One of my favorite things from my front porch makeover is the welcome sign I made. It’s a simple and easy DIY project that makes a big impact.
Supply List:
- Foam brushes (one for paint; one for stain)
- Slat board 11.25″ x 17.75″ **The Wood Connection has the boards for $6.95; my board, however, is a “large porch sign” (about 3 ft high and 14″ across) only available in stores and not online. No worries though, I have adjusted the vinyl to fit the slat board**
- Dark wood stain
- light paint (I used a sampler of Valspar March Breeze)
- fine sandpaper (180 grit or higher)
- glossy sealer (I used Mod Podge Clear Acrylic Sealer)
- vinyl stencil 11″x17″ (purchase from us here for $10.50)
Step #1: Stain and seal the wood.
I did this the hard way and didn’t seal the wood until the last step which made the vinyl stencil SUPER frustrating to adhere. A few unhappy words may have escaped my mouth. So make your life easier and lay down a thin layer of sealer. I am confident that will help.
Step #2: Apply the vinyl stencil.
Do it patiently and carefully. I applied the vinyl in 2 sections. You can even cut each line and apply them one at a time. Make sure there are no bubbles around the letters though. You don’t want paint getting under the vinyl…that kind of defeats the purpose of a stencil, huh?
Step #3: Apply the paint and remove vinyl
I used a sponge brush and dabbed on the first layer of paint. Once that was dry I painted on another layer and slowly removed the vinyl.
Step #4: Sand the letters and apply sealer
With a fine grit sandpaper go over the letters and smooth everything out. Then spray on a nice coat of acrylic sealer to protect it from the weather.
You can either add hardware to hang the sign or you can just lean it against something on your front porch. I had every intention of hanging it above my doorbell, but when I leaned it against the door window to dry, I was kind of really happy with where it was. So there it remains!
Post by Becky
kate says
Do you make vinyl stencils with any saying we send you? I have never made one, nor did I know I could order them from people with, I assume, those machines?
Thanks!
Tracie Thom says
What type of vinyl should I use to stencil on wood like your sign above? How do I transfer it to my wood to stencil? I’m assuming I weed just the opposite way I would if I wanted the letter to be on the sign instead of painting.
Becky Vandenberg says
Hi Tracie,
I use whatever extra vinyl I have laying around, usually Orcal 631. However, I have heard that contact paper is great to use also.