to cut in a clockwise path along the inside. I adjusted the depth of the bit to only cut a channel equal to the thickness of the acrylic, the poster, and the cardboard backing.

Thoroughly clean the glass or acrylic before laying it into the rabbet we cut earlier, then lay down the artwork (along with any matting you chose to use). Center the picture in the frame so that it looks straight from the front. Once you're happy with the placement, tape the artwork to the glass only at the top, tape along all sides can cause wrinkling, and lay down the backing.

To hold the piece in the frame, there are a lot of materials you can use. Most commercial picture frames use points, or the little thin metal tabs that hurt your fingers. In this case, I used small nails. Nails can also be used as a simple way to secure backing to picture frames. Make sure that you drive the nails in as flat as you can to avoid scuffing your walls.

Because I didn't want holes in my walls, and because I'm not sure where this piece will end up, I used adhesive-backed Velcro strips. These sticky strips don't leave any residue on the frame or the wall and 4 of them can definitely handle the weight of this frame.

I am so happy with how this frame turned out. I think the contrasting colors of the walnut against the Empire Strikes Back blue is beautiful. The construction of this big frame was a little different, and honestly a little challenging, for me. I am very proud of how it all came together and I think it makes a great addition to our house.

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How to make a solid walnut picture frame // Woodworking | I Like To Make Stuff

[filmfervor]

When I was young I watched The New Yankee Workshop on TV. Now I watch ILTMS. Just love it. 👍

[fustelias]

I’ll admit it Bob.. more than once now has it happened that I scrolled past one of your videos because the project sounded boring to me but then later when I went back to check those videos out I was always surprised at how interesting and informative they actually were. Keep it up. Youre one of my all time favourite channels on YouTube.

[PeterOConnl]

Poster and frame complement each other perfectly. Awesome

[MikeTheMaker]

Building stuff AND Star Wars? What a great video!

[mcgeek]

The Force is Trong with this Frame. It is impressive....Most Impressive.

[angusg.]

I like the new theme and intro. The things in it are some of your coolest protects and things that represent you. And the new theme is more bassy but smooth at the same time

[tomtruesdale]

Great work on building the frame, clean, simple with the right amount of detail. Really like the corner joints. As a former picture framer I would suggest that you use a thin acid free paper spacer between the plexi and the poster and replace the cardboard backer with a piece of foamcore as both will protect the poster from any acid in the wood and cardboard and also keep the poster from sticking to the plexi. Just hate to see a poster like that turn brown over the years.

[AGlimpseInside]

I saw the dark glue and the older glue bottle and thought, is that his granddad’s glue??? 10 seconds later you explained it! I also like how the walnut has colors that match some of the artwork!! 👍

[BruceAUlrich]

You were right...the blue looks great with the walnut! Great job! I was not familiar with that joint, but looks interesting.

[deflectingannihilation]

You always manage to take "boring" projects and make them interesting and teach me something new! Thanks!

[masterofnone]

Bob strikes back - with a cool frame video where you learn new techniques.

[alexisriveraxable]

Nice, looks so much better than the plastic frame. That poster looks awesome and truly deserving of a good frame like that.

[zimmermansworkshop]

That is a nice looking frame worthy of the best Star Wars movie ever made.

[HughesEarthworks]

Looks great Bob! The walnut is perfect for that poster.

[RichardMartin]

Nice job Bob, the walnut really complements the poster. 👍🏻

[Eddie]

Bob, I just wanted to tell you that I really like a channel. Thank you very much for your efforts!

[drewmcqueen]

love how this came out and adding the halflap miter joints was a great idea! looks awesome

[juliengrange]

Usually, the machines you use brings me the feeling that i won't do the same at home, but here, i really want to make my own frames now, and the result is simple and beautiful, thank you for your work ! PS : I'm french so my english isn't very well sorry for that

[WoodByToth]

Awesome! Looks really good. Thanks for the love! 👊🏼

[Iurton]

I really love watching you work on wood. The things you make from it always look very nice and seeing everything come together neatly is a huge joy. Thanks for that, Bob.