Outdoor DIY Marquee Sign for the Holidays! #damagefreeDIY

Today I, along with the Command Brand, am sharing a super cool outdoor holiday project! I have been so busy getting the INSIDE decorated, that I must confess I had been a little neglectful of the outside!

Oh I had thrown some lights in the bushes and hung a wreath on the door, but I had still to create that one fun thing to make our yard stand out from the rest of the neighborhood.  Until I came up with this idea…

an outdoor DIY marquee sign! I’m going to show you how you can make one for yourself, in an afternoon.  Here’s what you’ll need…

SUPPLIES YOU’LL NEED:

Sheet of plywood (large enough to accommodate the word you choose. Mine was 4 feet X 24″ by 1/2″ thick)
Large wooden craft letters (mine were 18 inches tall)
White spray paint and primer combination
Gold spray paint
Sets of  large bulb outdoor approved lights (I used 3 sets of 25 for my project)
1 inch wood drill bit
2-3 small wood stakes (I found mine in the garage sale sign section of my home improvement store)
Outdoor Command Brand Light Clips
Nail gun and brads (or small nails and hammer), measuring tape, pencil, shop vac, sawhorses, safety glasses

HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN SIGN:

1. Paint plywood sheet with white spray paint and allow to dry thoroughly
2. Paint letters with gold spray paint and allow to dry thoroughly.
3. Arrange letters on plywood and measure to make sure they are centered and even.
4. Nail letters to plywood using nail gun and brads or small finishing nails and hammer.
5. Measure and mark out where you will drill your holes for lights.  I spaced mine 2 1/2-3 inches apart.

5. Using firm pressure drill holes on marked locations.  Step back and make sure holes are lined up and even.
6. Use a shop vac, if you have one, while working to keep letters and work space free of sawdust for easy clean up.

7.  Once you have your holes drilled and your work space cleaned up, begin to thread lights through holes.  You will need to remove each bulb and push base up through hole, and place bulb back in base.  Start at the top and work your way across your sign so that you end with your plug at the base of sign to attach to extension cord.
8. Once you have all of your lights placed, turn your sign over to arrange cords neatly along back of sign using the Command Outdoor Light Clips.

The Command OUTDOOR Light Clips work great for outdoor lighting projects because they hold strongly in temperatures from -20°F to 125°F! They also are provide damage free hanging and remove cleanly when you are finished with them.

9. Place your Command light clips along the back of your sign, where you will gather up the light cords neatly, and allow the clips to set for one hour.  Run clips along the bottom of your sign for excess lights and cords.  This will keep them protected and off of the ground.  If you need to reposition a clip, it’s super easy! Just pull the strip straight down and the clip will pop cleanly off.  You can use a new strip and reuse the clip in the proper location.

10.  For the final step, using your nail gun or finishing nails and a hammer attach stakes to the back of the sign, lining the top up evenly with the sign. Place your sign in your yard and hammer stakes into ground to properly secure your sign.  Plug lights into a outdoor approved extension cord and watch your sign glow!

Be sure to see this video from John Storms, holiday lights display expert,  for more fabulous ways to use Outdoor Command Strip Products in your holiday decorating!

And we invite you to follow the Command Brand on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and YouTube for great ideas and projects using Command products!

Are you all ready for the holidays? If you still have some last minute outdoor decorating to do, be sure to grab you some of the Command Outdoor Products for easy and #damagefreeDIY !

I was provide product and composition from Command Brands for this project and post, but all opinions and ideas are my own.  Please see our full disclosure policy for more information.