DIY summer wood sign

I saw an adorable pillow with this cute message on it and it stuck in my head. I’m not a great seamstress but I thought it would look so sweet on a wood sign. I’m sharing the DIY details with you and also offering finished signs in my Etsy shop if you’re not in the DIY mood.

I love wood signs with a message – and they’re a great way to add meaningful art to your home. They don’t have to cost a lot either. For this project I used all scrap materials so it cost me $0. But even if you don’t have wood pieces or extra paint around, it still should be an inexpensive project. And it’s just so cute.

You’ll need the following materials:

• piece of wood – I used chip board but you could use any type of wood including plywood or pine.
• 4 pieces of 2.125″ square wood for the framing
• saw (or have a home supply store cut your wood pieces for you)
• wood glue
• sandpaper
• paint in 2 different colors (background and type) and stain
• paint brushes
• tack nails and hanging hardware

First, cut your wood to your desired size. My base piece is 9″ x 12″. Also cut the wood pieces for your frame. I made a very rustic frame with no corner angles. It’s easy and I love the look better than a finished frame for this wood sign. I cut 2 pieces for the top (9″) and 2 pieces for the sides (9.75″). Keep in mind that the left and right pieces are shorter than the height of the board since they are set inside the top and bottom pieces. Sand all these pieces.

Paint your board and frame pieces your desired colors. I used a water-based pecan stain for the frame and white interior paint for the board. When staining wood, I like to paint it on with a brush then rub it down with a cloth. It gets the stain into the wood and also reveals more of the wood grain. After the stain and paint have dried, I sanded the board slightly to create a more worn look.

Next you’ll add your type. I have an easy technique for transferring type onto wood.

 

First, print your saying out from your computer in the size and font you like. Trace the outline of the font on the BACK of the paper. To do this, it’s works best to tape the paper backwards onto a window so you can see through it.

Then, place the paper – front facing – onto your wood backing. With a pencil, rub the letters so that the pencil marks from the back are transferred onto the wood.

Now the outline of your letters should be on your wood – ready to paint.

I used a dark gray paint and a thin paint brush for my type.

Once the letters are dry, I sanded them slightly to give them a worn look too.

Now you’ll add your wood frame pieces. I attached these with wood glue and then a few tack nails from the back.

You can add hardware to hang it – or just lean it on a shelf. You now have a fun, rustic wood sign.

 

Again if you don’t want to DIY this, I have it for sale in my Etsy shop. Click here to check it out.

I think this sign makes a great statement for these fun summer days. Enjoy!