A clamp is a versatile tool, and having them with you on your woodworking project will give you extra support. Not only for woodworking and carpentry, but you can also use clamps for other types of projects like metalworking, drilling, filing, and painting.
Right-angle clamps are convenient tools for holding mitered corners of a picture frame in a perfectly aligned place while the glue dries. Clamping allows you to secure your frame corner by keeping the glued edges at a 90-degree angle.
If you are looking for picture frame clamps, then you have landed in the right place. I have mentioned some best picture frame clamps here that will ease you in your woodworking.
What is a Picture Frame Clamp?
Picture frame clamps are small pieces of metal or plastic that help hold together your frames’ corners and inner areas. They work especially well with corrugated cardboard or paper backing, which is often used for posters and other large pictures. The best part about them? They’re super easy to use!
| Image | Product | Details | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
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HORUSDY Band Clamp and Strap Holder | Rubber Handle, Various Corner Shapes, 13-Feet strap | Check Price |
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POWERTEC 71017 Quick Release Band Clamp | Nylon Band, Square Corner, 13-Feet Glue Resistant Strap | Check Price |
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WETOLS 90 Degree Right Angle | Aluminum Body, 3.74-inch Jaw, 90-Degree Angle | Check Price |
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SAND MINE Double Handle Corner Clamp | Lightweight, 2 Adjustable Jaws, Quick Releasing Button, 90-Degree Angle | Check Price |
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Relitec R Right Angle Clamp | 12 Angle Clamps, 3-inch, 4-inch, and 6-inch, 90-Degree Angle Ground Clamps, f-clamps, Spring Clamps, Scissor Clamps, Hand Clamps, Quick Action Clamps | Check Price |
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C CASIMR 90 Degree Corner Clamp | 4-Right Angle Clamps, ABS Plastic, Various Shape Joints, Strong Spring | Check Price |
Different Types of Picture Frame Clamps
There are lots of picture frame clamp options we have. But in this article, I will talk about three types of picture frame clamps.
Corner Clamp: a simple type of picture frame clamp that is used in the corner. It helps to hold together all four corners and provides a good base. Some packages have an extra piece that holds together.
Right Angle Clamp: This picture frame clamp is mainly used for posters and other large pictures. It’s great if you don’t have much space between the wall and your poster because it can be placed against a wall to hold everything in place.
Band Clamp: a picture frame clamp that is used for a variety of different sizes. It can be sized to fit corners, angles and hold larger posters perfectly! It has a bendable metal band that can be adjusted to the size you need.
List of 6 Best Picture Frame Clamps for DIYers
Eliminate all troubles of holding picture frames old-fashioned and check the list below where I gathered some best picture frame clamps.
1. HORUSDY Picture Frame Strap Clamp
If you are looking for shape friendly clamp for your woodworking, then the HORUSDY band clamp is the one you should get. Not only suitable for holding square or rectangular shaped picture frames but also good for holding circular or other odd-shaped items.
The clamp consists of 4 jaws, a strap, and a handle-like screw. The handle is used to tighten the strap, and the jaws are attached to the strap. By positioning the jaws in the right place, you can tighten the strap to make the jaws produce enough pressure to hold corner joints firmly.
The handle is made of rubber that will let you grip without slipping. The jaws are made of ABS material, a particular type of plastic and suitable for heavy use. Jaws will not leave pressure marks or scratches on the pieces. The strap is woven canvas and 4-meter or 13-feet long. So, the strap can wrap around a 12-inch square box and give constant pressure without tearing.
You can also remove corner braces that are attached to the strap according to your needs. Removing the jaws will let the clamp hold asymmetrical shapes. For example, removing all jaws will leave only the strap that can be used for holding a circular object.
Pros
- The rubber handle provides an anti-slip grip
- The clamp can hold items of various shapes
- The picture frame doesn’t pop out of the strap
- Long sized strap
- No marring on the object surface
Cons
- Lack of strength
2. POWERTEC Picture Frame Band Clamp
What else do you need if your clamp has the flexibility to suit various situations. A versatile clamp at an affordable price, precisely this is offered by the POWERTEC clamp. With easy handling, you can make the clamp hold a square box to even a rounded object.
The fascinating thing about this clamp is, you can make your clamp fully tensioned just by following two easy steps. First, remove the slack of the strap by pulling the strap. Make the quick-release lever to hold the strap. Then you can tighten the strap further by turning the hand screw clockwise. In this way, the jaws will sit tight in every corner.
The band is made with high-grade nylon. The band is not only durable but also has water resistance. So, the band will not soak up water in any circumstances. The band is 1-inch wide and 13-feet long that will help you to hold large frames and objects.
