Let's look at another "Dumpster DIY"...
...that I created by repurposing wood materials that I pulled out of a dumpster as well as some scrap wood I grabbed from my garage collection! Check out my Dumpster DIY page for other DIY projects that were not only free or very budget friendly, but also helped keep reusable materials out of the landfill. The pipeline sticks below are indeed dumpster diving scored materials that I have already used for a number of DIY projects.
For the whole story of how I came across this free material, visit my blog page https://www.olbettiediy.com/post/yeah-so-i-dumpster-dived
I love a good ol' weekend DIY project
This DIY wood modern address sign is for sure a project that anybody at any level of experience could tackle with minimal materials, simple tools and some patience. Although the chevron design may look complicated with its' 45 degree angles, I assure you that my step by step guide will take the uncertainty out of what you're capable of creating.
We have for sure been seeing alot of similar address sign designs such as this popping up everywhere on pinterest, as well as the metal number pieces hung solo on the front of houses. I LOVE the mid-century modern feel of these metal number signs with their modern black metal finish and their font style which are just perfect to suit the MCM vibe which I adore.
I have seen signs of similar design go for $115+ online and other sources, which isn't bad as this is going to be a small focal point for the exterior of your home, and you want it to be good quality so it can last over time. However, I can honestly say this piece cost me the price of the black number pieces, and that is it.
Between my collection of upcycled materials and wood scrap piles, plus my existing tool and product collection, I was good to go. In saying this, I also know that not everybody has a collection of tools, products and more available to them at anytime, and to get started, you may need to make some purchases.
The tools you will need are as follows:
measuring tape and pencil
speed square or better a large T square
painters tape
clamps of various sizes depending on your chosen dimensions
electric drill with small drill bit to make pilot holes
brad nailer with shorter nails
electric sander, or hand sander(sandpaper grits below)
miter saw preferably, alternative tools below
table saw, circular or jigsaw for long cuts
brushes to apply stain and poly finish
The products you will need are as follows:
1/4-1/2" thick pieces of wood of your choice
gorilla glue or strong adhesive of
your choice
80 grit paper as well as 220-400 grit
wood conditioner (by choice)
stain color of your choice
frame paint color of your choice
polyurethane finish in high gloss (outdoor resistant)
number pieces of your choice
Although this may sound like a long list, if you are passionate about DIY, then these are some great beginner DIY tools to invest in as you will mostly likely grab them again and again for other future projects. Products like stain, glue, and painters tape are also great items to have on hand as you can get many uses out of them and they will pay for themselves time and time again.
Tools like a good measuring tape, a square and clamps are items that I also believe are just as important to collect as you can always find use for them for many different tasks around your home. Bigger ticket items such as a miter saw and electric sanders are not necessary to own in order to achieve simple DIY projects, but if you can justify purchasing one or both of them, they will help tremendously as well as save you a lot of time on your projects.
Alternative tools for this DIY
Miter saw for 45 degree cuts alternative: miter box and pull saw
Power saws for long cuts alternative: pull saw
Electric sander alternative: sanding block or hand sanding tool
Brad nailer alternative: classic hammer and some pin nails
T- square alternative: meter stick and small level
Alternative design styles for this DIY
Slat design alternative: flat board of wood with nice grain
Chevron alternative: vertical or horizontal slats
45 degree miter frame alternative: butt joint the frame instead
Floating number alternative: flat, glue on numbers or decals
How to DIY a chevron wood modern address sign,step by step
Once I had this chevron style address sign idea in my head, I started by searching for my number pieces first in order to plan my sign dimensions. Once I picked out and ordered my number pieces from Amazon, I made a quick drawing of the dimensions I would need in order fit the numbers vertically.
Side note: I won't share my measurements as each sign will need custom dimensions depending on how many numbers are needed. The one thing I can share is that I left 1/2" from the top of the piece to the top of the first number, and vice versa for the bottom.
Step by step guide starts here!
Step 1: Cut multiple slat wood pieces to desired length with a 45 degree miter on one end of each slat. My chosen length of slat was 7 inches from the point of the miters.
The amount of wood slat pieces you need will depend on your dimensions. I kept lining up my pieces together until I reached the full length of my dimensions.
