Upcycling DIY home decor, woodworking and Crafts
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Wood shims are inexpensive and can be used to create gorgeous DIY home decor. Make faux pallet art, cover an ugly thrift store dresser, create a designer starburst mirror on a shoe string budget. Here are 50+ of the best DIY wood shim project tutorials from creatives everywhere. If we missed your project, send us a link so we can include you! Enjoy.
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Could you stand to be a little more organized in your bathroom? I know I could. I find organizing rather boring, unless I can combine it with creating a cool home decor accent. Today I am sharing a project fitting that bill- a rustic, chalkboard reclaimed pallet wood bathroom organizer using cute little jars I scored at the Dollar Tree recently! For only $3 and some supplies I had on hand, this project packs a big punch on the cheap. You can totally make this. Give it to Mom for Mother’s Day!
Pallet wood plank about 15 inches
Amazing Goop or E6000
Saw tooth hanger
Hammer
3 Dollar Tree Jars
Chalkboard Paint
Small Paint Brush
Tape Measurer
Marker or pencil
Begin by hammering the sawtooth hanger in the middle upper back of the wood. You want to do this before gluing the jars in place.
Measure placement for the jars and mark three evenly space dots on the front of your board with pencil or marker. This board already had 3 evenly space holes drilled for a project that never happened. Apply a generous dot of Amazing Goop on the board on the marked spots and on the jars in the middle back. Let this sit for 2-10 minutes, then place jars, holding gentle pressure on each for about 1 minute. Let this cure for a couple of hours before the next step.
Paint the indented area with Chalkboard paint. This took several light coats, drying 15 minutes between each.
Label with chalk and hang on wall!
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Today I am going to show you how to make a rustic monogram sign using recycled pallets and burlap! This would be perfect on a front door, as mantel decor or wall art. Not only that, but it is an eco-friendly way to decorate your house on the cheap.
SUPPLIES:
Shipping Pallet Pieces
Wood Glue
Kreg jig and Kreg Screws
Walnut Wood Finishing Cloths
Burlap
Stiffy
Chalky Finish Paint in Escape (Blue)
Foam Brush
Super 77
Scissors
Cricut or other die cut machine, or monogram stencil
TUTORIAL:
I showed you how to make a wood pallet sign using a Kreg Jig in this DIY Pallet Sign Tutorial. Kreg makes joining wood slats super easy. I LOVE IT.
Once your sign is created, stain it with your choice of color. My favorite way to stain these days is Minwax Wood Finishing Cloths. Stain and seal in one step with an easy swipe.
I used my cricut to make a stencil with a design I created in Photoshop. The software I use to connect my Cricut and my laptop is Sure Cuts Alot, but I am pretty sure that is no longer available. Cricut has software for this purpose, which I have not used.
I used sticky back paper for my stencil so it would stick to the Burlap. I prepared the burlap with Stiffy fabric stiffening spray so that it wouldn’t fray when I cut it.
Paint with blue Chalky Finish Paint by DecoArt. I am loving this line.
Adhere to pallet sign with Super 77. That is it!!
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I am so excited to share with you this great Dollar Tree wall art project that you can make for $3! I found some adorable spring/summer print gift bags on my most recent trip there and decided to bring them home and make barn wood frames from scrap wood for them. While there, I also grabbed the coordinating navy blue planter, knowing I would put the DIY Paper Daisies I showed you last spring in there to go with the daisy on one of the cute gift bags. Once I got the three bags framed, I decided there needed to be text on the chevron backgrounds, so I cut out “Oh Glorious Day” using my Cricut. You can get the cut file too!
Here are the three bags. I loved the daisy and the chevron prints in coordinating colors on the other bag.
I measured the bags to see how big to make my frames. I decided I wanted the opening to be 9×10 inches.
I shared an Ana White Barnwood Frame Plan in this DIY Barnwood Frame Tutorial with Free Printables. For this project, I wanted different dimensions and learned a couple of tricks I want to share along the way. I wanted to use 1×2 inch boards, but didn’t have enough of that dimension on hand, so I ripped 1×4 scraps with my table saw by setting the guide arm at 1.5 inches (which is the actual width of a 1×2 board). I
Next I set my miter saw to 45º and cut one end of my homemade 1×2.
I measured from the short inner point of the angle 9 inches over and cut the other side going the opposite direction (so I moved my miter saw 45º to the left).
I lined the inner frame up with 1×2 flipped up on its side to know where to make the 45º cuts for the outer frame. This was easier and quicker than measuring! I used 2 paint stirrers to give me the thickness for attaching the inner frame to the outer so that the back of the frame would be recessed for my foam mounted gift bags (foam mounting happens after the frames are made, see below).
