DIY Light-Up Pallet Flag

 

Flag Day is almost here and I’m getting excited!  Do you know why ?  Because Flag Day, June 14th, is not only the birth of our U.S. flag, it is also MY birthday! Happy birthday to us!!  Yay!

I’ve always loved those cool, old-looking pallet wooden flags that you see on people’s front porches.  This pallet flag is no different, except for one thing…

It lights up!

Not only does it look great during the day, but at night the shining stars gives it that extra dazzle!

 

Isn’t this fun and festive!! If you would like to make one like this, be sure to check out my full tutorial below!  

 

DIY Light-Up Pallet Flag – Tutorial

 

Tools:

• Miter Saw
• Nail Gun or hammer with box of 1 1/4in long finishing nails
• Hot glue gun (to secure lights in stars) and hot glue sticks
• My DIY Easy Wood Stain (to make wood look old)

Supplies:

1. (2) 1x2s at 3ft 4in long
2. (8) 1x3s at 3ft 4in long
3. (2) 1x2s at 1ft 5 1/4in long
4. Red, white, and blue paint (I used acrylic paint from the craft store)
5. Small star stencil (mine was approx. 2in tall)
6. Paint brush
7. Stencil Sponge
8. Painters tape
9. (1) String of fairy lights with the mini bulbs.  You’ll need as many lights on your string as you have stars on your flag (Since I had 20 stars, I used a 20 bulb string)  You can order a string like mine HERE

Images of Supplies:

1. (2) 1x2s at 3ft 4in long
2. (8) 1x3s at 3ft 4in long
3. (2) 1x2s at 1ft 5 1/4in long

 

     4. Red, white, and blue paint (I used acrylic paint from the craft store)

     5. Small star stencil (mine was approx. 2in tall)

     6. Paint brush

     7. Stencil Sponge

     8. Painters tape

 

      9. (1) String of fairy lights with the mini bulbs.  You’ll need as many lights on your string as you have stars on your flag (Since I had 20 stars, I used a 20 bulb string)  You can order a string like              mine HERE

 

Note: 

Battery powered lights vs. Plug-in lights:   Since I prefer having both options of either using batteries to run my lights, or having a cord that plugs into a socket (which will save my batteries), I ordered myself a SWITCH IT plug in (shown in below pic).  This way I can use my batteries for times when my sign is on display where there’s no electric plug-in socket.  If there IS an electric socket nearby, I simply take my batteries out, put in the ‘fake’ batteries (that are attached to my SWITCH IT plug), then plug it into the socket!  (It’s so easy, I just love this thing!)  You can order one HERE.

Let’s get started!

DIY Light Up Pallet Flag – Directions:

Nailing Wood:

First, push the 1x3s together, then nail on the 1x2s along the edges, making a frame (I made sure to put two nails into each end of the 1x3s to make everything sturdy).

Flip it over.

Stain Wood:

Slap on some of my DIY easy wood stain to make the wood look old.

Now let it dry.

Preparing to Paint:

I started taping off where I wanted the blue square to be on my flag.  I counted down 4 strips of wood and started my taped line there.

Then, where I wanted the stripes, I taped off the edges of every other board, leaving only the boards exposed that I would paint only the red stripes, as shown below.

Painting:

Painting was easy as I simply dry-brushed the colors on as described below….

First, dip the tip of the brush into the paint and dab off most of the the excess.

Then, run the tip of the brush along the surface of the wood.  Go with the grain of the wood, making sure NOT to fill in all of the cracks, and to leave some unpainted wood showing through.

Peel off the tape where you just painted the stripes.  Let dry.

Next, tape off the edges of the red stripes, leaving only the boards exposed that will be painted white.

Dry-brush on the white stripes.

Remove all of the tape and let dry.

Now tape off the outer edges of where your blue square will be.

Dry-brush on the blue paint.

Remove the tape and let dry.

Stenciling the Stars:

Time to paint on the white stars.  Be sure to dab most of the excess paint off of the stencil sponge before dabbing on the paint, so that the stars will also have an old ‘worn’ look

(As a side note, make sure you paint your stars close enough together so that the lights will reach each one…you’ll want a little extra slack of wire in-between stars, as shown below).

Done with the painting!

Spray Finish:

Spray on a clear finish (I did not want my flag to have a glossy finish, so I used satin (or matte) coat.

Adding Lights:

First, find a drill bit that’s the same diameter as the mini light bulbs.

Drill a hole in the center of each star.

Next, stick the lights through the holes from the back, as shown below.

After you have your lights in place, on the back of your flag, dab a little hot glue over each hole to secure each light.

Next, I used a piece of sticky-backed Velcro to mount the battery box to the back. I hot glued each piece of Velcro (on the sticky side), one to the board and the other, to the plastic battery box. It is very important that one needs to have the “Loops” (the wood) and the other (the box), has the “Hooks” in order for the Velcro to stick.

Now you are finished!

 

Here’s the flag not lit up yet…looks great in the day light! 

..and here it is with the stars all lit up! It looks spectacular and very sparkly!  

Happy birthday to the flag, to our country and to me!   🙂   Enjoy!

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DIY Rustic Light Up Pallet Flag

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