I don’t even remember where I got this door panel, but I discovered it one day out in my workshop, and I knew I wanted to turn it into a sign.
I wasn’t sure what I wanted to put on it, so I went searching for inspiration for long, large signs, and found several ideas I loved, like this Meat Market sign via Country Living (but seriously, isn’t the whole room incredible?!)
And I’ve always loved this Tourists sign that Miss Mustard Seed has in her home office.
Since the panel is pretty long, I needed a long word, so I went with “Mercantile”.
It turned out to be a really easy project, so I thought I’d share how I made it.
DIY door panel Mercantile sign
I liked the black borders around both of my inspiration signs, so painting the border of mine black was the first order of business, then I painted the center of the door panel white.
At first I thought I would stencil the word, but I wanted the letters to “pop” on the sign more, so I bought chipboard letters (affiliate link) to use instead.
I used Vintage Storehouse (see their add on my sidebar!) Chalk Based Paint to paint them. The color is Tea Kettle, and it’s a perfect matte black.
Using one of my oven trays allowed them to dry without sticking to anything.
I sanded the edges and chipped parts of the door panel to accent the wear it already had, to keep it looking like the vintage panel that it is.
The get the letters all evenly spaced, I used a ruler on the sides, and a yardstick on the bottom
I’m seriously head over heels in love with how it turned out.
The only wall I had that was wide enough for it was in my entryway where I had hung my Repurposed Picnic Table Barn Door, so I need to do some more rearranging to find a new spot for it.
It’s definitely a statement piece.
Vaya con Dios,
Fresh Pie Sign on Corrugated Metal and Salvaged Wood Frame
Love the sign. It just pops!
Love it Angie, those chip board letters look like real wood and now I’ll be on the look out for cabinet doors that don’t have a cabinet home!!
Really neat sign Angie … love the raised letters.
Love the sign……great job!
Oh, that’s cool, Angie! I love the word “Mercantile”. It conjures up images of “Little House on the Prairie” or the litttle pioneer towns in the west with a general store which sold a little bit of everything and had a big sign on the front saying Mercantile. Plus I just like the sound of the word!
Love this. I’ve been thinking I need a big sign in the dining room above the archway leading to the living room. And I want to make it of course, because I’m cheap and because I go no where that would have large, vintage signs. This has inspired me and maybe this summer I can actually follow through with a big idea. Now to find a large piece of wood to help me think of a word. Maybe “grateful”?
The sign looks awesome!
Quick question. The letters in the project look to have some thickness/depth to them (which i like!) and look like they could be made of wood. However, the ones shown in the link look like the regular, kinda thin, usual chipboard letters. Is it just not a good picture on Amazon?
Thanks!
David
Thank you so much for both these sign ideas, Angie. I just love what you shared; I’ve been thinking about a sign, but I couldn’t see myself hand painting the letters. Also, the pie sign is so. “Out of the box”, and I love the look of it. Your guest room is great, and looks so inviting! That must have been lots of work to achieve such a transformation.
Thanks so much, Mary Ellen!