Decorating DIY Decor How to Make a Shadow Box to Display Precious Possessions Build your own shadow box frame to house treasured keepsakes. By Sydney Price Sydney Price Sydney Price got her start in journalism while in college, writing food and fashion content for her university's magazine and campus newspaper. She also interned at Modern Luxury, freelanced for Blue Frog Dynamic Marketing, and served as the copy chief at Urban Plains. After graduating, she became the editorial assistant for Better Homes & Gardens, writing about food, holidays, gardening, and home. After two years, she transitioned to copywriting at ITA Group where she wrote digital and print copy for B2B employee engagement programs. Her clients included technology, finance, and fashion industries. Sydney moved on to be the contract copywriter for Arbonne, helping create content for social media, emails, and event announcements. She is now the copywriter at AuditBoard, a risk management platform based in California.Sydney Price holds a bachelor of arts degree in magazine journalism with a minor in biology. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on November 8, 2023 Project Overview Working Time: 1 hour Total Time: 6 hours Skill Level: Beginner Estimated Cost: $10 to $25 Yield: One shadow box The humble shadow box is a decorating workhorse. Its display potential is endless: small collectibles, medals, travel souvenirs, shells, baby clothes, vintage jewelry, or even a bottle cap collection. Follow our step-by-step guide to how to make a shadow box for keeping three-dimensional objects safe from damage and wear. 34 Creative Wall Art Ideas to Fill Blank Spots with Personality What You'll Need Equipment / Tools Tape measure Pencil Chop saw Clamp Nail gun Paintbrush (optional) Drill Materials Frame Construction adhesive 4' 1x3 Wood glue Paint or stain (optional) Craft board Fabric or scrapbook paper Decoupage glue or hot glue 2 Hinges Hook and eye latch Screws 2 D rings Instructions How to Make a Shadow Box Prep Front Panel Carefully remove the hardware from the back of your picture frame. Using construction adhesive, permanently glue in the glass panel so it won't shift around or fall out. This glass panel is essential to keeping your items protected. Measure and Cut Wood Measure the opening on your frame. You'll need four pieces of wood to form a box around the opening on the back of the frame. The lengths will vary depending on the size of your frame. Transfer measurements to your 1x3 wood board, and cut four pieces. The 9 Best Tape Measures of 2024, According to Our Testing Assemble Shadow Box Apply a bead of wood glue along the edge of one of the short pieces you just cut. Butt it against a long piece to form a 90-degree angle and clamp. Tack it in place with a nail gun. Continue this process with the other sides to build the box. Paint Box If desired, you can stain, paint, or otherwise decorate the box at this stage. We used white paint on ours. Allow the paint to dry thoroughly before proceeding with the next step. 31 Creative DIY Paint Projects to Personalize Your Home Decor Cover and Attach Back of Box Measure and cut a piece of craft board to fit on the back of the box you just built. Decoupage paper or hot-glue fabric onto one side of the craft board. Fold over and hot-glue any excess fabric. After it dries, apply a bead of glue to the back of the box and press the lined side of the craft board onto the glue. Nail the craft board to the back of the box for security. Attach Box Hardware Drill in the two hinges along one side of the front of the box. Measure from the edge of the box to the edge of the hinge, then use this measurement to mark where the other half of the hinges will be attached on the front panel. Secure them to the back of the front frame. Your shadow box should now open and close. Next, attach the hook-and-eye fastener on opposite sides of the box and frame to hold it closed. Refer to the manufacturer's instructions for installation. Secure Mounting Hardware Attach D rings to the back to hang your shadow box on the wall. Fill with keepsakes and display your memories. More DIY Woodworking Projects Now that you know how to make a shadow box, try another of our favorite DIY woodworking projects. How to Make a Toy Box How to Build a Shelf to Add Storage to Any Room How to Build a Ladder Bookcase How to Build a Storage Bench for Your Mudroom Landing Zone How to Make a Modern Farmhouse Planter