Fun Weekend Project: Vintage Map on Wood

You’ve seen the Pinterest posts telling us how to make things with scrap pieces of wood, or leftover pallets, or barn boards. Inevitably the projects end up on a funny Pinterest Fails slideshow somewhere when the instructions become too complicated and we lose steam.

Seriously, if the fun weekend project loses its fun appeal, we’re checking out. I’m not about to tell you that there’s isn’t planning and commitment necessary to make the vintage map on wood project, but the results will be worth it. And the steps are simple to follow

Fun Weekend Project: Vintage Map on Wood

Step 1: Find the size and type of pallet you would like to use.

Remove the pallet boards. Using a pry bar cracks and breaks more pieces than it should so I used a sawzall to cut through the nails. Make sure you have enough pallets to have a bit of overhang on the map, so you can see the wood. Alternatively, cut your map down a bit so it fits better. Now…find a map you love.

Step 2: Sand the back, front, and sides of the pallet boards smooth.

Step 3: Lay the sanded boards together and attach them all together with 2 or 3 supports on the back of your piece. You can use nails or screws although I found it easier to use an impact driver.

Step 4: Paint or stain your wood. I used a dark stain to match the lines on the map and to add contrast since the map was so light in coloured.

Step 5: Apply the mod podge by spreading a generous layer all over the side of the pallet wood where your map will sit. And work fast! Mod Podge dries quickly. Smooth out the mod podge and then place the map where you want it to sit. Press the map onto the glue and smooth it out with your hands, getting all the bubbles and bumps out.

Pour and brush out more mod podge over the top of the map, creating a smooth but generous layer. Make sure to use a lot of mod podge on the edges of the map to seal them to the wood. Extend the mod podge all the way to the ends of the wood so when it’s completely dry, you won’t see a ridge where the map is glued.

Allow to dry over night.

Step 6: Use a sharp exacto knife and slowly cut out the map where the pallets join.

This will be a slow process as the mod podge that went in the cracks is now dry and hard to cut. Are you going slow? This is not a race. Take your time and make sure your knife is SHARP!

Step 7: Using fine sandpaper, sand both sides of the cracks that you cut in Step 6. This will smooth the edges and make it look like the map is one with the wood.