Use wood glue at the join and clamp the inner and outer frame together. Nail in place with 2 inch nails. Did I ever tell you I love this Ryobi AirStrike cordless nailer? I do. It is a go to tool for me. So easy to use, CORDLESS, goodbye hammer and nails.
Cut foam board to fit in the back of the recessed frame. Cut the desired image area off of the gift bag and adhere it to the foam board with Super 77 or other mounting adhesive.
Smooth wrinkles from the center out with your hand.
Paint frame with color of choice. I used white chalk paint and antiqued the edges with FolkArt Antiquing Medium . I sealed with Krylon Clear Coat Matte Finish because it was nice outside and I was excited that I could use spray sealer after such a long winter! Wax or varnish would be fine too.
Since the foam board is cut to the same dimensions as the recess in the back of the frame, the picture pretty much fits and stays. I used clear packing tape to secure it in place.
I used Coordinations adhesive cardstock in yellow and my Cricut with SCAL software to cut out the text, which I created in Photoshop (“oh” is “Always in My Heart” font and “GLORIOUS DAY” is Ostrich Sans Black). Since the paper was adhesive I just peeled off the letters and put them on the chevron patterned framed backgrounds like you see in the photo. You could use the cut file to make a stencil and paint the letters on, or print them in your favorite color and cut them out by hand too.
Attach sawtooth hanger or wire to the back to hang!
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I decided one day to take a little trip to the local goodwill and see if I could find any good finds. Guess what? I always find something I just think I can’t live without and this time around it was no different. I found a beautiful banker’s chair just waiting for me to take home! I did not even think about it twice and just drove it home.
Once it was home I had to decide what I wanted to do with it. I did not want to spray paint. I choose to do my home made chalk paint and paint it.
The great thing about using chalk paint is that I don’t have to sand the chair and it’s all about just painting and not worrying about all the mess of sanding.
I made my home made chalk paint with black paint I got at my local hardware store. If you would like to know more about my home made chalk paint you can find it here.
I applied about two coats of chalk paint and let it dry. Once it was dried I just used a wet cloth and rubbed off the paint the selected areas. I wanted the chair to look used and I rubbed the chalk paint off in the areas where it would be well used. Now the chair has a little chic look.
I then applied a sealer coat on the chair to make sure they chalk paint will not continue to come off with wear.
What do you think? What will you use your home made chalk paint on?
Stay Crafty!
*This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Blue Print Social for Ed Roth Stencil1 Stencils and FolkArt Multi-Surface Paint by Plaid Crafts. All opinions are 100% mine and honest.
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Today’s project is a simple, inexpensive stenciled planter box made from reclaimed wood . Use this rustic crate for house plants, flower bouquets, to display vintage bottles, candles and more! I used FolkArt Multi-Surface Paint and an Ed Roth Stencil1 stencil with some scrap wood and chicken wire I had on hand to build this versatile rustic home accent. Read on to find out how you can make your own version!
Scrap Wood
Chicken Wire
Metal Snips
Wood glue
Ed Roth Stencils
FolkArt Multi-Surface Paint
FolkArt Antiquing Medium
Foam Brush
Lint Free Cloth
Stencil brush
Masking Tape
Table Saw
Nailer or hammer and nails
Cut wood for the bottom, 2 ends and divider of your crate. I these all from the same piece of pallet wood.The two ends should be the same height, and the middle divider should be that height minus the thickness of the bottom piece.
Attach the ends to the bottom as pictured, placing a strip of wood glue at the contact point before nailing together. I used one inch brad nails with my nail gun.
Attach the divider by flipping box over so that the bottom is up and nailing through the bottom into the divider so you are left with the above image.
For the sides of the crate, I used a wood shim like scrap piece from my stash. You could use paint stirrers or vintage yard sticks here too. Cut four of them (2 for each side) the same length. To get the length just hold the wood up to the crate with one edge flush and mark the other edge to cut.
Cut chicken wire with metal snips to same length and height as crate. Put the wire in place and secure by nailing side planks in place over the top of the wire.
Repeat with the remaining side plank at the top, then flip the crate over and repeat on the other side.
Since all of my wood was random and mismatched, I decided to pull it together with FolkArt Antiquing Medium. This stuff is super easy to use and I love the aged effect, on top of how it unifies the various wood pieces.
Apply the medium with a sponge brush in a few inch sections at a time, then wipe back with a lint free cloth until you get the desired effect.
If you find it too dark, use a damp cloth to remove more of the stain.
Once that is dry, tape your stencil into place and apply the FolkArt Muti-Surface Paint using a stencil brush.
I found the stencil I tried easy to use. The lines were crisp and there was no bleeding.
