Cut Your Own Matting Frames

Carol duvall host of hgtv s the carol duvall show shares her discoveries about matting and framing artwork.

Cut your own matting frames.

Linen liners can be added to any linen liner compatible frame and to 3 4 framed stretched canvas. Here s how to cut your own picture mats. Beginning with a turquoise mat add 1 2 foam board on top and end with the addition of a white mat on top of the foam board. I ended up with five frames for my new travel gallery wall reveal next week and the total cost per finished frame including all supplies from list above was 40.

How to cut your own picture mats video tutorial all in all this project took us about 15 min per mat after the first one. After tracing cut out the section of mat board using your x acto knife or other sharp blade. The logan mat cutter i use runs about 50 for the guide and cutting handle. Here the image is cut apart each section mounted on 1 4 foam.

Picture frames mat board ruler cutting mat exacto knife pencil. Measuring your mat board for the frame is pretty simple no architecture or engineering degree required. Use an x acto knife and a metal ruler to cut through the mat board. Mats are great with photos posters fine art prints diplomas or watercolors.

The addition of a sleek well cut mat can greatly enhance the look of any framed picture but having a mat cut and frame made commercially can sometimes cost more than the picture itself. A cheaper solution is to learn to cut your own mat frames using a handful of basic materials that allow you to fully customize the look of your framed picture. Before you begin cut your mat board to the size of your frame. The supplies you ll need are.

Typically if you cut 2 3 of your own mats your tools will pay for themselves. Instead add a linen liner to create the same transition from art to frame that mats do for pictures on paper. This do it yourself video explains all the steps of cutting a professional looking mat for your artwork. But for canvas art mats don t work.

Measure the reveal area you want around. We begin by showing you a simple formula for measu. All it takes is a few supplies some art or a photo to frame and you ll be creating your own decor in no time. I ll be using its sturdy fixed guide rail for all kinds of consistent cuts but it s perfect for cutting mat board.