When designing Ryan’s office, I knew I wanted to display a large map in the center of the brick wall. I wanted something simple but also made a bold statement. The map arrived and it was exactly what I was looking for. The problem? I wanted the map to stand out and I was afraid a bulky frame would take away from it. I had to think of another way to display it.

I immediately thought of a wooden poster frame. They’re modern, simple and a great way to display large pieces of artwork. Due to a time crunch, I decided to try and make my own. It ended up being very simple to make and only took an hour of my time. Here’s how you can make one for your home.

The How-to

Materials:

• 3/8″ x 1.5″ x 3′ Pine Board
• Hand saw, jig saw, table saw, etc. Your tool of choice to cut the pine boards.
• Sandpaper
• Gel Gorilla Glue
• Stain color of choice
• Magnets
• Screw in hooks or small eye screws
• String
• Scissors

Step 1: Determine the length you want your boards to be. For mine, I made them a quarter of a inch longer than my poster.

Step 2: Measure and mark your desired length on each board. Using a hand saw, cut your boards where you placed the mark. You can also use a jig saw or a table saw for this step. If you don’t have any of these tools, know your length before you go to Lowe’s or Home Depot and ask them to cut the boards for you.

Step 3: Once all the boards are cut, you’ll want to sand the edge you cut to create a smooth edge. You’ll also need to sand the entire surface area of each board for a smooth finish and to prep for the stain. You can start with a 160 grit sandpaper and finish it off with a 220 grit sandpaper.

Step 4: Stain the pine boards and allow them to fully dry. I used Provincial by Minwax on our pine boards.

Step 5: Once the stain is dry, it’s time to attach the magnets. This part can be tricky because you want to make sure you attach them to each piece of wood so that they line up correctly when the boards are put together. Also, make sure you glue them so that the unlike poles attract and not repel.

Start by gluing four magnets (evenly spaced) on one board using the super glue gel.

Place the corresponding magnet on top of each magnet.

You’ll apply the super glue gel on top of the second magnet.

Next, pick up the second piece of pine board and place on top of the magnets and firmly press down. Make sure you’re lining the board up evenly.

Here’s a quick video also showing you this step:

Step 6: On the top piece of the back hanger, attach a hook on both ends by screwing it in. You want to make sure you’re at least 1 1/2″ away from the end. From there, attach your choice of string to both hooks.

You’re finally ready to hang your artwork or poster using your new poster frame. It’s that simple! You’ll place your poster between the two pieces of boards and the magnets will hold the poster in place while also keeping the two pieces of board together.

The great thing about using magnets for this project? You’ll be able to easily switch out your artwork whenever you’d like! So, tell me, how many will you be making this weekend for your home?

Need other ideas on how to display artwork and photos in your home? Make sure to check out our gallery wall tutorial and hanging art work using hangers.

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