I found a nice piece of curly maple at Lowes and made a frame
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Sometimes, the best materials find you when you're not even looking. That was the case the other day when I wandered into a local home store here in New Jersey for a few supplies. I wasn’t expecting anything special—just the usual hardware run. But as I strolled through the lumber aisle, something caught my eye: a striking piece of tiger maple, also known as curly maple.
Though I usually buy most of my lumber from Monte Lumber & Millwork—a fantastic local yard with a wide selection—this find was too good to pass up.
I immediately knew what I wanted to use it for: a custom frame for a small work on paper by artist Stuart Shils.
Step 1: Rough Cuts and Ripping the Boards
I started by rough cutting the board into lengths and then ripping each one in half. The board was 2 ½ inches wide, so I ripped each piece to 1 1/8 inches, giving myself just enough room for the blade thickness. This step is all about getting the proportions right for the final molding.
Step 2: Sanding and Prepping the Curly Maple
Curly maple is beautiful, but it can be tricky to work with. It’s prone to chip-out, so I was glad to have access to a good sander. After ripping the boards, I ran them through the sander to clean up the edges and surface. A smooth finish at this stage helps a lot later on.
Step 3: Cutting the Rabbet
Next up was cutting a rabbet on the table saw—essential for this particular frame since the artwork will be behind glass rather than floating. I aimed for a rabbet around 3/16" by 1/4", which would allow the glass, mat, and artwork to sit comfortably within the molding.
Step 4: Precision Measuring and Cutting Miters
When it comes to picture framing, the most critical measurement is the inside dimension of your frame. I held the tape right at the inside of the miter and added one inch to the measurement (a trick I’ve learned the hard way—forgetting that inch can ruin your cut).
Since this frame was rectangular, not square, I had to measure again for the longer sides. For consistency, I used the first cut piece of molding to mark the second, keeping everything flush.
Step 5: Assembly, Filling, and Sanding
I assembled the frame and used plastic wood filler—a great color match for maple—to fill any small gaps or imperfections. Then I sanded the entire frame down to 220 grit to prepare for finishing.
Step 6: Finishing Touches
I sprayed the frame with a few light coats of lacquer to bring out the depth and shimmer of the curly maple. Once it dried, I brought it to the framer. He did a phenomenal job—using an eight-ply mat, non-reflective museum glass, and floating the artwork perfectly in the center.
The Final Result
The end result was elegant, clean, and full of character. And the best part? That incredible piece of curly maple came from an ordinary home store. You really never know what you'll find if you take a moment to explore.
So next time you're in your local hardware or home store, wander down the lumber aisle. You might just stumble upon something special. Thanks for reading, and until next time, happy building.