Learn how to make a distressed wood sign using scrap wood and a stencil. This is the perfect DIY technique for those who love farmhouse decor!
Are you looking for the perfect finishing touch for a space around your home? How about adding a distressed wood sign!! It’s a great way to add character and charm to any room. It’s even better when you can make one yourself that fits your style perfectly! Today, I’m going to show you how I made one with just a few supplies I already had in my craft toolbox!
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Supplies you’ll need for your sign:
**Click on the name of the product for more information!!!**
- Scrap Wood cut to the size you need for your space – I used a 1×12 inch board cut to measure 50 inches long.
- Fluff Dixie Belle Paint
- Caviar Dixie Belle Paint
- Van Dyke Brown Glaze by Dixie Belle
- Stencil – I created the stencil for this project using my vinyl cutter. You could also use a SIlhouette or transfer from Chalk Couture. The font I used for my project is called AlexBrush. The letters measured 10 inches tall and totalled 48 inches across.
- Spray Bottle
- Paint Brushes
- Sand Paper
- Makeup Sponges
- Clear Acrylic Top Coat
Distressed Wood Sign Tutorial:
Start with a piece of raw scrap wood. Be sure to choose a piece of wood that is sized appropriately for the space where you will be using your sign.
Next, add a base coat of Dixie Belle Chalk Paint in the color Fluff. I used a larger brush for this step to make the process go faster.
Be sure to add paint to the edges to give your piece a more professional, finished look.
Once the paint is dry, sand the edges of your piece. You can sand as much or as little as you want. Just remember, we will be adding the glaze to the areas where we sanded. So be sure to sand where you want to add that effect.
You can see I sanded just the very edges of mine.
Next, pour a bit of the Van Dyke Brown Glaze onto a plate and add a bit of water to thin it out.
Next, mix the water into the glaze.
Now it’s time to add the glaze to the edges where you sanded. Do this using a dry brush technique. PRO TIP: Be sure to off load most of the glaze that you have on your brush before dry brushing. You are going for very little coverage when dry brushing.
This is how mine looked when I was finished. Notice that I dry brushed around the edges to create a softly distressed look.
Tips for adding words to your sign with a stencil:
I used a vinyl cutter to make a stencil for my sign, but you can use a Silhouette machine or a product like Chalk Couture to create the same look.
PRO TIP: To alleviate bleed through, paint with the base color first to seal it. Then use the color that you want for the words (i.e. Caviar).
Once the stencil is in place, I use a makeup sponge to pounce the paint onto the surface.
Carefully remove your stencil before your paint is dry to prevent bleed through.
Finally, you can finish your project off with a coat of acrylic clear coat to give it some extra protection.
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I have a question about the stencil. What kind of material do you use to cut you stencil.? Do you transfer it to the wood all in one piece or sections?
It is a beautiful sign. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Lisa,
I like to use ORACAL Oramask 813 Stencil Vinyl, for my signs. Yes, I do lay it out all in one piece. Thank you