Free woodworking plan

Mitered Picture Frame

Difficulty: Beginner · Estimated time: about 2 hr 40 min of hands-on work, not counting glue and finish drying or cure time

A clean mitered frame with a rabbet for glass, mat, and backing.

Cut accurate 45° miters, cut or rout a rabbet, glue and clamp the frame, then fit glass (or acrylic), mat, artwork, and backing with points or brads. Beginner-friendly if you go slowly on miters; optional hand-tool path included in tips.

Materials

• Frame stock (pine, oak, or molding) — 1" face width, length for your glass + margins (Buy slightly long)
• Glass or acrylic — sized to artwork/mat
• Mat board and backing — to fit rabbet
• Wood glue — small bottle
• Glazier points or flex points — 1 pack
• Hanging hardware — d-rings or sawtooth + wire

Tools

• Miter box/saw or miter saw
• Router with rabbeting bit or table saw
• Clamps or banding strap
• Square and tape measure
• Sandpaper
• Safety glasses

Safety: Power tools and finishes can cause serious injury. Read and follow every tool and product manual, use guards and push sticks, wear eye and hearing protection, and work in a ventilated area. These plans are for general information; check measurements and your own skill before cutting. You build at your own risk, and Handy at Home is not liable for injury or damage. See the Terms.

Steps

1. Size the frame

   Measure the glass/mat. The rabbet should be ~3/8" wide and deep enough for glass + mat + art + backing. Calculate rail lengths carefully: outside length = glass + 2×(face width − rabbet width). Cut miters slightly long and sneak up on fit.

   • Work from the glass size, not a guess.
   • Label corners A–A, B–B so miters meet as cut.

2. Cut miters and rabbet

   Cut four 45° miters. Cut the rabbet along the back inside edge before or after miters (consistent workflow beats mixing). Dry-assemble on a flat surface and check corner gaps.

   • A shooting board tunes miters without shortening wildly.
   • If using molding with a profile, keep the profile orientation identical on every piece.

3. Glue and reinforce

   Glue miters; clamp with a strap clamp or blue-tape method plus corner clamps if you have them. After cure, reinforce corners with biscuits, splines, or nails from the back. Sand and finish the frame before installing glass.

   • Wipe glue that would stain unfinished wood.
   • Check flatness — a twisted frame shows as corner light gaps.

4. Install glass and hang

   Clean glass. Stack glass, mat, art, backing in the rabbet. Secure with points. Add dust seal paper if desired. Attach hanging hardware rated for the weight; use two hooks on the wall for wider frames.

   • Wear gloves with cut glass; acrylic is safer with kids.
   • Never hang heavy frames on drywall nails alone — use anchors or studs.

Always follow your tools’ safety instructions and wear eye protection. Free for personal use; please don’t resell or republish these plans.

© 2026 Handy at Home. Plan text and images are free for personal use only.