top of page
Samantha Sandlin

DIY Frames For Cheap

Updated: Apr 5, 2023

Hello everyone! And welcome back to the Venue House! I was out on a craft run one day, which - surprise, surprise - happens for me quite often throughout a typical week, and I was looking for a frame that would suit a particular need. This may sound strange, but for my project, I wanted one without glass. Suddenly and out of nowhere, as I imagine most geniuses come up with their groundbreaking ideas, inspiration struck me like a bolt of lightning! Damn these expensive frames… I’ll build my own.


Having spent a good deal of time at my local craft store, walking the isles, getting to know it like an old friend, I knew I had seen a section somewhere that had what I needed. I closed my eyes and let the store guide me - opening them on instinct to find myself in a tucked-away aisle that seemed a world of its own. As the mist cleared my eyes fell on exactly what I was hoping to see - connectable frame pieces - clean, simple, and super cheap. They’re typically used to make a canvas for painting, but we know better don’t we? There are no limits here. Not at the craft store.


These DIY frames are so easy to make and I love the way they frame a lot of the ideas I’ve come up with in the past, but the greatest part is how much cheaper it is! From smaller frames to larger ones, you can save tons of cash and customize to your heart's content without fear of ruining something that you paid a lot of money on. In this tutorial I'm making two frames. One is 9"x9" for a total cost of $5.16! And the other is 9"x12" for a total cost of $5.56!


I can’t wait to see what you frame and how you choose to show your unique artistic style!




Supplies:



Step 1:

Pick out the stretcher strips in the sizes you would like your frame to be.


Step 2:

Line up the ends of your frame pieces, inserting the thin wooden piece at the end into the open space on the other piece.


Step 3:

Using your rubber mallet, hammer each corner little by little, rotating the frame while you do so. This will insure you hammer all the corners in evenly and squarely.



And that's all folks!

You are now free to stain and paint them however you would like!










Comments


bottom of page