Carve a border or join wooden rails around your favorite photo. Explore real community builds and open a shared Easel design to make your own frame.
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Start from a blank workpiece
Watch a pine picture frame take shape in Easel: draw the frame and photo opening, add a decorative inset groove and FAMILY lettering, then turn the 3D preview to see the design.
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These builds show different ways to hold a printed photo, a group of pictures or a digital display. Choose the construction that suits the picture and the wood you have.
Decorative Picture Frameby Steve MoseleyCarve floral corners around a 5-by-7 photo in Steve’s wooden frame. His shared design separates the front decoration, frame outline and rear glass recess, with instruction workpieces between the cutting steps. The rear recess is cut after flipping the board; glass, backing and retaining hardware are added separately.
Picture Frame with Bent Pictureby Steve CarmichaelSurround a vacation photo with words from the trip. Steve’s one-sided design holds a curved photo and clear acrylic between two grooves instead of using a conventional rear recess. His instructions size both inserts to 7.5 by 3.75 inches and explain trimming the blank, painting the lettering and fitting the cover.
Finger-Jointed Picture Frameby john TansleyJoin four wooden rails with visible finger joints for a larger family photograph. John’s file contains the jointed rails and another assembled-frame layout. His build uses a separate rabbeting bit to make the ledge for the picture insert. Resize the opening to your photo and leave a small overlap so the image stays behind the frame.
Black MDF Picture Frame - Advanced Pocketingby Peter JamesMake a frame from smaller pieces of black MDF rather than cutting it from one large board. Peter’s design uses interlocking corner joints and a recessed ledge for the artwork. His illustrated instructions explain how round cutters affect square corners and how the pieces are clamped and glued. The preview’s acrylic stock setting differs from the MDF used in the build.
Proclamation Frameby Taylor WightGroup family photos and a calendar in one MDF wall frame. Taylor’s layout has openings for three 5-by-7 photos, two 4-by-6 photos and a larger notes or calendar area. The shared file supplies the lettering and openings; the maker describes additional hand routing to finish the frame, followed by separate inserts and backing.
Tablet Picture Frame - Fits MS Surface RTby Makerneer NateUse a wooden frame around a tablet when you want a changing display rather than a printed photo. Nate’s file provides a pine frame and separate MDF holding tabs for a Microsoft Surface RT. The gallery shows the tabs fitted around the back of the device. The tablet, power supply and display software are separate from the woodworking design.
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From the makers’ comments and project notes
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Steve Moseley explains that pinned shapes can prevent the frame layout from moving. In your own copy, select the parts individually and unpin the ones you need to reposition. His replies in the discussion explain where to enable and access the pinning controls.
Comment by Steve Moseley: read the source.
From Decorative Picture Frame by Steve Moseley.
Ask a questionSteve Carmichael’s notes say to bend the photo and acrylic cover to release them from the grooves. Pulling the ends straight out can let the acrylic catch an edge and chip the wooden face. Relieve that pressure first when swapping in a new picture.
Project notes by Steve Carmichael: read the source.
From Picture Frame with Bent Picture by Steve Carmichael.
Ask a questionCreate a free Easel account to copy a shared design and adjust it for your picture. No credit card required.
Creating an Easel account is free. No credit card required.
