These plank signs are insanely popular. I see them everywhere. Every home décor store has them. I’ve seen them at my local grocery store, and I see them when I’m thrift store shopping. They are definitely a best seller at every craft show we go to. I made the mistake of propping up one in my booth at our first craft show last year. Such a nice touch to welcome people to our tent, or so I thought. Everybody wanted to buy that sign! I’ll never make that mistake again, but I do like the way mine looks on my front porch and no one has tried to buy it.
If you read my posts often you know I like to craft on a budget and this project was extremely budget-friendly. The previous owner of our house had left a box of hardwood floor planks in the garage. I used them to make several plank signs. I like them because they’re an easy item to make and switch out for the seasons. I say this a lot. One of my very favorite benefits of crafting is making décor pieces that no one else has. These also make excellent gifts you can customize. All my friends know that my gifts are handmade and made especially for them.
Materials I Used
My floor planks were about 6” wide and four feet long. I needed two of them to finish this project. I used a few paint stir sticks and gorilla glue. I decided to use vinyl for this sign, so I purchased a roll of permanent vinyl from Hobby Lobby when it was 50% off. Paint and items that I use often are things I keep stocked in my workshop, so I didn’t need to run out and buy anything else. Having a fully stocked workshop really helps me be much more efficient and productive.
How I Put My Sign Together
My planks were tongue and groove, so they were made to fit together. Of course, they weren’t made to hang vertically so I used gorilla wood glue and a few paint stir sticks to strap the planks together on the back. I used clamps to hold my pieces together while the glue dried. Paint stir sticks are something you should keep in your craft stash. You can get them where you buy your paint. I pay $1 for a pack of ten. They also have stir sticks for five-gallon buckets of paint and they’re a good deal too. There are just a million things you can make with them and they’re cheap.
When my signboard was secure, and the glue had dried I used my circular saw to cut the tongue and groove slot off the edges of my sign. Then I took it to my paint table and got it ready to stain. I knew I wanted it to be white with a dark undercoat. My plan was to distress the edges, so I needed a darker color applied first. I used an ebony stain because that’s what I had on hand. I had black chalk paint, but I thought it might come right off with the white paint when I distressed it. I let the stain dry for a day then I was ready to move on to the next step. It seems like I spend a lot of time waiting for paint to dry, but I always have several projects going on. I’ve learned from experience that sometimes crafting requires a little patience.
I used white linen chalk paint by Rustoleum to give my entire board a rough coat of paint. I wasn’t worried about full coverage because my goal was to distress it. While I waited for the paint to dry, I found a whimsical cow graphic that I really liked and played around with fonts until I had two I thought went well together. When I use my Cricut I always make my signboard to scale so I can see exactly how my finished product will look. If you struggle with selecting fonts that coordinate, here’s a post that might help you. While you’re at it, look around at the graphics on this site. There are so many to choose from and you’ll find a variety of uses for them. I’ve used them to decorate pillows, to decoupage with, and on several other projects.
I usually paint the lettering on these signs, but I decided to use permanent vinyl here. I cut my text and graphic out, then I weeded them and applied the transfer tape. My days of working in a sign shop taught me to measure and then measure again. I measured to find the center across and down and then I laid my letters down accordingly. I applied my letters and the sweet little cow and removed the transfer tape.
With all the graphics applied to my sign, I went on to distressing the sign. I used a sanding sponge from The Dollar Tree. I use these sponges until the paper is worn out then I just cut a new piece of sandpaper and use hot glue to adhere it to the old sponge. I gave the edges a good sanding and distressed random areas on the sign. After this step, I took a wet cloth and wiped all the dust I had created with all my sanding. The last step here was to apply a coat of clear wax. I use the Behr brand and a little bit of this product goes a long way. I use a wax brush made especially for this purpose. Using the right tool for the job is so important. I waited for it to dry then buffed the wax.
I hung my sign with a sawtooth hanger right beside my front door. These signs are often called leaners because you can do just that – lean it against the wall instead of hanging it.
If you don’t have the materials on hand to make this project, check out your local Habitat for Humanity Store. I see these planks hanging out at my favorite thrift stores every week. Until next time – happy crafting!
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