Last week, I made some wood house signs and since then I have gotten so many questions about how I make wood signs. I have made A LOT of wood signs and so I thought I would write a post about how you can make some too! Here is my full wood sign tutorial, just for you!
If you don’t have a lot of tools, but still want to follow this wood sign tutorial
When I started making signs, I would have Home Depot cut the wood for me. Something I didn’t realize at first, is that the measurements that are on the signs at store are not the exact measurements of the wood! So if you buy a 1×4 it really measures 0.75″x3.5″. I don’t know if I am just oblivious because that’s common knowledge, but if you have it cut and take it home without making sure they all fit together, you’ll be sad! Trust me, I have been there!
Here you can see the wood pieces just after they were cut! The middle is a 1×12″ board. I cut them to 24″ and then I got a 1×2 board and cut 2 pieces to 11.25″ to match the height of the board. Then I cut 2 pieces at 25.5″ to be able to create the frame. I really like to set it out all together just to make sure they will work before I paint/stain.
Paint!
The next step in this wood sign tutorial is paint! I love all the different combinations that you can put together! I love staining the frame pieces and painting the inside a color!
I also love to stain the inside and make the outside a color! I usually do that for holidays! The one below is one that I used grey stain in the middle and a teal on the outside for my kitchen shelves.
How to Nail it Together
I had to get a brad nail gun to be able to put the signs together. It is fun to use! Here is a link to a cool cordless one, and one similar to mine. I put the side pieces on first (the short side)! The most important thing to remember is to make sure you didn’t accidentally nail it to the table… well, that’s the most common mistake I make!
Then I nail on the top and bottom pieces. I usually just do 2 nails on the ends to hold the frame together. I really love the rustic look to the wood signs, so I don’t fill in any nail holes and I embrace all the cracks and knots in the wood! It also means I don’t have to sand them! Which is a WIN in my book!
Add the Vinyl!
All that is left after that is to add vinyl (you can buy black here and white here) and put it somewhere cute! I use my Silhouette machine to cut the vinyl and I design cut files and put them in my Etsy shop. Here is the link to my Etsy Shop! Once I made a few signs, it got easier to mix up the measurements and make bigger signs! Here are some pictures of some other signs I have made. If you need any more instructions on what I use to cut vinyl, click here.
I love making new wood signs! I can’t wait to get these signs in their new home and get some pictures! What are your questions about making wood signs? Ask me in the comments, or follow me on Facebook or Instagram to ask your questions!
Thx for sharing your ideas with us. These are so cute.
Thank you for reading!
Could you make me one or maybe two of these? I hate making things, but could pay you to make them, since you love it! Not sure what I would want yet, but if you would do that then I will definitely start thinking about it. How much would you charge?
It depends on the size, but I’ve been thinking about doing a sign party at my house! We can talk about it on Sunday!
After painting or staining the wood do you put a finish over it before adding vinyl?
You can add a clear poly over before the vinyl and the vinyl will transfer easier. I don’t usually add it though.