Quick tip: Measure and cut one piece to desired length, then set up a stop block on your miter saw for quick, repetitive cutting
Step 2: Arrange your slat wood pieces in a chevron pattern by pushing the 45 degree angle sides together in the middle. You should be able to have enough slat wood pieces to cover past your final dimensions in order to make a final dimension cut. Set aside.
Step 3: Make a backing board for your slat pieces to get attached to, this will also create a more sturdy piece in the long run. I used 3/4" scrap wood for my backing which I had to pocket hole a couple pieces together in order to get my full dimensions.
Step 4: On the front of your backboard, find the center point by measuring the width of your board and dividing that number by 2. Draw a pencil line at your measurement with a T square so it is perfectly straight.
Step 5: Attach your chevron design to the front of your backing board with gorilla glue or a very strong adhesive of your choice following your centered pencil line to insure everything is straight. Be careful not let pieces slide against each other making your line uneven. I found using a light hand here was helpful. One your chevron is glued down and perfectly places, allow it to dry overnight.
Step 6: It's time to cut the piece down to final dimensions. Run painters tape along where you want the edges to be so you can draw a straight pencil line along it. Painters tape will insure your wood won't split or even break off under tension as you are cutting it to size. Draw out your final dimensions along the tape then proceed to make your cuts.
Step 7: Sanding, the worst step of every woodworking project, amirite? Sand the sides and top until smooth and flush, or leave a bit of variation in heights on top for a more rustic look. I started with 80 grit sandpaper on my orbital sander, then I hand sanded smooth with 400 grit sandpaper, although I would use 220 grit if I had some. You can see that I have a few high-low spots due to some of my slat pieces being previously sanded down from another project. I spent a little extra time sanding thickness down, but didn't get too obsessive over it. A quick run through my planer would have done the trick, but I was worried about the possibility of losing those very small corner pieces.
Step 8: Measuring and marking out where your numbers will go. This was definitely the hardest and most time consuming part of this DIY project. Take your time and triple check everything before you drill holes through your piece. Knowing that my centerline was now where both halves butted up together, I used that as a reference point to lay down my numbers.
These numbers thankfully come with their own paper guides that you can use to transfer the screw points to your piece. I left 1/4" gap between each number and 1/2" from the top of the first number and the bottom of the last number. My trick was to put small pieces of painters tape on either side of each paper so I could loosen a side up and rotate it in place while keeping the opposite side in tact. It took me at least 40 minutes to get this right.
Step 9: Drill your pilot holes through the paper guides where each screw hole will be. Again, take your time with this, don't push too hard and chance splitting your wood. Just make sure you go deep enough for your screws to set in the whole way. Make sure give the new holes a quick sand over too to avoid sharpness or chipping.
Step 10: Just as you probably suspected, yes, the frame was also accomplished using my trash sticks, haha. There are so many uses for them! I simply built this frame by placing a length of wood next to each side, and making a mark where the board ends and marking it out to a 45 so I would know where to cut the ends on my miter saw. I repeated this step until I had all the frame pieces.
The only problem I ran into here was my 45's weren't going together as flush as I wished, but it was only because I needed to sand down my sides a little better as some spots were sitting slightly proud of the dimensions. I zipped the proud spots down with my orbital sander and was good to go!
I opted to spray paint my frame black rather than using a regular paint, mainly because I knew it would be outside 100% of the time. I also gave it 3 coats of polyurethane.
Step 11: Staining and sealing your piece! I chose my go-to stain which is "Early American" by Varathane, followed by a coat of "Antique Walnut" to warm up the tone a bit. The antique walnut I use actually has a polyurethane built into it, so I considered that my first out of 3 coats of poly.
Quick tip: After each layer of stain as well as each coat of poly, I made sure to do a quick sand over with 400 grit(220 grit is preferred) sandpaper to knock down any roughness left behind.
Step 12: You're almost there! Once my piece was dry and looking great, I assembled my frame to it using gorilla glue and some brad nails. I made sure to clamp the frame nice and tight and wiped down all the excess glue spill out before it had time to cure. I let this sit overnight although I'm sure within several hours it would have been just fine to continue.
Step 13: Install your awesome mid-century modern style house numbers to your piece! These numbers are very easy to instal and actually have two different ways to install. You may choose from floating, like I did, or flush to the surface. How you instal your new modern address sign is up to you! I plan to hang mine on the front of my house, however I need to figure out how to install it over vinyl siding. Stay tuned I guess!
-Ol' Bettie DIY
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