DIY Crown Moulding Picture Frames- Lowe's $50 and Change Project Giveaway

We are so excited to be a part of Lowe's $50 and Change Project . . .

I had so many DIY projects that I have been meaning to do that I didn't know where to start. One thing that I have always wanted to do is make some huge frames to put on a big empty wall in my front room. I have always loved the large decorative frames that you can purchase, but they usually come with a hefty price tag. I decided that I could make my own using some of the gorgeous crown moulding from Lowe's for much less than what you would pay if you bought one.

I headed over to Lowe's to check out all their crown moulding options . . . holy cow! They had tons!!! I chose a piece of crown moulding that was 4 1/4" wide and 8 feet long. I wanted 3 big frames, so I purchased three pieces (one piece of moulding per frame).

 Take your piece of crown moulding and measure a 45 degree angle at one end. I found it easiest to use a miter box saw, which you can find at Lowe's for a couple of bucks. It definitely makes cutting your perfect angles a lot easier!

 After you make your first cut, decide how large you want your picture to be in the frame. I decided that I wanted my picture to be a 12x12", so the INSIDE measurement of the frame is 12". I made a mark where I needed to make my next 45 degree angle cut.

 Cut the other side- make sure that your angles are going in opposite directions!

Go back to your large piece of crown moulding and cut your next piece with 45 degree angles. You will have to cut a small triangle piece like this each time to make your 4 equal sides of the frame. Repeat the steps to cut all 4 pieces.

 Lay all your pieces together and make sure that they fit. Sand down the edges of each piece so that they are smooth and lay flush when pieced together with the other sides of the frame.

 Using wood glue, glue the ends together.

 To insure a seamless frame, I used tie downs to secure our frame in place while the wood glue dried. You could also use clamps.

Once the glue is completely dry (I let mine sit overnight), use L-shaped corner brace to reinforce your frame.

You will want to make sure that your screws for the corner braces are not longer than the depth of your frame (the first screws that we used went all the way through our frame! Oops!).

 Next comes the fun part- spray paint! I used Valspar Indigo Streamer (a blue color) and Golden Maize (a yellow color).

I ended up spraying each frame with 2 coats and it was more than enough. 

I took some pictures of my kids and had them printed at Sam's Club for less than $3 each.

To put them in the frames, I actually just glued each picture onto a large piece of cardboard that was cut a little bigger than the picture (the picture was 12x12" and the cardboard was 13x13"). I then hot glued the cardboard to the back of the frame and we were good to go!

Each picture frame was about $20 to make . . . I made the three of them for about $60 total!

  I love the way that fill up my entire wall and add a pop of color to my room!

These frames would make a great Christmas gift if you have someone who is hard to shop for on your list this year! :)

Want to make your own project? 

Lowe's has given us a $50 Gift Card to give away to one of our readers. 

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment below telling us what D.I.Y. project that you would like to make! Also, please include your email address so we can contact you to let you know that you won.

Need some inspiration?

Check out these ideas from Lowe's or submit an idea here!!

The winner will be announced next Saturday, November 24th.

*I was provided with a $50 gift card to Lowe's to cover the cost of my project.