It’s all about curb appeal to me, not for resale value, but for the lovely feeling I get every evening when I walk up to my own front door. The easiest thing to do: paint your front door. The second easiest thing to do: make these house numbers.
The really great thing is you can make them work with any house style imaginable, just choose your background material to match or compliment your house – the combinations are endless.
MATERIALS
1/2″ plywood for backing
1×2″ trim for the sides
Background material (Astroturf, pebble tile, coir, you name it!)
Adhesive
Paint
House numbers (I find that the kind that give you the option for floating look best.)
Premixed grout (optional)
Sponge (optional)
STEPS
Make the frame for the numbers. Cut a back panel from the 1/2″ plywood. Cut two 1×2″ pieces for the sides of the frame and attach using wood glue and nails. Then measure and cut two additional pieces for the top and bottom and attach. Paint your frame the desired color.
Attach your background material using an appropriate adhesive. I used Liquid Nails for the astro turf, coir rug and pebble tile, but if you’re using wood siding you may want to use a wood glue.
Your numbers probably came with a template for drilling the holes. Place the template in the desired location and mark where your holes need to go.
Now if you’re doing the pebble tile, there will be a few extra steps which are listed below. If not, skip on down…
You can’t drill through the pebbles obviously, so you’ll need to pry off the stones where you made your marks, just leaving the mesh underneath.
Now grout your tile. If you’ve never done this before, it’s a great first time grouting project. Spread the grout onto the pebbles, use a trowel to push it into al the gaps between the pebbles and scrape off the excess. Once it’s set according to the package, wipe off the extra with a wet sponge. That’s it, then just let it dry. Once it’s dry, lay your templates back on and remark where your drill holes go – now they will be on spaces filled with grout, not stones.
Now take your drill and drill holes where you marked to install your numbers. If you’re using the coir or another loose weave material you may not have to drill and can just push the number hanging hardware through the material.
Mount your numbers and hang your new numbers plaque.
Pretty fab, huh
