I am so excited about today’s post y’all. You know how much I love national parks, and I also love recording our family travel memories. This tutorial for making a DIY framed map is a great way to remember your travels, but also add some meaningful decor to your home. This post is in collaboration with Best Maps Ever, all opinions are completely my own. Links contain affiliates.
how to make a DIY framed travel map
If you’ve been following my blog for awhile than you know that I am a big supporter of taking your kids camping, and especially to National Parks. I believe that when you travel with your family you create lasting memories, cultivate rich experiences, and strengthen your bond. One of our goals every year since we’ve been married is to visit a National Park, sometimes we camp, sometimes not, but we love exploring our country through the park service!Â
| Read: DIY Embroidery Hoop Map Ornament |
Before Christmas last year I discovered Best Maps Ever and bought a few different versions of their 411 National Park System map which features every official unit in the National Park System. I had been wanting a map we could pin our adventures to for awhile, and I knew I had some travel-loving extended family members that would also love it. When I received the maps I was so excited to see them! The quality of the paper and the printed images are really impressive, this is definitely not your average poster. As predicted, my family members loved their gifts and I couldn’t wait to get ours up. I didn’t want to just slap such a beautiful map up on the wall though, so I tucked it away until I could create a frame for it.
Follow along with our family travels on Instagram!
If you follow me on Instagram then you know that Mike and I celebrated our ninth anniversary earlier this week! Whoop whoop! I figured the perfect present would be finally, finally framing this map out like I’d wanted to when I first bought it (give me a break, I’m only slightly busy).  Okay, truth be told my dad built it for me, but we designed it together and I bought all the stuff so that counts for something, right? Right?! I’m going with yes.
materials:
- moulding
- 1/4″ plywood
- 1/2″ corkboard
- paint or stain of choice
I was able to purchase all these items at my local hardware store. I didn’t list exact measurements because it will obviously vary depending on your size map. My map is 2’x3′.
DIY framed map tutorial:
- I’m sorry I don’t have pictures of these first several steps. Cut your moulding with 45° mitered cuts using a table saw, jigsaw, or hand saw.  Then cut rabbet cuts into the back of the moulding using a table saw or router, these are to recess the corkboard and plywood into.
- You’ll assemble your frame with wood glue and finish nails. Sand off any uneven spots at the joints. Paint or stain as desired. I choose Rust-Oleum satin finish spray paint in Espresso.
- Insert you map into the frame and back with the corkboard. Both these things should fit in the first rabbet cut.
- Lay your plywood on top of the corkboard, fitting into the second rabbet cut. Secure with small staples.
How do you like to remember your family travels?
Which map would you choose?
27 Responses to DIY framed travel map
This looks so great! I love maps, I think they make such a nice addition to home decor.
Nellwyn | http://www.thecardinalpress.com
I totally agree, and they’re such an easy way to bring in a personal touch to your decorating scheme!
If this isn’t the coolest idea!! I’d love a map where we can pin places we’ve been as a family. It would be cool to one day look back and see all the places we’ve discovered together.
Agreed Stephanie, it’s a fun way to look back and remember all the adventures you’ve had together!
This is such a fun idea! I’ve been wanting to do something like this!
I have been wanting to do this for so long and am so glad I finally did!
I should totally do this! It’s such a great idea. I love traveling and it’s be a cool way to remember/ represent my trips. And yes I still say giddy 🙂
Yay! Glad I’m not the only one. 🙂
I love this! Such a great project! My kids love going to National parks too. My oldest and daddy camp pretty frequently, and the twins will start soon. Thanks for the giveaway!
Love the experiences of camping with your kids! There’s nothing quite like it. 😉
So cute! This is a great idea.
Alix | http://www.apintsizedlife.com
Thank you so much Alix!
I absolutely love this! It’s such a great DIY and an awesome giveaway! <3
Thanks Susannah! They really are the best maps ever, lol, so it’s quite the appropriate name. 🙂
What a great way to keep track of all the places you’ve been. I love how the frame came out. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks so much! We are loving it!
Such a great idea to track family vacations. I will be checking it out!
Thank you Shelia!
Very cool! I love DIYs like this!
Thanks for your sweet comment Amber!
This is awesome. We totally need to do something like this since we love to travel and camp!
That’s true, you guys do love going on adventures, don’t you?! You can use my discount code through the end of July to get your own map, they’re the greatest!
Thanks for sharing!! Just entered, fingers crossed!
Glad you liked the giveaway Stephanie! 😉 Enjoy your map!
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