How to Decorate Metal Signs for a Rec Room
The rec room is one room in your home where you can display quirky and casual decorations. Homemade mobiles, artsy pillows, and other eclectic décor items can all find a home in a rec room. One way to add whimsy to your rec room is to decorate copper foil signs with hammered letters to create custom metal sign decorations. You can personalize messages for your family and your guests with simple metal signs made from copper foil. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Wood block
- Newspapers
- Copper foil
- Metal shears
- Finishing nails
- Letter templates
- Marker or stylus
- Ball peen hammer
- Copper tape
- S hook
- Small chain
Instructions
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1
Set up a work station with a wood block topped with a 2-inch stack of newspaper or something similar. The wood surface provides a firm base for striking the copper foil. The newspapers provide a padding to allow the foil to give and indent when hit.
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2
Roll out a section of copper foil that's 4 inches longer and 4 inches wider than the desired size of your rec room sign because the overall size of the copper foil sheet will shrink as you hit it.Cut the section of foil from the roll with the metal shears.
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3
Place the copper foil on top of the newspaper. Attach the two top corners of the foil to the wood block with finishing nails. The nails will brace the copper without restricting it as you hammer the design.
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4
Trace the outline of the letters spelling the desired message for your sign onto the back of the copper foil. A marker outline will be easier to see and works well if you plan to show the opposite side of the sign in your rec room. The side opposite to the one you hit will be in high relief. If you prefer an embossed hammered copper design, use a stylus to outline the letters rather than a marker. A stylus leaves no ink mark, but will create an indentation in the foil.
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5
Hit the copper foil inside the traced letters with the hemispherical side of the ball peen hammer. Fill in the letters completely with strikes from the hammer.
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Remove the copper foil from the wood block after you finish hammering the message. Trim the edges of the sign. Wrap the sharp edges of the metal with copper tape. You can find copper tape in the stained glass section of your local craft store.
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