How to Make a Small Faux Pallet Wood Sign
If you don’t have access to pallets, or don’t desire a large sign, this DIY faux pallet wood sign is perfect. And you don’t even need any pallets to make it!
My middle son’s wedding is less than two months away, and although they are keeping their wedding a fairly simple outdoor event, his fiancée did send me a short list of projects she wanted me to make. She wants a large sign similar to the pallet wood sign I made for my oldest son’s wedding, but she also wants a small sign to stand on one of the tables with a Bible verse from the book of Ruth on it.
Even though the verse isn’t about a man and wife, but about a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, it’s one of the most beautiful examples of love and commitment found in the Bible.
“Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried.”
She wanted it to look like pallet wood also, but pallet boards won’t fit on such a small sign. So I figured out how to make a sign that looks like pallet wood, but isn’t.
How to Make a Small Faux Pallet Wood Sign
Supplies Used (affiliate links included for your convenience):
Whether you are making a faux pallet wood sign or a real one, the products marked with an * are very helpful for both.
Scrap wood
E6000
*Wood stain
Pen
Directions:
1. Cut a piece of thin scrap wood to your desired size. I cut this piece 11″ x 14″.
2. Cut the strips of wood lath the same width as the board. Wood lath is very inexpensive, and I’ve used it in the past to make an antique style school wall chart.
3. Apply the glue to the back of the strips and clamp them to the board until dry.
You could also use a hot glue gun, but I didn’t want to risk the pieces coming off since I’m gifting it to them after the wedding to keep.
4. Remove the clamps and sand the wood strips until fairly smooth, then stain them and the edges of the board and let dry.
5. Print the words you want and tape it over graphite paper onto the wood, then trace over the letters with a pen. I designed the lettering using Picmonkey, which is a free online photo editor and graphic design tool.
Double-check the words before you do this step, because I left off a number in the reference (it should be Ruth 1: 16) and had to fix the sign after it was finished.
6. Use a fine tip paint marker to fill in the traced lines left by the graphite paper. If you do make a mistake, dab acetone on a cloth to remove the oil based marker.
All’s well that ends well though, because the sign is fixed and finished and ready for their wedding!
I have just a few more projects to make and I can’t for their October wedding.
PIN IT!
Vaya con Dios,
I love lath for a project like this! You could even use plain old wood glue and avoid the appalling E6000 fumes. : ) Well done! Beautiful sign!
Love this! It turned out Beautiful!
Thank you for sharing your tutorial on how to make the sign.
Thanks so much, Sandi! 🙂
I am helping my niece with an October wedding, and this is perfect!! Thanks for sharing!!!!
Thanks Dianne Have fun at your October wedding!
I really love this project, Angie! It will be beautiful at the wedding!
Thanks so much Linda. It’ll be here fast.
What a creative way to express such a beautiful Scripture passage. Thanks for sharing how you did it.
Thank you Linda!
I didnt now about wood lath (without the e). I will try some in the future. And I agree with Cindy about wood glue. Is there a reason you chose E6000?
Thanks for your posts. Love them!!
I love E6000 and always keep it on hand. I don’t use wood glue as often, so that’s why I didn’t use it, Amy, and thanks for catching my typo!
Thank you for this beautiful share.
Very clever, Angie. What a good idea, using the lath to simulate pallet wood. I’m not sure I really understand the reason you couldn’t use pallet wood. I guess the boards from a pallet would be wider so that would make the sign too big? Because this sign doesn’t look very big.
You are getting really good with weddings, love the sign and another dil added to your family. Soon there will be more gals than guys.
I am blessed, Marlene – I love both of my new DILs.
What a lovely and thoughtful gift. Something that will be cherished in years to come.
Thanks so much, Colleen! 🙂
Oh what fun to find this after just connecting with your posts!!! Jan. 4, 1974 I joined my life’s journey in Holy Matrimony my high school sweet heart’s. This verse was on our wedding invitation. I have moved about 20 times with him, 4 countries, 2 children, and many ups and downs, his God and mine has kept us safe and side by side. My favorite past time is counting my blessings!
Thanks so much for sharing your lovely marriage story Julia!
Hi Angie, it’s been such a long time since I commented. It’s just that my life has taken a downward turn this summer for so many reasons, therefore I don’t go on the computer much anymore. But I want you to know that I delete ALL of my almost-100 daily emails each day… except for yours. I must see yours!!! And today, it really warmed my heart to see your post. Just love it!! The tutorial was great, pictures, wonderful, the saying was perfect, and the finished sign just beautiful!! Thank you for cheering me up!!
Mare, it’s so good to hear from you. You always leave the sweetest comments about my projects and I miss you when I don’t hear from you for awhile. I hope things get much better in your life. I just prayed for you and will continue praying. Please keep me updated.
Boy, do I appreciate your kind words, Angie!!! And I’ll pray for you and your family, too, as it grows!!