DIY HOME Decor Sign

Soon after the triplets became toddlers, we realized that none of our home decor items in the living area (or the rest of the house for that matter) would survive their preschool years. We gave away or sold all unnecessary home decor items. Now that the boys are older, we are excited to make our home look more, well, home-y, starting with this DIY HOME sign.

These HOME signs with the wreath in place of the “O” are hugely popular right now. By making it myself, I can customize it to the colors that work best in my home and with my decor. Since I am a terrible stencil painter and free hand painter, I am using iron-on vinyl to create the letters for this sign. Using a die cutting machine and iron-on vinyl definitely has its advantages. When iron-on vinyl is used on wood, it melts into the grooves of the wood and looks very similar to paint. It is also easier for anyone, even those who are terrible at stencil painting like myself, to achieve a professional looking project. The disadvantage to using iron-on vinyl on wood is that it is not waterproof, thus the sign cannot be used outdoors. The sign should be used only in a covered area or indoors.

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DIY Home Sign Supplies:

• Cricut machine
• StandardGrip cutting mat
• Iron-on vinyl
• Paint for the bottom layer (base color that will show through the distressing of the main color)
• Paint for the top layer (main color)
• Fine grit sand paper
• EasyPress
• Measuring tape or ruler
• 12″ boxwood wreath
• Wood piece, 3 feet by 12 inches
• Small screw (make sure that it is not long enough to exit the back of the wood plank)
• Screwdriver
• Paintbrush
• Work surface covering
• Clear spray sealant
• Face mask to cover nose and mouth while sanding

Tip: When shopping for the wood plank, you may notice that some stores have a paint grade plank and a stain grade plank. These two have noticeable differences in the finish of the wood. They also have significant price differences. At the store where I purchased mine, it was as much as a 50% price difference. The paint grade plank works great for this project. If you would like to try this project with stain instead of paint, then you will need to purchase the stain grade plank, as well as wood stain rather than paint.

How to Make

Step 1

Inspect the wood plank. Make sure that there are no rough spots on the wood. If there are, sand these. Use a clean cloth to remove any wood dust or other dirt residue from the wood plank.

Step 2

Paint the wood plank with the base color. Allow it to dry thoroughly. Paint the entire wood board with a minimum of three coats of paint. Follow the directions on the particular paint that you have purchased in regards to drying time in between coats.

Step 3

Paint the wood plank with the main color paint. Apply at least two coats of paint. Allow it to dry thoroughly. Follow the directions on the particular paint that you have purchased in regards to drying time in between coats. Allow the plank to “cure” for a few days. When it is no longer “sticky” to the touch, continue to step 4.

Step 4

Tip: This step produces much dust and sanded material. Use a face mask that covers the nose and mouth to minimize breathing in the debris from this step.

Use the light grit sandpaper to distress the entire plank. This allows the base color to show through the main color. There is no exact science to this step. Take it slowly at first to get a feel of the sandpaper and how much applied pressure will show the base coat. Do this over the entire plank until satisfied with the results. Some people like the base coat color to show heavily through the main color while others prefer it to show lightly.

Step 5

Use a lightly dampened cloth to clean the plank.

Step 6

Utilizing the die-cutting machine and StandardGrip cutting mat, cut the letters from the iron-on vinyl. Be sure to place the iron-on vinyl with the shiny side down on the mat. Mirror the image before cutting.

Remove any unnecessary iron-on vinyl from the design, also known as weeding the vinyl.

Step 7

Place the letters and wreath on the plank to make sure that they will fit properly. This step is crucial to completing the project correctly. If they do not fit, it will allow a chance to adjust the sizing of the letters accordingly.

Use the tape measure to ensure proper placement of the letters. The letter should be centered down the plank, and the top and bottom should have the same margin. Once the placement looks centered and straight, remove the wreath and continue to Step 8.

Step 8

Use the home iron or EasyPress to adhere the letters to the plank. If using the EasyPress, follow the directions that accompany the device. I personally used the EasyPress at 300 degrees for 20 seconds. After twenty seconds, I checked the letter, and, if it still was not completely adhered, I applied the heat in 10 second intervals until the letter was secure. Peel the iron-on vinyl film from the letter while warm.

Continue this with the remaining letters.

Step 9

Insert the screw slightly below the H, keeping the screen in the center horizontally. The wreath will hang on this screw. Do a dry run of the wreath and screw placement before inserting the screw if needed.

Step 10

Apply a coat of sealant to the plank. Spray the sealant at least 10-16″ from the plank. Do not over saturate the letters. The sealant should be a light coat that serves as an extra precaution to help prolong the life of the letters and the sign. Allow the sealant to dry completely.

Step 11

Hang the wreath.