How to Make an Oak Slab Sign

Routers are used to make wood signs with recessed letters.

Signs are an important part of our daily lives. Signs are posted on nearly every road to tell us where we are and where we are going. They are mounted on the facade of every store or restaurant. A good sign is important. By following these steps you can make your own using a slab of oak.

Things You'll Need

• Design
• Sign
• Paint
• Router
• Saw
• Sander

Instructions

1. Decide on the design you want for you sign. Make a pattern or a guide for you to follow while you cut with your router.

2. Transfer the design to the wood by tracing around the template with a pencil or applying a quick coat of spray paint over the entire surface of the template to give you clear lines to follow. Another option is to draw your design freehand onto the oak.

3. Follow the outline of your design with the router. If you cut inside the lines the words will be recessed, if you cut outside the lines the words will be protruding and stand out. Make sure to hold on to the router with both hands and move in small smooth motions. With routers, you are basically holding a small engine with a sharp knife attached to its end, so you need to work with extreme care.

4. Apply paint to entire face of the board. This will cover the surface of the whole board, including the area you just cut out.

5. Run the board over a belt sander or carefully sand it with an orbital sander. This will remove the paint from the surface but leave it in the background and give the sign a distinct look.

6. Finish the sign with a coat of polyurethane to give the sign a sheen and protect it from weathering.

Alternative options

1. An alternative options is to cut pieces of oak and mount them to another piece of wood. To do this, begin by tracing the shapes of the letters and other designs you want on your sign.

2. Cut out the letters and shapes with a jigsaw once the outlines are complete. Outlines can be done by hand or by tracing patterns onto the wood.

3. Sand the edges of all the cut pieces with sandpaper or an orbital sander.

4. Lay the cut pieces onto the slab. Trace their positions and then drill pilot holes through the wood from the front side through to the back side.

5. Attach the cutout pieces with screws driven through the backside of the board into the pieces. Start by driving each screw through so just the tip is exposed on the front. Then realign the cutouts and drive the screws in the rest of the way.

Tips & Warnings

• Oak is hardwood and will quickly dull the blades of your router or saw, so be sure to sharpen them often if you are making signs in bulk.

• Another options for using a solid oak slab is to treat the sign as a canvas and paint the design onto the wood. If you do this, leave a portion of the oak exposed and seal with a polyurethane.

References

• Youtube: How to Rout Wood Signs