The frame and the jaws are made of non-marring plastic. So, you don’t have to worry about accidentally damaging the surface of your workpiece.
Pros
- The band is very easy to configure
- Durable nylon band
- The clamp is suitable for making square corners
- Small cutouts on the corner clamps allow the glue to dry
- The strap has glue-resistance
Cons
- The band slips out of the lock mechanism
3. WETOLS Adjustable Picture Frame Clamp
This heavy-looking with heavy-built, right-angle clamp is manufactured by WETOLS. The clamp is not bound to hold only mitered corners but does excellent in holding butt joints steady. You can use this clamp for lightweight projects to even bigger projects. Holding heavy pieces together to join them at the correct angle is made easy by this angle clamp.
The width of the jaw is 3.74-inch, and the clamp can hold up to 2.75-inch-thick pieces together. With the smaller jaw attached to the single handle, you can swing that jaw from left to right or right to left using the handle. This lets you join a thin wood block with a thick wood block.
The body of the clamp is made of aluminum through die-casting. Die-casting construction maintains close tolerances of the clamp. The clamp also has smooth surfaces. So, the jaws will not do any damage to the holding objects.
The handle is made of thermoplastic rubber. So, you won’t lose your grip even if your hand is wet. You can clamp any pieces required for your project using this clamp. You can do carpentry, welding, metalworking, drilling, painting, furniture making, and lot others where clamping is necessary.
Pros
- The clamp makes a perfect 90-degree angle
- Made with heavy-duty metal
- Jaws can hold two pieces with different thickness
- The single-handle jaw is swingable for effective clamping
- Tough build and accurately designed
Cons
- Not suitable for clamping delicate pieces
4. SAND MINE Picture Frame Corner Clamp
There are no more struggles for keeping the joints steady and a perfect 90-degree angle as the SAND MINE double handle corner clamp is here to care for you. This solid and double-handled clamp will let you join two pieces as fast as possible. You can use this clamp as a vice by mounting the clamp on your workbench. There are holes crafted on the clamp that you can use to attach the clamp with the workbench.
The jaws can be opened at a maximum of 65-mm. You can adjust the jaws according to what action you want to perform. You can use the clamp for clamping various joints like mitered joints, butt joints, and T joints. Also, you can use the clamp as a saw guide for making mitered cuts. The clamp is built from die-casting aluminum. So, you can rely on the clamp’s durability. The clamp is strong enough to provide support in heavy loads. For a lightweight body, it is also easy to handle the clamp.
The rotating spindle screw is coated by electroplating. This coating protects the screw by reducing friction so that the screw doesn’t wear or tear easily. The screw also has rust resistance making the life span of the screw longer.
There is a quick-release button on both sides for quick releasing of the holding object. Both handles are made of soft plastic called TPR. So, the handle will give you a comfortable grip and will not slip from your hand.
Pros
- The body is very lightweight
- Good for squaring materials
- The handle provides a soft grip
- Quick releasing button is available for releasing objects
- Both jaws are adjustable individually
Cons
- Adjustments screws are a little tough to adjust
5. Relitec R Right Angle Picture Frame Clamp
If you want simple angle clamps with broad applications, you should consider buying the Relitec R right angle clamp. This is not a single angle clamp rather a set of 12 angle clamps for satisfying different needs.
The clamps have three different sizes, and the sizes are 3-inch, 4-inch, and 6-inch. Each size has 4 pieces of angle squares to aid you in clamping 4 corners of a picture frame at a time.
The positioning squares are made of high-strength hard plastic. Squares are hard enough to not get bent or cracked easily. They are very rigid and accurately squared for making strict 90-degree angle corners. They are also not flexible; thus, the square shape of the clamp is maintained for a long time. You can put the clamps on rough use, and they are durable enough to bear any loads.
You can use any type of woodworking clamps like ground clamps, f-clamps, spring clamps, scissor clamps, hand clamps, quick action clamps in conjunction with positioning squares. The clamps can be helpful for various tasks. You can use them for picture frames, bookcases and shelves, drawers, cabinets, shoe racks, and other assembling projects.
Another thing is, you can use the brackets for holding various thicknesses of woodblock. As long as the size of the brackets doesn’t get ignored by the thickness of the woodblock, you can proceed with clamping.
Pros
- The body doesn’t bend easily
- Major types of clamps can fit the brackets
- Affordable price
- Various sizes of squares are available meeting various needs
- It can also be used as jigs
Cons
- Not suitable for projects where higher accuracy is needed
6. C CASIMR Picture Frame Clamps
Not a single right-angle clamp, C CASIMR presents to you a set of 4 right-angle clamps. You can use 4 angle clamps individually to hold various joints together while continuing doing your other tasks. You also can use 4 clamps together to hold each corner of a picture frame.
