SaSea Decor: DIY Beach Art

I made this bike art two years ago, and it is honestly the one thing I get asked about the most! I absolutely LoVE this super huge piece, and I am almost sure I will never tire of it.

I posted a tutorial on how to make it years ago, and thought I would post it here as well! This project was super easy, super cheap, and makes a HUGE impact on our wall!!!!! (original post here)

Step By Step Tutorial:

STEP 1: Figure out how large you want the final piece to be. They will cut the wood for you right at Home Depot so just purchase the amount of boards you need for the project and they will measure them just right for you! BONUS!

STEP 2: This part is SUPER smelly and I suggest doing it outside or in your garage with the door open. I did a lot of research on how to weather the wood without making it orange or feeling as though I just stained it. This is what I ended up using and LOVING.

Pour Apple Cider Vinegar in a bowl and set one steel wool in it to soak for 30-45 min. (I suggest using a glass bowl) In an additional bowl pour Balsamic Vinegar with the other steel wool and let it soak for 30-45 min.

STEP 3: While the steel wool is soaking, I hit the boards with a hammer, screw driver, poked with a fork, and basically anything that I could use to hit them to add a little character. This is the fun part...but can be skipped if you don't want it to look old.

STEP 4: Rub each board all over with the apple cider vinegar, don't forget the sides of each board. I waited about 10 min and then rubbed the Balsamic Vinegar over the boards. Make sure to get it into the little knots that you made with the hammer.

LET DRY OVER NIGHT. (OTHERWISE IT IS KIND OF STICKY)

STEP 5: Once the boards are dry we went to town with the sander. I used super heavy paper and just went to town. I sanded the tops of the boards to give them a little scratch as well as all of the edges. You can go as heavy as you would like on this step.

STEP 6: I purchased these bars to hold the boards together. (I seriously have NO idea what they are called) Make sure to buy them large enough so that when you screw them, it does not split the edges.

NOTE: IF HAD HOME DEPOT CUT MORE THAN ONE BOARD, THE COLORS MAY VARY, SO YOU MIGHT WANT TO ALTERNATE BOARDS.

(this is a super cute throwback to when my little guy was in preschool and helped me with every project.)

STEP 7: This is my favorite part......PAINTING. I used craft paint for the project, but you can use any paint you would like. I did not do more than one coat with each color because I wanted it to show the woodthru the paint.

You can either freehand the artwork, or you can send your favorite picture/graphic to your local Office Depot or Staples and they will blow it up the size that you would like and you can trace it.

STEP 8: I lightly sanded after I painted to give it more of a muted feel...and I couldn't be happier!

STEP 9: This step is HUGE because our piece fell off the wall multiple times..and generally in the middle of the night. Make sure to go to the hardware store and get the correct hooks for hanging very heavy pieces! Once we got the correct hooks, we haven't had ANY issues with it falling down.

I have so much fun decorating our bike for every holiday! Just think of all the fun pieces you could make!!!!!