Creating Rustic Wooden Wedding Signs: A Step-By-Step Guide

Wooden wedding signs are a great way to welcome guests, provide directions, and add a rustic or elegant touch to your decor. With a few simple steps and materials, you can create your own DIY wooden wedding signs that are truly unique and professional-looking. Whether you're looking for a simple and stylish sign or something more creative and intricate, there are several techniques you can use to make your own. From using stencils and vinyl transfers to painting directly onto the wood, the possibilities for customisation are endless.

Sourcing wood and preparing it for painting

The first step in creating wooden wedding signs is to source the wood itself. You can purchase wood from your local hardware shop or use scrap wood, ensuring it is sanded down for a smooth finish. It is important to sand your plywood to give it a smoother finish before painting. This can be done by hand or with the use of a medium and then fine-grit sandpaper.

Once you have your wood, decide on the size of your sign and the size and style of font you wish to use. You can then measure out and cut your wood to the desired size. If you are creating a large sign, you may want to consider adding hinges to the back to make it self-standing.

The next step is to prepare your wood for painting. You can do this by staining the wood with a product such as "dark walnut" by Minwax, which can be applied with a cloth for an even finish. If you wish to paint your sign, you can apply a coat of primer first to ensure the paint adheres well. Alternatively, you can create a chalkboard sign by painting your wood with chalkboard paint, rolling it on for a smooth finish.

Now your wood is ready for painting or decorating with your chosen design.

Using a vinyl stencil

• Prepare your wood: Start by sanding your wood to ensure it has a smooth finish. You can purchase wood from your local hardware store, and it's a good idea to choose wood that has already been stained or painted to save time.
• Create your stencil: Decide on the wording and font for your sign. You can use a Cricut or Silhouette machine to cut out your design, or you can try cutting it by hand if the design is simple. Remember to weed out the letters, leaving the bits in between the letters intact.
• Position the stencil: Measure and position your vinyl stencil on the wood, using masking tape as a guide if needed. Make sure it's centred and aligned correctly.
• Apply transfer paper: Cut a piece of transfer paper to the same size as your design and place it over your vinyl stencil, smoothing it out with a store card to remove any air bubbles.
• Adhere the stencil: Once the transfer paper is stuck to the vinyl, carefully peel off the backing. Check that all elements of your design are still in place, and stick back any pieces that may have come off with the backing.
• Attach the stencil to the wood: Place your vinyl stencil, still with the transfer paper attached, onto the wood, making sure it's facing upwards. Smooth it out again to remove any air bubbles.
• Paint your sign: Once there are no air bubbles, you can remove the transfer paper and start painting. Apply one light coat of paint first, being careful not to use too much paint or push it under the stencil. Leave it to dry for 1-2 hours. When it's still sticky, add a second coat, and a third if needed.
• Remove the stencil: Before the paint fully dries, slowly peel off the vinyl stencil, following the outline of each letter as you pull it off. If you accidentally scratch off any paint, use a small brush to touch it up.
• Finish and display: Once you're happy with your sign, you can add a coat of transparent finish to protect it from the elements. Your wooden wedding sign is now ready to be displayed and admired!

By following these steps, you can create beautiful and unique wooden wedding signs that will add a personal touch to your special day.

Painting the wood

The next step is to decide on your design. If you are painting letters, print out your text and tape the pages together, lining them up correctly. If you are using a stencil, cut out your design and weed out the letters, being careful to leave the bits in between the letters. Position your design on the wood, measuring it out and using masking tape as a guide if you want to be more precise.

Once your design is in place, it's time to start painting. Using a paintbrush or a sponge, apply a light coat of paint, being careful not to put too much pressure on the brush and avoiding pushing the paint underneath the stencil. Leave the paint to dry for 1-2 hours. When it is still sticky, add a second coat. You may need to add a third coat for full coverage.

After you are happy with the paint coverage, leave it to dry for another hour before carefully peeling off the stencil. If you have any areas where the paint has scratched off, use a small brush to fill them in.

If you want to add a personal touch, you can try the paint-over-stickers method. First, paint your sign the colour you want your letters to be. Then, use fun-shaped stickers to arrange your saying, pressing them firmly into the wood. Paint over the stickers and then remove them to reveal your design.

Finally, to protect your sign, you can spray on a coat of transparent finish. These finishing sprays seal the sign, ensuring rain won't damage it.

Adding a transparent finish

To apply the transparent finish, simply spray on a coat of the finish onto your sign. Make sure to do this step outside or in a well-ventilated area to avoid inhaling any fumes. Follow the directions on the spray can for the recommended distance and spraying technique.

Once you have sprayed the entire surface of the sign, let it dry completely. Depending on the product you use, you may need to apply a second coat. Always refer to the product instructions to determine if this is necessary.

After your sign is completely dry, it is ready to be displayed! You can use these signs to welcome guests, provide directions, or even as decor that you can hang in your home after the wedding.

Displaying the signs

Displaying your wooden wedding signs effectively will ensure your guests can easily find their way around and add a decorative touch to your special day. Here are some ideas for how to display your signs:

Easels

A simple but effective way to display your signs is to prop them up on an easel. This works well for welcome signs, seating plans, and menus. You can buy easels or make your own.

Hanging

For a rustic look, hang your signs from tree branches or hooks. This works well for directional signs, or you could hang a sign above the top table or the dance floor. You could also suspend a sign from a wooden frame or archway.

Free-standing

For a more complex DIY project, you can make your signs free-standing by attaching them to a sturdy base. This is a good option for outdoor weddings, where it might be too windy for an easel.

Table-top

Smaller signs can be displayed on tables, such as the gift table or card table. You could also place a sign on the bar or the dessert table, or even on each table, with a message for guests to take photos with.

Framed

For a more elegant look, place your sign in a frame. This could be a simple wooden frame or something more decorative, such as a vintage window frame.

On an entrance table

A welcome sign can be placed on a table at the entrance to your venue, perhaps with flowers or other decorations.

On a chair

A fun idea for a photo prop is to display a sign on the back of a chair. "Mr" and "Mrs" signs are popular for the happy couple's chairs, but you could also display a sign on a lawn chair for a cute photo opportunity.

There are endless ways to display your wooden wedding signs, and with a bit of creativity, you can come up with something unique that reflects your personality and style.

Frequently asked questions