DIY Welcome Sign

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.

Step #5: Put it on display

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