How to Make Your Own Hazard Sign
Hazard signs warn people of dangers such as wet floors, hazardous chemicals and possible injury. They also silently prohibit smoking, cell phones and food. Still other hazard signs are more humorous than anything else. These signs adorn bedroom doors, dorm rooms and game room walls. You can create your own, personalized hazard signs with just a few simple tools. Once you have the hang of it, the signs are cheap and easy to make.
Things You'll Need
- Aluminum flashing
- Tin snips
- White metal primer
- Black acrylic paint
- Small paint rollers
- Paper plates
- Painter's tape
- Acrylic paint: red, orange or yellow
- Letter stencils: 4-inch and 1-inch
- Warning sign stencils
- Sponge brushes
Instructions
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Snip the aluminum flashing into a rectangle about 1 foot wide by 18 inches long, using tin snips. This should give you plenty of room to paint a large design. Round off the corners with tin snips, just as you would paper with scissors.
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2
Pour a little metal primer into a paper plate. Roll your paint roller through the primer and roll it in smooth, horizontal strokes over the aluminum. Let the primer dry and apply a second coat vertically. This should give you an even, streak-free surface.
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3
Divide your sign into thirds widthwise with painter's tape. Pour a little red, orange or yellow acrylic paint onto a fresh paper plate and roll the color onto to the top third of your sign. Let the paint dry for about two hours.
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4
Place a second piece of painter's tape parallel to the top piece with a ½ inch space between them. Do the same with the bottom piece of painter's tape. Paint the spaces between the tape black. Let the paint dry for about 30 minutes.
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Paint a black border around the edge of the aluminum sign, using a sponge brush and a steady hand. You can also roll about ½ inch of your roller in black paint and run it around the edge for an easier, neater finish. Let sign cure overnight.
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Tape the desired 4-inch letter stencils to the colored third of your sign. Warning, danger, hazard, notice and caution are all options. Tap a sponge brush with black paint over the letters to color them.
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Tape a symbol stencil to the middle third of your sign. Fire, radioactive symbols and crushed fingers are just a few options (see Resources for more). Paint in the symbol as you did the letters.
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Paint 1-inch letter stencils in the last third of your sign, spelling out a humorous warning. This may be anything from poking fun at a constantly dirty room to warnings about waking a heavy sleeper. Let the entire sign cure overnight and remove the stencils. Hang your sign with pride.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Toxic hazard flag image by Stasys Eidiejus from Fotolia.com
