• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • DIY Projects
    • Homemade Bath and Body
    • Sewing
    • Flower Crafts/Decor
    • Thrift Store/Vintage
  • Gardening
    • Flower Gardens
    • Container Gardening
    • Houseplants
    • Indoor Gardening
    • Landscaping
    • DIY Garden Art
  • Decorate
    • Room Makeovers
    • Spring Decor
    • Summer Decor
    • Fall Decor
    • Winter Decor
    • Home Decor Projects
  • Recipes
    • Breakfast Recipes
    • Lunch Recipes
    • Dinner Recipes
    • Dessert
    • Salad Recipes
    • Soups and Stews
    • Side Dish Recipes
    • Appetizers and Snacks
    • Healthy Recipes
  • Holidays
    • Valentine's Day
    • Easter
    • Mother's Day
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas
Hearth and Vine
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About Hearth and Vine
  • DIY Projects
    • ...Flower/Gardening Crafts
    • ... Bath and Body
    • ...Sewing/Fabric Crafts
    • ...Thrift Store/Upcycle
  • Gardening
    • ...Flower Gardens
    • ...Container Gardening
    • ...Indoor Gardening
    • ...DIY Garden Art
  • Decorate
    • ...Home Decor Projects
    • ...Spring Decor
    • ...Summer Decor
    • ...Fall Decor
    • ...Winter Decor
    • ...Room Makeovers
  • Recipes
    • ...Appetizers and Snacks
    • ...Dinner Recipes
    • ...Side Dish Recipes
    • ...Salad Recipes
    • ...Dessert
    • ...Drinks
  • Holidays
    • ...Valentine's Day
    • ...Easter
    • ...Mother's Day
    • ...Halloween
    • ...Thanksgiving
    • ...Christmas
  • Subscribe
  • Instagram
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Home » Crafts

    Wooden Sign - Easily Made from Contractor Shims

    May 2, 2018 by Patti Estep 7 Comments

    Jump to How-to Card
    Wood shim aqua welcome sign above the back side of the same sign.

    This easy wooden sign tutorial shows you how to make a fun rustic pallet-like sign, with contractor shims, glue, and chalk paint. Perfect for any favorite saying and can be easily hung anywhere in the house.

    Wooden Sign from Shims on wall

    I love the pallet projects I see others making and have also made a couple of my own. However, one day I came across a pack of contractor shims, and they reminded me of the raw rough wood that you see in pallets.

    I thought it would be fun to use them to make a wooden sign, Something you could give as a gift for Mother's Day, Teacher Appreciation Day, or enjoy in your own home.

    Newsletter Signup
    Join Our Newsletter List!

    Be the first to receive new posts and get access to our Subscribers Only Page.

    Contractor shims with glue

    How to Make a Wooden Sign from Shims

    Supplies

    Contractor shims (I used 18 12 inch shims for this project)
    Wood Glue
    Paint (I used FolkArt Chalk in Cascade)
    White Chalk Marker

    Two shims glued together
    1. Start by gluing the shims together, with the thin tapered end of one piece, matched up to the thicker end on the other. This makes a nice even piece of wood. If your shims are particularly rough, you may want to run a bit of sandpaper over them first.
    Painted shims and assembled for sign

    2. Paint the wood pieces with your favorite color paint.

    3. Then, arrange them with a little bit of spacing between, and enough space for two additional wood pieces to cover the back. I used 7 pieces for this sign. You could use more or less, depending on what looks good to you.

    4. Once you get the layout that you want, glue the back pieces perpendicular on top of the others.

    Wooden sign with words traced

    5. Print out some words on your computer to trace onto the sign. I went with a welcome home statement, but the options are endless. A monogram, someones name, or just search google for favorite quotes like Worlds Greatest Mom, Home Sweet Home, You Are My Hero, etc..

    6. Use a pencil to rub all over the back, and then trace it onto the wood by pressing firmly all along the printed letters.

    wooden sign with welcome home statement

    7. Then use a chalk pen to fill in your pencil tracing and add a few freehand doodles. 

    You could add a picture hanger to the back, and that may be a nice touch if you're are giving it as a gift. Otherwise you can just rest a nail on the opening between the slates.

    Contractor shims use to create a sign painted aqua with white letters saying Welcome Home.

    I think it turned out pretty darn cute. 

