If you make Christmas wreaths, chances are that at some point you’ve added a wood Christmas sign to your design. We’re showing you how to make a decoupaged wood Christmas sign to help take your skills to a whole new level.
Hey, y’all! You know how much I love making wreaths – especially holiday wreaths! No matter how many wreaths I’ve made, I always try to learn fun new techniques to continue building on and improving my skills.
What better way to change things up and improve our skills than by learning how to make a decoupaged wood Christmas sign? Since I know all you crafters out there love learning new techniques to add to your wreath-making skills as I do, I asked our friend from Diane’s Design and Boutique to show us how to make these gorgeous wood Christmas signs.
And, while you’re here, make sure you check out these other Christmas wreath tutorials too! I just know you’ll love our Grapevine Christmas Pine Wreath and Christmas Glitter Bow by Hand!
How To Make A Decoupaged Wood Christmas Sign
To show us how to make a decoupaged wood sign, Diane from Diane’s Design and Boutique is here to show us how it’s done.
Diane is a creative entrepreneur who loves to design handmade decor using a variety of mediums for every space inside and outside of the home. She loves to inspire creativity in others through social media and her Instructional Design Studio. In her free time, Diane loves playing with her grandchildren and gathering her family around the table to enjoy one of her famous home-cooked meals.
Today, she is going to show us how to make a gorgeous wooden Christmas sign!
Decoupaged Christmas Sign Supply List
Here’s everything you’ll need to complete this project. Please note that some links may be affiliate links.
- Wood Cutouts – Wild’s Creek & Co.
- White Primer Paint
- Matte Mod Podge
- Napkins
- Chalk Couture Transfers
- Chalkology Paste
- Trims
- Nail File
- Clear Sealer Spray Paint
- Hot Glue Gun
- Shears
- Saran Wrap
Check Out The Video Tutorial
Follow along with this video in its entirety so you can see the complete process for making a decoupaged wood Christmas sign from start to finish.
Decoupaged Christmas Wood Sign Instructions
These decoupage signs are so festive and will be an amazing addition to your Christmas decor! Here’s how to make them.
Note: The process looks long, but it isn’t hard. Just follow it step-by-step and you’ll be fine.
Step 1
Take your wood cutout and paint a coat of primer on it.
Step 2
Position your decoupage material (napkin, tissue paper, wrapping paper, etc.) over your wood cutout. This will help you determine which part of the design you would like to use and how to position it on your project.
Keep in mind that your paper layer can extend past the edge of your surface. We can go back to trim this neatly after the decoupage is dry.
Step 3
Next, use a pencil to mark your decoupage layer to act as a guide when cutting. Then use scissors to cut out your paper layer.
Note: If you are decoupaging a particularly odd shape, lay your paper layer over your surface once you have cut out the shape you need. Then, use your scissors to cut “notches” into the overhanging edge of your paper layer (right up to the edge of your surface) at regular intervals. This will allow you to press your paper layer down smoothly and around those edges without any tearing or bubbling.
Step 4
When you finish pressing your paper layer, use a small box, paint can, or other “prop” as a platform for your wood cutout and place your cutout on top.
Please note that if you’re using a napkin to decoupage, you must separate the layers of the napkin and isolate the very top layer to use on your project. You can do this by lightly wetting your fingers and gently pinching the edge of your napkin, and pulling your fingers apart to separate the layers.
Step 5
Pour your mod podge glue onto an art tray or disposable plate. It is important not to dip directly into your bottle of mod podge so that you do not deposit any of the fibers from your paper into your bottle while you are working.
Step 6
Prepare a sheet of plastic wrap to have on the side when you are ready to use it. Make sure the sheet is large enough to cover your project with an overhang.
Step 7
Using a foam “brush”, apply an even layer of Mod Podge over the surface of your wood cutout. It helps to work in sections. For this project, we are adhering to the paper layer in two sections (top and bottom).
Gently lay your paper layer down onto the surface.
Step 8
Lay your plastic wrap over your paper layer and stretch down over the sides of the wood cutout (this is where your “platform” comes in handy!).
Using your hands, gently smooth your paper layer through the surface of the plastic wrap, increasing pressure gradually as you work, avoiding any pressure that would tear your napkin.
Step 9
Repeat for the next section, until your paper layer has entirely adhered.
Let this dry well.
Step 10
To trim the overhanging paper edge, use a file (a nail file works great!) to gently file downwards, in one direction, along the edge of your surface, until all loose edges are trimmed away.
Step 11
Once dry, go back over the top with another layer of mod podge.
Allow the 2nd layer of Mod Podge to dry.
Step 12
Now that it’s dry, it’s time to add our words. I like to use Chalk Couture transfers with Chalkology Paste to add words over the decoupage layer.
Remove your transfer from the backing.
