When I saw The Rustic Pig's Ironing Board turned Welcome Sign on Pinterest a while back I loved how it looked propped up on the front doorstep. I have been keeping my eye out at the flea markets and thrift stores for an old ironing board, but that has been an impossible mission.
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![ikea-cabinet-door.jpg Ikea cabinet door](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-QPpNedIQAmY/U1aowfjLxAI/AAAAAAAA2_M/mDbhWtTRZuw/ikea-cabinet-door.jpg?imgmax=800)
(This was originally a floor model display door from a sample kitchen, it is really a Lidingo 15x64 door panel, which retails for $134! I'm telling you.. ALWAYS CHECK THE AS-IS DEPARTMENT!)
My original idea was to stencil the word “Welcome” on it in black and call it a day, but I decided I wanted more of the aged vintage look like the original.
Instead of just painting and distressing it with sandpaper, I decided to use the school glue crackle finish technique I used previously on the pair of boat oars that went into the nursery.
I applied a LOT of white school glue all over the surface:
![painting-on-glue.jpg Painting on glue](http://lh3.ggpht.com/--z5CAfXGN6I/U1aoxto2bOI/AAAAAAAA2_U/KwjNJWIzdTE/painting-on-glue.jpg?imgmax=800)
Then brushed it out to set the direction of the cracks:
![crackle-finish-with-glue.jpg Crackle finish with glue](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-VH3AvsWzMks/U1aoyVvFO_I/AAAAAAAA2_c/oHLIzQ7KlTo/crackle-finish-with-glue.jpg?imgmax=800)
I wanted the crackle finish to really show so I used a sample of grey-black ‘oops’ paint as the top coat:
![painting-crackle-finish.jpg Painting crackle finish](http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ai9STnlgnSE/U1aozeg4YaI/AAAAAAAA2_k/Dqg6q2_CTR4/painting-crackle-finish.jpg?imgmax=800)
As the paint dried the cracks were really obvious between the white door surface and top coat. After it had completely dried I cut a stencil out of dollar store contact paper and stuck it down to the door:
![Contact-paper-stencil.jpg Contact paper stencil](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-z8WpkuavxoY/U1ao2f2rXxI/AAAAAAAA2_8/3hNfAvHFHio/Contact-paper-stencil.jpg?imgmax=800)
The font I chose was Colonna NT (a default font that came with my computer, but you can download it here) because I loved the look of the split letters:
![Sign-Stencil.jpg Sign Stencil](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-drcRLElgwMg/U1ao3GvKnyI/AAAAAAAA3AE/31_yD8J2BVA/Sign-Stencil.jpg?imgmax=800)
I used off white to stencil the letters themselves:
![stenciling-sign.jpg Stenciling sign](http://lh6.ggpht.com/-dfF2RXYh4ks/U1ao4IPzllI/AAAAAAAA3AM/R8wm7J4Dq-E/stenciling-sign.jpg?imgmax=800)
I really liked the result:
![crackle-finish-sign.jpg Crackle finish sign](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-UuB6O9-AbqU/U1ao5LWk1jI/AAAAAAAA3AU/Ik9kPU6ZZMg/crackle-finish-sign.jpg?imgmax=800)
At this point I thought I was finished. I set it up outside just like my inspiration sign:
![antique-sign.jpg Antique sign](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-zn_5z0NF9xE/U1ao60v1IfI/AAAAAAAA3Ac/8_QUHCxrpZ8/antique-sign.jpg?imgmax=800)
I lived with it for a couple days, but there was something about it that bothered me. The high contrast in the paint didn’t truly look old, especially the bright white letters.
So I sanded the edges with some fine grit sandpaper and then I watered down some brown paint (Burl by Martha Stewart from my bathroom cabinetry) and gave the entire thing a once over.
![antique-faux-finish.jpg Antique faux finish](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Z1ILWtdZXDw/U1ao7-ZNEkI/AAAAAAAA3Ak/GQj2AFLL6xA/antique-faux-finish.jpg?imgmax=800)
Here is a little trick to get ‘faux water stains’ on your finish:
1. Give the surface a quick coat of oil based stain and quickly wipe most of it (you want it to still be a little damp.
2. Working quickly, splatter it with water based paint and immediately wipe that off with a slightly damp rag.
When the water based paint hits he oily surface it will separate leaving distinctive rings and stains:
![faux-aged-wood.jpg Faux aged wood](http://lh4.ggpht.com/-N1RY40_hcqg/U1ao82oyGcI/AAAAAAAA3Ao/t4XIGcY_YRE/faux-aged-wood.jpg?imgmax=800)
The finished version definitely looks more ‘authentically vintage.’
![aged-cabinet-door.jpg Aged cabinet door](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Lgt2KtZUlOo/U1apBV6PgmI/AAAAAAAA3BM/h793uSW_6H0/aged-cabinet-door.jpg?imgmax=800)
I set it back on the front step, but I loved it so much I decided to try it out in some other locations.
![vintage-welcome-sign-on-front-step.jpg Vintage welcome sign on front step](http://lh4.ggpht.com/-SuOqgy1YnV8/U1ao97ceoJI/AAAAAAAA3A0/mTN74tNGV4k/vintage-welcome-sign-on-front-step.jpg?imgmax=800)
I hung it on the front of the house for a while:
![vintage-welcome-sign.jpg Vintage welcome sign](http://lh4.ggpht.com/-uqXLGDib7Xo/U1ao_txTznI/AAAAAAAA3A8/UQ8hW5vLYws/vintage-welcome-sign.jpg?imgmax=800)
Finally, I decided to move it indoors. It is currently hanging up for you to see as you walk into the house. I had the perfect long thin spot right above the cat door:
![welcome-sign.jpg Welcome sign](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-fBcHn7-tVaY/U1apCKWAuSI/AAAAAAAA3BU/_AQfdF4bQd4/welcome-sign.jpg?imgmax=800)
I love how it came out, especially since my total investment was less than $4.
![faux-vintage-welcome-sign.jpg Faux vintage welcome sign](http://lh6.ggpht.com/-QK7p4APefjM/U1apAsch-XI/AAAAAAAA3BE/_ceD4JQyuoM/faux-vintage-welcome-sign.jpg?imgmax=800)
Sharing at Homestories AtoZ, MyRepurposed Life and these great parties
This turned out amazing! I really like it hung inside the house, too.
ReplyDeleteVery, very cool! The sign came out great!!
ReplyDeleteLovely! And such a steal for less than $4! Thanks for visiting Night Owl Corner....just stopping by to
ReplyDeletecheck out your blog too!
Linda
Love the weathered look. It's a great project.
ReplyDeleteWow. I love this welcome sign! Thanks for explaining all the different steps you took to transform and IKEA door into something that looks antique!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great use for the IKEA as is section! It came out great.
ReplyDeleteI ALWAYS hit the as is section at IKEA too Kim! I also got some cabinet doors from there a year or so ago and used one for a coat hanger in the laundry room. Now, you've inspired to use one and make a welcome sign! Love your technique too :-)
ReplyDeleteLove it! You totally rocked the weathered look!
ReplyDelete