All of our rustic wood pallet signs are made in-house, but we want to share how we build our signs in case you want to make your own. Anyone with the right tools, materials, and patience can do what we do at our shop every day to make their own DIY rustic wood pallet sign. This post is a step by step guide on how to build your own rustic wood sign.
Step 1 – Get your material
Luckily wood is one of the easiest materials to find. Here are some options for sourcing the wood to use for your sign:
Old Pallets – Used pallets are a great source of wood. The only downside is that they’re big and awkward and whoever’s giving them away probably won’t offer to take them away. However, the pros far outweigh the bad:
– rustic palettes are usually free or very cheap
– they are made to hold heavy weight, so they are made of hardwood – usually pine at the very least, but some of the sturdiest ones are even made of oak or maple
– the old holes made from the decking nails help add a rustic look to your handmade wooden sign
– Please note that some decks are pressure treated for outdoor use. If possible, you should try to use interior (untreated) decking. See below for additional information.
Old Fences, Decks, or Barns – Old fences, decks, or barns are also a great choice for a rustic wood sign. When they are available, they are usually cheap or free. As with old pallets, you’ll probably have to arrange to pick up or even disassemble the wood frame. Beware: Most wood used for decking or fencing has been pressure-treated to make it weather resistant. We do not recommend sanding or modifying pressure-treated lumber unless you have proper eye and face protection, as well as adequate ventilation when working with the material. When in doubt, plan to work on the material outdoors to ensure its safety. Additionally, we recommend using weather-treated lumber for exterior signage only to ensure safety inside your home.
Warehouse or Hardware Store – Lastly, you can always buy lumber at a lumber yard or hardware store like Home Depot for your DIY rustic wood sign. Although the wood will not provide as much “character” as an alternative source wood, it will be consistent and post grade wood or wood of choice is actually quite inexpensive. Considering how much time you would spend sourcing and preparing other types of wood, this may be the best option for most people regardless of the “reuse” value of the wood. Fortunately, wood like pine is mostly renewable, as long as the wood is FSC certified. A great source at Home Depot is the “scrap” lumber section where you can buy all the different types of lumber for a discount. If you go this route, be on the lookout for warped lumber, as a lot of this lumber is put in the discount section because it doesn’t meet the quality standards for full-price lumber.
Step 2 – Choose your size and shape
The size of your DIY rustic pallet sign is completely up to you and is probably easier if you already know what words or what symbols or logos will be put on the sign. Here are some tips to keep in mind when choosing a size for your sign:
– square shapes are most common – one tip to keep in mind is to make sure you factor in the width of the lumber when choosing a size – for example, a 1″x4″ piece of post grade lumber is actually 3.5″ wide, so to make a square size rustic wood sign you would have to choose a multiple of 3.5″ (3.5″, 7″, 10.5″, 14″, etc… ).
– keep in mind how and where you plan to hang the sign – depending on the wood you choose, the sign will get quite heavy and you will need some heavy hanging signs if the rustic wood sign is too big.
– consider how you are “connecting” all the pieces. The most direct method of connecting wood sign boards is to place members behind the sign perpendicular to the “planks” to tie everything together. Horizontal planks will look very different than vertical planks, so make sure you understand what you like before you start cutting. Additionally, the “width” of the planks will also determine the overall look of the wood sign, so that will need to be considered as well.
Shape:
There are a couple of standard shapes for wooden pallet signs:
1. Standard “Picket Fence” style with horizontal or vertical cleats in front and two perpendicular cleats in back to hold everything together. This method is the easiest way to connect everything and allows you to easily hang the sign by placing a hanger between the two wooden slats on the back of the rustic wood sign.
2. Standard “box frame” sign with a trailing edge around the perimeter of the sign. This gives the sign more depth without using full depth members throughout the sign (and decreasing the overall weight of the sign). This has been a very popular sign of late and offers a great alternative to our standard signs.
3. The Sky Is The Limit – Building a wooden sign is only limited by your imagination, so feel free to get creative! We’ve seen many custom perimeter shapes, usually made with a jigsaw or bandsaw, or even other “standard” shapes, like ovals or circles, are a great way to get someone’s attention!
Step 3 – Cut and sand
Cut Properly and Straight – Remember the old adage “measure twice, cut once” for your rustic wood sign! We found it easier to use a miter saw (or a miter box with a handsaw) for any end cuts and a table saw will work wonders over a standard circular saw for any full length rip cuts and it’s infinitely safer so keep that one in mind or at least Google how to make a straight cut as there are a number of gizmos/tricks to ensure a clean straight cut!
Sand – Even if you are making a DIY wood sign, remember to sand it down. Whether you are repurposing/repurposing old wood for your sign or using new wood for the sign, you want the finish to look as consistent as possible and the best way to do this is to sand the entire sign. likewise. We recommend starting with a coarse grain (ie 50), especially if your existing wood still has stains or paint on it. You can then work up to 100 and finish with 200 grit sandpaper. This will even your planks apart and help you in the next step to finish your homemade wood sign.
Step 4 – Finish
When creating your own wood sign, you have a few options for finishing:
1. Paint – This is the most common option. Some questions to ask yourself when painting your sign, as it will affect the paint you will need to choose:
– inside or outside? Interior paints are made to be low VOC (volatile organic compounds), so they are a good choice when painting a sign that will go indoors. However, it is not a good option if the sign will be placed outside, since interior paints are not made to resist the sun’s ultraviolet rays well.
– solid or “worn”? A popular finishing option for homemade DIY rustic signs is a “worn” look; this can usually be accomplished by thinning the paint of your choice. It is important that you choose a water-based paint that has the ability to thin. Check the label on the paint to confirm whether or not it can be, or ask the dealer where you are buying the paint.
– What color do you want your font to be? make sure the background goes well with the font
– What glitter do you want? Some manufacturers list different names, but you can usually get a matte, semi-gloss, or full gloss, depending on your preference.
2. Stains – We offer stains as a standard option for all of our signs. We prefer it because it allows the grain of the wood to show through, staining (when done with a layer of polyurethane on top) will last for years, and the stains that are available today have many colors to offer.
3. Nothing/Clear Coat – Some people prefer to keep the wood in its natural form or apply a clear coat to the wood and we can’t blame anyone for that. There’s a reason to use wood in the first place and it’s always wonderful to let the beauty of wood shine through in your rustic sign.
Step 5 – Lettering/Illustration
1. Painted – Similar to the background color, painted signs offer unlimited options. The most important things you’ll need to consider when painting are whether the lettering blends well with the background (ie light vs. dark, complementary, etc.), whether you want the “worn” or now look, the brightness of the lettering, and what method will you use to paint the letters, be it with spray, roller, brush, sponge, etc…
2. Vinyl Lettering: Vinyl lettering is a great option if you’re making a standard letter and can find the number or letters available at a store or if you have your own vinyl cutter or plotter like Cricut, Vinyl Express, or similar.
3. Routing – If you have the right tools and experience, you may want to go for the “routed” option.
4. Woodburned Letters – Again, if you have the right tools and experience, you may want to go for the “woodburned” option. This will really give your wooden sign a rustic look!
Step 6 – Protection
If your sign is an outdoor sign or will be subject to constant abuse or handling, we recommend that you use a protective coating over it. We typically use a polyurethane clear coat on all of our signs, after the letters are installed, to help ensure they last for years. Again, you have the choice of a gloss with polyurethane from “satin” to glossy.