Building picture frames

How to build a block frame

To frame prints, photographs, drawings and watercolors are commercially available ultraportable framing systems, such as the block frames, consisting of a sheet of hardboard with 4 slots on the back and a transparent plastic.

Although the frames are produced in numerous sizes, it may happen that you need special measures that are difficult to find, or most characteristic and original decorative solutions, which give more personality to the image by promoting its placement within the furnished room.

In the case where the image does not need particularly decorative support, one can opt for the realization of a DIY block frame, which is quite simple and that is suitable for use within any environment and in combination with any style of furniture.

The milling

Once you have decided the size of the framework, you cut a sheet of hardboard thickness of about 3-4 mm. On its back side, at a distance of 2.5 mm from the edges and parallel to these, are carried out the millings of 1.5 mm wide and 1.5 mm deep. To make these incisions using a small circular saw for modeling driven by the drill. The saw should be made to project from the workbench of 1,5 mm.

Then you pass the sheet of hardboard on the workbench so to practice the four incisions. The photograph or the printing are placed on the front of the sheet of hardboard and on them rests the glass, cut to the same dimensions. The edge of the glass must, however, be suitably rounded as it remains exposed.

Work the board with a carborundum grinding wheel to make it uniform. Wet the grinding wheel and pass it several times along the edge until this is no longer sharp and edgy. This particular type of grinding wheel owes its extraordinary ability abrasive carborundum which constitutes the dough.

It is a silicon compound (silicon carbide), which, given its extreme hardness, is often used as abrasive precisely even for very resistant materials and brittle at the same time, just as the glass.

Produced in minute chips, the material is mixed to make stones, grindstones and other elements strongly smoothing for metal.

Different solutions: steel frames and aluminum

In addition to the classic frames and the block frames, are possible other different framing systems, suitable mainly to prints and photographs or images on thin support, therefore characterized by size and weight.

A sheet of stainless steel or aluminum versions polished or satin, lends itself well to form modern frames and appropriate for a young furniture.

It is important to remember to use a sheet larger than the image to be framed, in such a way as to create a decorative frame with the steel in excess.

Just apply the image well centered on the sheet so that the part of the sheet which remains around serve, simultaneously, as a pass key and a frame. The image is fixed with paper glue or contact cement: perform the operations precisely because, once the image is pasted, it might be very difficult to move it without ruining it. The suspension is made by drilling a hole in the top, center, and inserting the head of the nail fixed in the wall.

Rustic wooden frame

To furnish a rustic and country setting funny solutions are indicated as the use of wooden elements of irregular shape, properly planed and painted with transparent paint that leaves exposed the grain and color characteristics of the wood, the center of which is affixed to the image or photography.

With the same system we can use stones (blackboard, luserna, etc.) Or colored fabrics, colorful cartons, etc.

As for the stones, be careful to have supports light enough to be hung securely and without risk for the wall. These are rustic or ethnic solutions, to be used in combination with a style of suitable furniture.

Clean delicate paintings

When constructing the framing of a picture, you can take the opportunity to carry out a thorough cleaning of the image, without the hassle of having to remove the frame, maybe heavy, from the wall. In this way you can remove the dust and the greasy film covering all that remains for years in a closed environment.

Not to spoil the delicate surfaces of watercolors and paintings you can act with rubber-bread or breadcrumbs very fresh, with which dab the surface. In this way, the dust and dirt will be removed avoiding that the picture below result minimally damaged, as long as you are careful not to rub too hard.