Bamboo Tiki Picture Frame :: Wesley Treat's Roadside Resort

Creating a well-done tiki space isn't just about amassing charmingly grotesque statues and filling shelves with tiki mugs. It's about creating an atmosphere. And that's accomplished in large part with the details.

So, when I came across an amazing vintage photo of a G.I. taken somewhere in the tropics, I knew it was just the kind of detail that would make my tiki patio something special. It was a perfect tribute to the servicemen stationed in the South Pacific who brought the whole tiki craze to the States in the first place.

I had only two requirements: first, it had to be framed using the bamboo stock I had recently come across, and second, it had to survive reasonably well in the seasonal elements to which my patio, though covered, is susceptible.

Here's what I came up with:

First, you'll need yourself a good vintage photo like the one I found. This one I came across sitting atop a laundry basket full of old prints in a junk store in Austin, Texas. (The same place I picked up the amazing amber fish float pictured above.) Had I dug through the whole batch of photos, I wouldn't have found a better shot.

Incidentally, on the wire-thin chance you know anything about this picture, please let me know. All I can tell you is that the gentleman pictured is an M.P. and the back of the print is stamped INSPECTED BY US ARMY EXAMINER BASE 0145.

Next, have your photo reprinted. Please, do not use an original, especially if you're displaying it outside. (The things I've seen done to old photos ...)

In my case, the original was pretty small, only about 2 1/2 by 4 inches. So, I first scanned it in and blew it up.

I also recommend adding a nice mat. If you're hanging yours inside, a traditional mat will be fine, but since mine was destined for the outdoors, regular matting wouldn't cut it.

I briefly considered using plastic, but realized in the end it would be much, much easier to add a graphical mat using Photoshop. From a reasonable viewing distance, you can hardly tell it's fake.

If you want to, and have the knowledge, you can do the same thing yourself using this file, suitable for Photoshop CS and above. Be sure to adjust the effects properly when resizing the vector masks.

Once you have your print, cut out a piece of substrate to affix it to. If you've got some kind of acrylic or other plastic, and are planning on hanging it outside, I'm sure that'll work great.

Me, I already had some scrap MDF lying around, so I used that along with some "all-purpose" spray adhesive. MDF is certainly not the most cohesive material where moisture is involved, I admit, but I was planning to take steps to preserve the rest of the project anyway, which should preserve the MDF, as well.

Here's what I'm talking about when I refer to preservation: Minwax Helmsman Indoor/Outdoor Semi-Gloss Spar Urethane spray, guaranteed to guard against moisture and UV rays.

Once the adhesive has set, apply a few coats of this stuff on both the front and back, being sure not to miss the edges. Personally, I applied three coats on each side, with an extra once-over along the edges. (Remember to respect the recoat times listed on the can.)

Don't worry, it won't ruin the print. In fact, I believe it actually improves the finish.

Between urethane coats, cut some lengths of bamboo for your frame. Here, I'm using bamboo from some placemats I found at the Dollar Tree, about 1/2 inch in diameter.

For this photo, which was about 7 by 9 inches with the mat, I cut two lengths for each side, one longer than the other. When I was done, I had a pair of 9- and 10-inchers for both the top and bottom, and a pair of 11- and 12-inchers for both the left and right sides.

Your measurements will surely vary, but this might give you a good idea where to start.

Sand the shiny coating off the bamboo with some medium- to fine-grade sandpaper. We'll be using stain in the next step, and it simply won't stick if that waxy coating gets in the way.

You should probably sand the ends, too. Depending on your bamboo and what you cut it with, the edges might be a little sharp.

Then, burn it, baby. Take a lighter and toast those nodules. This adds some excellent detail.

Apply some dark stain. Here, I'm using Minwax PolyShades Antique Walnut Satin 340. I used a sponge brush and applied two coats. Don't worry about getting it perfectly even; some patchiness adds a nice texture.

To allow the bamboo to dry properly, drive some nails into a spare 2x4 and stand each section on its own nail.

Oh, and wear rubber gloves.

Time to glue!

After the stain is good and dry, center up a 9-inch and a 10-inch length together and hot-glue them side by side. Repeat. Then do the same with an 11-inch and a 12-inch. Repeat. Again, your measurements will probably differ, but you should now have four sides, each double thick. One half of each pair should extend about a half inch beyond the other half on each end. (See picture.)

By the way, don't try to apply the glue between the sticks or you'll end up squeezing it out onto both sides, which will look sloppy. Just hold the pairs together and run a thick line of glue along the join; that'll be the back side.

Here, you can see my lower pair and my left pair stacked together. What I did was first trace the perimeter of the mounted picture on a piece of cardboard, then used the resulting rectangle to line up the frame. In doing so, I made sure I overlapped the mat by at least one bamboo diameter along each side. (This is important.)

When I was satisfied with the bamboo's positioning, I stuck toothpicks in the cardboard. If done properly, with the toothpicks firmly in the pairs' inside corners as shown, this serves as a handy jig.

Finally, apply hot glue to the corners and use the jig to quickly reassemble.

You're now ready to add lashing to each corner for that authentic tiki look. However, that step really requires its own tutorial, which you can find right here.

Be careful not to pop the corners apart.

Cut yourself two more lengths of bamboo to fit just underneath the upper and lower sides of the frame. These will fill the gap between the frame and the picture. Hot-glue as before.

I didn't stain mine since they blended all right with the mat, but if I were to do it again, I probably would.

Next, line up the frame with your picture and tape it in place. Then use a drill to carefully run four pilot holes from the back of the picture into the bamboo. (This is why I made sure the frame overlapped by at least one bamboo diameter.) Don't bother trying to hot-glue the frame to the picture; it won't stick. At least not with the urethane. I've already dummy-tested that for you.

To clarify what I'm doing in this photo, both my cordless drill and my electric screwdriver died prior to this project, so I was forced to drill manually. Luckily, I had a spare piece of bamboo that perfectly accepted one of my countersink bits, and I just spun the makeshift tool between my hands like I was starting a fire.

It actually worked so well, I added my little tiki drill to my toolkit.

Screw the picture to the frame. Try to use screws with a relatively deep, wide thread to grab the bamboo, but make sure your pilot hole is of proper size so you don't split it.

You can also apply a couple of globs of hot glue to the back to prevent scratching your wall and to prevent the picture from tilting once hung. If you used button-head screws like I did, you can blob it right on the screw heads.

You might also use hot glue to plug up the ends of the bamboo if you're worried about nesting spiders.

At this point, give the whole thing three more coats of urethane. Be sure to get all sides of the bamboo and to leave an even coat on the picture.

I can't say exactly how well this works just yet, but as long as the frame holds out, it'll be easy enough to replace the photo should the elements ruin it too badly. I would recommend keeping it out of direct rain or sunlight, regardless.

Update: As of August 2011, the photo has survived the heat, the humidity and the icy winters of Dallas just fine so far. Again, it's not in the direct rain, but it certainly doesn't stay high and dry when a storm blows through.

I do, however, recommend plugging up the ends of the bamboo with hot glue as I mentioned before. Turns out, dirt daubers love those little spaces.

All you need now is a way to hang it up.

I used some framing hardware I had lying around, but a couple of staples and some string would probably work just as well.

Enjoy!

Bamboo Tiki Picture Frame

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