I have a small porch outside my back door. The area doesn’t get much natural light. This is how it has looked until I spruced it up this week. Pretty depressing, huh? This space desperately needed some color.
I made this giant piece of colorful art on a pallet to solve the issue! I think it’s the perfect solution for this once drab area. I added a few additional pieces I had on hand. Some faux greenery and my Dollar Store Succulent Wreath helped bring this space to life. I think it turned out great!
Supplies:
- Pallet
- Poster(s)
- 2 8oz. MOD PODGE Outdoor
- Foam Brush
- Scissors
- Box Cutter
- Pencil
- Ruler/Measuring Tape
- Foam Core Board
The first thing you’ll need to make this project is a pallet. I find these things are everywhere. I see them discarded in alleys a lot. You may be able to score one from your local grocery or hardware store as well. Be careful when handling the pallet. These things can be dirty and have all kinds of rough edges and nails sticking out of them. I hosed my pallet off outside and removed all the random nails before beginning this project.
First, measure the height of each individual slat on the pallet. Add the measurements together to determine your poster size. Choose a poster (or two) that is the same size or slightly smaller. If the poster is larger, know that a portion on the ends will be lost. Measure the width of the entire pallet and make sure the poster(s) fits within that measurement as well.
Place poster on top of a foam core board. Use a pencil to trace around poster. Cut foam core using a box cutter.
I used two posters on my board. Aren’t they great? I picked them up at Foursided in Chicago for $5 a piece!
Place poster upside down on foam core board piece and position in the center of pallet. The foam core board is only used for stability when tracing lines onto back of poster. Poster shouldn’t be adhered to foam core. Starting from the center, outline the middle pallet board.
Shift the board to the left and draw a line at the end of the next pallet board. Continue doing this until you reach the end. Then, repeat the process on the right side.
Cut out the strips.
Position strips on each pallet board. I swapped two of my pieces to add interest.
Attach the strips to the pallet slats using Mod Podge. I used Mod Podge Outdoor since my piece is technically outside and because I had a plethora of it thanks to my friends at Plaid. They provided me with the bottles for my Terra Cotta Pot Wind Chime project and I still had some on hand.
Working one slat at a time, use a foam brush and apply a layer of Mod Podge. Place poster strip onto Mod Podge and move to the next slat until all pieces are down.
Wait 15 minutes and then apply a top coat to each piece.
Add at least two more layers of Mod Podge to project. Make sure you wait 15 minutes between each coat.
Let dry fully and hang! Pallets are extremely heavy. So, make sure to use proper hardware.
I’m in love with my new art piece and revamped outdoor space!
4 Comments
Hey, that’s a lot of fun. Well done you.
This is perfect!! Your little porch is now a treasure💓