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DIY Clipboard Picture Frame with Beadboard

I have decided I really like beadboard. I have always thought it was a nice addition to a room, 6 years ago we lined the nursery with beadboard 6 feet up every wall. It is such a classic look. A nice white painted beadboard will never go out of style.

But since we lined the nursery with the beadboard, we have some left over in our garage. I have lots of 2′ wide pieces and a few bigger pieces. So I have been finding ways to use it up. I used some of the 2′ pieces in the dining room built in bench and then when I made my summer printable, I knew I wanted to make a picture frame for it using some more left over beadboard.

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Make a simple clipboard picture frame in a couple hours. Tutorial on Houseful of Handmade.

This woodworking project is a really easy one. It also uses basic tools, I did use my table saw to rip down a 1×3 board into 2 1″ wide pieces, but you could just buy 1″ wide wood (which is actually 3/4″ but would work well). I just decided to use scrap wood and I didn’t have any 1x pieces.

Materials Needed

  • 5′ of 1×1 wood
  • 12″x16″ piece of beadboard
  • Finish nails
  • Screws with bolts
  • Wood glue
  • Paint

Tools Needed

  • Miter saw
  • Nail gun
  • Drill
  • Hammer
  • Measuring tape
  • Screw driver
  • Table saw (optional)

If you want to rip down your wood on a table saw like I did, I wanted to share a little tip that I learned from my dad. To get a precise measure, measure the side of the blade to the guide. When you cut it out the wood will end at the side of the blade so if you measure to the center of the blade you will end up about 1/16″ short.

It wouldn’t matter as much for this project, but some projects will be impacted big time by a bad measurement.

Make a simple clipboard picture frame in a couple hours. Tutorial on Houseful of Handmade.

When you have your 1″ strips of wood (whether you buy it or rip it) you are ready to start building. Cut out your 12″x16″ piece of beadboard.

Make a simple clipboard picture frame in a couple hours. Tutorial on Houseful of Handmade.

Then you will need to build a simple frame. You will cut 2 pieces at 12 1/2″ and 2 pieces at 16 1/2″ with mitered corners at 45 degrees. The measurements are for the long end, then miter both corners to in from there.

Make a simple clipboard picture frame in a couple hours. Tutorial on Houseful of Handmade.

To secure each corner together, use a little wood glue, then clamp the corner. I used a nail gun to shoot a 1 1/4″ nail into the corner. I only used 1 nail per corner. It’s not super secure without the beadboard backing but once it’s all together it’s really strong.

Make a simple clipboard picture frame in a couple hours. Tutorial on Houseful of Handmade.

After all the sides are together, you will have a beautiful, basic frame.

Make a simple clipboard picture frame in a couple hours. Tutorial on Houseful of Handmade.

I decided to sand it at this point. If the insides of your wood are not smooth, you won’t be able to sand them after you put the beadboard back on without damaging it.

Then you will add the back. Flip over the frame and center the back on it. Then use a couple small finishing nails and hammer them around the back.

Make a simple clipboard picture frame in a couple hours. Tutorial on Houseful of Handmade.

If your nail gun can handle 1/2″ screws you can use it, but mine only can do 3/4″ which would have worked if I could find them. Hammering them in by hand was really easy though!

Make a simple clipboard picture frame in a couple hours. Tutorial on Houseful of Handmade.

Now the picture frame is all built! Pat yourself on the back 🙂

Make a simple clipboard picture frame in a couple hours. Tutorial on Houseful of Handmade.

Next I put a quick coat of white paint on the frame. I didn’t bother priming and I chose to only put on 1 coat of paint so that the wood grain would show through a little bit.

Make a simple clipboard picture frame in a couple hours. Tutorial on Houseful of Handmade.

The next part took way to long to finish! I thought it would be easy to find a clipboard but the only ones I could find were the new type of clipboard tops and I don’t like the look of them. I guess they are better for holding paper, but they are not as cute.

I found the clipboard top that I liked at OfficeMax but it was expensive and said OfficeMax on it, not cute! So I got online and found an office store that was having a free shipping on any order promotion and had the clipboard top I wanted for only $1.89! It does say Sparco on it, but that was way better than OfficeMax 🙂

To get the clip top off the board, just slide a flat head screwdriver under the side and twist it around until it pops off. Mine was a little bent from this but easily went back to straight when I pinched it with a pair of pliers.

Make a simple clipboard picture frame in a couple hours. Tutorial on Houseful of Handmade.

Once you get the clip top off the board it will spring forward so it doesn’t lay flat anymore. It makes it hard to line up, so I just grabbed some string and tied the clip back so it was flat again.

Make a simple clipboard picture frame in a couple hours. Tutorial on Houseful of Handmade.

To attach the clipboard top to the beadboard picture frame, you will need some screws with bolts. I found these ones that worked perfectly and only cost $1.25 for the pack.

Make a simple clipboard picture frame in a couple hours. Tutorial on Houseful of Handmade.

I lined my clipboard top up where I wanted it and marked the holes. Then I drilled a little hole on each of my marks.

Make a simple clipboard picture frame in a couple hours. Tutorial on Houseful of Handmade.

Then it’s as easy as lining up the clipboard top and putting the screws through the holes. Secure the screws with the bolts on the back. I used a screwdriver to get them nice and tight.

Make a simple clipboard picture frame in a couple hours. Tutorial on Houseful of Handmade.

Now it’s all done!

Make a simple clipboard picture frame in a couple hours. Tutorial on Houseful of Handmade.

It’s a super simple clipboard picture frame that you can use to display all your favorite free printables. It will hold an 8 1/2 x 11″ sheet of paper with a little boarder of beadboard showing.

Make a simple clipboard picture frame in a couple hours. Tutorial on Houseful of Handmade.

If you want the picture frame to hang on the wall, you can easily attach a sawtooth hanger to the back and it will hang nicely. I will be using it primarily on my bookcase or mantel to display saying and art so I didn’t use a hanger.

Enjoy your ride this summer 🙂

-Kati with picture of blog author Kati

Nina Lewis

Thursday 9th of July 2015

Thank you SO MUCH for participating in my Grandma Ideas Sharing Time link party! I really appreciate it. I hope that you'll continue to participating.

This is such a clever idea. I love it! This would look great on my desk.

All the best, Nina

Bethany @ The Southern Couture

Saturday 4th of July 2015

I love beadboard and this is such a great way to use it. There are so many beautiful printables out there and what a great way to display them all.

Kati Farrer

Sunday 5th of July 2015

Thanks Bethany! I love how the beadboard turned out in this frame!

Lou Lou Girls

Friday 3rd of July 2015

So cute! This looks so good. Pinned and tweeted. Thank you for bringing this to our party and we hope to see you on Monday at 7 pm. Lou Lou Girls

Amanda

Tuesday 30th of June 2015

Such a clever idea! I'm impressed you could so easily rip that 1x3. That is not a talent my husband nor I possess lol. Thank you for sharing with us at Merry Monday. Pinned!

Kati Farrer

Wednesday 1st of July 2015

Amanda, it took a lot of bad rips before I got to the point I can rip down boards with straight cuts and I am much better at shorter boards :)

Connie

Tuesday 30th of June 2015

Very cute and creative. I just love unique ways to display photos. I think it would be cute to clip weekly meal plans or memos to that. Just adorable.

Kati Farrer

Wednesday 1st of July 2015

Thanks Connie. It would definitely work for a menu board!

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