WOOD Magazine – October 01, 2019

Frames Without

Miters

Tip! Take care to

position reinforce-

ments far enough

from the interior

edges that you won’t

cut into them as you

rout the recess for the

artwork and glass.

52 WOOD magazine October 2019

M

iters make a great choice for frames

because they hide end grain, and

the joint lines direct your eye to the

framed item. But miters can be finicky to cut

and clamp, and they make a relatively weak

joint. Instead, try these techniques to create

simple, strong, handsome frames for pic-

tures, mirrors, and more. Each of these

frames shows end grain, but that’s not nec-

essarily a negative.

End grain doesn’t provide a strong glue sur-

face, so butt joints must be reinforced. If the

rear of a frame will be visible, choose one of

the hidden options listed below. Hanging a

frame on a wall hides the less eye-pleasing

visible choices.

Offset the biscuit slots closer to the front face of the frame so you don’t rout

into them when rabbeting the rear face.

A

Butt joint

The simplest joint to cut