Gifts & Small Projects

How To Build Your Own Picture Frames – DIY Picture Frames

This is a quick and simple picture frame build.

Difficulty: Easy
Time: 2.8–5.3 hours
Cost: $

About this build

This is a quick and simple picture frame build. It uses just one 1x4 board, which you can find at most home improvement stores. It is the perfect project for a beginner woodworker. These plans are for an 11x14 frame. But can be easily adapted for any size photo or poster.

Tools

Essential

Drill / Driver
Miter Saw
Pocket Hole Jig
Router
Router Table

Optional / nice to have

Tape Measure

Materials

Item	Qty
Board, 1x4x96"	1 board
1 ¼” pocket hole screws (see tool list)	8 each
Wood glue	1 each
Sandpaper, stain or paint, polyurethane	1 each
Eye & ear protection and other safety gear	1 each

Overall cost: $. Lumber prices vary by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure we would only be pretending to know.

Cut list

Part	Qty	T × W × L
Long sides	2	3/4" × 3 1/2" × 20"
Short sides	2	3/4" × 3 1/2" × 17"

What to buy

Buy 1 board at 8 ft.

3/4" × 3 1/2"

1 board

20"20"17"17"

Assumes 8 ft stock, a 1/8" saw kerf, and buying each part at its own width. Change the board size or kerf on the full board plan →

Start building →

Instructions

1Step 1. Route first side of frame
Using a straight router bit, route a ¼” x ¼” groove into one edge of a 1x4 board. This will be the groove on the back side of your frame that your picture will sit inside.
2Step 2. Add optional decorative edge
Optional: If you want a decorative edge on your frame, run the opposite edge through the router with a decorative bit.
3Step 3. Cut frame pieces
Cut your frame pieces. All cuts should be 45 degrees. See next steps for more detail.
4Step 4. Create short sides
For the short sides, you’ll need two pieces cut at 17 ½” on the long side, and 10 ½” on the short side. The short side will have the ¼” groove that you created in step one. (These measurements are for an 11x14 frame. If you wanted an 8x10 frame, these pieces would be 14 ½” on the long side and 7 ½” on the short side.)
5Step 5. Create long sides
For the long sides, you’ll need two pieces cut at 20 ½” on the long side, and 13 ½” on the short side. The short side will have the ¼” groove that you created in step one. (These measurements are for an 11x14 frame. If you wanted an 8x10 frame, these pieces would be 17 ½” on the long side and 9 ½” on the short side.)
6Step 6. Drill pocket holes
Using the Kreg 720 pro pocket hole jig, drill pocket holes in both sides of your long boards. (Note that the ¼” groove you created in step one should be on the back- the side you drill your pocket holes on.)
7Step 7. Attach sides
- Clamp your pieces together. Use wood glue and 1 ¼” pocket hole screws to attach the wood pieces to create the frame.
- Fill holes with wood putty, let dry, then sand. Either stain or paint the frames.
8Step 8. Create groove for hanging
Use a keyhole bit on your router to create a groove for hanging your picture frame.
9Step 9. Create groove for hanging (second side)
Use a keyhole bit on your router to create a groove for hanging your picture frame. I did this on two sides, in case I want to change the way I hang my photo.