The Ed Roth Stencil1 Stencils come in large formats that are ideal for walls, floors and furniture, and are made of durable, reusable mylar that is super easy to clean. These stencils will be available at Jo-Ann Fabric & Craft stores soon.
As for the paints, they work on any surface, are dishwasher safe and can be used indoor and outdoor. I personally can’t wait to try them on glass so I am sure you will be seeing that around here in the near future!
Once that is dry, you are ready to use your awesome handbuilt crate! I went with ferns, but the customization options are endless. Make it all you.
If you loved this project, you may want to fcheck out Plaid Crafts on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, and Instagram or visit their blog, The Plaid Palette.
Want more projects with Ed Roth Stencil1 Stencils and FolkArt Multi-Surface Paint from your favorite bloggers? Here you go…
UPDATE: CONTEST OVER. WINNER SELECTED!! I am so thrilled to bring you all a chance to win another beautiful hand painted sign from Little Red Porch. I first introduced you to Pam and her signs with this DIY Rustic Hand Painted Sign Tutorial and you couldn’t get enough!
So here is the scoop. Pam and I are ready for spring. We are guessing you are no different. How great would it be to usher in the sunshine with a “You are My Sunshine” sign?
Here is the deal. You get to pick one of the 4 signs in the intro photo. If Little Red Porch on facebook gets above 2500 fans by the giveaway end date, you get to choose from the large signs and if not, the smaller signs. Make sure you share the page with your friends!
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I am loving making signs these days. With Valentine’s Day coming up, I decided to go with this love Corinthians verse, which is great all year round, but particularly so now. For the detailed tutorial on how to make this sign, see our Rustic DIY Wooden Sign Tutorial. Below you will find the Photoshop file I used. The tutorial just linked shows how to transfer the file to wood and hand paint it. I used my cricut with the file below to make a stencil. You can do either with the download.
Click the image to bring up the full size version and either print to transfer like I showed you in the tutorial linked above, or use as a cut file. I use Sure Cuts A Lot for this. Not sure if that is still available, but I do know that it doesn’t work with newer Cricut machines. Good luck!
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My sister needed a kitchen island, giving me a great Christmas gift idea, and an excuse to tackle another Ana White woodworking plan. I used Ana’s Easy Kitchen Island plan, adjusting the dimensions to fit in Amber’s kitchen. Instead of 54 inches wide, we made our version 36 inches. This was a quick and easy build. I have some tips to share that I wish I had known before this build, but we learn by making mistakes, right?!
I highly recommend staining the “planks” before attaching them for the bottom and middle shelves. Ana attached the planks with Kreg joins. This seemed like a ton of work and I couldn’t think of a reason that using my nail gun and wood glue wouldn’t suffice, so that is what I did. Super quick and easy with my Ryobi AirStrike Nailer.
Also, I used a 5 gallon bucket paint stirrer to space the planks, which worked out well.
Other than those few changes, I followed Ana’s plan linked in the first paragraph.
This project has been on my to do list for months and months. I finally got around to making a distressed, chippy starburst mirror from recycled paint stirrers and other reclaimed wood I have collected from various discard piles. The hold up was finding a circle mirror, which I ended up finding at Joann Fabrics for just a few dollars. This piece took about an hour to make start to finish and cost under $5!
Pretty amazing when you consider this similar mirror at Iron Accents is $410! If you are considering paying that price for something like this… don’t! Make your own version for way cheaper, and feel awesome about it.
*** NOTE: I used a cordless Ryobi AirStrike Nailer which is not a must have, but makes this project (and most of my woodworking projects) go smoothly and quickly. Work smarter, not harder!
***Oh yeah, and also: The wreath form on top of the mirror is optional. I preferred the project with it, but it looks cool without as well.
10 inch diameter round mirror
E6000
Scrap wood about 12×12 inches
Ryobi Airstrike nailer
Wood Glue
Paint stirrers or other wood scraps painted with your favorite colors (I used Chalky finish paint from Americana) – I cut mine to about the same length with my chop saw. You can have them random lengths or create your own pattern of rays. Lay out your pieces and play with the design until you love it.
10 inch chipboard wreath form or other circle to place over mirror for a more finished look
Wire or other picture hanger hardware
Use E6000 on the back of the mirror to attach it to the 12×12 inch wood scrap. It doesn’t have to be exactly 12×12, but there needs to be enough wood all the way around the circle mirror for nailing paint stirrers to.
Lay out “rays” to determine placement. I did two layers. I applied wood glue and nailed the bottom rays into the 12×12 inch wood with 18 gauge 1/2 inch brad nails in my nailer.
I placed the second layer or rays using the nailer, no glue. I painted the wreath form with “lace” Chalky Finish Americana paint and nailed it to the underlying rays to frame the mirror.
Staple craft wire to the back for hanging and enjoy!
