Repurposing materials is all the rage right now. I particularly enjoy repurposing because its good for the environment, extremely cost efficient, and, usually, the end product is superior in quality than a new affordable product.
In search of unique ways to frame photos, Judy stumbled upon a repurposed window used as a picture frame. Immediately, we wanted to take on the project. We kept an eye out for windows, but didn’t come across any until a few months later, I pulled out of my garage on my way to work when I noticed some windows my next door neighbor tossed in the alley. Put the car in reverse, hopped out, and picked up four windows.
The following weekend, we made these wonderful pictures frames for a total of about $20:
Materials
Used window
Pictures
Fabric (measured to fit)
Tools/Supplies
Staple Gun
Staples
Drill
French Cleat or Frame hanging kit
Tape or safety pins
Pictures
Step 1: Prep Work
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| Dirty Windows |
The windows I found were dirty beyond belief. I did my best to scrape and scrub the frame and glass before using a solution of vinegar and hot water to further clean the frame and glass. Once satisfied, I gave the glass a once over with some Windex.
I also made an attempt at stripping the paint, but ultimately decided to keep the original for more of a rustic look.
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| Stripped Paint |
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| Pinned Picture (My Father Building an Entertainment Center circa '83) |
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| Taped Picture |
Originally, our idea was to safety pin the photographs on to the fabric. This truly tested our patience. For the second frame we opted for the more practical, but less attractive, option of using tape. This worked fine, but I’d really prefer something else. I have a suggestion of what you can do below in the “If I were going to make this again” section.
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| Back of Frame |
At JoAnn Fabrics, my wife and I looked through various materials to use as a backing. A burlap material with a chevron print stood out to us. Another option is wall paper samples behind the photographs. Most wall paper companies will mail out free samples on their website.
Cut the fabric so it clears about an inch outside of the glass. This can be cut down later if it protrudes. Start at the corner and staple down the fabric. Continue this process until one side is stapled. Next, do the same on the opposite side, but be sure to keep the fabric taut.
Step 4: French Cleat Attachment
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| Cleat on Wall |
One of the last steps is to attached the french cleat. Decide where to hang the piece and, if possible, hold the frame against the wall and use a pencil to outline where the top corners will be. Then measure the window to find center and note the measurement. Using that measurement and the outline on the wall, mark the center point of where the cleat should go. Put the cleat on the wall and mark where the holes will go. Be sure the cleat is level.
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| Cleat on Back of Frame |
Step 5: Hang
Finally, hang the piece and enjoy!
If I were going to make this frame again...
- Recently, we took a trip to Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore. It’s a great place to search for odds and ends. I noticed they had a few old windows and doors that could be repurposed. Check it out if you’re in need of used windows.
- We tried to pin our pictures to the first window and taped the pictures to the glass on the second frame. This works well, but a complete pain to remove or rearrange the photos (especially since we stapled the fabric to the window).
- I recommend finding an alternate method of attaching the fabric to the windows. Once the fabric is stapled to the back of the window, it will be difficult to change out the photos in the future. An idea I had, but did not execute, is to upholster a thin piece of wood sized to fit the window. Then attach the photographs to the upholstered piece of wood and clip the wood behind the window with a few finishing nails hammered in at an angle. This will make it much easier to swap out photos.Once again, thanks for reading and following. Please share and stay tuned for our next project.
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