Easy DIY Holiday Rustic Wood Sign

Do you need a cute sign for your holiday decor? If you love rustic-looking signs, this Joy To The World sign is an easy DIY project that will add that perfect final touch to your farmhouse holiday decorations! Follow along with this tutorial to learn how to make a rustic wood sign.

I love holiday crafting because there’s a seemingly endless supply of inspiration! With that in mind, I am in full Christmas crafting mode right now, and I just made a sign that I can’t wait to share with you.

As I was recently switching my decorations from fall and Thanksgiving over to Christmas, I put away my reversible holiday sign from the front porch and realized that I didn’t have a Christmas replacement for it!

After some brainstorming, I came up with a beautifully rustic wooden Joy To The World sign design.

This may be one of my favorite projects that I have created using Krylon. It looks absolutely amazing in person, and believe it or not, it’s super easy to make. Ready to get crafting?

How To Make A Rustic Wood Sign

The beauty of rustic wood signs is equal, perhaps, only to the ease of making them! Here’s the full process I used to create this wooden sign for my holiday decor.

Supplies Needed

Here’s what you’ll need to gather:

• Wood board
• Minwax Wood Finishing Cloths in Dark Mahogany
• Cricut
• Vinyl
• Vinyl transfer paper
• Krylon Super Maxx in Modern White
• Krylon Spray Sealer

Rustic Wood Sign Instructions

Ready to see how all these supplies come together to make this Joy To The World wood sign? Follow along below to make your own for your Christmas decor this year!

Step 1: Stain Your Wood Board       

Start with a board….any board. This one was leftover from another project and I decided it was the perfect size for my sign.

Since I wanted a deep dark stain on my board, I used these Minwax Wood Finishing Cloths in Dark Mahogany to give it that rich, dark background.

They’re super easy to use. Just rub the cloths onto the wood and remove any excess. Allow the stain to dry completely before continuing.

Step 2: Cut Out Vinyl Lettering

While I was waiting for the stain to dry, I worked on preparing my vinyl lettering with my Cricut.

Use any saying and font you choose (I created a simple design using “joy to the world”). After cutting, remove any excess vinyl, including from the centers of letters.

Note: You can use a cutting machine (such as a Cricut) or, alternatively, you can use a craft knife and some vinyl or contact paper to make your lettering. Need help deciding which Cricut machine you need? This guide to Cricut machines should help make your choice easy!

Step 3: Apply Vinyl Lettering To Your Board

I then used vinyl transfer paper to transfer the vinyl to the wood. The transfer paper is not required, but it will make it easier to keep everything lined up.

Press the vinyl to the board firmly, using your finger to ensure it adheres to the rustic wood sign.

Tip: Take the time to go around the edges of each letter – trust me on this one!

Step 4: Spray Paint The Board

Next, use Krylon Super Maxx in Modern White to paint the entire board.

I recommend using a light coat of spray paint and spraying additional light coats if needed.

Pro Tip: Spray your sign outdoors and hold the can over the top of the sign for best coverage.

I actually went really light with my coats so that you can actually see the wood grain through the white layer as well. I love love love this look!

Step 5: Remove The Vinyl Lettering

Allow the paint to dry before removing your vinyl and see how your wooden sign turned out.

Step 6: Seal And Protect Your Rustic Wood Sign

You can use Krylon Spray Sealer over your project to protect it for many years. Be sure to allow the sealant to dry completely before letting your sign take its place in your Christmas decorations.

Rustic Wood Sign FAQs

If you have questions about making a DIY wood sign please check to see if I’ve already answered it below. Don’t see your question? Please leave it in the comments for me and I’ll answer it!

Can I use a traditional stain on my sign?

Yes, of course! I used the stain wipes because I had them on hand and they make projects like this one so fast and easy. If you only have regular stain, simply use a rag to spread it over the wood. Then wipe off the excess and let it dry before moving on to the next step in making your rustic wood sign.

What are different ways to personalize this rustic wood sign project?

There are so many things you can do to make this sign uniquely yours! Here are a few ideas to spur your own creativity:

• Change the shape or size of the wood board
• Use a different phrase or even just a single word
• Change the colors
• Paint the wood instead of staining it
• Add a holiday stencil image

More Holiday Craft Ideas

If you love this rustic wood sign and want more holiday crafting inspiration, I have you covered! Whether you’re looking for more holiday signs or other crafts, check out these fun projects.

• Cricut Signs with Layered Vinyl for the Holidays
• Marbled Christmas Trees
• Metallic Let It Snow Sign
• Christmas Tree Outdoor Pallet Sign
• How to Make Clay Ornaments for Christmas {with Video}
• Reindeer Merry Christmas Rustic Wood Sign (Hand-painted)

Joy To The World Rustic Wood Sign

Do you need a cute sign for your holiday decor? If you love rustic-looking signs, this sign is an easy DIY project that will add that perfect final touch to your farmhouse holiday decorations!

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Supplies

• Wood board
• Minwax Wood Finishing Cloths in Dark Mahogany
• Cricut machine
• Vinyl
• Vinyl transfer paper
• Krylon Super Maxx in Modern White
• Krylon Spray Sealer

Instructions

• Take your board and rub the cloths onto the wood. Remove any excess.

  Allow the stain to dry completely before continuing.
• Prepare your vinyl lettering.

  Use any saying and font you choose. After cutting, remove any excess vinyl, including from the centers of letters.
• Use vinyl transfer paper to transfer the vinyl to the wood.

  Press the vinyl to the board firmly, using your finger to ensure it adheres to the wood.
• Paint the entire board with a light coat of Krylon Super Maxx. Add additional light coats, if needed.
• Allow the paint to dry before removing your vinyl.
• Spray your board with Krylon sealer to protect your sign for many years to come.

Tried this project?tag us to show off your work!

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