March 22, 2020

How to Make a Cute House DIY Wood Sign | Tutorial

As am empath, I feel a lot of energy. Good and the bad. And when the world gets a little crazy, I try my best to dig back into things I can really get lost in. It’s no surprise that I can always get lost in being creative. I’m trying something new this week, and thought I would turn it into a DIY wood sign tutorial so that you guys can try it along with me!

I get it DIY projects can be a little daunting, especially if they require power tools (if you would have told 18 year old me I’d be running a small shop powered by power tools, I would have laughed at you – maybe I should have paid better attention in shop class!).

BUT making a DIY wooden sign doesn’t have to be as hard as you think. I’ll try to get as descriptive as possible in this tutorial – but also remember to ask for help if you need it! You can leave a comment, send me a message on IG or ask a hubby or someone else you know to do anything you are uncomfortable doing (I recommend having them show you as they go, so you feel a little more comfortable next time)! If you’re here because you found these cute little guys on Pinterest and just want one for yourself, you can find completed ones in my shop here!

For those of you looking for a little crafty distraction, we’ll continue with the tutorial! This post contains affiliate links – which means I earn a small amount if you make a purchase from these links (and it doesn’t cost you anything). This helps me continue to provide content on the blog so I can keep bringing you fun things!

What You’ll Need to Make These DIY Wood Signs

I had all materials on hand already, since I work with wood regularly for my handmade shop – however – it was important for me to write down exactly what I used in case you are buying the materials from scratch.

1×6 Wood (look for knotty or clear pine – I buy all of my wood from my local Home Depot)
1×2 Wood (make sure to pick a piece that is straight and not warped)
Paint (I used a sample pot of Behr Premium Plus, but acrylic will also work) & Stain (I use Minwax Provincial)
Sandpaper (I used 150 grit, but you can also use what you have as long it’s not too abrasive)
Nail gun and brad nails or hammer and nails
Electric mitre saw or handheld saw and mitre guide

Instructions

First, you want to cut the 1×6 into pieces that are as tall as you’d like the houses to be. Keep in mind that the taller they are, the least likely they are to stay upright on their own. I made mine 7″ tall.
Next, you’ll need to measure and mark the centre of the top of your ‘house’ – this will be where the peak of the house will be.
Turn your mitre saw to a 45 degree angle, and line up the centre peak mark with your saw. Make the cut.
Turn sign upside-down, and line up the peak again to cut the opposite side of the roof.

Line your mitre saw back to a 0 degree angle (straight ahead). Now it’s time to cut your roof pieces!
Take your 1×2 and lean it up against your house, to decide how long you’d like them to be. Cut your short side first by lining one side up with the top of your roof peak, and decide how much overhang you’d like. I cut this one at 4.5″
However long this short piece is, you’ll want to add approx 1/2″ to your long piece. I cut my long piece at 5″ you can also place your 1×2 up against your house to determine what looks best. Mark your spot and make your cut.

Finishing Details

Give your wooden pieces a little bit of a sand. I used 150 grit sandpaper. You primarily want to smooth out any ridges and splinter pieces.
Time to paint and stain! I painted both sides of my house white, and stained my roof with Minwax Provincial (I actually had them leftover from another project, so that’s why they are already stained in the pic above).
Let dry for a few hours
Give your white house a bit of a sand to smooth out paint (optional)
Add your design (see below for one option)
Attach your roof pieces to your house! I used a nail gun and brad nails, but you can use a hammer and regular nails, or even extra strength wood glue or liquid nails if you’d prefer. Attach the short side first, then the long side.

There are a few different ways you can decorate your diy wood sign – Pinterest is filled with tons of great methods using vinyl, craft cutters, transfer paper, paint pens, etc. Since I want to make this simple enough for everyone – I’m going to teach you the ink transfer method! If you’d rather use a different method, feel free! As I add more tutorials for different ways to make signs, I’ll link them up here.

What You Need to Ink Transfer Words to a Wood Sign

Computer Paper
Printer
Mod Podge Glue (matte is better, but glossy will also work)
Sponge Brush
Damp Cloth

Using Ink Transfer to Decorate Your DIY Wood Sign

Create Your Design
There are a few different ways to do this, and which one you choose will depend on your level of creativity! You can create your own using my fav online graphics tool, Canva or you can purchase a great inspirational SVG from Etsy (and fairly inexpensively).
Invert Your Image
This is a very important step for this project, you’ll want to invert the image because you’ll be putting the printed side down onto the wood sign. If you don’t do this step, you’ll graphic will be backwards like the iPhone portrait mode! Don’t worry, this just means to flip vertically.

Print Your Inverted Image on Regular Paper
Pretty self explanatory – both inkjet and laser printers will work. I recommend cutting down the page to just around your graphic so it’s easier to work with.
Cover Printed Side with Mod Podge + Place
Using a foam brush, cover the printed side of your graphic with a thin coat of Mod Podge. Carefully place your page, glue side down on your diy wood sign. Also carefully, smooth out any air bubbles, making sure not to move the piece of paper. Allow to dry for a number of hours (or overnight if you can). Make sure to check the bottom of your paper and wipe off any excess glue.

When Dry, Mist Lightly and Remove Paper
Once the glue has fully dried, mist the paper lightly with a spray bottle, and gently rub the design with your hand (you can also use a slightly damp cloth as well). After a bit of time, you will notice the paper rubbing away, leaving the ink adhered to your sign. Pretty cool right! Keep gently rubbing the paper away, misting as you go to help it come off.
Lightly Sand (optional)
If you have stubborn pieces of paper that aren’t coming off, or you are looking for a more distressed look, lightly sand the front of your sign. You don’t have to do this – I like the more polished look, so I skipped this step.
Clear Coat for Shine and Protection (optional)
I recommend coating your beautiful new sign with a thin coat of either a Verathane (non-yellowing) clear coat or a clear wax – to seal it and protect it!

That’s it for now! I know it seems like a lot of steps, but it’s only because I wanted to explain everything in full! Remember, you can always use vinyl cut outs, stickers, paint pens or even let the kiddos use crayons to decorate the face of the sign. The possibilities are endless!