A homemade wall decoration made of wood looks decorative and unusual, with a slight vintage flair. It's easy to attach paper-printed images to a wood panel, and you don't need to put wood into your printer.
The principle works really easily. All you need is a picture printed on copy paper, a suitably sized wooden board and white glue. We present 3 easy methods on how to transfer a photo to wood.
How do you print pictures on wood?
The idea is super easy to copy and looks really vintage. Black and white images printed on plain copy paper are best. In addition, you can choose a colored motif. But we have to admit that not all details are transferred cleanly. The result isa rustic picturecompared to normal pressure. A clean wooden board is ideal as a surface, but also a canvas. The adhesive needed to get the best results is called Gel Medium. There is also a special photo transfer potch available.
Instructions: Transfer photo onto wooden board
The image you want to transfer to the wood should be printed out on plain copy paper. It's best to use thin paper, but definitely not photo paper. You should print the image or motif with a laser printer. Use a simple wooden board made of pine as the base. You can also use canvas. However, there is a risk that the paint will rub off and smear unsightly on the surface. Of course, this can create great, artistic effects. What is most important is that the surface is very smooth so that the image has contact with it everywhere when transferring.
The wood can be sanded down a bit if it is not very smooth. If you like the color of the natural wood, leave it that way. Otherwise, you can lighten it to make the image really stand out. Simply use white acrylic paint. Dilute this with water if you don't want an opaque white. Apply one or more coats of white and allow it to dry completely.
Coat the picture and the surface evenly with the glue. You can use sponge or cloth. This has to be done quickly, otherwise the paper will tear. Then place the photo face down on the wood and carefully smooth it out without any bubbles. Now you have to be patient and let it dry overnight or blow dry for 15 minutes.
The next day, moisten the paper with a wet sponge. Blot the paper until it becomes semi-transparent and well softened. Optionally, you can moisten the image directly under the tap. However, the board must not be completely immersed in water, otherwise the wood will swell and deform. Now all the paper needs to be carefully rubbed off.
Removing the paper is a bit laborious and you have to do it really carefully. In between, the motif should be allowed to dry out and, if necessary, moistened again. The motif remains on the non-water-soluble transfer medium and is now transferred to the wood. It's best to prepare a sponge and a bowl of lukewarm water. First, soften the paper and rub it off carefully.
When scrubbing the paper, you sometimes have to make several passes to completely remove the paper. You can even use an old toothbrush and wet the surface several times. Just be careful not to apply too much pressure and not to damage the toner layer. In some places, for example the corners and edges, you can even sand with fine-grain sandpaper. This strengthens the vintage effect and creates a very natural transition to wood.
When all paper residue has been removed, the image is sealed again with a layer of glue. For a perfect finish, apply wood varnish in satin or glossy, depending on your taste. If you exhibit your works outside, it makes sense to use weather-resistant outdoor varnish. By coating it with varnish, the image not only lasts longer, but the colors also become richer and brighter.
If the picture should be hung, simply attach a hanger to the back. Optionally, you can drill a hole in the back so that the picture can be hung on nails on the wall. Alternatively, two holes are drilled next to each other and a string is inserted for hanging. Another option, but quite more complex, would be to mount a foot on the back. This means that the beautiful picture can be placed on any surface.
Make your own vintage decoration: print pictures on wood
You can make great decorative items yourself using this principle. In addition, you can personalize any wooden board or driftwood in this way and use it decoratively. Wonderful and creative idea for an individually designed gift for a birthday or wedding. The homemade signs look very professional and will certainly not end up gathering dust in any drawer or corner. To achieve this, choose really beautiful motifs and adapt them to the person or the occasion. Almost any image printed with a laser printer can be used as a motif to be transferred to the wooden board.
Family photos, animal pictures, portrait photos, lettering and texts can be transferred to wood using this simple technique. Black and white motifs work particularly well, and they look good even if the details are not 100% transferred. Individual elements that are related to each other can be wonderfully attached to several small wooden panels. This means you create a whole set and not just stand-alone decorative elements. Beautifully arranged on a shelf or on the mantel, these are sure to be eye-catchers.
Great DIY gift idea: wooden board with message
If you want to put lettering, text or messages on wood, you must definitely print out the motif in reverse. In addition, an important prerequisite for the photo to be transferred to wood is that it is printed using a laser printer. In an inkjet printer, the ink is absorbed by the paper. The other way around, the laser printer applies the ink, the toner, to the surface of the paper and fixes it.
