Are you ready to make something awesome in a weekend that requires NO POWER TOOLS and is under $50?! Cool, lets, get into how I made this DIY growth ruler!
Side note: If you want a full video tutorial of how to make this DIY growth ruler, check out my story highlight called “Growth Chart” on my Instagram page!
Materials:
- 6′ long 1×8
- 220 grit sand paper
- Wood conditioner
- Early American wood stain
- Weathered Oak wood stain
- Stain rags
- Tack cloths
- Polyurethane (matte finish)
- Stain brush to apply polyurethane
- Vinyl decals
- Sawtooth hanger
Tools:
- Hand sander (not required but saves so much time!)
- Credit card
Step 1: Sand & stain the board
You’ll need a 6′ long 1×8.
Sand the front face and the edges with a hand sander & 220 grit sand paper. You can definitely sand it by hand, but it will take muuuuch longer! After sanding and wiping it down with a tack cloth, apply the wood conditioner. This will ensure the stain soaks in more evenly.
It had been three years since I’ve stained wood, and I completely forgot to apply my wood conditioner! It still turned out beautiful, but I *did* need to sand down some areas where the stain was darker.
Now it’s time to stain. Start with a coat of Early American, and then add on Weathered Oak. Of course, you can choose whatever stain you’d like! You can also paint the board if you want.. the board is your oyster!
Step 2: Add polyurethane (the top finishing coat)
Use your stain brush to apply the polyurethane. (I got the Behr brand matte finish because it had the fastest drying time). After your first coat has had one hour of dry time, (or whatever your can recommends) you can apply the second coat. Behr’s polyurethane can be used after 24 hours of set time, but some require 72 hour set time. Make sure you read the directions on your can!
Step 3: Determine the height of the board, apply the decals, and install the sawtooth hanger
How high to you want your board off the floor? This will determine the location of your vinyl decals. I made mine 8″ off the ground. Your baseboard height may help you decide where to locate the board on the wall.
I absolutely love these decals I found on Amazon! They are so easy to work with, and they come with pretty comprehensive directions. Peel off the backing paper, press the decal onto the wood, smooth out the paper with a credit card, and remove the application paper. They seriously look SO GOOD and PROFESSIONAL! I have to use caps to describe them because I am THAT excited about them haha! 🙂
Disclaimer: The decals do specify to give the poly 72 hours of dry time before applying. However.. I am impatient, and I went for it after 24 hours. It was totally fine. But you’ll have to decide for yourself if you want to be a rule follower or a rebel like me. 😉
Finally, nail the sawtooth hanger to the back of the board and hang it on the wall! Boom, you’re done!
I’m so excited to track my son and my my soon-to-be daughter’s heights on this DIY growth ruler!
If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below or DM me on Instagram! And be sure to follow along – I’m always trying new DIY projects, and I love sharing them with YOU!
