Difficulty: Easy
Time needed: 4 beers
Power Tools: Drill
Measuring: Optional
Make your own hinged photo display so you can get rid of all those annoying framed family photos and "display" them in an empty corner of your basement. This also works great for displaying sports cards and other junk your wife doesn't want over the mantle. This project is like a redneck version of those poster displays you see at stores so you can look at Christina Aguillera while your wife shops for greeting cards. Check out how much other sites want for these things here.
First, identify a wall that can be used. Drilling into concrete blocks is a pain in the ass, and too technical for this page, so make it a wall that has some 60s paneling on it or drywall.
Next, grab a beer.
Now you need to quick finish the beer and head to the home improvement store. Don't take your wife or girlfriend with you because she will get bored and offer advice you don't want to hear. This is a list of materials you will need:
- A bunch of the cheapest hinges you can find. Each photo board will require two hinges (three if you really care about the safety of the frames)
- A bunch of 2'X5' peg boards--the more you get, the more boring family pictures you can hide, I mean, display
- Optional handles for each peg board
- A big container of zip ties in all different sizes. If you don't know what a zip tie is, please do not attempt this project without your father-in-law.
Now, get back home after stopping at a fast food restaurant for some me time and a burger, and get to building something. Tell your significant other you'll need hours for this so she won't bother you. Grab a beer before you start.
Drill some holes into the wall for your first hinge. Don't bother measuring unless that gives you pride in your work. You should make it pretty close to the ceiling, but not so close that the peg board will hit the ceiling. You can figure it out. Secure the hinge to the wall.
Now, zip tie the bottom hinge to the peg board, and then zip tie the top (secured) hinge to the peg board as well. It'll be a bit loosey goosey, but you can line up the bottom hinge so the board isn't tilting one way or the other before you drill that one into the wall. Of course, you could measure this as well, but where's the fun in that?
Drill the holes for the bottom hinge and screw it to the wall, like Michael Douglas did to Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction. Voila, you've got your first photo panel in place.
Now, you can grab something that is approximately 4" to 6" long (no, not that). You don't have to do any real measuring here, but just make the next hinge about that far from the last one and pretty much the same height. Repeat all the other steps for as many of these things you want.
Use the zip ties or those metal peg do-hickies to hang your framed photos on the boards.
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