This clamp set is a great handy tool for DIYers. You can get any DIY projects done with these clamps. As the clamps are lightweight and take too little space, carrying them is also very easy. The clamp set is built with ABS plastic that has high strength. So, the clamps have a lengthy lifespan. You can operate these clamps in a single hand that reduces the clamping time. With ease to use and maintain, these clamps will give you smooth work in holding two boards.
The jaw is spring-loaded and adjustable. By applying pressure on the spring, you can lower the jaw. For this adjustable jaw, you can assemble two boards with different thicknesses. Inside the clamp, you can fit 3/16-inch to ¾-inch wood blocks. For having 4 clamps, you can set wood box or cabinet with very little time.
Pros
- Made with good quality plastic that is not bendable
- Easy to place the clamps
- Controlling the clamps can be done with only one hand
- A strong spring is used
- The clamps can hold various joints perfectly
Cons
- Not suitable for bigger projects
How to Clamp a Picture Frame
Before we proceed to the list of best picture clamps, let me give you a clear explanation of how these clams work.
The main goal of a clamp is holding an object firmly, and yes, its goal is that simple. You can either use a clamp to hold two or more pieces together or clamp an object steady to your workbench. The clamp doesn’t let the object stroll on the surface so that you can begin further working on that object.
Some clamps have only one jaw, and some have two jaws. One-jawed clamps are used to hold an object in a base. If there are two jaws, both of the jaws work together to hold an object.
You can control the jaws but how you can control them depends on the type of the clamps and the mechanism used to build the clamps. Clamps can have strings, triggers, or levers that can be used to adjust the jaws. You will also find screws in some clams that are being used as part of the adjusting mechanism. Screwing in will make the clamp jaws fasten around the workpiece and apply pressure. Screwing out will make the jaws release the workpiece.
Joints Where You Can Use Angle Clamps
You can use angle clamps not only for holding picture frame joints but also for some other joints. Let’s have a look at what joints are suitable for angle clamps.
Miter Joints
Also called a 90-degree joint, the miter joint is the typical joint of a picture frame. A miter joint is formed by joining two wood pieces where the joining ends of the two pieces are cut at a 45-degree angle. Joined pieces produce a corner where the inside angle is 90-degree.
Usually, glue is used for attaching two pieces. If you are not aware, a slight shifting or shaking may leave the joints uneven and reduce the glue’s effectiveness. An angle clamp will not let these disturbances happen. You can also change the jaws according to the thickness of the pieces you are going to join.
As angle clamps suit perfectly with miter joints and are widely used for the clamping picture frame, they are also recognized as the picture frame clamps.
Butt Joints
Among other joints, the butt joint is the simplest and weakest joint available out there. You are not required to cut the edges of the pieces; instead, join the squared-off edges into the edge to face position. That way, the joined pieces will be attached perpendicular.
The weakness of a butt joint comes from the absence of reinforcement. A butt joint gives its total reliance upon glue to join two pieces together.
Angle clamps work great in holding butt joints as you can place the jaws to fit two wood pieces at the right angle. As in butt joints, glue makes the joining area slippery, and one piece can slip on the surface of another piece. An angle clamp doesn’t let this happen.
T Joints
T joints are when a piece is joined perpendicularly, constructing a ‘T’ or somewhat ‘T’ like shape. In T Joints, pieces are joined together using glues or by following mortise and tenon joint techniques.
In mortise and tenon joints, you have to make a square or rectangular hole in a piece where the tenon of another piece can sit tight. After joining, you have to use adhesive to make the joint stronger.
Whether the T joint is made using the mortise and tenon joint or just by gluing pieces together. An angle clamp can hold and make accurate T-shaped T joints.
Frequently Asked Question Answered
1. How Do You Clamp a Large Frame?
To clamp a large frame, you will need a corner clamp with a strap long enough to wrap around that frame. You can also use individual clamping pieces to hold the mitered corners. In that case, you will need 4 corner clamps.
2. What is a Picture Frame Clamp Used for?
The main objective of a frame clamp is holding the joint of two woodblocks while the glue dries, making a solid and perfect angled joint. Frame clamps are not only used for clamping picture frames. They are also used for clamping objects where assembling pieces is necessary.
3. Is it Possible to Make a Picture Frame Without Corner Clamps?
For this, I will say nothing is impossible. But it will be a difficult task to make the frame joints strong 90-degree angled. You can make a frame clamp jig to hold the joints firmly. Both will give you enough support in making a nice and clean picture frame, whether you use a corner clamp or clamp jig.
Conclusion
Share your opinion below if you think there are other corner clamps worthy of the best picture frame clamps title. You are also encouraged to ask related questions, and I will respond.
Till then, take care of yourself.
