/ / Acrylic Photo frame







Materials and Tools Needed to Make This DIY Acrylic Frame

  • Plastic sheets
  • Frame bolts, which I found on Etsy; I purchased eight large bolts for my project. For a smaller frame, you may want four smaller bolts.
  • 3/4″ x 8″ metal stake (available from Home Depot stores in the nail aisle, but not online)
  • Vice grips and leather scraps
  • Ruler and pen
  • Butter knife
  • Acid free photo framing tabs or tape

I recommend the acrylic sheets being six inches wider and longer than the artwork you plan on framing for larger scale artwork. That would provide a 3-inch acrylic border all around. I think four inches wider is best for smaller scale artwork, which leaves a 2-inch border all around. The Home Depot offers multiple sizes, so find the one closest to the size you need.



Step 1

Have your local glass cutting company cut your acrylic down for you. Again, I recommend four inches wider and longer than your piece for smaller scale artwork, and six inches wider and longer for larger pieces.

Step 2

Keeping the protective film on the acrylic, place your acrylic sheets one on top of another. You may want to secure them in place with vice grips and leather pieces to protect the acrylic. (See the photo below Step 5 to see how the leather strips should be placed.) I found that my large pieces were so heavy I wouldnt have needed the vice grips.

Step 3

Measure off where youll punch your holes for your stand offs. As my art piece was 42 x 54 in., I followed my six inch rule so my acrylic was cut to 48 x 60 in.
I marked my holes so the standoffs would be 1- in. from the outer edge of the acrylic and, in turn, 1- in. between the standoff and the art.



Step 4

Heat up your metal stake on your stove top. As the stake is so long, I found it didnt get too hot at the end, but definitely wear an oven mitt to be safe!
You want it to be hot. I found 2 to 3 minutes on the stove top did the trick.



Step 5

Punch your first hole through. Repeat Steps 4 and 5 until you have all of your holes for your standoffs punched out.



Step 6

After the holes have cooled, take a butter knife to pop off the melted acrylic.
I find the swifter the motion the better. Be assertive!



Step 7


Remove the inner layers of protective plastic from the acrylic sheeting, and place your artwork in the frame.
Secure your artwork in place by using the acid-free photo tabs or tape.



Step 8

Peel back the outer protective plastic layers from the acrylic, and fasten your stand offs in place.

Step 9

Follow the mounting instructions that come with the stand offs to hang your artwork.



Step 10

Stand back and admire your awesomeness for making a killer frame that all of your friends will want to rip off your walls and take it home! You did it!