DIY Plaid Signs with Napkins for Under $20

Looking for an inexpensive way to create some new signs? Let me show you how easy and inexpensive these DIY plaid signs are.

I am loving the layered sign look. It is a fun way to decorate the top of a dresser or even a fireplace mantel. But buying lots of signs can be costly, so let me show you how I made these signs for under $20.

Table of Contents

Supply List:

Plaid Napkins
Baltic birch plywood
Pine
Special walnut stain
Mod Podge
Brush
White Paint
Nails and/or Rapid Fuse
Chop Saw
Table Saw

How to Make DIY Plaid Signs

First, cut you baltic birch down to size. I cut mine down to: 19 ½" L x 14" H and 25" L x 15" H. You can buy baltic birch at Home Depot. They can cut it down for you if you don't have a chop saw, or some Home Depots sell pre-cut boards as well.

Prime or paint it white. I painted mine white so the wood tones would not show through the light napkins.

Mod Podge the front of the board. You want a good amount of Mod Podge as this is how the napkin will stick to the wood.

Add your napkins. I really liked using the Hearth and Hand napkins because they are thicker which makes them easier to work with. Make sure to pull the napkin tight and get all the wrinkles out, but not too tight that the lines curve. I pulled mine a little too tight on one of them and you can see how the lines slightly curve.

Match up the seams. This part was a little tricky. I didn't get it perfect but once the sign was complete you can't really tell. See how the lines curved a little bit? Just make sure you are careful and really paying attention.

Mod Podge over the top after you have everything lined up and all the wrinkles out.

After the Mod Podge dried, I used sand paper to sand off the parts of the napkin hanging off the sides. If you don't have a way to frame it you can leave it like that and it is still super cute.

Creating a frame

I forgot to take pictures of this part. But if you are good with a table saw and chop saw this should be a piece of cake. I rip my 1" thick pine down to ¾" thick strips. I then used the special walnut stain and stained all 4 sides. Once the stain is dried I cut them down to fit around the edges of the frame. I then applied a little bit of rapid fuse and used my finish nailer to help hold everything in place. If you don't have a nail gun you can use the rapid fuse and then clamp the frame in place until the glue is tried.

Once the glue is dry, touch up the stain and you have darling DIY plaid signs!

I also made the black sign the same way I made the plaid signs, but instead of adding napkins I painted it with chalkboard paint so I can write on it too!