Wood Slice Chalkboard Banner

DIY wood slice chalkboard sign banner

I love a cheap project, especially one that can be reused for different times of the year.  Now, the reason this project was cheap was because I have a couple of birch logs left over from the insulating fireplace screen I made last year.  But, for everyone that doesn’t have birch logs laying around, any large branch or small log will work just fine.  Or, I have a post I’m working on now about how to buy birch logs for way cheaper than they charge at the craft store, so stay tuned for that!

wood slice chalkboard banner

I used my miter saw to slice the log into discs.  I cut these down about 6 months ago, so they slowly dried out, but you could also put them into the oven at 200 degrees for a really long time.  (I remember trying to dry mine out when I made my fireplace screen, and I think they were in there for over 4 hours, and they still showed signs of moisture.  So maybe it would take cooking them overnight?)  Or, if you have a backyard kiln that would probably do the trick as well…

The reason you want them dry is because you’ll be painting right on the slices, and moisture and paint don’t mix very well.

diy craft with wood slices

After painting rings with Chalkboard Paintblank* (I linked to my favorite type of paint, but I also wrote a post comparing the spray paint and the canned paint.  You can read all about it here), I drilled holes into the slices.  The size of your hole will depend on how thick of twine you are using.  You want to be able to fit a looped piece of the twine through the hole, but just barely.

diy wood slice craft

Then, I tied a knot on the front side of the disc and cut off the excess from each one.

brick fireplace with fall mantel

Here’s my full fireplace with the banner.  I’m thinking it might actually be birch disc overload, so I actually plan to use this banner in other parts of my home.

birch wood slice chalkboard banner

The best part?  I can erase the words and change it up with the season!  Here’s what I’m thinking for Christmas, hanging right on my favorite piece of furniture.  (Clearly we don’t use what’s inside very much, because it’s not really practical to drape something across doors that need to be opened often.)

diy wood slice chalkboard banner

Jenny at Refresh Living (dev.refreshliving.com)

Post by Jenny Leads

Jenny is the voice behind Refresh Living. She has a passion for helping people to create a home they love without spending a lot of money.

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4 Comments

  1. I like those wood slices! I would never have thought you could put them in the oven to dry. I’ve been thinking of doing something with wood slices for a while now, and this would be a great idea for me to try, thanks!

  2. I love a cheap project too! With stuff you have already and especially when you can use it more than one season, which is what you can do with this chalkboard banner. I love the little wood slices, it’s a great idea Jenny!

  3. Yes! I would totally use this for every season and holiday. I love how versatile it is. Thanks for sharing at The Creative Circle!!