DIY Custom House Numbers
#DIYThursday
DIY Custom House Numbers
Yesterday we had some fun talking about some of the easy and inexpensive ways we can add curb appeal to a home. One of the simplest suggestions was updating the house numbers. This was also one of the options that allowed for the most creativity. Whether you’re going for a modern look, something industrial or farmhouse chic, there’s an abundance numbers that can be purchased and DIY ideas so you can customize your own.
Today let’s tackle a project that is relatively easy and extremely customizable. The cool thing about this design is that with a little tweaking, you can make your final product look completely different from somebody else who went for it too. This rustic-chic display can be modern, traditional, or even have a subtle vintage vibe, depending on the finishes you select. Let’s dive in!
First things first – Tools & Materials! Here’s what you need:
MATERIALS TO MAKE A MODERN HOUSE NUMBER SIGN:
- 1/4” birch plywood
- Wood shims
- 5″ floating mount house numbers
- 1×2 common board
- Wood stain
TOOLS
- Sanding sponge
- Rag
- Mallet
- Drill
- 5/32 drill bit
- Measuring Tape
- Saw
- Micropinner
Here is the step-by-step breakdown provided by Amanda from “A Crafted Passion”:
1. Cut Base
First, cut your base plywood that you will glue the wood shims to. In the tutorial, they cut it about 15×26. This will get trimmed down later, so it can be a rough cut.
2. Glue Shims
Place your wood shims one by one next to each other with the fat edge of the shim flush with the edge of your base plywood. Some wood shims come a little more beat up than others so pick and choose until you have them placed the way you want. As you can see below, the bottom shim would need more work to look smooth, so if you have enough shims just set that one aside and grab a different one. Working a few shims at a time, pick up your shims and use wood glue on the plywood to attach the shims to the board. Continue until they are all glued down.
3. Trim Edges
Once the glue has dried, run your wood shim board through the table saw to make the sides even. If you don’t have a table saw, you could also use a circular saw, band saw, or jigsaw.
4. Sand
Sand all your edges and the top of your shims now to smooth everything out.
5. Stain
Clean off your shim board to make sure there isn’t any sawdust and then stain your board.
6. Add Numbers
Alright, now time to add your numbers. The numbers you select will play a huge part in the overall look of your finished product. She used these 5″ floating mount numbers. They are made to just go directly into your exterior, but they work great for this project too.
Twist the mounts onto the back of the numbers and use a measuring tape to center your numbers. Once you get them placed, put some pressure on them to mark where you will need to drill. Since we’re working with soft wood shims, it should be fairly easy to see where the holes go as you can see below.
She found a 5/32 drill bit worked best for the house numbers. With a scrap board underneath the plywood, drill all your holes and then use a mallet to softly pound the number mounts evenly into the board.
7. Miter Frame
Next up, the frame.
Since the floating mount numbers are designed to go into the exterior of your home, there is about an inch sticking out the back of the sign that we need to hide.
Take your 1×2 common board and cut your wood at 45 degree angles using a miter saw or miter box to fit perfectly around the shim board.
Sand all the edges as needed once they are cut to size and fit around the board perfectly.
8. Paint
This is where you can get creative! In the tutorial, they paint the frame black, but feel free to paint it whatever color you like best.
9. Attach Frame
Now, it’s time to attach the frame. Start with the long sides. Add wood glue to the long edges and then set your shim board on a flat surface. The goal is to have your frame as far back on the board to hide the screws that are sticking out the back.
Set the side boards and then pin them on the edges and middle with a micropinner to hold it until the glue dries.
Once the long edges are pinned, you can add the end pieces with a little more glue and a pin in each corner.
10. Hang
Now, you just need to hang your house number sign. Amanda suggests attaching a picture hanging wire to the back of your frame and screwing into the exterior of your house. Just be sure to silicon where the screw is to make it waterproof.
I love the look of these house numbers. Looking around at different variations of similar projects, some people are leaving the base board unframed or simply using one solid pieces of wood in lieu of the smaller slats like they did in this project.
If you like the look but she don’t have the time or resources to build something of this intricacy, try selecting one solid pieces of wood as your base, staining it the color or you choosing, and applying house numbers that lay flush to the board.
If you love the idea but are a little afraid to jump in, check out the project at the link below. This quick and easy DIY can be done in less than an hour: http://www.4men1lady.com/new-house-numbers-project-and-a-giveaway/
If you decide to give it a shot, let us know! We want to see pictures of the DIY’s you take on. Send pictures, questions and/or comments to Taylor@norcalhomesllc.com and we’ll get back to you within 24 hours, or simply leave us a note in the comment sections below. 🙂