Decorating with recycled old pallets seems to have endless applications!
Every now and then we have stumbled on ideas for using them to decorate walls in the form of a simple sign bearing inspirational messages: sayings, quotes and expressions that inspire and say something important about the person who hangs the sign in their space.
Simple to make and strongly vintage in style, these “pallet signs”, as they are called, have something very personal about them, something that is yours alone, and they give a space a “character” that expresses who you are.
Let’s see how easy it is to make your own!
What you will need:
• a pallet
• sandpaper
• wood varnish
• paint in the colours of your choice
• paintbrushes
How to make it:
Take your pallet apart and nail its boards together to create a wooden “canvas” in the size you want.
Your second option, if the pallet is already the size you want, is to use it as it is.
Alternatively, you can build the base of the sign from any wooden boards you have to hand, fixing them together by nailing 4 pieces of wood across the back, like a wooden frame. For example, at blueeyedyonder.blogspot.com they made the wooden canvas from old mattress support slats (from a bed).
If you want the sign to keep a natural wood colour, varnish the wood to bring out its colour and protect it.
You can also paint the sign another colour, such as white, as in the example below.
Once it has dried, you can experiment with acrylic paints, adding touches of colour and then rubbing the paint back with sandpaper for a more distinctive vintage result.
When you are happy with how the wooden sign looks, you can move on to designing the message of your choice. Pick something that expresses who you are, something that says something about you, that inspires you. Then work out the space you need and lay out the design on the “wooden canvas” using a stencil or, if you trust your hand… simply with a paintbrush.
If you were to make this project, what inspirational message would you choose to write?
Text: Natasa Lianopoulou
