Framing diamond paintings is a good way to display the artwork once a diamond painting is complete. Framing the completed diamond painting will preserve the painting and show off the beautiful artwork.
Using a store-bought frame is an easy way to hang diamond paintings, but diamond painting canvases usually don’t match standard frame sizes, so you may have to trim the canvas first to make sure it fits in the frame.
Read More: How To Seal A Diamond Painting
Supplies & Tools Needed for Framing Diamond ArtÂ
The following tools and materials are needed to frame a diamond painting:Â
- Finished diamond painting
- Store-bought frame — choose the frame based on the measurements of the diamond painting
- Backing board or canvas — thick cardboard can also be used to create a frame around the painting
- Cutting mat — with ruler lines to help cut the artwork straight
- Craft knife
- Cutting ruler
- Slow-drying glue
- Brayer/hand roller — or any type of rolling tool such as a kitchen rolling pin
- Diamond painting sealant
Note: to hang a framed diamond painting, you will need either nails and a hammer (to hang using the hooks on the back of the frame) or mounting tape.
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Framing a Diamond Painting (Step-by-step)
Frame the diamond painting in seven easy steps using a store-bought frame to showcase the artwork and preserve the painting.Â
1. Measure the Diamond Painting
Start by measuring the diamond painting canvas to determine the correct frame size to buy. If the diamond painting has a large border, trim it down to the desired size before measuring the canvas.Â
Diamond painting canvases are often not the same size as store-bought frames, so you may need to either trim the canvas if the frame is too small or create a border around the canvas if the frame is too large.
When measuring the artwork, keep in mind that some frames will overlap on top of the artwork, so make sure no important elements are being cut off around the edges of the painting.Â
Make sure to measure the artwork precisely to ensure the frame and backing board fit correctly.Â
2. Choose a Frame for the Diamond Painting
The next step is to buy the correct frame for the diamond painting. Using the measurements of the painting, choose a frame that the painting will fit into securely. Keep in mind the overlap of the frame on the canvas and make sure the painting won’t need to be trimmed to a point that the painting is ruined.
Choose a frame that complements the diamond painting and shows off the dazzling shine of the artwork. The frame may or may not have a protective layer of glass — either way is fine.
3. Secure the Diamond Drills
Before framing the diamond painting, secure the diamond drills to prevent the drills from popping out when the painting is hung. The adhesive layer of the canvas secures the diamond drills in place, but adding extra protection is a good idea for upright paintings.
Use a brayer or hand roller to apply slight pressure on the painting’s diamond drills, which will straighten the drills and push them into the adhesive canvas. Once the diamond drills are pushed into the canvas, apply a layer of diamond painting sealant.
Diamond painting sealants add a thin layer of glue over the diamond drills, holding the drills in place. The sealant will prevent diamond drills from dropping out when the painting is hung and also protect the diamond drills when the painting is cleaned.
4. Trim the Diamond Painting
If the diamond painting is too large for the frame, trim the edges using a cutting board and craft knife. Place a cutting ruler along the edges to keep the trimmed edges straight. Keep in mind how much border should be left around the painting.
5. Glue the Painting to the Backing Board
Once the diamond painting has been trimmed, the painting is ready to be glued onto the backing board. Gluing the painting onto the backing board will prevent the artwork from slipping and becoming skewed inside the frame and also prevent the weight of the diamond drills from pulling the painting down and ruining the artwork.
To glue the painting on the backing board, lay the board down flat and cover the board with glue, keeping the glue away from the edges. Once the glue is on the board, eyeball the alignment of the canvas over the board, and carefully place the painting onto the board. Place the top of the painting down first and gently roll the rest of the painting onto the backing board.Â
Immediately slide the painting around to line the painting up with the edges of the backing board. Since the glue is slow-drying, you have plenty of time to move the painting until it is correctly positioned.Â
If the diamond painting is smaller than the frame, glue the diamond painting to a piece of cardboard. Glue the painting in the center of the cardboard to create a border around the painting, before gluing the cardboard onto the backing board.Â
6. Leave the Glue to Dry
Once the diamond painting is glued to the backing board, allow the glue to dry completely before moving the board from its flat position. Read the glue instructions to find out how long the glue takes to dry completely (it may take up to 24 hours or more).
7. Place the Backing Board Into the Frame
When the glue has dried completely, insert the backing board into the frame and clip it into place. The diamond painting is now securely in the frame and ready to be hung up using either the hooks on the frame or mounting tape.
Read More: Using Foam Board To Mount Diamond PaintingsÂ
Tips for Framing Diamond Paintings
Follow these helpful tips to correctly frame a diamond painting using the best materials for each type of project:
- When framing a diamond painting, a frame with or without glass can be used. Using a frame with glass will protect the diamond painting from dust and reduce the amount of cleaning the painting needs. However, the glass will slightly obscure the sparkles of the diamonds — an alluring feature of diamond paintings
- When using glass to frame a diamond painting, keep in mind that the diamond drills protrude out of the canvas. The glass frame should be deep enough to accomodate the protruding diamond drills
- The diamond painting should always be glued to the back of the frame to prevent slippage. Due to the extra weight of the diamond drills, diamond paintings may drag downwards if the painting isn’t properly secured
- To avoid drilling holes in the wall, hang the diamond painting frame using mounting tape
- If the frame is too small for the diamond drill painting, cut off a few strips of diamond drills to fit the painting in the frame. Cut off only as much as needed to avoid harming the artwork
- Once the diamond painting is hung, use a soft-brush toothbrush to occasionally clean dirt and dust off the diamond painting if the painting is not protected by a glass frame