This rustic wall art looks amazing hanging by the dinner table or in the kitchen. It is also a great way to use leftover materials from previous projects. It’ll cut down on costs and your old stain, boards and paint won’t go to waste!

You will definitely need a laser printer. Since most of us have inkjet printers, your local quick-print store can help you out with a laser printer. Just provide them with the PDF and you’ll be good to go.

Once you print and cut out your words, it’s easy to transfer them onto wood using an iron—just make sure you turn off the steam setting first before applying pressure. An occasional peek under the transfer will let you know when the process is complete.

If you’d rather the words stand out more than the transfer allows, simply define them with paint. It takes a bit of patience but it’s all about getting the effect that pleases you most.

rustic wall art instructions
Ingredients
  • Everyday Dishes & DIY Rustic Fall Sign Printable (laser copy)
  • brown wood stain
  • 3 – 24″ x 4″ x ¼” wood boards
  • 2 stir sticks
  • 2 foam brushes
  • white acrylic paint
  • X-acto knife
  • tape
  • iron
  • sandpaper
  • ruler
  • hot glue gun and glue
  • drill and ¼” bit
  • twine
  • paint scraper (optional)
Instructions
  1. First, apply wood stain to all 3 pieces and stir sticks using a foam brush. Allow it to dry 15 minutes then apply white acrylic paint over them. Allow it to fully dry—about 30 minutes.
  2. Download the Everyday Dishes & DIY Rustic Fall Sign Printable.
  3. Print out the PDF from a laser printer. This project won’t work if you use an inkjet printer. If you don’t have a laser printer, send the PDF to a quick copy center.
  4. Cut out each word then place the printouts face down on the wood until you’re satisfied with their placement. Tape to secure.
  5. Next, heat up your iron. Turn the steam setting off then set it to the hottest setting.
  6. Iron the printout onto the piece of wood, pressing firmly for 3 minutes. Gently lift a corner of the printout up to see how it’s transferring to the wood. Continue pressing until you’re pleased with the results. Once satisfied, peel off the printout.
  7. If you want a more defined look, simply paint over the letters with paint.
  8. To get that distressed look, scrape the corners of each board using an X-acto knife or paint scraper. Lightly sand all edges and corners.
  9. When you’re pleased with the overall look, flip the boards over, leaving half an inch of space in between. Align each stir stick vertically so it is 4″ from the side edges of the boards. Glue to the boards, pressing firmly to adhere.
  10. Drill 2 holes at the top for hanging—be sure to drill through both the stir sticks and the boards.
  11. Thread twine through the holes, secure with knots, flip the sign over then hang. Your dining room is ready for Thanksgiving!
Notes
A combination of scraping and sanding gives wood that distressed look. How far you take it is completely up to you!