DIY Restoration Hardware Map & Frame

2 Tutorials for the Price of 1!

I knew from day one that we were going to have some kind of map art in our vintage industrial basement.  Maps and art can get unduly expensive.  So let’s make our own.  I have such longing eyes for all things Restoration Hardware, especially their maps.  I took their maps and used it for my inspiration.  Welcome to my Restoration Hardware Inspired Map Hack.

This site has TONS of free map images.  Maps are literally oozing all over the place.  Maps here, maps there…  Thousands of old maps, new maps, any kind of map!  Here is the map I picked.  (If you do this, make sure you save your image in the biggest size possible.)  I used Poster It to print it to the size I wanted, on multiple sheets of paper.

I’m challenged and unable to cut straight lines with scissors.  Sing hallelujah for paper cutters!

Next step: Have a board cut about 3″ bigger on each side than the measurement of your map.  We had an old piece of plywood laying around.  Free projects=best projects.  Then, Mod Podge away!  Except, let me tell you something I learned.  First, I just dumped a whole bunch all over the place, and tried to smooth out the map-pieces.  Nope.  Fail.  Big fail.  What I learned:  Mod Podge the back of the paper, stick it on, smooth it out with an old library card.. then set the next piece.  Once all the pieces have been set, Mod Podge over the whole thing.
Had I done that early on, I would have avoided these unsightly cracks.  No one likes a crack in their face (unless you’re weird into that).

IF YOU DO GET CRACKED:  here is how to fix it.  Just print another map in “landscape” mode.  Cut it out, Mod Podge it over your cracks.

Pre-Mod Podge: Cracks covered!

Now let me teach you what being cheap resourceful means:

Here is our house.  And here is our fence.

Our fence is old.  20+ years.  So, a new fence is in planning mode.  We have a lot of fence.  So much OLD FENCE.  I was hit with a ghetto brilliant idea.  I am sitting on a seemingly unlimited pile of reclaimed wood.  This old fence is cedar, and perfectly weathered.  The wheels be turnin’.

Let us throw some stain and polyurethane on these slatty-slats.  I’d like for no one to get slivers.

Once the poly was dry (over night) They were ready for cutting.  I measured the map, and cut the fence slats accordingly.  I cut them all on a 45 degree angle using the miter saw.  It took less than 10 minutes.

When you’re ready to attach your frame to your map, make sure you go ask a grown up for help with the power tools.
Use a finish nailer and put those suckers in their place.

You’re almost done with this almost free project.  We just gotta put hanging material on the back, and that’s it!  (If you don’t already have this kit, you can pick one up at the hardware store for extra cheap.)  You just twist the eye hooks into place, and secure a line of wire between the eyes.

Now be proud of yourself, and go hang it up!

Ta da!  I love the way our map-baby looks on the corrugated metal wall.  The contrast of old and new is the perfect balance for the Vintage Industrial Design look we want.  Yeah mama!

I’m a map, I’m a map, I’m a map, I’m a – Oh, you’re still reading… oh, I thought no one actually read these posts.  Now I’m just embarrassed.

This project literally cost me nothing but time.  All the supplies used were things I had laying around.  If I had to estimate a cost for this map it would be:

• $5 to print the map
• $8 for the Mod Podge
• $10 (or less) for the plywood
• $5-10 for the frame-wood

So all in all, roughly $25-35

But if you’re like me, you’ll want to do this as ghetto cheap as possible, and you will take down your fence (and strategically leave gaps) for the sake of your design.

What ghetto things have you done lately?

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