DIY Rustic Wood Art

Hi everyone!  I am so excited to share my latest DIY art with you all today.  We have a big wall as you walk down into the basement that I wasn’t sure what to do with.  Then one day it hit me–I needed some BIG art that would make a BIG statement!

I started brainstorming what I could make. I began by cutting down a couple of 1x6s and attaching them with plywood strips and wood glue.  I left bricks on overnight as the glue set.

To make it extra secure I also put some nails in from the front once the glue dried.

Once I had my “canvas” I was ready to paint!  I began with a rough coat of espresso.  

I also applied a rough coat of silver and then topped it with two coats of white.

After sanding the whole piece to pull out the darker colors I printed out the word “hello” on some computer paper.  It’s simple and cute and just perfect for that spot at the bottom of the stairs.

I used a ballpoint pen to make an impression in the wood.

Next, I held up my phone flashlight so that I could see the impression of each letter and outlined them in pencil before filling them in with a small paintbrush.

I attached a couple of saw tooth picture hangers to the back, added some small screws to each board on the back to reinforce them to the plywood strips a little more and viola!

I love how much the word pops at the bottom but am wondering if I should add some sort of wreath on the top portion or just leave it as it is.  Hmmmm decisions, decisions…

I also sanded down the letters to make them look worn to match the rest of the wood.

It’s big and dramatic just like I wanted! 

Since I already had the paint and picture hangers I only spent $15 on this beauty which was the cost of wood.  If you happen to have some wood scraps laying around, or a pallet this could be made for free.

Have a great day everyone–we’re almost to the weekend!