DIY: "Hello" sign

I recently removed some house numbers from my vinyl siding and it left behind a bit of a sticky mess. I had to cover it up with something and was inspired by several "hello" signs I saw on Etsy. "Welcome" is a bit forward - not everyone who comes to my front door is necessarily welcome (take heed, solicitors) but "hello" seemed friendly and neutral enough.

I had planned on making my own rustic backboard but came across a pre-made one that was just the right size while browsing at Michaels. I found the "hello" at Hobby Lobby - it was already "finished" when I would have just preferred a plywood one but it was also the perfect size so... here they are.




I did a quick sand of the backing and then stained it two coats of Special Walnut followed by two coats of poly.

I debated on what color to paint the "hello" - bright yellow, white, or green. I decided on the same green that I had painted our front door - "Mountain Forest" by Behr.  I was concerned that the darker green might not stand out against the walnut stain so I painted two coats of white on first so that I could distress the letters afterward to help define the edges.  Three coats of green later and I started sanding down the edges. It turned out pretty well.

I attached the letters to the boards with liquid nails.

Now to attach the board to the house. I didn't want to permanently glue them to the vinyl in case the sign didn't weather well. I ended up using 3M Command Velcro Small Picture Hanging Strips. The wood letters were quite heavy so I over-compensated and used six. I attached them to the back of the board and pressed it against the house with maximum pressure for a minute. Then I closed my eyes and slowly let go... they held!!!

 Obligatory Setter photo.