How To Make a Large Floating Picture Frame Under $50

I love the look of white frames, they are all over our house and keep things simple and cohesive. I wanted to find another simple way to add interest to our walls, and after stumbling across these standoff bolts on Amazon for less than $5 (since I bought them, they went up $1.50), I knew I needed to use them somehow. In comes the floating picture frame.

I'm not going to lie, this DIY did not work out as smoothly as I plotted it out in my head. I started it well over a month ago and failed (which turned into this Couch Caddy DIY) and then tried again and failed a few more times. It seemed every step I hit a block in the road. Through encouragement and some assistance from my husband, Jordan, I finally figured out what I was doing wrong. So it may have been challenging for me but I was just working out the kinks so when you go to hang your own floating picture frame, it will be a breeze!

For under $50, this floating picture frame is an inexpensive way to be a focal point for any room in your home! Plus, you can use it for so much more than just a picture frame. I think I'm going to spray paint my remaining 4 stand-off bolts copper to be a to-do list in my office.

Materials: 4 Stand-off Bolts, 2 30x36in Acrylic Sheets, Scrap wood, Drill, Drill bit the same size as stand-off bolt, 4 Screws & Drywall anchors, 24x30 in Engineer Print, Double Sided Tape, Dry Erase Marker. 

Steps: Measure where each bolt will go on the first sheet of acrylic. I measured 2 inches in from the top and the sides of each corner. Make a mark with your marker. Drill each hole into acrylic in reverse*. After all 4 corners are drilled, lay the first sheet of acrylic on top of the non-drilled piece  making sure the sides are lined up. Trace the drilled holes on to the second sheet- making sure it is exact. Drill the new holes on the second sheet of acrylic. 

Clean off one sheet of acrylic with a window cleaner and make sure all dust is removed. Line up your engineer print in the middle and attach with double sided tape. Clean the second piece of acrylic and lay it on top, lining up each side and the holes. 

Hold up the frame and mark where it will hang. Mark each stand-off bolt and drill the dry wall anchors in. Push the screw through the back of the stand off bolt and drill into the anchor. Do this with the last 3 bolts. Finally, Screw the front of the bolt through both sheets of acrylic and attach to the back of the bolt. Step back and enjoy your new art!

Special Notes & Instructions: 

*Drilling in reverse is vital. Trust me, I know from experienced of cracked acrylic. Add pressure and go slow. It may take a while but patience is better than ruining a sheet of acrylic.

*Measurements are VERY important, so triple check. A few of my measurements were off so I knocked the back of a few bolts with a soft hammer to fit the front of the bolts.

*As you are drilling the holes for extra caution I would drill one, line it back up to the hole on the first acrylic and see if the other 3 holes were still lining up. Trust me again on this one.

*You can buy acrylic drill bits but I found success with using the drill bits I had. 

*I bought my acrylic to size but if you need it cut, Home Depot & Lowes cuts acrylic for free!

*Engineer prints at Staples are less than $3

This project was so worth it, and for $50- it is a steal compared to buying pre-made kits that are hundreds of dollars! I'm still not over acrylic yet…I have another project coming to ya soon featuring my new favorite material.

If you want to print and frame giant photos for less than $20, check out this post.

What do you think about acrylic showing up in home trends these days?!