Beautiful fonts for wood carving. How to make words from wood? What are these letters and inscriptions?

All photos from the article

If you are interested in interior design, then you couldn’t help but notice that many specialists very often use such a decorative option as individual letters or even entire inscriptions made from sheets of plywood. This material has a lot of advantages and is great for decorating rooms. In addition, such products have a very big advantage - they are made by hand and each inscription is unique and inimitable.

The main advantages of such products

To begin with, we’ll tell you what advantages this type of product has, such as letters and inscriptions:

Uniqueness	You can choose any font option and make it in any style, this allows you to emphasize the features of the environment and make it more comfortable and original. In addition, you can paint the elements in any color that suits your conditions best.
Affordable cost	The cost of the products is low, you will not spend a lot of money, since you can even use the waste remaining after finishing for the work. And if you buy the material, you will not incur large costs, since the price of plywood is low. Options with low moisture resistance are also suitable for work.
Availability of plywood	You can buy the raw materials needed for work at almost any building materials store; it is important to decide in advance optimal thickness to achieve the best result
Ease of processing	Most often, in order to carry out the work, you also need sandpaper to grind the surface and ends. Even those who have never performed such work can make letters or entire inscriptions. Below we will look at the whole process, and you will see for yourself that there is nothing complicated about it

Important!
Remember, the more complex the inscription, the more time it will take to work, so for the first time it is better to choose options with a simple font with a minimum of bends and various decorative elements.

How to carry out work

Now let's figure out how to make words from plywood with your own hands. The process is quite simple, but if you have never performed such work, then familiarize yourself with them the correct sequence This is absolutely necessary so as not to spoil the material.

Preparation

Making words from plywood consists of two stages, and the first of them is preparatory, and the final result directly depends on it.

Required whole line works:

First of all, you need to decide on the size of the finished product, and for this you need to know in advance where the inscription will be located and how much space it should take up. It is very important to determine all the parameters in advance in order to understand exactly what the final result will be in the future;
Next, you need to find the font itself that is suitable for your project. You can consider the options that are available in office applications. There are also many various types inscriptions on the Internet, you can download the required package and install it; the easiest way to carry out the work is using the Photoshop program.

IN modern world, when all spheres human life are subjected to merciless automation, I so want to create something with my own hands, putting my own soul into this object, and thereby please my family and close friends. One of best gifts It could be a product that you personally carve from wood, carrying some meaning and individuality that is suitable exactly for the person for whom this wonderful gift is being created. Today we will teach you how to cut clear letters yourself from natural wood quickly and easily with your own hands.

In this article you will learn how to create three-dimensional letters and inscriptions from wood with your own hands, which will allow you to create unique interior items and original gifts for all occasions.

The variety of words and products carved from wood is almost limitless, from the name of the person being gifted to his life motto with places for inserting photographs. A smart metric can become a wonderful gift for daughter and mother! Let the memories of the most important day always be in sight! Medal holders are also becoming very popular and will be a wonderful gift for a sports person. Medals are distinguished by their incredible diversity. Color, shape, size, figure - everything changes according to your wishes! A medal holder is not just an amazing gift for an athlete, and besides beautiful decoration for home!

How to cut letters from wood with your own hands in a step-by-step lesson

What might be needed to create letters and inscriptions from a solid piece of wood:

The first is a thoughtful stencil of letters or words if you want to cut it out entirely.
It is best to carry out such work on plywood with a thickness of 6 to 10 mm.
Copy paper and pencil for transferring the drawing onto the working material.
Convenient tools for cutting out letters. The choice of tools can be very wide - some prefer to cut with a jigsaw, others use a power tool. If you want to add texture to your product after carving, then a set of knives and chisels for wood carving will come in handy.

Cutting process:

1. There are a great variety of different ways to transfer a picture to wooden surface. You can read about all of them on the Internet, watch videos, learn many new and interesting ways creating original paintings on wood. But, in in this case, to avoid unnecessary waste effort, time and materials, a simple pencil and carbon paper are used.

2.The next step is to drill holes in the cavities of the letters so that they do not extend beyond the outline and do not touch the letters themselves. We only need these holes to place the blade of a working tool (a jigsaw or jigsaw) there.

You should be very careful when performing such work. It is worth remembering that with strong pressure the plywood may begin to crack, and then the product will be damaged.

3. It will be most convenient to use a hand jigsaw to saw off the word from the rest of the sheet of plywood and, perhaps, make the simplest upper and lower cuts.

