Now that spring is here I've been keen to start a few outdoor projects, aside from our back garden (which seems to need an overhaul every year) one DIY idea that's been on my to-do list for a while is a house number sign. I've seen some v. cool ones and quite frankly our current house number is so damn ugly something needs to be done about it!
I've teamed up with Gorilla Glue to make a mid-century style house sign with a built-in plant box that will be a perfect fit for my Victorian house. It's a simple but cute DIY project that will transform your entryway and give your home some extra curb appeal this summer.
Materials needed:
Exterior plywood
House numbers (mine came from this Etsy seller)
Gorilla Glue Original
Gorilla Tape (or a hand clamp)
Measuring tape
Gorilla Grab Adhesive
Pond liner
Exterior wood paint
Step 1.
Cut your exterior plywood into 5 panels (one main panel and 4 smaller pieces that make up the plant box.) The measurements for my house sign were:
Main back panel: 35cm x 20cm
2 x plant box side panels: 13cm x 9cm
1 x plant box base: 14.5cm x 9cm
1 x plant box front panel: 17.5cm x 13cm
Step 2.
Decide how low you want to locate the plant box on your sign. Place the 2 side panels and base panel for the plant box onto the main panel.
Step 3.
Take a pencil and lightly draw around them.
Step 4.
Remove the panels, now you have a guideline that will help you with the placement when glueing the panels into place.
Step 5.
I'm using Gorilla Glue Original to build the plant box as it's 100% waterproof and resistant to extreme temperatures. This strong adhesive is water activated so surfaces need to be damp, Take a spray bottle and wet the back panel where you'll be attaching the box panels.
Step 6.
After you have dampened the surfaces pop on the gloves that come supplied with the glue. Take a side panel and lightly apply the glue along the longer edge. Gorilla Glue expands as it cures so make sure you don't over-apply here.
Step 7.
Place the side panel glue side down onto the damp plywood (this is where that pencil outline comes in handy.) You need to let the glue cure for 1-2 hours so either hold the panel in place with a hand clamp or use some Gorilla Tape.
Step 8.
Once again spray the plywood surface with water.
Step 9.
Apply glue along the longer edge of the plant box base panel.
Step 10.
Use tape to hold the panels in place while the glue works its magic for at least two hours.
Step 11.
The last panel to be added is the front of the plant box. Spray the panel.
Step 12.
Then glue all along the edges of the panels you've previously attached.
Step 13.
Place the front panel in place, clamp it and leave the whole project to dry for 24hrs.
Step 14.
After the glue is fully cured for 24hrs paint your house sign (if any glue has spilt out you can lightly sand it down first.) I've opted for a basic white exterior wood paint to match my windows.
Step 15.
Attach your house numbers to the sign (mine were self-adhesive but some types come with screws.)
I bought my house number from this Etsy store. I found it REALLY hard to find nice mid-century metal numbers that didn't cost a small fortune so these were well worth the wait for delivery as they were a fraction of the cost!
Step 16.
Take a small piece of pond liner (or a thick plastic bag) and line the inside of the plant box.
Step 17.
I didn't want the extra work of trying to mount my sign outdoors with screws or hooks so I opted to use Gorilla Heavy-Duty Grab Adhesive instead. Their grab adhesive is so versatile it will grab virtually anything and works both indoors and outdoors.
Load the grab adhesive into a cartridge gun and apply to the back of the house sign in a zig-zag pattern. (If you don't have a cartridge gun Gorilla also offer a smaller tube that can be squeezed by hand.) As I was mounting the sign onto brickwork which was slightly uneven I applied mine quite generously, if you're applying to a flat surface you'd require a lot less adhesive.
Step 18.
Within 10 minutes of application press the two surfaces firmly together and hold the sign against the wall for 20-60 seconds.
Once fully cured (24hrs later) you can pop some plants into the box to finish. Voila! Your sign is up and ready to enjoy.
Next up on my list is tackling my rather ugly brown UPVC front door which I'm seriously tempted to makeover... if you've tried painting one before let me know how it went!
back soon
Caroline x
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