How to Make a Wooden Antique Sign

Measure a piece of plywood to the size of the sign you want to create. Measure the area where the sign will hang. Write down these measurements on a piece of paper. Go to a hardware store with the measurements and get a piece of plywood cut for you or mark the measurements, using a pencil, onto the wood.

Cut the piece of wood down to size with a hand or electric saw. Remove wood dust with a clean paintbrush. Draw a pattern for the shape of the sign. Place the wood onto a work table. Use a meter saw to cut the shape of the sign. Remove wood dust.

Sand the wood, using 220-grit sandpaper, in sections to give the wood a scratched, or aged, appearance. Paint the wood with acrylic paint in the color of your choice. Let the paint dry. Use the sandpaper to rough up sections of the sign, giving the wood a distressed look. Apply black paint, with an artist's paintbrush, for lettering.

Apply stain, in a color darker than the original color of the wood, to give natural wood an aged look. Apply with a sponge or rag, dabbing in sections. Use crackle paint, using a paintbrush, on top of painted or stained wood to enhance an old look.

Use a small drill bit and drill to create small holes 1 inch in from the top left and right sides of the sign. String thin wire or fishing line through one of the holes in the sign. Tie a double or triple knot at the end wire or fishing line so it won't pass through the hole. Bring the string over to the other hole. Adjust the height of the sign by cutting the line smaller before tying it to the opposite end. If not hanging the sign, mount it on a wall using a drill or simply lean the sign against a shelf or mantel.