As Sherry mentioned in her Pinterest Challenge post this morning, we made a pair of simple wood frames for her homemade artwork. We did it partly because we’re frugal and partly because we wanted to see how straightforward this project could be while using only what we already had on hand.
Our goal was to spend nothing, so we gathered a handful of supplies from around the house. The essentials were:
- leftover scrap wood
- wood glue
- a staple gun
- a hammer
- sandpaper
- a miter saw (a miter box and hand saw work too)
- duct tape
- spray paint with built-in primer
We began by digging through my enormous basement pile of wood and grabbing a spare canvas (still wrapped in plastic so it wouldn’t get dirty) to use as a template. That kept our cost at zero to start with.
The plan was simple: cut 45-degree miters on the four frame pieces and attach them. A power miter saw is the fastest way to do this, but if you don’t have one an inexpensive miter box and a handsaw will work—just expect it to take a bit longer. For accuracy I clamped two boards together and cut them as a pair so parallel sides matched in length.
After the first miter was cut, I rested the stacked boards against the edge of the canvas and marked where to make the next cut, overlapping the edge slightly so the finished frame would sit on the canvas.
With both long sides done, I repeated the same technique for the two shorter pieces: clamp, cut one miter, align on the canvas, then cut the opposite miter. In about ten minutes I had all four pieces ready.
Because Sherry had painted two canvases, I repeated the same cutting process with different scrap wood for the second frame. The wood was knotty and more rustic than the first set, but the dimensions matched and a slightly mismatched look was fine with us.
Before assembly I sanded the edges smooth so the miters fit together cleanly.
To keep things simple we used wood glue to bond the corners. I usually prefer mechanical fasteners—brackets or pocket screws—but for this quick, low-cost project glue was the easiest option. To add extra strength Sherry suggested stapling the corners on the back while the glue dried. That gave immediate hold and made me more confident in the joints.
The staple gun didn’t fully sink every staple into the wood, so I tapped them flush with a hammer for a neater, more secure finish.
After about 25 minutes of work and a couple hours of drying time, the frames felt solid. I reinforced a few joints with more glue where they looked slightly uneven, and once fully dry the frames were sturdy and square.
Next, Sherry applied a coat of spray paint with built-in primer in satin white. Spray painting was a quick way to prime and finish the frames, though brushing and hand-painting would work equally well if you prefer that method.
For hanging we initially added sawtooth hangers to the backs—things we already had—so the frames remained essentially free to produce. When it came time to secure the canvases to the frames we used duct tape. Not elegant, but it was fast, free, and made swapping art easy if we wanted to change it later.
We ended up not using the sawtooth hangers for one piece because the artwork went over the stove instead of the office, so we used 3M velcro-style picture hanging strips for a cleaner, more secure hold in a kitchen environment. We had to buy those, so the total cost for the entire project came to about $3. We also purchased a piece of plexiglass to protect the canvas above the stove; that expense was accounted for in the Pinterest Challenge.
Whether you have a miter saw or a simple miter box, you can build attractive, budget-friendly frames with just a few tools and some scrap wood. The approach is fast, adaptable, and ideal for framing canvases, prints, or anything you want to display without spending a lot. Have you ever built inexpensive frames? What tips or shortcuts did you use?
Update: We finally created this Shop Our House page to help you hunt down any furniture and accessories you see in our home, along with all of our paint colors.