How to Create and Sell Primitive Country Wooden Signs

We've all seen one in a store, catalog or flea market. Maybe you even chuckled at one or two. Perhaps you've even bought one for yourself or a friend. What am I referring to? Those primitive country signs, of course!

Country style wooden signs are all the rage in decorating. In fact, they are a staple in any country home across America and beyond. They can be humorous, classic, fancy or plain. Whatever your level of expertise, these signs can be made for less than a quarter of what they cost in stores. This guide will provide a straightforward set of instructions to get you started in creating these popular signs.

The first thing you need to create a great country sign is - wood! I typically use leftover scraps of plywood I gather from friends and family which cost me nothing. If you don't have access to free wood, a quarter inch sheet of plywood measuring 4 feet by 8 feet typically runs around $15.00 and can produce multiple signs. Other types of wood can be used, but I find plywood to be the most economical and easy to work with. The size you need depends on how long the phrase is, and should be measured before trimming with a saw.

Once your piece of wood is cut, paint the front with a coat of acrylic paint in the color of your choice. You can use acrylic paint from the craft store or regular house paint, just be sure it's flat. To create the right look it's important to choose colors that go along with a country themed home such as dark red, slate blue, beige, sage green or black. One of the bestsellers is a black background with white lettering, so you may want to start with that.

After the paint dries you can begin the lettering. If you are not a very good artist or want a perfect lettering style your best bet is to use a stencil. Stencils can be found at craft stores or on the Internet and come in a variety of styles. My preference is to had paint phrases based on a font printed off the computer. First I pencil the letters in, then I paint them. Depending on your preference you can also add a heart, star, home or border design. There are many words and phrases to choose from which can reflect a wide array of styles. Some of the more popular country phrases include:

Be Thankful Live Well, Love Much, Laugh Often Simplify
Dream Your Dream Happy Harvest Live Life Joyfully
Friends Gather Here Welcome Friends Bloom Where You Are Planted
Let It Snow Country Home Memories Made Here

Once the lettering has dried, it is time to weather your sign to create an authentic vintage look. Using a palm sander set with 60 grit sandpaper carefully sand all the edges and corners of your sign to reveal the wood underneath. Finally, run the sander across your design to wear away some of the paint across the lettering. If too much has been sanded away, don't despair! Before finishing your sign you can make repairs with the acrylic paint. Be sure to allow the paint to dry completely before sanding or it will ruin the sandpaper and not come out right.

After the sanding is complete, the final step is staining your creation. Any wood stain will usually be fine, however a darker stain will usually produce better results. Using a brush, apply the stain to the entire sign. After it has set for 5-10 minutes, gently rub the sign with a soft cloth, removing th excess stain and revealing your completed sign. You won't believe how authentically old it looks!

If you are new to selling your craft start out by showing your friends and family. You may even want to give them at gifts at first to see the reaction. When I first started out I received orders from people who saw my signs in friend's homes and also by selling them at yard sales. I price my signs slightly lower then the local stores and people prefer the homemade look. If you are unsure what to charge, do an Internet search and check your local stores. It's good to know what the competition is charging before you price them. You may also want to offer "custom made" signs for a slightly higher fee. These types of signs may include personalization or specific colors to match the decor of your buyer. Most of all have fun with it! Once you get started in crafting wood the possibilities become endless. I've since moved on to benches, shelves, and furniture found at yard sales.

Creating your own unique country signs is not only fun and easy but can be profitable as well! Good luck!