4. It is more convenient to perform more delicate work on a jigsaw machine, due to the smaller size of the saw blade. Working with this machine allows you to carefully cut out the smallest and most fragile parts, but you will still need some experience and certain skills in working with this or similar

5.After the entire inscription has been properly processed, you can begin the final stages of processing wooden product- sanding the inscription, coating the finished product with varnish, or possible decoration appearance. You can decorate using decoupage techniques, the effect artificial aging, painting with any moisture-resistant paints or coating with special oils. But in any case, after all the manipulations, it is necessary to secure the work with transparent varnish.

Never forget about safety precautions when working with sharp cutting or electric tools! Always work with glasses and gloves! When working with a jigsaw, the cutting blade often bursts, flying in all directions, which can be very dangerous.

On next photo you can see all the materials that were used in this work to create a beautiful three-dimensional wood inscription.

Video master classes on the topic of the article

On next videos you can see in more detail how they are created from wood beautiful letters and inscriptions, as well as what tools the real ones use experienced craftsmen wood carvings.

Recently, various inscriptions and individual letters made of wood or plywood have become very popular. They are used in a wide variety of situations. You've probably seen similar products in some magazines dedicated to interior design, in gift and accessory stores, in wedding boutiques, in offices offering organization of events. Often such decorations appear in television projects about renovation and interior design. In addition, you may have seen similar signs in stores.

What are these letters and inscriptions?

Essentially, it’s just plywood from which words or individual letters are cut out using some tool (more on that later in the article), painted in a certain color and decorated various decor(paper, rhinestones, threads, etc.). But, more often than not, it is just an inscription (or letter) without any additional decorations.

These products may have different fastening formats. In order to hang them on the wall, you need to provide special hooks on the back. For location on flat surface- on a table or on a rack - they are mounted on a stand made of the same plywood or glass. In addition, they are often used without any additional fastenings. They simply place it on a flat surface, and the inscriptions or letters stand up due to their thickness. This is true for plywood products with a thickness of 12 mm or more.

Who needs such letters and words and why?

The question is correct and logical. After all, some readers might still not understand what kind of business this is. Who needs all these letters made of some kind of plywood? Where to use them? Why buy something like this at all? And who are these people - the buyers of “plywood words”? Let's look at these seven questions in order.

Where can all these words and letters made from plywood be used? Let's give some illustrative examples. And then you can figure it out for yourself.

Inscriptions for interior decoration. Despite the apparent simplicity of these products, they look simply amazing in real life. Especially if they are painted with high-quality expensive paint. Such inscriptions can be placed on a rack, on bookshelf, on the fireplace, on the desktop. They can decorate the walls of a house or apartment, giving the interior an unusual, modern and very stylish look.

Another area of application is creating a background for photo shoots. Now you can take pictures not just at home or in the park, but in a specially equipped studio. Just don’t confuse them with traditional komorkas, where they take passport photos in 5 minutes. We are talking about modern studios, where there are not only very different classes and purposes, but also various decorations to create a beautiful background. Words (and other figures) made of plywood are actively used by photographers to create thematic backgrounds for photo shoots.

Need more examples? Fine. Weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, corporate events. Everywhere, letters and words made from plywood sheets, written in fashionable fonts and painted in stylish colors, will be a wonderful holiday decoration. No worse than the already pretty boring balloons and flowers. And for the birthday boy, you can generally prepare a gift by cutting out his name and age, for example, from plywood. Such crafts are especially loved by young mothers who are happy to buy these paraphernalia to celebrate their child’s birthday.

You can also make stylish inscriptions from plywood for restaurants, bars, cafes, shops, offices, etc. If you look at the world with your eyes wide open, you can understand that inscriptions and letters made of wood can be used almost anywhere where you want to add style, design and beauty.

How to organize a home business for making inscriptions from plywood?

This business has three components - equipment and raw materials, the manufacturing process and the search for distribution channels. That's all. It seems that everything is simple. Actually... it's simple.

Very often, such a business is organized by those people who are faced with the purchase of such accessories. When you need one such inscription, then, no problem, we order and receive it. But when a lot of letters or inscriptions are needed, many begin to think about the high cost of these products. And they are really not cheap.

Potential buyers begin to study the issue and come to the conclusion that it is more profitable (and more interesting) to make such inscriptions themselves. Right at home. Moreover, you can get by simple equipment, and the raw materials are quite inexpensive. So, step by step, buyers turn into entrepreneurs.

Let's move on to organizing a business. Let's start with equipment and raw materials.

There is only one raw material in this matter - plywood. True, sheets of different thicknesses will be needed for different purposes. Just don't use it too much thin plywood(less than 6 mm) - it can quickly lose its shape, and therefore its presentation. In addition to plywood, you will need paint. You can use different types, but many “experimenters” end up choosing acrylic. This paint applies better, dries faster, holds tighter and looks very, very presentable.

