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Easy DIY Photo Display for Beginners

Learn how to make a simple DIY photo display using supplies from the hardware store – and Mod Podge! Very easy to personalize.

Skills Required: Intermediate. You’ll be cutting wood, decoupage paper to the wood, and then assembling it. You’ll also be painting bulldog clips and attaching those to hang the photos.

Easy DIY Photo Display for Beginners

Hi! It’s David from Cheltenham Road.

Do you find that your not-as-DIY-inclined friends tend to ask you to make them things? Mine do and I’m usually up for the challenge as it often makes me think a bit outside my own sandbox.

My friend Aimee recently pulled me into a local home decor store, pointed at a picture display thingy and said, “can you make that for me?” I naturally said “Sure!” and then set about figuring out how.

This photo display proved to be super easy and used odds and ends I pretty much had on hand. I’m excited because I know it’s going to look great with her farmhouse decor!

I hope you’ll enjoy making your own version of this wood craft.

Scrapbook paper, craft wood strips, screwdriver, screws, E-6000, bulldog clips

DIY Photo Display

I started out with the following:

  • Craft wood – four (4) 2 x 12″ strips (Home Depot carries it in the lumber area)
  • Scrap wood – three (3) 8″ strips or similar (backing strips to join it together)
  • Scrapbook paper
  • Matte Mod Podge
  • Bulldog clips – 3
  • Screws
  • Antique White spray paint
  • E-6000
  • D-ring hanger
  • Screwdriver (with a long neck)
  • Craft knife
  • Drill (helpful but not totally necessary)
  • White craft paint
  • Sandpaper
  • Circular saw (to cut the pieces if they aren’t already cut)
  • Paintbrush

I gave the edges of the craft wood strips a quick coat of white paint. I also painted the three scrap wood backing strips white.

Trim the paper down into 2″ wide strips using a ruler and craft knife. Mod Podge the paper into place. Add a layer of Mod Podge to the wood and the back of the paper. Smooth and wipe away the excess with a brush. Let dry.

Trim away any excess paper with the craft knife and then sand the edges to give it a distressed look. Give the craft wood strips a few coats of Mod Podge and let dry.

While that dried, the bulldog clips got a quick dusting of spray paint. I didn’t want to totally cover them but I did want them to have some color and look a little distressed.

Bulldog clip covered with antique white spray paint

Place the craft wood strips together top to bottom as shown below.

Use the E-6000 to glue the scrap wood strips onto the back of the craft wood (super genius that I am, I managed to glue the first two on upside down).

If you’re wondering if you can use wood glue for this step, you can. I just happened to have E-6000 on hand, and it provides a strong hold for a not-that-heavy project.

Gluing craft wood strips together using scrap wood and E-6000

Important Note: Since the craft wood is fairly thin and I was going to screw the bulldog clips into place, I positioned the backing strips where I would want the clips to go. That way I would be screwing through the craft wood and into the backing strips.

Once the E-6000 dries, turn the piece over and drill pilot holes for the bulldog clips (trust me, pilot holes will make life much easier):

Drilling pilot holes into a DIY photo display with a drill

I also took a second (since I had the drill out) to attach the D-ring hanger on the back.

Attaching a D-ring holder to the back of a photo display

Before I attached the bulldog clips I gave the whole face a coat of Mod Podge for protection and durability.

I screwed the clips in place using that long-necked screwdriver (this was actually the only part that was challenging as I had to hunt all over the house for a screwdriver that would go through the hole in the bulldog clip.  I am the owner of A LOT of fat screwdrivers apparently).

Attaching bulldog clips to the front of a photo display into the backing strips

And then it was all done and for its close up.

Wood pallet photo display on a desk with pencils in a cup
diy wood pallet picture display

Actually, this DIY photo display project was so easy thatI made another version using a blown-up print of a vintage postcard that I like.

diy picture display

There are tons of possibilities here. You could leave the wood raw or you could just paint it. You could make the whole thing bigger or smaller – pretty much the sky is the limit!

Yield: 1 display

DIY Photo Display

Wood pallet photo display on a desk with pencils in a cup

Learn how to make a pallet style DIY photo display for hanging pictures! This looks great with rustic or farmhouse decor.

Prep Time 30 minutes
Active Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Difficulty Intermediate
Estimated Cost $10

Materials

  • Craft wood - four (4) 2 x 12" strips
  • Scrap wood - three (3) 8" strips or similar
  • Scrapbook paper
  • Matte Mod Podge
  • Bulldog clips - 3
  • Screws
  • Antique White spray paint
  • E-6000
  • D-ring hanger
  • White craft paint
  • Sandpaper

Tools

  • Screwdriver (with a long neck)
  • Craft knife
  • Drill
  • Circular saw
  • Paintbrush

Instructions

  1. Cut the wood to the correct sizes with a saw. Sand to remove any rough ages.
  2. Give the edges of the craft wood strips a quick coat of white craft paint. Also coat the scrap wood backing pieces and let dry.
  3. Trim the paper down into 2" wide strips using a ruler and craft knife.
  4. Mod Podge the paper into place. Add a layer of Mod Podge to the wood and the back of the paper. Smooth and wipe away the excess with a brush. Let dry.
  5. Trim away any excess paper with the craft knife and then sand the edges for a distressed look.
  6. Give the craft wood strips a few coats of Mod Podge and let dry.
  7. Give the bulldog clips a quick dusting of spray paint until they look distressed. Let dry.
  8. Place the craft wood strips together. Use the E-6000 to glue the strips onto the back of the craft wood
  9. Once the E-6000 dries, turn the piece over and drill pilot holes for the bulldog clips.
  10. Attach the D-ring hanger to the back of the display.

Notes

I had everything on hand so this project was free. If you can use scrap wood, you can greatly reduce the cost.

Did You Make This Project?

Please leave a rating or share a photo on Pinterest!


As always I will monitor the comments for a while if you have any questions or if something was unclear. Let me know if you attempt this DIY photo display! I’d also love for you to check out these other projects:

Christina

Sunday 13th of September 2015

Thank you for being a craft genius and for your easy to follow instructions. I'm new at this photo display is the first real project I figured I could do. I'm working on Christmas presents now. Thanks again for the inspiration and I wish and yours a wonderful life.

Teddee Grace

Wednesday 19th of August 2015

I like your style! I am making you an honorary member of my club, "Monkey Do, Monkey Finally See"! I related to the bit about attaching the backing pieces upside down. I'm subscribing!

Wanda Rodgers

Friday 7th of August 2015

Have you made one to be really rustic and used rough wood like cedar fencing. I am wondering if this would be to splintery? I like the look of cedar and have leftovers from making benches for my plants.

David

Monday 10th of August 2015

Hi Wanda. I haven't used rough wood like cedar but I think if you gave it a nice sanding you would be fine. The sanding wouldn't smooth it out entirely so you'd keep the character but it would give you a good enough surface to apply the paper. The roughness might actually make it even cooler/more rustic looking. Or you could skip the paper (sorry Amy) and just make nifty, weathered display. Send pics whatever you decide to do! - David

Carla Hundley

Wednesday 29th of July 2015

Thanks for sharing this. Looks easy and love the second version you made! Carla from Utah

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