Floating acrylic image frames carry an artsy museum-like elegance to even the most standard spaces. At times referred to as plexiglass frames or frameless image frames, these frames are my top selection for exhibiting distinctive art prints and even posters. And they&rsquore a great choice to common photograph gallery partitions.
Their scarcely-there glimpse is airy and crisp and really superior contact. The ideal aspect is that acrylic image frames will do the job with any type of decor from conventional to vintage, to my own favourite – worldwide bohemian stylish.
But have you at any time checked the price tag of acrylic photo frames??? That beautiful floating body in the impression underneath will established you back a reliable $one hundred twenty bucks. For. A person. Frame. Yikes! Yep, just after seeing identical price ranges elsewhere, I knew accurately what I required to do. I wanted to dig deep to produce a low-expense, significant-conclude hunting, Diy floating acrylic frame. The acrylic body tutorial you are about to read is valuable for everyone seeking for straightforward, very affordable techniques to update the glimpse of their artwork collection at home.
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What You&rsquoll Want
 
 Standoffs to mount your frames
 Acrylic sheets – One established of 2 for each and every body (preserve looking through for strategies on where to obtain them)
 A substantial metallic tent stake or nail (Idea: I discovered a single at Ace Components for $one.fifty)
 4 spring clamps to maintain the acrylic in area although you do the job on it
 A drill for mounting the wall components
Exactly where to Purchase Acrylic Sheets to Make the Floating Frames
 
 
To my shock, I identified a variety of spots wherever I could acquire acrylic sheets and even acrylic body kits. For instance, I uncovered these ready-produced acrylic body kits on Etsy. Sadly for me, the premier size readily available was 11 x fourteen. My artwork measured 11 x 17. Because I needed a 3&rdquo acrylic border all close to the artwork, I desired my frames to measure 14 x twenty. This would assistance me create the illusion of large parts of floating art.
 
Then I uncovered that Home Depot sold large acrylic sheets as well. But $116 was more than I wished to invest. As well as, I could by no means get a distinct solution on no matter whether or not Dwelling Depot would reduce the acrylic sheet into to the sizes I required. Ultimately, I settled on Ace Hardware, where by I obtained four 18&rdquox 24&rdquo acrylic sheets for $11.ninety nine just about every. Every sheet is about the exact same thickness as a quarter inch piece of glass. Ace Hardware then reduce the acrylic – absolutely free of charge – into two sets of frames measuring 14×20. Et voila! Overall charge with tax was just $fifty one.fifty six.
 
Are the frames you require appreciably lesser? If so, the deal will get even sweeter. Just inquire the Ace Components glass cutter if he has any still left about acrylic from past cuts that match your size. Ace Hardware will sell them to you for a fraction of the primary cost. I did that when recreating this tutorial and only invested a mere $1.fifty for four 9 x eleven sheets. Ace is absolutely the location ya&rsquoll!
I know having said that that some seriously inexpensive…ahem…frugal people today will say "But Ola, I identified acrylic sheets even more affordable at Pastime Foyer!". Enable the customer beware nevertheless. Individuals are tremendous skinny, craft grade acrylic sheets and will under no circumstances hold up around time.
 
Now for the standoffs. Just after ordering a established that was as well compact to make an impact, I settled on these fairly priced silver one/2&rdquo x four/five&rdquo wall mount standoff bolts. They appear 20 to a pack.
How to &ldquoDrill&rdquo the Holes for the Acrylic Picture Frame
Drilling the holes to make your acrylic image frames may seem like a no-brainer to you, but it can get very tough. In point, not realizing more about this vital phase forced me to have to get far more acrylic simply because I ruined the initial established. Instantly the finances for my oh-so-economical Do-it-yourself acrylic frames increased by 50 per cent. Ouch! Stay clear of problems by shelling out shut consideration to these directions.
You see, when drilling the holes for your standoffs you have to drill incredibly, very slowly but surely, or the acrylic will crack. I&rsquom going to present you how to stay away from that situation entirely. As an alternative of drilling the hole (like I did at initial), do the adhering to:
DO NOT get rid of the protective plastic from the frame
Mark the areas of your 4 holes on the initially piece of acrylic. Use your very first piece as a template for the rest of the parts to make positive the holes are all line up.
Heat the significant steel stake or nail in excess of a hearth
This is Much, a lot a lot easier than drilling the hole. Use a pair of vice grips to maintain the metallic stake in put, and to avoid burning on your own.
Pierce the locale for the gap
Permit the melted edges of the plastic to interesting. These should really then snap appropriate making a clean up hole for your standoff.
This is A lot, considerably easier than drilling the hole. Use a pair of vice grips to maintain the metallic stake in spot, and to avoid burning you.
How to Install Your Snazzy New Floating Wall Frames
Listed here is the simplest way to put in your new frames:
Location one piece of prepared-to-cling acrylic sheet specifically onto the wall in which it will be hung
With your other hand, use a amount to make confident the acrylic frame is straight
Your standoffs will typically come with anchors. I strongly endorse applying them. You don&rsquot want to wake up in the center of the evening to find out these high-quality thangs cracked and shattered on the flooring do you? I didn&rsquot consider you did. So be sure to use the anchors.
Nervous about placing much too a lot of holes in the wall? Just fasten the two top rated standoffs to the wall. Then connect the standoffs to the base holes of the body, but DO NOT fasten them to the wall. No read review will be the wiser. I observed this done at a hotel when and it blew me away.
&mdash Ola
Congratulations! You&rsquove now designed THE greatest, most affordable Do-it-yourself acrylic frames ever. Now all you have to do is sit back and get pleasure from your recently made chef d&rsquooeuvre (masterpiece).
Use a pen/pencil to mark the area of the holes straight onto the wall
Drill hole and insert anchor
Sandwich your print or image among 2 items of acrylic and thread the standoff as a result of the holes to mount