DIY Rustic Style Hand-Lettered Signs for a Lake House Cottage Style Appeal

Those rustic hand-lettered signs that you can purchase at flea markets and antique stores everywhere are actually quite easy to make yourself. You can make DIY rustic style signs that fit any style or area of the home. From labeling areas in the kitchen or living room to just creating a lake house style entrance in the home, rustic hand-lettered signs are the way to go. These rustic hand-lettered signs are easy to make and they add a real lake house vintage style to any room in the home.

DIY Rustic Hand-Lettered Signs Materials:

1 x 4 wood in lengths of the sign that you wish to create (I used 2 feet and had 4 boards at this length)

White paint

Sandpaper

Various colored paint (your choice to make the lettering and design on the sign)

Stamps or Stencils of letters

Foam brush

Paint Brush

Fasteners

Wire Hanger

Two Small Screws

DIY Rustic Hand-Lettered Signs Step 1: Begin by fastening together the boards so that you have formed a rustic style sign. The fasteners that work best are brackets that are flat and have screws in both ends. This way you can place the bracket in the center of two boards laying next to each other and fasten a screw into each board. Attach all of the boards side by side to create the sign.

DIY Rustic Hand-Lettered Signs Step 2: Using the metal hanger, fold a hanger for the sign that is the length of the sign plus a few inches. Place one screw into each end of the upper portion of the back of the sign about 4 inches from the top. Using the metal hanger, wrap one end around the screw and then the other end of the hanger around the other screw. Make sure that the hanger is at least 4 inches longer than the width of the sign.

DIY Rustic Hand-Lettered Signs Step 3: Using the white paint apply two coats to the front of the sign. Allow each coat to dry completely in between coats and then allow the final coat to dry over night.

DIY Rustic Hand-Lettered Signs Step 4: Using the sandpaper, rough up the edges of the white painted sign to give a more rustic and vintage appeal. You can also rough up some of the center areas of the boards to increase the worn look of the sign.

DIY Rustic Hand-Lettered Signs Step 5: Using the stencils or the stamps and the paint color of your choice, begin creating a rustic style lettering on the sign. A foam brush to apply paint will give an older more vintage style look. You do not want the paint to be solid but rather a broken splotchy look is perfect for these rustic signs.

DIY Rustic Hand-Lettered Signs Step 6: Allow the paint to dry thoroughly in between letters and additional designs. To create a truly vintage style design, try using another tone of paint over top of the letters to create a two tone look.

You should allow the signs to dry completely before hanging in your desired location. There are hundreds of different styles that you can make to use all over the home. From traditional "gone fishing" signs to "Bait and Tackle" styles and even just kitchen motifs this DIY project is great for all sorts of vintage style signs around the home!