    More Easy Wood Projects:

    • Hello Spring Sign
    • Easy Wood Slat Boot Tray
    • Wood Crate Plant Stand
    Aqua and white welcome home sign made from wood shims
    Wood shim welcome sign in aqua and white
    Print
    5 from 1 vote

    Wood Shim Welcome Sign

    This easy wooden sign tutorial shows you how to make a fun rustic pallet-like sign, with contractor shims, glue, and chalk paint. 
    Prep Time1 minute min
    Active Time1 hour hr
    Total Time1 hour hr 1 minute min
    Course: Home Decor Projects
    Yield: 1
    Author: Patti Estep
    Cost: $20

    Equipment

    • Computer and printer
    • pencil

    Materials

    • Contractor shims I used 18 12 inch shims for this project
    • Wood Glue
    • Paint I used FolkArt Chalk in Cascade
    • White Chalk Marker

    Instructions

    • Start by gluing the shims together, with the thin tapered end of one piece, matched up to the thicker end on the other. 
    • Paint the wood pieces with your favorite color paint.
    • Arrange them with a little bit of spacing between, and enough space for two additional wood pieces to cover the back. 
    • Glue the back pieces perpendicular on top of the others.
    • Print out your favorite saying on your computer.
    • Use a pencil to rub all over the back, and then trace it onto the wood by pressing firmly all along the printed letters.
    • Then use a chalk pen to fill in your pencil tracing and add a few freehand doodles. 

    Notes

    If your shims are particularly rough, you may want to run a bit of sandpaper over them first.
    « Sweet Potato Sausage and Egg Fry Up - Delicious Any Time of Day
    Lemon Chicken Salad - Simple, Tasty, Creamy and Fresh »

    About Patti Estep

    Patti is the creator of Hearth and Vine, a home and garden blog filled with projects to inspire your creative side. She loves crafting, gardening, decorating and entertaining at her home in Pennsylvania. When she is not working on a project at home or searching for treasures at nurseries and thrift stores with her girlfriends, you’ll probably find her with family and friends, at a restaurant, or home party enjoying new and different food adventures.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Phyllis

      May 02, 2018 at 12:32 pm

      Hi. Another shim use. I put together shelves from kits. A lot of time I wish they were a little more solid. (I like my shelving to stand like a rock.) So on the back side I use a measured and cut shim to make an angled brace from the top or bottom to the side about the height of the first (or bottom) shelf. Up to 4. Have been known to make one or two vertically down the back. No one sees it anyway it's against the wall. But it makes a real difference..... Have a wonderful day. 😆

      Reply
      • Patti Estep

        May 02, 2018 at 12:47 pm

        That's a great idea Phyllis. Thanks for sharing.

        Reply
    2. Karen

      May 02, 2018 at 11:40 am

      I agree with you, Patti - it’s adorable! And I love your paint color. This is a really fun and versatile project. You really could adapt it so many ways.

      Funny about the pallets - I’m working on my first pallet project this week. My husband knew of a warehouse a few miles away that is happy for people to haul off the pallets, and I was able to find a pretty nice one.

      Thanks for sharing your stencil technique - brilliant!

      Reply
    3. Lisa Weinstein

      May 02, 2018 at 10:05 am

      I love it!! Looks simple enough that even I could do it. Love that it doesn't use power tools! I really don't know where all these people get their "free" pallets anyway, so this is perfect for a small project. Thank you!!!

      Reply
      • Patti Estep

        May 02, 2018 at 10:17 am

        I'm so glad you like it Lisa. It was really easy to make and one of these days I will find a free pallet to make something.

        Reply
    4. Carole West

      May 02, 2018 at 7:59 am

      You're not alone I haven't used pallet wood yet either... Mainly because I've never been able to find any where the wood was worth my time. I love this color and I never thought about transferring a message this way... I need to try this!

      Reply
      • Patti Estep

        May 02, 2018 at 8:38 am

        One of these days Carole. I'm just keeping my eye out for some lonely pallet left somewhere. Also, I know you would make something really special with this idea and I can't wait to see it.

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Follow Me

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

    Patti profile pic

    Hi! I'm Patti

    Join me to create lots of fun DIY projects including crafts, gardening, home decor and tasty recipes.

    more about me

    Popular Posts

    Blue jean crossover bag

    DIY Crossbody Bag from Jeans

    tabletop water gardens

    How to Make an Indoor Water Garden

    Echievera planter

    What to do With a Stretched Succulent

    Fabric bowl covers in 3 prints

    How to Make Fabric Bowl Covers

    Long blooming perennials including yarrow, geraniums, black-eyed susan, daisy, coneflower, coreopsis, and russian sage.

    10+ Long Blooming Perennials

    Chicken black bean tortilla casserole

    Chicken Black Bean Casserole Recipe

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    About
    Privacy Policy
    Disclosure Policy

    Sign Up Here!
    for our
    newsletter &
    special offers

    • Shop
    • Web Stories

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. i.e. as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 Hearth and Vine