How to Revamp Old Frames {Trash to Treasure}

I can honestly say that I have never thrown out an old frame at any point in my life.  I have a frame obsession/addiction/frame love that has gone back as far as I can remember.  I’m not sure what it is a about a frame that gives me such tremendous joy {hubby rolls eyes}…  Nothing gets me going more than taking a cheap old dated frame and turning it into something gorgeous and fabulous.  As my mom says, it could be worse, I could be addicted to Bingo…

You will not believe how easy this project is.  Anyone can do this and it only takes just a few minutes!  All you need are two old frames, in two different sizes (they need to be one size up or one size down from each other) like an 8 x10 and a 5 x7 or a 5 x 7 and a 4 x6, etc… The frames don’t need to match and in fact, the more contrasting the frames are, the better I think they look.  You can also go bigger than an 8 x 10 as well if you want to create a gorgeous double wall frame.

For my two projects, I used 8 x10’s and 5 x7’s:

 

 

 

 

Next, the smaller frame should fit perfectly or close to perfect sitting on the inside rim/ledge of the next size up frame.  Both of my frame sets fit perfectly, like they were made for the smaller frame:

 

 

 

This is what it looks like from the back when they are placed on top of each other:

 

 

As you can see above, you have plenty of room to add a picture to the top frame and close it up like normal.  When you have attached the frames and added your picture, you close up the larger frame as well with the flap thingy that allows your frame to rest on a table. (you may have to remove the table rest on the smaller frame if it sticks out to far. I just pulled it off)

Attaching the frames together permanently is super easy with a hot glue gun and either Gorilla Glue or E6000:

 

 

We need the strength of a Gorilla Glue or E6000 but we also need something to instantly hold down the items so the Gorilla or E6000 can set.  So I intermittently alternate the two on the back of my smaller frame.  Here is what it looks like when I added the Gorilla Glue first.  You will see that I left space to add the hot glue in between (do not mix hot glue with Gorilla or E6000, you’ll glow in the dark):

 

 

After I add my hot glue, I immediately place it onto the rim of the larger frame and hold for one minute.  I then place something heavy on top of the frames for an hour.  I would say that they frames have set within three hours if you used Gorilla and 12 if you use E6000. Gorilla Glue bubbles up some when you use it, so be careful not to get to close to the edge where it will bubble up beyond the edge that you will see it.

For the silver and gold frame, I loved the contrast so much that I kept it as is:

 

 

I decided to revamp the silver and taupe frames by spray painting them once I attached them.  I spray painted it with Valspar Brilliant Metal (in silver, which looks more like old zinc/tin) and heavily sanded it (down to wood in some places) when it dried.  I finished it off by wiping it with a black antiquing glaze. By the way, this is a very easy way to revamp even a old single frame by simply spray painting and sanding and then adding a light glaze.  Let me show you.

Here are the frames before:

 

And now after:

 

 

 

These double frames would look amazing sprayed in a high gloss for a modern look as well. Couldn’t you just see them in a shiny white or bright orange high gloss for a pop of color in a room.  Oh yea!  A lot of possibilities!

I have done several posts in the past showing some various frame revamp techniques that you can read if you click on the pictures below:

 

 

 

I hope you all have a wonderful rest of the week and be sure and check in for Friday Favorites.  If you missed last week’s Friday Favorites “Summer Style”, you can find it by clicking the picture below:

 

 

Cheers!
Cyndy

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