Driftwood Inspired Trail Signs
One of my favorite projects was a set of Driftwood Inspired Trail Signs I made for the home office. We were looking for a way to incorporate fun memories from our many hikes and they were a perfect fit. Even though I’ve been itching to give the office a makeover lately the signs are painted in neutrals so I know we’ll be able to use them anywhere in the house.
With summer winding down I thought I would share with you how easy they are to make in case you want to make some too. They’re a simple way to showcase meaningful moments, favorite travel destinations, or even significant dates in your home.
I went through this major purging period and I almost threw these pieces of salvaged wood away. I’m so glad they never made it to the burn pile. If you don’t have any scraps of wood in the garage to use, try pallet wood or you can even buy new pieces of wood at most home improvement stores.
I cleaned the wood with a bleach solution and left it in the sun to dry. I live in a heavily wooded area and it’s really important to keep the bugs outside. If you’re working with reclaimed or salvaged wood make sure it’s clean and bug free or has been treated prior to bringing it indoors.
I used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Paris Grey to achieve a weathered look using a white wash technique.
I wanted to make sure I could still see the wood grain so I used a light wash of Paris Grey followed by light sanding.
After the paint had dried, I placed the chipboard letters I bought at a local craft supply store onto the wood
and outlined each letter with a pencil.
Then I took white craft paint and filled in each letter.
After the white craft paint was dry I outlined each letter with a black permanent marker.
I didn’t seal the signs/boards because they’re going to be inside and it’s totally ok if they get chipped or scraped. If you’re worried about chipping or scratching you may want to seal with a polyacrylic.
If you want to hang the signs on the wall like we did, attach sawtooth hanger to the back with a hammer and nails.
Every time I walk into the office I think about the time we completed all of these hikes in one year. They definitely make me happy and a happy home is what life’s all about.
Many blessings,
CoCo
CoCo – we absolutely love this project! Such a creative and wonderful way to capture and commemorate special memories.
Thank you bunches ladies! Hugs, CoCo
Love those Coco! Great idea with the chip board letters! Have a great day 🙂 Hugs Lisa
Thanks so much, Lisa! I hope you’ve had an awesome day as well. Hugs to you too, CoCo
HI Coco, I love your driftwood signs!!! LOVE them and you are just so talented!!! I love the white with the outline in black and anyone can personalize it for their own area. have a great day xo Lisa
You’re so sweet, Lisa, thank you!
I love this sign!! Thanks for sharing the tutorial. I can’t wait to try one myself. Just gotta decide on the destinations. Great idea!!
Hugs!
I appreciate it, Angie, thank you!
These are so fun and cute! They turned out a great weathered color.
Thanks so much Jamie, I really appreciate it!
What an amazing way to hang your memories on the wall! Love it so much. We have a canvas in our foyer that is painted with all of our significant dates on it (wedding, birthdays) and I love looking at it as I pass by. 🙂 Have a wonderful day, Coco!
Thanks so much Kimm! I bet your canvas is fun too. I never thought about putting significant dates on there – what a great idea! Hugs, Coco
Love this idea and your lettering tips are the BOMB CoCo! There are definitely a few spots I can think of to put in my stack ~ all coastal and islands of course 🙂 Off to check destination milage and then to the store for wood. Thanks for sharing! Bwg ~~~
Bobbi, these are perfect for coastal decor and so easy to make too! I can’t wait to see which cities you pick. You’ve been to some really great places. Hugs, CoCo