How to Make Ouija Boards

Any smooth wood can be made into a Ouija board.

The practice of using a pointer and the alphabet to spell out messages from the spirit world has been around in some form for hundreds of years. Although not a proven method of communicating with the dead, the Ouija board has been a popular item on toy store shelves since 1890. When you make your own Ouija board, you add your own personality and creative skills to this familiar occult item. Consider the basics of the board as well as decorative elements you can include before you begin; then start the process to make your one-of-a-kind Ouija.

Things You'll Need

• Rectangle of wood
• Sandpaper
• Wood stain
• Brushes
• Black acrylic paint
• Pencil
• Polyurethane

Instructions

1. Cut a piece of 1/2-inch-thick wood to measure 11 by 14 inches. Sand the edges, top and bottom, to remove rough spots.

2. Paint or stain the wood. Wood stain is recommended to give the Ouija board a more organic look and maintain its connection to the earth.

3. Using a medium to small narrow brush, paint the word "Yes" on the left hand side of the board about 2 inches from the side and 1 1/2 inches from the top.

4. Paint the word "No" on the right hand side of the board to with the same margins as the word "Yes."

5. Use a pencil to lightly trace two parallel, slightly arched lines on which to write your alphabet . Leave about a 1-inch margin from the sides of the board and allow for a margin of at least 2 inches on the bottom.

6. Lightly pencil in the letters "A" through "M" on the top line and "N" through "Z" on the second line. Go over the penciled letters with your paintbrush and black paint.

7. Paint the numbers 1through 9 along with a 0 under the second row of letters.

8. Center the word "Goodbye" along the bottom of the board. Paint in black.

9. Add your own decorative elements to the board to make it your own. For example, add a floral motif, landscape elements or abstract designs along the margins of the board.

10. Allow all the painted areas to dry thoroughly.

11. Brush on several coats of polyurethane and allow to dry, following the directions on the can.

Tips & Warnings

• Make a "theme" board to include more decorative elements to further express your personality. For example, use a scary font and vampire decorative elements to make a vampire board or use a crystal-ball motif by making your lettering more rounded and the letter "O" to look like a fortuneteller's crystal ball.

• Cut your rectangle board into a different shape. As long as the board can be placed on two laps and have enough room to hold all the letters, you can make it any shape you like.

• Don't overlook the darker possibilities of using a Ouija board. Do your research and protect yourself from negative results.

References

• Play Ouija Board: How to Make a Ouija Board
• Crystal Links: Ouija Boards

Resources

• Museum of Talking Boards: History of the Talking Board