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I have some 1x2 project boards for making a frame. The frame will hold a painted sign on Masonite.

I am uncertain the best method for joining the miter cuts and was hoping for suggestions. Wood glue only? Some sort of joiner like biscuits? The 1x2 board are rabbeted with router and =mitered with table saw. It seems to fit alright but there are a few small gaps.

Pictures are below. And some links I read through.

Bonus question: I noticed the 1x2 board can lie flat or tall. Is there a name for these two angles?

Reference

7 Best Types of Wood Joints to Know - Bob Vila

Perfect Miters Every Time

Making the Perfect Frame | WOOD Magazine

Pictures

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SherlockSpreadsheets
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  • Hi, as you're an experienced SEer I have no hesitation in asking, have you tried a search? – Graphus Feb 26 '21 at 07:52
  • Does this answer your question? What might be stronger than a miter but still look like a miter joint? – Graphus Feb 27 '21 at 09:00
  • You've linked 3 articles that, presumably, will help answer your question. What is it that, after reading those articles, you still don't understand? Sure, biscuits would help, but I'm not sure they make biscuits small enough for a 1x2" (though I could be wrong). – FreeMan Sep 02 '21 at 16:49
  • @FreeMan, I voted to close this as a possible dupe back when it was first asked and I still think it's close enough to the other Q that it is a dupe. Anyway the OP never engaged with the auto-generated query about whether the previous one answered their question so it seemed it was abandoned early, and of course now we know that it has. So I'm flagging this for closure. – Graphus Sep 02 '21 at 17:55

2 Answers2

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If you don't have access to a proper framing underpinner (friend's or neighbour's), then you could either ask a local picture framer to join them for you or if you do want to do it yourself, a pocket-hole jig might be suitable as this will join the corners from the inside where it won't show.

Always back up the join with a good wood glue too.

If you do go down the route of finding someone locally who make picture frames, their guillotine will also get rid of those gaps in the join.

Edit : details of how an underpinner works:

An underpinner is a framing tool that pushes small (maybe 5mm to a side, and ranging from 10mm-15mm deep), 'L'-shaped pieces of metal into the frame from the underside. This is the model I have :

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a picture of the pins in place :

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and here's a description of the process : http://blog.ukpictureframingsupplies.co.uk/picture-frame-joining/picture-frame-construction-corner-joining-with-an-underpinner/

Steve Ives
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    "framing underpinner" is a term I'm unfamiliar with. Are you referring to some sort of finish nailer, or is this something else entirely? Including a picture or a link to one would be really helpful. – FreeMan Feb 26 '21 at 17:49
  • I'm also unfamiliar with the term. – Graphus Feb 27 '21 at 08:58
  • @Freeman I never heard of it either, but it turns out it is a thing. A machine designed for securing picture frames. you can get one at Grizzly.com for a mere $789. – Ashlar Mar 01 '21 at 02:08
  • Sorry - details of the underpinning process added to answer. – Steve Ives Mar 01 '21 at 09:21
  • You must make a lot of picture frames to make that investment worth it! Good on ya! – FreeMan Mar 01 '21 at 11:46
  • Oh, a V-nailer! There are, uh, 'a few' cheaper ways to reinforce conventional frame mitres, most of which require no specialised tool be purchased. Just sayin'. But regardless, look at the mitres in the Question — the OP's frame uses case mitres for which these are not a suitable reinforcement. – Graphus Mar 01 '21 at 17:47
  • @Graphus Indeed - I wasn't suggesting he gets one but there will be someone locally who has one and that might do the joining for a small fee or donation to a charity. – Steve Ives Mar 02 '21 at 16:41
  • @FreeMan Just a hobby, but I got my underpinner and my Morso mitre guillotine around the saem time and the first time I made a picture frame with them, I thought I was cheating it was so easy :-) – Steve Ives Mar 02 '21 at 16:42
  • Yes I did catch that you weren't saying to the OP to get one, but regardless this isn't a suitable reinforcement for the OP's frame. Nor are pocket screws for that matter. – Graphus Mar 03 '21 at 07:47
  • @Graphus What's a case mitre and why are v-nails nor screws suitable? – Steve Ives Mar 03 '21 at 15:05
  • The OP's frame uses a case mitre and he included two photos of his frame pieces, that's a case mitre. I voted to close this as a duplicate because we already have a Q&A on reinforcing/strengthening case mitres where you can see more of them if you're still unsure of the distinction. – Graphus Mar 04 '21 at 08:18
  • Found this which makes a reference to a 'case mitre' : https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-make-a-mitered-corner/ so a case mitre is a standard picture frame joint and glue and v-nails via an underpinner are the standard way to join those. If there is some reason why not in this case, no-one has explained what they are. A proper mitre guillotine would also help get rid of the gaps. – Steve Ives Mar 04 '21 at 08:40
  • Also you don't want to use a hand-held 'v-nailer'. A proper underpinner allows you to 'stack' v-nails i.e. put 2 in the same place should the frame to be joined be particularly deep. – Steve Ives Mar 04 '21 at 08:44
  • No, a case mitre is not the usual picture-frame joint o_O I don't know why the confusion persists — the OP has photos of his frame. – Graphus Mar 04 '21 at 11:19
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    The confusion exists because you have not explained what a case mitre is compared to any other sort of mitre. Glue and v-nails are a perfectly acceptable way to join the wood the OP is showing. – Steve Ives Mar 04 '21 at 11:41
  • I can’t find any reference at all to a case mitre compared to a ‘normal’ mitre other then the link I posted, which just says it’s just about if the face of the wood being cut or across the grain, so it might help if you could elaborate and explain why you think that isn’t a normal picture framing joint. – Steve Ives Mar 04 '21 at 11:53
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I would recommend using a miter spline joint. There few 2 orientations to accomplish different looks. A quick Google image search will show you the final look.

For the gaps, they are not big thus wood filler and sanding will fix it. But if you really want perfect corners, I would recommend building a sled for your table saw. That is the most accurate way to cut a 45 angle.

Quoc Vu
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