Make your herb garden perfect with decorative DIY garden signs

Various wooden signs are standing in a herb bed. The signs bear the names of the herbs. — Garden signs made from wood blend perfectly into any bed.

Difficulty

easy
Cost

< 50 £
Duration

1-3 h

Introduction

Want to keep track of what’s growing in your garden bed? In that case, small garden signs are the most practical solution for knowing what’s growing and what’s yet to grow – especially if you have sown various different plants and herbs. Made from wood and painted in bright colours, these little sign posts aren’t just handy – they’re also weatherproof head-turners. We’ll show you how to build your own signs with zero fuss.

It should go without saying that your safety is paramount throughout every step of the project, so make sure you take the necessary precautions to protect yourself. You can find an overview of the correct protective clothing you need when using each type of tool here .

You need

Tools

Utilities

pencil
g-clamps
face mask
work gloves
drinking glass
paint roller
ear plugs
pocket rule
safety glasses

Materials

Water-resistant wood paint
Wooden plank made from oak with a thickness of 18 mm (the size is up to you, depending on how many signs you want to make)
Round metal rod, 6 mm thick, length of your choice

L: Length, W: Width, H: Height, D: Diameter

Let's go - step by step

Step 1 4

Draw out the shape

A wooden plank is lying on a work surface and a measurement is being transferred on to it. — You can make your garden sign as small or as large as you like.

A glass tumbler is being used to mark out the rounded corners of the sign. — A glass tumbler helps to mark where you need to saw to make the rounded corners.

You need: pocket rule, pencil, drinking glass

Your colourful garden signs can of course be different sizes – whatever suits your taste. Here, we’ll show you step-by-step how to build a square sign measuring 120 x 120 mm.

Start by marking out the corresponding measurements on a wooden plank. You can use a glass tumbler to do the corners.

Step 2 4

Saw out the shape and sand it

The wooden plank is being sawn along the pre-drawn markings with a jigsaw.

The sawn-out sign is being sanded along the edges.

You need: Jigsaws, Accessories for jigsaws, Jigsaw blade T 101 B, Polishing sponge for EasyCurvSander 12, g-clamps

Now, clamp the plank securely to your work surface and saw out the marked shape. Use a jigsaw blade designed for curved cuts for the corners and a strong jigsaw blade for the straight sides.

Then, sand all the sawn edges using a sanding sponge.

Step 3 4

Drill a hole for the post

The centre is being marked on the edge of the sign with a pencil. — Now, mark the centre of the bottom edge...

The sign is clamped to the work surface in a vertical position and the hole for the metal rod is being drilled on the marking. — ...and drill the hole for the post there.

You need: Cordless drill/driver, Wood drill bit: 6 mm, protractor, g-clamps, scrap wood

Now, measure out the centre of the bottom side and mark the position for the metal rod. Choose the diameter of your drill bit according to the thickness of your metal rod. This is 6 mm in our case.

Then, securely clamp the sign to your work surface in a vertical position, with the marking facing up, and drill a hole that is around 30 mm deep.

TIP

Use a piece of scrap wood to make sure the wooden sign is clamped upright securely.

Step 4 4

Paint and decorate

The sign is being painted. — Now, paint the sign in the colour(s) of your choice...

The painted wooden sign is being written on with a Dremel soldering iron. — …before inscribing it.

You need: Dremel VersaTip Butane soldering iron, paint roller, Water-resistant wood paint

It’s now time to get creative and give your signs a splash of colour.

You have various different options when it comes to inscribing and decorating your signs. A waterproof marker is a simple option. Pyrography is also a great option here and gives the whole thing a particularly attractive finish.

Finally, insert the rod into the hole and there you have it – the perfect head-turner for your flower bed is finished.