Turn your TV from basic to a work of art! This DIY Frame TV cost me less than $75 (a fraction of the Samsung Frame TV on market) and is held on by velcro command strips…so easy! Here’s how I did it.
For reference, our TV is a SONY 39″x23″ (with a screen dimension of 36.5″x20.5″). We do not have a Smart TV, but we do have an Apple TV and stream everything through it.
REMOTE SENSORS – FYI
Since we don’t have traditional cable and didn’t need the remote sensors on the TV to work, I just covered ours with the frame. However, if you do need the remote sensor, you have three options – purchase an extender (only $11 on Amazon!), drill holes in your frame (and paint/stain the inner holes the same as the frame), or design your frame to hug the perimeter of the TV leaving the sensors visible. You can find examples of all of these options along with other paint and TV styles at the bottom of this blog post.
Supplies Needed
- Wood moulding of your choice (this will become your frame). Make sure to measure the overall length you need and remember to account for the extra few inches from the inner 45 degree angle cuts. You can find wood moulding at any large home improvement store.
- Miter saw or Miter box (a miter box is a great cheap option if you don’t have a saw and don’t want to make a commitment). I went with the miter box for this project. Just keep in mind that you’ll want clamps and may need a second person for leverage if you choose a miter box.
- Epoxy or wood glue (either will work, it just depends on your preference).
- 90 degree angle clamp
- Staple gun (this one that I’ve linked is my favorite and can also be used as a nail gun for brad nails!)
- Wood stain or paint…whatever you would like! I used a mix of Verethane’s Natural stain and Early American stain for mine.
- Velcro picture hanging Command strips in Large. I would buy 2 packs to be safe.
- If adding frame edges (see last few steps of tutorial for details), you will also want to grab Balsa wood, Bass wood, or both depending on your style. You can find both of these at Joann Fabrics. Other wood types are fine, but just remember you don’t want a lot of added weight.
STEP BY STEP TUTORIAL
This DIY was not a big time commitment, but you do want to take into account dry times of epoxy/wood glue. I also highlighted in BOLD a few lessons I learned along the way so you can take note and not make the same mistakes I did!
PICK OUT YOUR MOULDING
Head to any large home improvement store to pick out your wood moulding. If you aren’t sure, scroll to the bottom to see some other Frame TV DIYers to get inspiration. For reference, I chose a moulding that was almost 3″ wide because I wanted the TV to be the focal point on an already small wall. However, if you have more room, you may want to consider a smaller width and create a gallery wall! Whatever you choose, make sure to check for any warping beforehand, as that will mess with your frame fitting (I learned the hard way!).
DECIDE BETWEEN A MITER SAW OR BOX
To make my cuts, I used a miter box. If you don’t have a miter saw, this is a great inexpensive option. If using a miter box, keep in mind you will want a sturdy surface, clamps, and a second person possibly. I chose a thicker moulding, so hand sawing my pieces was a workout and required my husband to help, but if you choose a slimmer moulding, this step may be way easier!
TAKE YOUR MEASUREMENTS & MAKE YOUR CUTS
To take your measurements, measure the length of what will be the inner portion of your frame. I wanted my frame to cover everything, but the screen so I measured the screen of the TV. You will then want to make 45 degree cuts measuring from the inner portion of the 45 degrees.
CONSTRUCT YOUR FRAME
Before getting your frame ready to glue, sand each corner and make sure all sides fit perfectly and flat.
Once sanded, start with one corner and use your 90 degree angle clamp to lock both sides in as you would want them once glued. When secure, loosen one side only, apply glue or epoxy, and then quickly lock back into place. Make sure to read dry times on the product and pay attention to any temperature needs. When it comes to epoxy or wood glue, I used both on this project (epoxy for the frame and wood glue for the edges) and either will work.
Once all sides are dry, you can use a staple gun on the back to give additional strength. I don’t think this is a must, but I felt better giving more support since my frame width was pretty large. Make sure when stapling that you take into account the depth of the moulding so your staple doesn’t go through the front.
STAIN, PAINT, DECORATE!
Once constructed, sand and wipe down one more time if needed and then add your personal touch. I used a mix of two stains at a 75 (Natural) to 25 (Early American) ratio. I was going to paint the decorative middle portion gold after, but ended up liking it more simple. If you’re looking for more inspiration, scroll to the bottom to view more ideas from other DIYer Frame TV’s.
ADD DEPTH TO FRAME EDGES (OPTIONAL)
If your TV comes far off the wall, you may want to add more depth to the sides of your frame – or at least make it look they have depth (see before/after photos below). I originally was only planning on adding a small piece of wood to the back (stained the same as the frame) to cover up the command strips from the side, but once I saw what it could like with a few more inches (see below pictures), I changed my mind. Here’s how I did it!
First off, I made the mistake of constructing the sides once the frame was already on the TV and although the command strips were just Velcro, it seemed easier to just add everything to the already framed TV. This however ended up taking way longer, so I suggest adding the edges before hanging.
To start, I went to Joann Fabrics and purchased Balsa wood and Bass wood. These wood options are great for projects like these frame edges because both woods are extremely light (no extra weight added to your frame). I purchased the Balsa wood to be used as my frame edges and the bass wood rods to be used to hold the balsa on each backside (the balsa wood is too thin to glue on it’s own). I stained the balsa wood and used wood glue to adhere it to the rod. Once dry, as one piece, I adhered it to the back of each frame side, lining it up flush with the frame edge. If you are choosing this option and haven’t put your frame up yet, you can use nails instead of glue to adhere these pieces together.
ADD VELCRO COMMAND STRIPS AND HANG FRAME!
Lastly, I took Command strips and stuck them around the border of my TV. I used Picture Hanging Command Strips in size Large. I recommend placing both velcro sides on the TV rather than the frame. This way you can know all command strips have been stuck on firmly to the TV border and then only have to focus on placing the frame level. One big tip – I added 9 command strips, but wish I would have added more at the top and side. My frame is VERY secure, but looking back, a few added strips wouldn’t hurt.
ADD SOME ART TO YOUR NEW FRAME TV
One last step and your TV is now a work of art! I tried out a few TV art apps, but my overall favorite was ArtCast (PixArtGallery is also a great option). The app is completely free and it has a great variety of free art as well. Their upgraded collections are also only 99 cents, making it easy to choose an upgrade for the night if hosting!
DIY FRAME TV INSPO
Since there are so many ways to create your own Frame TV, I included a few fellow DIYers below so you can see other styles and get even more inspiration!
- Cass from Cass Makes Home is the OG to this project and inspired me to create my own frame TV. Her tutorial is great if you’re wanting a black frame.
- Jennifer Laura Living is the perfect tutorial for those who have a TV, but it’s not mounted. She also created the most epic gallery wall and used command strips as well!
- My Grandparent’s Chair created a Frame TV with a ton of vintage detail and used the remote sensor extender I mentioned at the beginning to access her cable.
- Jenna Sue Design created the most simple, yet gorgeous minimalist Frame TV for under $12! She also has her frame hugging around the outside of the TV.
