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    Home » DIY » How to make a reclaimed artwork rustic frame

    How to make a reclaimed artwork rustic frame

    Published by Gail | Published July 11, 2017 | Updated July 12, 2022
    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    How to make an artwork rust frame for a piece of reclaimed wood. Do you buy artwork while vacationing? It's a great way to bring home a piece of your vacation! I found a beautiful piece painted on reclaimed wood. PERFECT! But I thought it would look a lot better with a frame. #MyRepurposedLife #repurposed #reclaimed #artwork #rustic #frame via @repurposedlife

    I needed to make an artwork rustic frame. Why? Because reclaimed artwork doesn’t generally come with a frame. While vacationing in Cape Cod with my daughter Jamie in late June, I actually picked up three pieces of reclaimed art. This sweet painting of three sandpipers scurrying on the beach is done on a piece of scrap plywood. The artist is John Bates of Provincetown Massachusetts. It was the first piece I bought. John’s art was very pretty and really spoke to me because of the items he chose to paint on. He had a really pretty painting on a drawer board.

     

    Save & Share this project ideas on Pinterest

     

     

    Frame rustic artwork

    reclaimed wood artwork

    I felt like the art would look better if it were framed, but not just ANY frame, I felt like it needed to be in a rustic wood frame. I chose a nice weathered gray fence board for my frame.

     

    *this post contains affiliate links, read more here*

    Design your artwork rustic frame

    mark frame for framing points

    I ripped the board into narrow strips to make the frame. Because the reclaimed artwork is on very thin plywood, I couldn’t shoot nails into it, so I opted for “resting” the artwork on framing points. I used my Kreg Multi-mark tool to mark all around the frame.

     

    Logan Dual Point Driver

     

    logan dual elite point driver

    A Logan Dual Point Driver Elite was used to shoot rigid points on those marks.

     

    logan rigid point

    This is what they look like after they are popped in place. I also use them to hold chalkboards in place as in this  Artwork Framed Chalkboard.

    Secure frame with Gorilla Wood Glue

    gorilla wood glue mitered frame corner

    I used Gorilla Wood Glue and my nail gun to secure each of the corners of the rustic picture frame.

     

     

    how to rustic frame

    My work table isn’t flat enough, so I used a piece of shelving to make sure my rustic boards would lay correctly as I was assembling the picture frame. I allowed the two pieces to set up before I laid the artwork in place—using more wood glue to hold it—before I attached the corners to each other.

    Artwork rests on metal points

    glue reclaimed art in frame

    Another option would have been to cut grooves in the rustic boards, but this was a quick and easy way to make a rustic frame for reclaimed artwork.

     

    reclaimed artwork rustic frame

    Voila! I LOVE it! I have never bought original art before, and probably won’t make a habit of it, but the aspect of it being on reclaimed wood drew me in. This measures 24”x8”.

     

    How to make a rustic frame for reclaimed artwork MyRepurposedLife.com

    I think the rustic frame is the perfect addition to the reclaimed artwork, don’t you?

    PIN IT!

     

    This was such a fabulous trip, that I made another rustic frame, a shadow box to hold the sand and shells we collected.

     

    Here are the other two pieces I bought while in Cape Cod.

     

    wood burning by Kelly Nauset Light Cape Cod

    I bought this on Macmillan Wharf from Kelly. She burns the wood then colors it in with Prisma Pencils. This is small being a mere 7.5” x 2”. We stopped by to see this lighthouse on our way out of town to come home. This Naset Light is the one on the Cape Cod potato chip bag.

