This is it — my favorite piece of art yet. I know that’s a bold claim, but it’s deserved: I framed and hung my bike prints, and I’m completely delighted with the result. It looks great, and it was quick and inexpensive to make. I tend to get a little overexcited about things I love, and this time it’s bikes and simple DIYs.
Here’s the wall before, with cast-off retail displays taped up. It did the job, but it looked temporary and unfinished.
And here they are all framed. I made two substantial frames for about $14 in materials total — roughly $7 each. The hardest part was waiting for the stain and finish to dry so I could hang them. For such a simple project, the difference in the finished look is huge.
Here’s what I did. I spent $14 on four 6-foot 1×2″ pine boards from Home Depot, which provided all the wood needed to build two chunky frames.
Because I was making two frames, I needed four boards of the same length for the vertical sides and four shorter boards for the tops and bottoms. To ensure consistent cuts, I clamped four boards together and cut them at the same time. If you don’t have a saw, most stores will cut the lumber for you.
After cutting, I had four long boards for the sides and four shorter boards for the tops and bottoms. I sized the short boards to be 1″ longer than the poster width so the poster would overlap the frame edge slightly (for example, a 27″ poster used 28″ top and bottom pieces). The side boards were sized to account for the thickness of the top and bottom boards so the finished frame height fit the poster neatly.
I kept the design straightforward and avoided mitered corners for a raw, substantial look. To assemble each rectangle I clamped the pieces and screwed the top and bottom boards into the side boards. Making pilot holes first helped prevent the wood from splitting as the screws went in.
Here are the two frames once screwed together. I left the screw heads visible to keep the honest, handmade aesthetic — they’re not easily seen once the frames are hung, and they add to the character.
I considered leaving the wood raw, but we decided a dark stain would tie the frames to other wood tones in the room. We used a dark walnut stain we already had on hand, then finished with a coat of polyurethane. After letting the finish cure overnight, the frames were ready to be finished and hung.
With the frames dry, I laid each poster face down and centered it on the back. The extra inch of wood on the top and bottom allowed the poster to wrap around the edge without showing. My posters were printed on thick stock, so I secured them with a few staples along the edges. If your poster paper is thinner, you can mount it to a sturdier backing with spray adhesive or rubber cement before attaching.
I used a few staples per side (about four on each side for my thick posters) and then installed simple picture-hanging hardware through the poster into the wood so nothing showed on the front.
Then they were ready to hang. I’m thrilled with how they look. The heavy, raised frame gives the posters depth and presence on the wall. The posters are sturdy enough that we didn’t use glass — they sit openly and look museum-like, though glass or plexi could be added later if desired.
The artwork itself — a deconstructed bike design — is the star, but the frames play a strong supporting role. I’m happy with the way the boards create a subtle shadow away from the wall, adding dimension and an intentional, artful look.
They’ve become a favorite view from the kitchen sink — a little visual reward during chores. We still plan to add a chunky storage piece under the art to ground the wall and balance the composition, and I’ll share that update when it’s in place.
In short: a low-cost, low-effort DIY that created a bold, custom look. We’re loving the result.
Update: We’ve since compiled a “Shop Our House” page to list furniture and paint colors used around our home to help anyone who wants to replicate these looks.