DIY Acrylic Wall Calendar (No Tools Required!)

Now that we have two kids, life feels so much busier! I’ve been wanting a large wall calendar to keep track of everything – the wall across from our breakfast nook was practically begging for something practical like this – but the ones I found online were all so expensive! I knew I could make something like this on my own, but I didn’t want to buy a Cricut machine because I didn’t think I’d use it much after this project. Could I make a DIY acrylic wall calendar without a Cricut machine thought?!

YES, I could, and I did! And I’m going to share exactly how I DIYed this acrylic wall calendar from scratch without a Cricut machine!

DIY Acrylic Wall Calendar, no cricut machine required, no tools required, diy wall decor, do it yourself decor project, custom family wall calendar how to

What you’ll need:

Step 1: Decide on a design

I looked at a ton of different options, and ultimately I went with this one! I measured and drew it on the acrylic board with dry erase markers to really get a sense of what it would look like. Then, I wrote all my measurements down to keep track of exactly what I needed.

Step 2: Make your grid cuts

I first clamped the vinyl sheet on top of a scrap piece of wood to my table. Then, I measured out how thick I wanted the grid lines to be and clamped the straight edge on top of the vinyl and used it as a guide. Make sure you’re using a fresh blade on your utility knife for this – it’s really important to get those crisp, straight lines.

Step 3: Apply the vinyl adhesives

I used an L shaped straight edge to keep my lines as plumb as possible. Obviously you’ll want to erase your dry erase lines prior to applying the vinyl strips and letters and clean the acrylic board as well!

Step 4: Drill holes for the stand off mounts and hang on the wall!

I snagged these gold standoff mounts from amazon and they were perfect! This detail really makes it look custom and professional. I applied two layers of painter’s tape before drilling to prevent cracking, and each stand off is inset 1.5″ from the edge of the board. Now you can hang it on the wall, step back, and say, “DANG, I DID THAT!!!” 🙂

When hanging something like this, I like to locate the first hole using the “toothpaste method.” I’ll put a small dab of toothpaste on one hole, locate the board on the wall where I want it, and push the toothpaste against the wall. That’s how I locate my first screw location. To locate the second screw location, I take the horizontal measurement between the two top screws on the board. Then, I’ll use my laser level to make sure it’s level on the wall and drill the second screw hole. It’s a good idea to have two hands for this part – I didn’t, and it was difficult (but definitely still doable!)