DIY Planked Wood Sign

It is good to be back at MRL! Today I have a super fun project to share my newest DIY Planked Wood Sign!!

DIY Planked wood sign tutorial

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I am super in love with the planked look and of course I love the quote too! It is a great reminder to enjoy all times in life…especially the hard times. At least that is what it means to me. 🙂

Let’s get started!

How to make a DIY Planked Sign

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DIY Planked wood sign

Supplies:

Step 1: Build planked sign to any size you desire

nail on 14 ply wood strips to scrap plywood

I used a piece of reclaimed 3/4” thick wood (I would recommend using 1/2” thick wood to make it lighter) as a backing for my 1/4” planks, which were left over from my Pottery Barn Clock Knock Off, and glued and nailed them on after cutting them to size.
Then I framed out the whole thing with 1×2 wood. I actually made two of these planked signs a few years ago and turned one into Marvel Subway Art…the other one has been waiting for it’s turn to become pretty…Click Here for a FULL TUTORIAL ON HOW TO BUILD THE PLANKED SIGN.

planked wood sign before painting

I am so happy to finally finish this second sign…good grief took me long enough!

Step 2: White Wash or Paint planked boards

tape frame of planked sign to paint center section

I started by taping off the frame with painter’s tape.

mixing paint and water to whitewash

Then I mixed some white paint with water to give it a white washed look.

second coat of white wash

On the left I am finishing my first coat. On the right I decided to do a second coat. I LOVED the look of the boards with the first coat. After some reflection I decided that too much of the grain was showing and it might look too busy when I added the words, which is why I did the second coat.

Step 3: Stencil your sign

cutting a stencil out of contact paper on a cricut

I used a cutting machine to cut out my stencil onto contact paper. I know not everyone has a cutting machine…and that is ok! Check out my post on How to make your own Signs for other methods you can use.
When I use contact paper stencils it saves me a ton of money, vinyl is expensive. I believe I first heard of using contact paper from Gail…she is a genius as you all know! I cut it out and peeled off the outer part of the stencil.
It takes some time to place it onto your project, just be patient. Make sure you buy the removable contact paper, because it makes it easy to pull the pieces apart when they stick together. Also, you will have to add the insides of the letters once the main part of you stencil is in place.
I did this quote in two sections because it is bigger than my cutting machine can cut.

stencil a sign with a contact paper stencil

Using a stencil brush and black paint I loaded and unloaded my brush with paint to begin stenciling! You want a tiny amount of paint on your brush when you stencil, this prevents bleeding.
Remove the stencil when you are done and don’t forget to take out the insides of the letters!

Hang your new Stenciled Plank Wood Sign

Side shot of planked wood sign

Put your DIY Planked Sign anywhere in your home!

DIY Planked wood sign

It looks great on my Modern Rustic Buffet! If you plan to hang it on the wall I suggest adding some D-ring hangers to the back.

white washed planked sign

I love the simplicity of this sign, but the planks give it some really fun texture!

planked and stenciled sign

What would you put on your sign?!
I would love to hear your favorite words and phrases for signs, leave a comment below if you have one to share!
Hugs!
Mindi

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About Mindi

Mindi is a wife, mother, runner, dancer, and a lover of all things fun and DIY.

A few years ago she discovered blogs and fell in love with the idea that she could do things she had always dreamed of doing. Like build furniture from pallets, and make cool projects for her home.... Mindi was inspired by other bloggers that empowered her to create.

Mindi decided to give back and possibly reach someone out there that has a desire to create like herself. She believes we all have that desire in some form or another, and we all DO create in our own way, every day. Whether it be crafty or not, even creating happiness in others is a gift that many share.

Mindi loves to learn and use that knowledge to make beautiful and useful things for her home.

ABOUT GAIL WILSON - A teacher at heart, Gail Wilson relishes the chance not to show off her projects, but to help others find their inner handywoman, step-by-step. Her blog, MyRepurposedLife.com, chronicles her scrap-saving adventures and has been featured on countless DIY magazines and websites, including Women’s Day, Design*Sponge and Apartment Therapy. She is a longtime influencer for both Homeright and Gorrilla Glue. With a tribe of more than 450,000 followers, Gail is inspiring a new generation of DIYers to pick up some tools and get to work.

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Comments

  3. Gail Wilson says

    Mindi,

    I love your Dance in the Rain sign! I would put Grateful, Thankful, Blessed. I sold my original sign and I want to do another smaller one for my new and improved kitchen!
    Yes, that contact paper trick has saved me tons and tons of money. We use the same wood grain kind. I like the smaller boards added in to give this sign a more “patched up” look. I’ve never done it this way, but you’ve inspired me.

    thanks for a great tutorial!

    gail

    Reply

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