How to Make a Wooden Picture Frame
Learn to build a custom oak picture frame with perfect 45-degree mitre joints using basic workshop tools and offcuts. The project features plywood splines for increased strength and a routed rebate for a professional finish. This straightforward weekend tutorial is suitable for woodworkers of all skill levels.
Cutting the Frame Pieces
I started by cutting all four sides of the frame at 45°. You want your corners to be nice and tight, so I double-checked the mitre saw setup before cutting each piece.
To make sure the opposite pieces were exactly the same length, I set up a stop block on the backing board. This way, I could batch-cut the short and long sides without measuring each time. Trust me, it’s the best way to get a square frame.
* Short sides: 12 inches
* Long sides: 18 inches
Because I hadn’t routed the rebate yet, I could cut all the pieces in one go without flipping the saw setup.
Using a Frame Clamp for Gluing
One bit I’m quite proud of is my homemade clamping frame. It’s got adjustable arms with butterfly nuts and numbered holes for quick setup. I added a bit of packing tape underneath to stop any glue from sticking the frame to the clamp base.
I added wood glue to each mitred corner, popped the pieces into place, and gently tightened the central bolt. Just fingertight is enough. A damp cloth took care of any squeeze-out.
After 30 minutes of setting (and a spot of lunch), it was time to reinforce the joints.
Adding Splines for Strength
Glue alone might not hold forever, so I cut spline slots using my table saw and a simple jig. It was a bit fiddly thanks to the riving knife on my saw, but I managed. I cut 6mm-wide slots at each corner and glued in pieces of 6mm ply as splines.
Once the glue had dried, I trimmed the excess ply flush by hand. My bench setup isn’t ideal yet—no holdfasts or proper clamping—so it was a bit of a juggle to keep everything steady. Still, it worked.
A quick once-over with the random orbital sander smoothed out the joints and corners.
Routing the Rebate
Next, I routed a rebate in the back of the frame to hold the acrylic sheet, print, and backing board. Three steady passes with the router gave a clean, square groove. Take your time here—slow and steady wins the race.
Final Assembly
I left the protective film on the acrylic sheet during assembly to avoid scratches. The picture itself stayed safely inside until I was done (dusty workshops and prints don’t mix well).
To hold the backing board in place, I used four brass clips—tiny things, but they look really smart. Fitting the mini screws was a bit of a pain, but worth the effort in the end.
And there you have it—one finished oak picture frame, custom-made and reinforced with splines. It’s a great project for honing your accuracy with mitres, and you don’t need fancy tools. Just a bit of patience and some workshop time.
If you fancy making one yourself, I've put the full plan together — measurements, angles, everything you need. It's £4 over on Buy Me a Coffee.
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