Wood Burned Signs and Wall Art: Ideas and Tutorial

What you need

• A smooth, untreated board or plaque, plus a spare for practice
• A pyrography pen with a pointed or fine tip, and its manual
• A heat-proof stand and surface, safety glasses and good ventilation
• Ruler, pencil, graphite transfer paper and a soft eraser
• Fine sandpaper
• A finish suited to the sign’s location, and hanging hardware

Choosing a board or plaque

A good sign begins with the right blank. Choose a solid, untreated board with a smooth, flat face, since rough or uneven surfaces make neat lettering difficult. Basswood and birch are common choices because they are pale and take detail well. Pine can work for bold, rustic designs but can make fine lettering harder.

Size matters. A sign needs margins around the words so that it does not look crowded, and larger letters are easier to burn neatly. If you are new to lettering, start with a board big enough for large, simple letters. For wood choices, see the best wood for wood burning guide.

Sign ideas

• A single-word welcome sign, such as “Welcome” or “Home”.
• A house number or street sign.
• A short quote in two or three lines.
• A kitchen sign, such as “Herbs” or “Bake”.
• A mountain or forest scene with a short caption.
• A botanical border around a name or date.

A single short word with a simple border is easier than a long sentence, so start there and build up.

Plan the layout and lettering

Planning is where most of the quality comes from. Work on paper first.

• Measure the board and draw its outline on paper at actual size.
• Draw guidelines for the top and bottom of the letters, plus a centre line.
• Sketch the words in simple block capitals, with equal spacing between letters and wider spacing between words.
• Add a border or decoration only after the lettering is placed.

Choose a clear, simple letter style. Plain block capitals are easier to burn neatly than script, and thick, bold letters hide small errors. See wood burned name signs for more on fonts and spacing.

Transfer and burn the letters

1. Sand the board smooth and brush off all dust.
2. Tape the paper layout to the board and transfer it with graphite transfer paper. See how to transfer a pattern to wood.
3. Check the centring and spacing, and redraw any faint lines lightly.
4. Set up a heat-proof stand and surface, ventilate the room and put on safety glasses.
5. Practise the letters on scrap of the same wood, so that you know how the pen behaves.
6. Burn the outline of each letter in short, connected strokes, working across the board in a consistent order.
7. Fill the letters, if you wish, with even shading or hatching, keeping a light touch.
8. Add the border or decoration last.
9. Let the pen cool, then erase pencil marks gently and brush off ash.

Burning landscapes

A simple landscape suits a sign well and teaches shading. A mountain scene needs only a ridge line, a few smaller peaks, simple trees and a sun or moon.

• Outline the main shapes first, with a steady line.
• Add light shading to one side of each peak to suggest depth.
• Use short vertical strokes or stippling for trees.
• Keep the sky mostly bare, leaving the wood as a highlight.

The wood burning techniques guide shows shading and texture in detail, and wood burning nature designs has more landscape ideas.

Finishing and hanging

A sign needs a finish that suits where it will hang. A clear sealer is fine for indoor decor, while an outdoor sign needs a finish made for exterior use and will still weather over time. Test the finish on a burned scrap first, since it can darken the burn, and follow the label for drying and curing. See how to seal wood burning projects.

Fit hanging hardware, such as a sawtooth hanger or a small eyelet and cord, to the back, checking that it suits the weight and the wall. Add it before finishing if it requires drilling, working while the tool is cool and unplugged.

Troubleshooting lettering

• Letters are uneven in height. Use pencil guidelines at the top and bottom of every line, and check them with a ruler.
• Spacing looks wrong. Space letters by the gaps between them, not by the distance between their edges, and leave wider gaps between words.
• Curves look wobbly. Rotate the board, burn short strokes and slow down slightly.
• A letter is wrong. Try to turn it into a different letter or a decoration, or practise on a fresh board.
• The burn is too dark. Reduce heat if you can and move faster.

For more fixes, see common wood burning mistakes.

Choosing words and phrases

Short and clear works best. One to three words reads at a glance and gives you room for large, even letters. If you want a longer phrase, break it into two or three lines of different sizes, with the key word larger. Check spelling and punctuation, and choose phrases that you have written yourself or that are free to use. Avoid quoting lyrics or lines from copyrighted works on items you plan to sell.

Layout rules that make a sign look professional

• Leave generous margins on all four sides, often at least the height of a letter.
• Use no more than two letter styles, such as block capitals and a simple script.
• Make the most important word the largest.
• Keep line spacing consistent, with a little more space between lines than feels necessary.
• Centre the text on the board unless you have a reason not to.
• Keep decoration lighter than the lettering, so that it supports the words.

Sizes and mounting options

Small signs of a hand’s width suit a shelf, a desk or a bedside table, while medium boards work for an entrance hall or a kitchen wall. Larger signs give more room for lettering but need stronger hardware and more burning time. Decide how the sign will be displayed. Options include a sawtooth hanger, an eyelet with a cord, a small easel for a shelf or a simple frame. Choose hardware that suits the weight and the wall, and fit it before final finishing if drilling is needed.

Next steps

Make a small sign first, then move to a larger one. A personalised name sign is a natural next project, and a matching set of ornaments or gifts can follow. The free printable pattern pack includes lettering practice and borders to trace.

Your next small step

Choose one technique to practise before starting a finished piece. Read the linked guides for the material, transfer and finishing questions that apply to your project.

• How to Transfer a Pattern to Wood (4 Easy Methods)
• How to Seal Wood Burning Projects (Safe and Lasting Finishes)
• 20 Wood Burned Gift Ideas for Every Occasion