     

     

    Long Point Light painting on reclaimed wood Peg Reynolds

    Another reclaimed wood piece by Peg Reynolds. She spends the long Cape Cod winters collecting wood. This is the Long Point Light. We actually spent a couple of fun hours here, it’s in Provincetown Massachusetts. This is smaller than the sandpiper piece, but much larger than the Nauset Light art. It measures 12.5 x 3.5. This one holds a special place in my heart because we had such a fun blooper while resting on the beach. Our beach umbrella flew away into the water. No doubt everyone had a good laugh on us! Smile

    I haven’t decided if I’ll frame the two smaller pieces. Do you have a favorite? Are you a fan of reclaimed wood art, or not so much?

    gail

    Related Content: Picture Frame Ideas For Home Decor and More

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    1. Tracey Bradshaw

      July 14, 2017 at 9:20 pm

      We love to collect original art when we travel, as a souvenir of the places we visit. Nothing fancy - local artists, photography, watercolours , aboriginal art - anything that really catches our eye. We also have other pieces created and/or gifted by family. We haven't hung any in our new house yet (7 months later) as we are waiting to paint the walls first. I also vintage pieces that I want to reframe that were part of job lots at auction. I usually bid because of the frames, but every now and then I'll score a piece of art in the mix that is worth holding onto.
      I love framing stretched canvas art with a shadow box frame made with recycled timber - it leaves a uniform gap between the art and the frame giving an extra bit of detail.
      My favorite of your purchases is definitely the Sandpipers and exactly the sort of piece we'd hang in our home ????

      Reply
    2. Sonnie

      July 14, 2017 at 6:52 am

      The frame really finishes the picture and perfect choice using the wood. There's nothing you can't do! ????
      All the pictures are very great and really like they're reclaimed projects.

      Reply
    3. Mary Helene

      July 13, 2017 at 10:11 am

      Yes, I have a few pieces and my sister just used pallets wood to paint me a 48x12 Sun rise. I just love it. Both of your two new pieces are just lovely, I love the Wharf .

      Reply
    4. Fonda Rush

      July 12, 2017 at 5:41 pm

      I love the clouds on the last one. I'm glad these artists had the idea to use reclaimed wood. It means less wood in the landfill. And, by example, maybe others will start doing it!

      Reply
      • Gail Wilson

        July 12, 2017 at 6:08 pm

        Fonda,

        I agree with you, and I was so drawn to the reclaimed artwork. It may become habit to look for more pieces when I travel as Nadine mentioned.

        gail

    5. chris tucker

      July 12, 2017 at 11:37 am

      .gail i love the sand pipers the best and the frame sets it off perfectly pinned xx

      Reply
    6. Nadine Gurto

      July 12, 2017 at 10:50 am

      Love them all! I had the privilege to travel a lot with my Mom since she worked for the airlines and we always bought a piece of local art wherever we went, be it a painting, pottery or jewelry. As I sit here now writing this there is a small painting of cherubs that we bought in Pompeii on the wall by my desk and I'm wearing a pair of earrings we bought in Rio. In one of the 'house' ruins in Pompeii there was a painted mural border (frescoes) the room that depicted cherubs working in the vineyard, there was a man there recreating small sections of it so we purchased one and my Mom had it framed for me. In Rio we visited the famous H Stern Jeweler http://www.hstern.net/ where we watched them cut some stones and cast some precious metal.

      I hope those art pieces brings you great joy in the years to come and when you look at them you remember the time spent with your daughter, it's invaluable!

      Reply
      • Gail Wilson

        July 12, 2017 at 6:09 pm

        Thank you Nadine! How fun that you have those fond memories of your treasures. Thanks for sharing that with us.

        gail

    7. Gwen

      July 11, 2017 at 7:33 pm

      Love all 3 of the pictures but the birds are my favorite!! You must do some yourself! Thanks

      Reply
    8. Julie@followyourheartwoodworking

      July 11, 2017 at 6:51 pm

      I like the wood art, you should try and make some yourself!

      Reply
    9. Sandy Greig

      July 11, 2017 at 8:38 am

      Love the art- great way to remember your trip.

      Reply

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    Hi, there! I’m Gail Wilson, the author and mastermind behind My Repurposed Life. I’m obsessed with finding potential in unexpected places and believe that with a little hard work and imagination, any old thing can be made useful again—myself included! I hope you’ll enjoy the journey and pick up a few tools along the way… literally!

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