Necessary Materials
- Two 8″ Pieces of 1×3 or 4 Pine
- Two 6″ Pieces of 1×3 or 4 Pine
- Four ‘L’ Corner Brackets
- 36 #10 3/4 Wood/Metal Screws
Required Tools
- Measuring Tape
- Industrial Stapler
- 5/16″ Staples
- Power Drill
- Strait Edge
- Miter Box
- Miter Saw
In-Depth Directions for Building a Frame
- Miter the edges of your frame pieces using an 8-foot-length of the 1×3 pine. Come in about an inch from the end (so you aren’t using any roughed-up edges) and make a mark near the top of the board. This is your starting point. From that point, measure along the top edge and make another mark.
- Make a 45-degree miter cut at your starting point mark. This mark represents the top of the angle and should be cut inwards. If using a miter box, ensure the wood is snug against all the edges of the box. Hold securely in place while cutting. You may want to get someone to help.
- Now make a 45-degree miter cut. The angle should, again, be inwards. Remember, the mark is the top of the miter angle. Do the same with the other 8-foot length.
- To square up and secure into place lay out your 4 pieces to make a large rectangle. Using the square, make sure there are no spaces along the edges where your straight edge meets the wood.
- Lay one of the corner braces in the center of the corner. You want exposed wood on either side for stapling your screen to later. Mark the holes.
- Pre-drill the marks (as dead center as you can) with a 1/8-inch drill bit. Make the hole just deep enough to start the #10 screw that is to follow. This hole will prevent the wood from unnecessarily splitting on you when you put the screw in.
- Ensure your corner is square once again and screw the brace into place. Repeat for all 4 corners.
- To attach the materials, roll out your projection screen material on a clean flat area. Lay your frame, braces facing up, onto the material. Measure the center point of one of the shorter frame boards. Put a mark on the inside edge of the board (the side with the metal frame braces showing).
- Wrap the material around the top of the frame (no need to be tight just yet). Staple the material at this center mark. Now move to the shorter frame board directly across from the one you just stapled. Measure the center of this frame board as you did the previous board.
- Wrap the material around the frame and stretch the material so it becomes tight. Staple into place. Do the same with one of the longer frame boards, and finally the longer frame board directly across from this one. When you’re done this, the material will have a diamond-shaped stretch pattern to it.
- Choose a longer frame board. From the center mark where you stapled, move about 3 to 4 inches to the right. Stretch the material by pulling it over the frame and to the right as you do so. Staple into place.
- Now move 3 to 4 inches to the left of that same mark on that same frame board. Pull the material over and, this time, to the left as you stretch it. Staple into place. Repeat this back and forth method until you’ve stapled the material to the length of this frame board.
- Now do the same on the longer frame board directly across from this one. Then do the same to one of the shorter frame boards, then do the shorter frame board directly across from it. With those, you may have to work sideways. The frame will be too tall to work with standing on these ends.
- To make your screen border, you can simply apply the velvet border tape to your screen frame. For a truly professional finish, we suggest that you buy four pieces of “rounded base molding”, miter the edges, and wrap them with the border tape. You will then nail them to your frame using brad nails. This will give you a professional 3D border.
Helpful Hints
- Use kiln-dried wood for the best results.
- On the very outside front of the frame, add some trim to raise the material. We at ProScreens recommend using 1/2″ wood trim, though half round (dowel) or similar works.
- By raising the material away from the frame, you remove all visible banding.
- Buy canvas pliers from an art shop. These pliers are used by artists to stretch canvas, and help you pull material tight.