How To Customize A Wooden Picture Frame

The great thing about wooden picture frames is that they can be stained with unique finishes. These finishes can be clear or solid. They can be a bright color or a muted wood tone. They can be modern or antique. Basically, you can customize a wooden picture frame to your exact specifications. This is great if you want the frame to complement the colors of the picture, painting or artwork it is framing. This article shows you how to change the finish on a wooden picture frame and how to add unique details.

Sanding off the Existing Finish

The first thing you need to do is sand off the existing finish on your picture frame. Since picture frames have such a small surface area, you don't need to bother using a power sander. Instead, use a sanding sponge. This is far more convenient and easier on your hands than sandpaper. A sponge also enables you to get even sanding over rounded and decorative edges that are common on picture frames. Sand off the finish until only raw wood is exposed. If the stain is hard to remove, you should start with a medium grit sponge. Then, when most of the stain is off of the frame, use a fine grit sponge. This will create a surface that is stainable.

Applying the Stain

If you are applying an oil-based stain, you want to use rags instead of a paintbrush. This will reduce the mess. However, to paint your frame a solid color with latex-based paint, you will want to use a normal paint brush. An angled brush makes it easier to paint inside the crevices and corners of decorative frames. The paint might take two coats to get complete coverage. When applying a clear wood stain, you can apply as many coats as you want. Of course, the finish will get darker with each coat added. After staining you will need to smooth out the surface with steel wool.

When you are done painting, you should only resand it if you are trying to achieve an antique finish. Some people love the look of antique paint, so they apply a full coat of paint and then randomly sand away spots. The goal is to make it look like natural wear and fading. You can also use a sharp metal object to lightly distress the frame. For instance, you can lightly hammer a small part or scratch it with a set of keys. These will create random distress marks that can contribute to the antique look.

For more information, visit a framing shop like Artistic Wholesale Supply.