How to make wood signs the easy way
I am a collector of a lot of stuff. “Because you never know when you need something”, my Dad used to say. That is why I don’t throw stuff away.
I collect every little piece of wood because – well, you never know.
So I have been thinking what to do with all the wood I have been collecting, because in every corner of my garage are wood piles.
This is why I came up with an easy but fun project.
Signs!! I love them. There is such a variety of styles and patterns, you can get really creative or make them simple.
And what a great gift – if you are thinking about Christmas already!
Here we go – How to make wood signs the easy way
As usual, first we need to collect all the material we need for an easy start
***
Material list:
- Wood
- Sandpaper, level, pencil
- Paint and Paint Brush large and small
- Letters (stickers) – you can either print and cut them out or buy them (Walmart or Dollar Store)
- Something to cover up your table
***
Where to get all of the material if you have nothing at home?
Now, if you don’t have any of the above mentioned material in your house, this is where to get it:
Go to your local Lowes or Home Depot and ask for some scrap wood. They normally keep it right next by the big saw.
Then go to the paint department and check if they have some mismatched color samples, they often sell them for 50 cents or a Dollar.
If you want a specific color, get samples custom made. They are usually around 2-3 Dollars.
The Dollar Store has paint brushes and also stickers, so check things out there.
I bought the letters I am using at Walmart for a couple of Dollars.
What do you want to print on the board?
Of course, you need to know what you would like to have written on the signs.
Check through some quotes if you don’t know anything right of your head.
I have a Pinterest board you can check out for quotes or you just google it.
https://www.pinterest.com/colorfuldesigner/quotes/
And while you are at Pinterest, please follow me!
Step Number 1
First paint the wood you have selected. Preferably you want the letter color lighter and the background darker. This is why I started with the lighter color first.
But this is absolutely your choice.
Paint the wood, if you like it weathered, don’t paint it perfectly, let some wood shine through, make it imperfect.
Don’t forget to paint the sides of the wood too, if you have a thicker board.
Step Number 2
Let it dry and draw straight lines with the level to have an orientation where you stick the letters.
Drawing straight lines makes it so much easier to add the letters straight onto the board.
Step Number 3
Get your letters ready and stick them onto the board.
Step Number 4
Get a clean brush and your second paint color and paint over the letters and the whole board.
Don’t let the paint dry – Remove the letters about 1 minute after you applied the paint.
If you wait too long, the letters dissolve and it is hard to get them off the wood.
Step Number 5
Let the paint dry. Check it out if this is the look you wanted. Or do you want to make any corrections?
Does it look o.k. for you? If not, you can use a thin brush to go over the letters again. If you want it to look weathered, leave it as it is.
After it is completely dry, use sandpaper and go slightly over the letters to make them look old.
Watch the short video ‘How to make a wood sign’ right here
What else do you need to know
You can add some patterns around the letters if you are creative or you just leave it as is.
If you use the wood sign inside, you don’t need to put any protection coat over it.
If you hang it outside on your deck or on your house, add a mat top coat over it to protect your sign.
How to hang a wood sign up
If the wood is big and heavy, drill two holes on the back of your board and you can hang it up on two nails.
You can also hammer two little nails on each side and attach a rope to it to hang it up, if this fits to the style of the board.
Poster tape does not work. Nails are the best option if it is heavier.
I made a bigger sign out of Plywood and I just hammered it into the wall.
I made this board for my hallway. And because there is a lot of stuff going on in that entry, I wanted the sign to be more neutral.
But of course check out my other signs also, they are more colorful and fit on my deck perfectly.
You can add some funky designs if you are creative or you just leave it as is.
As I said, there are many options.
Cutting out symbols or flower shapes, animal shapes or whatever fits to the board.
Tape it onto the board and paint over it, the exactly same way you did with the letters.
And that’s it already, a fast project to make wood signs the easy way.
Do you like what I made? Which one is your favorite?
.
These signs were made in one short afternoon and I really had fun.
Think about birthday presents or Christmas presents? What a cool and so personal gift to make.
Now I am thinking of making some bigger signs with a longer quote for the basement, because I have a lot of plywood left over.
But this is a task for another afternoon.
More options how to make a wood sign the easy way
If you have a pretty handwriting, you can also use a sharpie and write your quote directly onto the wood board, then paint over it lightly with watery paint.
Or
you print out the quote/word on paper exactly the way you want it to look (depending how long your quote is, you might use a lot of paper for that) and just trace it onto your board.
Then fill the letters out with a thin paint brush.
Or
you print your quote out exactly the way you want it to look, tape it onto your board face down, make the paper slightly wet with a damp wash cloth. The printer ink will stick on your board.
You can correct the letters with a black sharpie if it’s not clear to read.
Summary ‘ How to make a wood sign’
So no matter which option you like the best for you, try it out. It is a fun project and you can make whatever matches your home decor the best.
I am sure you already know the perfect spot where to hang the wooden sign.
Where to get wood signs?
Do you love signs but you are just too busy to make it yourself? Or you just want to add your favorite word on a ready made board and be done?
You can get signs almost everywhere, or here at Amazon:
***
This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.
***
If you like to ‘make’ things, check out my awesome bench I made last week. It looks amazing and you can use it inside or outside, depending on where you want it.
Or you want to make a focal wall in your home? Add some faux shiplap. What an easy project for an afternoon.
DIY faux shiplap for first timers
Want to remember ‘How to make wood signs’ ? Pin it to your favorite Pinterest board. Easy.
