US Map Wall Decor

My husband found this map online and thought it would look great in the office. I was fine with it since I knew it would be a large piece of art for a great price. We knew it would be too much money to have it framed but figured we could easily make our own frame for it.

We first bought some press board that we had cut down at Home Depot four inches larger in both height and length than the map. I attached the map to the board with scrapbook glue dots about every two inches. 

For the frame materials, we bought some oak door trim. We used our miter saw to make the 45-degree-angle cuts to form the frame.

We then applied wood glue and stapled the back. I initially tried to staple the back with our electric staple gun, but the oak was too dense. So we then used an air compressor staple gun. Since it took both of us during this process, I didn't get any pictures but you just place the staples so the seam is right in the middle of each staple. We used 0.5" staples and only on the thicker part of the boards so the staples wouldn't punch through the front side.

Once the glue is dry I filled the seams with this stainable wood filler.

Next I stained the frame with Minwax red mahogany, then toned the red down by adding a coat of Minwax, dark walnut. Lastly, I applied Minwax Polycrylic topcoat.

Once that was all dry we carefully (because it still wasn't very sturdy) placed the the frame on the map/press board. We then stapled the board to the frame from underneath.

So here it is on the wall, and I like how it looks. If you really want my opinion though, I would rearrange a couple things and get rid of a certain chair (not shown in these photos) in this room. But my sweet husband keeps reminding me that there is no decor dictatorship in our house and since he has gone through all of undergrad, med school, and part of residency, he deserves one room in which he can call the shots, that being his office. Touche. Love you Babe.

Here's a close up of the part of the country that we currently call home: Rochester, MN.