Bare walls simply beg for an artistic and colorful accent; a great way to fill the wallspace is to create your own customized design. It's easy to craft a striking piece of art - just follow the instructions listed here. First, measure the space you wish to fill. Transfer the dimensions to graph paper, and sketch an arrangement of squares and rectangles within your dimensions. Then cut, prime, paint and arrange the pieces of plywood according to your plan.
General Instructions
Rough Cost Estimate: $80
The arrangement pictured measures 74-inches wide and 42-inches tall, filling the space above a king-size bed. Our instructions show how to create this design, but you can customize the overall dimensions by adjusting the sizes and number of individual pieces. We used three quarts of paint -- a light, medium and dark shade of the same color -- to create our look. You can select any palette to finish your creation.
Step-by-Step
1. Using a circular saw or table saw, cut the four squares as shown in Illustration 1.
2. Lightly sand all rough edges, and then prime each of the 11 pieces. Using two to three coats, paint each piece according to Illustration 2. Allow to dry completely.
3. Place the pieces facedown on a clean, flat surface, and arrange them per Illustration 3. We assembled our pieces into two separate assemblies for easier hanging. The overlap joints that are not glued are marked as dotted lines in Illustration 3.
4. Join the pieces using Gorilla Glue, beginning with the larger ones. Following the manufacturer’s instructions, use a thin bead of glue at least 1-1/2 inches from the outer edges of each piece. (This will allow room for the glue to expand.) Then wipe away the excess glue. Place heavy objects on top of the plywood pieces while the glue dries to achieve a secure bond.
5. Cut three 1-1/2-inch-long and one 5-1/2-inch-long cleats from the poplar board. To protect the wall behind your creation, cut 45-degree bevels on each end of the cleats. Then, using a level, glue the cleats to the two arrangements per Illustration 3. With 1/2-inch-long wood screws, attach a strap/wire mirror hanger to each cleat as shown. Hang as desired with appropriate fasteners.
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