Add some classic rustic charm to your home with an easy-to-make painted wood sign.

PREPARE: Always work in a well-ventilated area and cover your workspace with a drop cloth to protect it from stain.

SAND: Lightly sand the surface of each cedar plank, working your way up through #120-, #150- and #180-grit sandpaper. We recommend Gator Finishing sanding products. Be sure to wipe away the sanding dust with a tack cloth in between each grit and once more after you've completed sanding. Once the planks are completely sanded and clean of any dust, it's time to start staining.

STAIN: If this is your first time working with Rust-Oleum Ultimate Wood Stain, we recommend watching this quick video on applying wood stain to get familiar with the process. Once you’re ready to get started, stir or shake the Ultimate Wood Stain thoroughly. Dip your high-quality, synthetic bristle brush or lint-free rag into the stain and apply a liberal amount onto the wood. Work in manageable sections, one plank at a time. Once you’ve covered one plank, let the stain sit for a few minutes to soak into the wood. Then, use a clean, lint-free rag to wipe the excess stain away. Always wipe in the direction of the wood grain. Repeat the staining process on your remaining two cedar planks. Then, let all of your planks dry for one hour.

LETTERING: Now it’s time to add a custom phrase to your sign. We chose the phrase, "Wishing you peace, joy, and love," but you can get creative and come up with your own. To get started, stir your can of Rust-Oleum Ultra Cover Premium Latex Paint in Gloss White thoroughly with a stir stick. Then, dip your paint brush into the can and paint your phrase on the boards. If free-hand painting isn’t your thing, you can also use a stencil to paint the letters. Once you’re done, let the letters dry for about 2 hours.

TOPCOAT: Once your letters are dry, you’ll want to apply a topcoat to your sign to protect it from wear. If you’ve never worked with polyurethane, we recommend taking a look at this quick video on applying polyurethane to get comfortable with the process.Once you’re ready to get started, stir (do not shake) your can of Rust-Oleum Ultimate Polyurethane thoroughly. Using a clean, high-quality synthetic bristle brush, apply a coat of the polyurethane to each board, using light, even strokes. Apply a total of three coats of polyurethane to each board, waiting two hours in between each coat. Once each piece of wood is coated, set the boards aside to dry for 48 hours.

ASSEMBLE: Once the boards are dry, you can assemble your sign. To do this, lay the three stained cedar boards down horizontally with the backside facing up. Take your two furring strip boards and place them vertically on top of the cedar boards, toward the center. Attach the furring boards to the cedar planks with a drill and screws.

FINISH: Attach picture hanging hardware to the back of your sign. Hang your sign on the front door, over your mantel or wherever you choose.

Special thanks to The Lily Pad Cottage for the Christmas Mantel project that inspired us to recreate this sign.