Frame Making Tips

Cutting mitered (i.e. angled) corners to create picture frame moldings is a delicate and somewhat artistic business. Inaccuracies in cutting are common and are to be expected. However, you can reduce the amount and degree of these inaccuracies by outfitting yourself with the proper tools. If you are cutting molding with a manual miter saw (i.e. hacksaw-type), make sure to purchase one specifically recommended for cutting picture frame moldings. If you are cutting with a power miter saw, replace the blade that comes with the saw with an 80-tooth carbide blade, or one with even more teeth. The blades included with most power miter saws cut too roughly for making picture frame moldings. We highly recommend the powered miter saws listed in our frame making equipment page as it provides the picture frame enthusiast with a flawless miter that often requires no or little sanding of the miters before joining. They also include frame making fences that assist in measuring your mitered cuts.

However, consider the fact that, even after you have purchased the proper tools, you will probably have to do some light sanding to make the miters precise. We use 120- grit (medium) and 220-grit (fine) sandpaper, or much better, purchase a sanding wheel available in our Picture Frame Equipment section. The sanding wheel is a must for anyone making more than an occasional picture frame as it greatly assists with gaining a tight miter corner.

Also, outfit yourself with a measuring system designed specifically for measuring picture frame moldings. These systems are graduated at 45-degree angles for cutting 45-degree miters. Regular tape measures or rulers can be give you problems since these are typically are not as accurate. We do offer an accurate picture frame measuring extension and scale to make frame making easy, the same that we use in our business and represent one of the products that we have found work the best for us!

Always use a thin lead pencil when marking the moldings for cutting. Thick lead, such as in a carpenter's pencil, will cause your cut to be off by 1/16" or more. Take a look at your saw blade; notice how the saw's teeth are staggered left and right of the blade. When cutting, align the teeth so they are slanting toward the pencil mark, not away from it to get a more precise cut. After cutting, line up two frame sections of the same size back to back so their miters are flush with each other. Run your finger across the surface of the two miters to be sure they are flush. Then do the same at the opposite end. If the miters at the opposite end are not also perfectly flush, some sanding will be needed. Sand and repeat this procedure until the miters at both ends of the two sections are perfectly flush when lined up back to back.

For miter joining, we suggest that you use a Logan Joiner, as illustrated in our stores Frame Making Equipment section. Before joining, place a dime sized drop of wood glue on each miter face, then using a High Tension Strap Clamp, clamp your frame together. Wipe away any excess glue that squeezes out of the joint when using a joiner.

Use the correct size and type of V-Nails for your molding. Use hardwood V-Nails for hardwoods like Oak and Maple, and use Soft/Medium V-Nails for soft and medium species like Pine and Poplar. Check your V-Nail to ensure that the edge that is to penetrate the wood is the sharp edge. Place the V-Nail on the magnetic nose of the driver so that its wings are oriented in the same direction as the frame sections. Place your V-Nails closer to the rabbet rather than closer to the perimeter edge of the molding. After joining, let the glue dry fully before loading in your stack of the glass, picture, mat board and foam board.

The Frame Making Equipment referred to in these instructions is available for viewing and purchase in our stores Frame Making Equipment section.