The motif created by laser printing can be attached to a surface relatively easily, even without glue. If you have used a wooden board to transfer a message to, the effect will be similar to that of the wood engraving itself. No special tools are required here, i.e. no marker or gravograph. You can even design the label or message yourself on the computer. Choose a font that you like and simply print it out mirror-inverted in the appropriate size. This is particularly important because the text is transferred down to the plate. It is also recommended to choose images with high contrast or to improve them using an editing program. Black and white motifs look especially better when transferred to the wooden panel. In colored images, the color transitions are not very good and small details are hardly visible later due to the wood grain. Optionally, only the area on which the motif is to be printed can be painted white.
There are now two options for transferring a text or message onto a wooden board - with an iron or with a pencil. Both methods require a certain amount of skill and patience for precise manual work. You can easily get the text on another surface using an iron. First, place the motif exactly in the middle with the beautiful side down and secure it at the edges with adhesive tape. The iron is set to the highest temperature. The higher the temperature, the better the transfer works. Be careful that the plastic tape will melt if it comes into contact with the iron. That's why it makes sense to use paper tape or masking tape here. Iron the back several times with the iron, allow to cool briefly and carefully remove the paper. If the paper is holding very tightly in some places, you can spray with brake cleaner. Alternatively, moisten with water, but only a little, otherwise the wood will absorb the moisture and the lettering will smear. After you remove the paper, the transferred image may not be uniform and well reproduced. You can touch them up by hand using a permanent marker or a small brush and some paint.
Print image on wood without glue
Depending on which effect is desired - vintage, handmade or more perfectly manufactured, the surface should first be sanded smooth and treated differently. The finer and planed the surface is, the cleaner and clearer the result will be later. To keep the design looking clean, you can lightly moisten the paper before transferring, but do not wet it. It's best to use a spray bottle. Brake cleaner can also be used for this purpose. It comes off very easily and no traces remain visible later.
After transferring, the motif immediately becomes waterproof and smudge-proof. But so that it lasts longer and the color doesn't fade, we recommend painting the whole thing with a few layers of varnish and thus protecting the picture from external effects. Water-based paints work without any problems. Others can dissolve the toner and smear the image, so play it safe and use a spray can, but use it sparingly.
Perhaps the easiest method for transferring an image or writing to another surface, without the need for glue or transfer media, is to use a pencil. Take the selected image that you previously printed (whether with a laser or inkjet printer) and rub the back with graphite or pencil. Then center the sheet of paper on the wooden board with the back or pencil side facing down. Fix in the correct position with adhesive tape.
Now draw the contours of the illustration over it with a hard pencil or another pen. You need to apply a little more pressure, but don't overdo it, otherwise unsightly marks will appear on the wooden panel. When you remove the paper, you will notice that the motif or writing on the wooden board is depicted relatively accurately. All you have to do is touch it up and draw over it again with a permanent marker, pen or brush and paint. In the last step, you can refine the product with sealing varnish if you wish. This gives it a perfect finish and will appear higher quality. For example, ordinary wood varnish is suitable for this, but also Art Potch.
Transfer photo to wood with acetone
Depending on what kind of surface the selected motif needs to be transferred to, you can even try out a simpler technique. You only need a small amount of acetone. Soak a piece of kitchen paper in it and use it to coat the back of the laser-printed motif. Of course you can't expect photo quality, but the result is really nice for the little effort. Finally, as already mentioned, treat with sealing varnish to make the picture last longer. Once the varnish has dried, the wood print is also finished.
DIY for the children's room: make your own measuring stick
Using this simple principle, you can create really great decorative elements for your home. Here we propose another idea for a height chart for children's rooms. A long wooden slat is needed here, which should be divided to the millimeter. You can transfer the numbers to the specific places using the wood printing principle, which we have already shown above, or you can use stencils. When attaching it to the wall later, make sure you get the measurements exactly. To achieve the goal, mark the respective areas with chalk or pencil beforehand. You are welcome to decorate the self-designed meter strip with different motifs. You can transfer these onto the wooden panel like photos or you can simply use self-adhesive stickers. Leave enough space for height and corresponding date to be entered. It is best to place the meter bar next to the door or a cupboard and use it to nicely decorate a corner in the children's room that needs variety.
Feel free to experiment with different shapes and colors. With a little creativity you can achieve completely different results. Cutting boards or wooden boxes can also be used as a base. This allows small items to be personalized and printed, which hardly costs anything. On occasion, this simple wood print is suitable for labeling cutting boards, which would perfectly complement the kitchen decoration. With a lovingly and individually designed gift, you are sure to put happy faces on the recipient's faces everywhere.