Using a fuzzing towel, stick your transfer to the towel and peel away 1+ times to “fuzz” the back/adhesive side of the transfer. This will keep the transfer from stretching when you peel it away from your surface, and it will keep it from pulling up the surface of your project.
Position your transfer your decoupaged surface.
Press/smooth your transfer down so that the entire transfer adheres.
Step 13
Using a squeegee, spread the Chalkology paste of your choice over the screen, being sure to cover all of the “open spaces” (the design) of your transfer.
Squeegee off any excess – only one thin layer is needed! Put the excess right back in your container of Chalkology paste.
Gently peel your silkscreen transfer away, pulling from an edge and not a corner (to avoid stretching your transfer).
Step 14
Place your transfer into a water bath until you are able to clean. Give your project a few minutes to dry.
Applying Christmas Sign Trims
Now that your wood Christmas sign has its design, it’s time to finish it off with a little trim.
- For this project, we are using a jute cord to cover a portion of our wood cut out. Start by hot gluing the end of the cord to the surface of the cut out, applying a line of hot glue and pushing the cord down into the glue.
- After we weave back and forth, left to right, apply a new line of glue pressing the cord into the glue all the way up the edge of our cut out.
- If you do not like this look/technique, you can always cut your trim into even strips and apply them individually.
- To finish off the process, glue the cord along the entire side edge of the wood cut out.
Finish Your Decoupaged Sign
The final step is to finish your sign by sealing it with a clear matte (or satin) sealant. That will protect your design so that you can work with it as you make your wreaths without fear of pulling off your decoupage materials.
We hope you enjoyed this decoupaged wood sign tutorial! If you’ve never tried this technique before, it’s so much fun. And it’s much easier than you may think!
FAQs
Here are a couple of questions I often see readers ask regarding decoupage projects.
Can I use Mod Podge to seal my sign?
Yes, if you want to use Mod Podge instead of a spray sealant, you can definitely do that. I think that the spray is a little easier to work with, but using the Mod Podge means one less item to purchase.
Can I use other items as trim for my sign?
If the jute cord doesn’t fit your design, feel free to use a thin ribbon or other preferred items instead. You can make this design totally unique!
Try Making A Decoupage Sign Yourself
Christmas wreaths are hot sellers! And the sign helps make the wreath. Whether you want to sell your wreaths or keep them yourself, give this technique a try. Don’t forget to check out these other Christmas wreaths that we’re sure you’ll love:
- DIY Merry Christmas Deco Mesh Wreath
- How To Make DIY Christmas Wreath With Vintage Santa
- How to Make a Christmas Pancake Wreath
As always, feel free to leave us a comment below or share this post with a friend. We appreciate getting your feedback and can’t way to provide y’all with more amazing content!
If you’re in need of any help with bow-making, wreath-making, or crafting in general, be sure to check out more of our tutorials on How to Make Wreaths.
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We think you’ll love these other holiday wreath tutorials.
How To Make Decoupaged Wood Christmas Signs
Materials
Instructions
- Paint a coat of primer on the wood cutout.
- Situate your decoupage material on your wood cutout. Your paper layer can extend past the edge of your surface and easily be trimmed off later.
- Mark your decoupage layer to act as a guide as you cut and then use scissors to cut out your paper layer.
- When you finish pressing your paper layer, prop your wood cutout on top of a small box or paint can.
- Get a sheet of plastic wrap ready.
- Apply an even layer of Mod Podge over the surface of your wood cutout with a foam brush.Gently lay your paper layer down onto the surface.
- Lay your plastic wrap over your paper layer and stretch down over the sides of the wood cutout.Carefully smooth your paper layer through the surface of the plastic wrap with your hands.
- Repeat for the next section, until your paper layer has entirely adhered. Let this dry well.
- To trim the overhanging paper edge, use a file (a nail file works great!) to gently file downwards, in one direction, along the edge of your surface, until all loose edges are trimmed away.
- Once dry, go back over the top with another layer of mod podge. Allow the 2nd layer of mod podge to dry.
- After it dries use Chalk Couture transfers with Chalkology Paste to add words over the decoupage layer.Remove your transfer from the backing. Stick your transfer to a fluffy towel and peel away to keep the transfer from stretching when you peel it away from your surface.Press your transfer down so that the entire transfer adheres.
- Spread the Chalkology paste of your choice over the screen with a squeegee. Squeegee off any excess. Then gently peel your silkscreen transfer away.
- Place your transfer into a water bath until you are able to clean. Give your project a few minutes to dry.
Adding Sign Trim
- Use a jute cord to cover a portion of the wood cut out. Attach with hot glue.
Finish The Sign
- Protect your decoupage sign by sealing it with a coat of clear matte sealant.
Just pin this decoupaged wood Christmas sign tutorial to save the instructions for later!
Beautiful project to try! Always great to try something new! Thanks for sharing!
Love this idea. Always fun to try a new challenge.