Plywood costs about 500 rubles per sheet of 1.5×1.5 m format. Paint - depending on the manufacturer - from 150 rubles per liter.

Equipment. Everything here is very interesting. Each master cuts letters from plywood in the way that seems more convenient to him. Or those for which there is currently enough money. Because the price range is from several hundred rubles to hundreds of thousands.

The simplest tool is a jigsaw. Regular hand jigsaw. Even with its help you can cut out the most bizarre shapes. Including letters and entire inscriptions. There are a lot of advantages - accuracy, ease of use, low cost. Such a tool is worth even the most High Quality no more than 1000 rubles. And non-branded models can be purchased for 150-200 rubles. The same goes for consumables– files – they also cost 100 rubles for a whole set (expensive ones – the same price per piece).

Among the disadvantages of a manual jigsaw, the following can be noted. Firstly, the ability to work only with small inscriptions. You won't be able to cut a large surface with a jigsaw. Because it will be simply impossible to crawl up. Secondly, not every hand jigsaw can easily handle plywood with a thickness of more than 10-12 mm. It will work, of course, but it will take a lot of time. And you won't need a single spare file. Thirdly, manual cutting with large volumes is a very problematic task. Whatever one may say, it’s difficult to work with your hands. And it won't happen quickly.

Therefore, the second option is an electric jigsaw. Has almost all the benefits of a regular jigsaw, but significantly speeds up manufacturing process. In addition, it allows you to saw even very thick plywood - 30-40 mm. The disadvantage is the price. Good model(Bosh, Makita) will cost 4000-6000 rubles.

Another option is a jigsaw. There are two types. The first real machine, which is similar in size and appearance to a machine. Such units cost from 15,000 rubles or more. For those who want to save (both money and space in their home), there are also desktop jigsaw machines. They look like sewing machine. And in size, about the same. Prices start from 3000 rubles.

Well, the most expensive option is automated milling machine. Price tag – from 150,000 rubles and more. But it seriously saves time and performs cutting flawlessly. In addition, it can be used not only for plywood, but also for wood, glass, acrylic and even metal. All this opens up new prospects for business development.

In general, choose the option that suits you. A lot here depends on your financial capabilities, as well as on the type of home you have. Well, it is very problematic to place the machine within an ordinary apartment.

Now about the manufacturing process. It is clear that at the last stage the inscription is cut out with a jigsaw or on a machine, after which it is sanded and painted. But another question arises - where does this inscription even come from?

First you need to install any graphics program on your computer. The ideal option is Photoshop. Moreover, today it has become available. The license costs about $20 per month. Next, download various fonts. Of course, we are interested in beautiful designer fonts. Just make sure that they are free (this will avoid problems in the future). Or buy good quality fonts.

The further process is simple and clear. We create an inscription in the program the right size and using the desired font. We add some elements that will become part of the composition. Be careful - the letters and all elements of the inscription must be a single whole. That is, all elements must have points of contact. Otherwise, it will be impossible to cut out a whole word.

Next, print out the resulting template. You may have to print it on several sheets if the writing is large and long. We take plywood, apply our template, after placing carbon paper. We secure everything so that the inscription does not move around on the plywood. And we transfer everything to a blank for the future inscription. We remove the stencil and carbon paper. All. The material is ready. All that remains is to cut and paint.

Now about the implementation process. Of course, at first no one knows about you. Therefore, your initial goal is to shine. Wherever possible. Make some cool signs. Take good pictures. It might be worth inviting a great photographer. Create a portfolio. And then – leave your portfolio on message boards, on thematic sites and forums, on special platforms, such as the “Masters Fair”. Take a tour of gift shops, wedding salons, and offices that organize holidays. Offer them your products. After some time, the first orders will arrive. And then word of mouth will work. This will provide you with constant orders. And a stable income. Good luck!

Plywood is superior and practical building material, which is used in various directions National economy. Quite often, plywood products are used for decorative design interiors. And for organizing festive events, such trinkets are sometimes simply irreplaceable.

A huge number of toys, flowerpots and panels, souvenirs, carved shelves and furniture parts are made from this material, but special place among the products made of plywood, there are original decorative elements.

These elements include:

two-dimensional figures;
patterns and drawings;
all kinds of ornaments;
volumetric letters made of plywood, etc.

All these details, if you have the appropriate skills, can become not only unique works of your own hands, but can also effectively emphasize any interior style or theme of a festive event. Moreover, letters made of plywood are especially popular because they are universal in their own way and have a wide range of applications.

Plywood letters can be used as:

signs;
advertising signs;
extraordinary gifts;
souvenirs;
visual aids for school-age children;
templates for creativity;
decor for creative and wedding photo sessions;
decorative elements for festive events and celebrations;
preparations for presentations and conferences;

Note! If you want to make letters from plywood for a wedding or for any other purpose, even after using them for their intended purpose, your work will not be in vain. Products can be used repeatedly and find further application, decorating your home interior in an original way.

Most often, letters are used to decorate living rooms, children's rooms and bathrooms. And the owners country houses will be able to decorate a terrace or gazebo with such letters, making it cozy and unique. They look especially impressive in interiors made from natural materials: wood and stone.

Thanks to the huge variety of design trends modern interiors, plywood letters can be a charming addition to any room and will bring a unique atmosphere and charm to it.

As you can see, such products are in demand nowadays and provide an opportunity to improve your skills in handling wood. And if you want to make letters from plywood, the master class, which you can read below, describes in detail the manufacturing technology. Using this information, you can not only acquire an interesting and useful creative hobby, but also develop your artistic taste, and with some success, even turn this activity into a source of additional income.

Production of plywood blanks

Before cutting out letters from plywood, make sure in advance that you have all the tools necessary for the work, as well as materials and devices.

The list of tools includes:

jigsaw, it is better if it is electric;
a device designed for burning wood;
milling machine;
abrasive paper;
reciprocating saw;
fasteners;
tape measure and ruler for taking measurements;
a simple pencil for marking;
a soft sponge and several brushes;
set for making drawings;
router;
scissors.

In addition to the above tools, you will need:

fabric or cotton fabric, the shade of which matches the color design your interior;
sheet plywood of appropriate thickness;
varnish composition light shade, intended for opening wooden surfaces;
acrylic-based varnish composition;
acrylic based paints;
stain;
ribbons, beads and other decorative elements;
foam;
whatman.

Note! Before you start making products, prepare workplace. Make sure you have plenty of free space working surface must be clean and well lit.

In order to cut out letters from plywood with high quality, you will need to make a preliminary layout. Create a paper sketch taking into account the dimensions you need, you can use the color version. The letters can be written in the style of any font you like and can have absolutely any overall dimensions.

To make your work easier, you can print the finished diagram on a printer. Otherwise, using a drawing set and a drawing board, transfer letters of the required size onto whatman paper in accordance with the sketch. Then, according to the markings, cut out the templates with scissors, attach them to the plywood sheet and trace along the contour with a pencil, transferring the markings to the material.

Note! To improve the appearance of letters or words, the diagram can be complicated and drawings and patterns can be applied to the blanks, which will be cut out using electric jigsaw for artistic cutting.

A plywood blank can be cut not only with a jigsaw, but also with a reciprocating saw, but it is still preferable to use the first tool. Cutting blade It should be firmly attached to the jigsaw. The material is cut strictly along the marked marking lines. Through lace patterns are made with the same jigsaw or milling machine.

When cutting, do not forget to leave small allowances on the workpiece. This is done so that in the process of smoothing the edges and sanding the surface, the resulting letter has the required size. The surface of the product must be as flat and smooth as possible for applying the varnish composition.

Note! Applying varnish is carried out only after you have cleaned the workpiece from dust, which is formed during the process of cutting plywood and sanding it. Only under this condition can the composition be applied efficiently and evenly.

Carrying out varnishing and burning work

A layer of varnish is applied in full accordance with the manufacturer's instructions included with each package. The workpiece dries well, and excess varnish can be removed by wiping the letter with a rag.

The process of varnishing, drying and wiping is performed several times. Each time the shade of your product becomes one shade darker, so the number of layers depends on what color you want to achieve.

Note! If you want to get a wood surface as a result and emphasize the features of its texture, after the workpiece is completed, a layer of stain is applied to the plywood. Then the surface is sanded.

If you need a wood texture, then you can safely use enamel paint on water based. To do this, you should apply a layer of primer and dry the product for 10-12 hours. After which another layer of primer is applied, which is also given time to dry.

Various inscriptions and individual signs made of wood or colored plywood began to gain popularity. Products made from plywood can be seen on the pages of some magazines dedicated to interior design, in stylish gift and accessory stores, in wedding salons, and in companies offering to organize parties and celebrations. Often, such plywood decorations appear in television projects about interior design and renovation. In IKEA stores you can also buy sets of letters and inscriptions from their plywood; such goods are bought by both individuals and entrepreneurs.

What are these inscriptions and signs made of plywood?

A sheet of plywood from which words or individual characters are cut out using a tool, painted in different colors and decorated with various decor (for example, paper, rhinestones, colored threads, etc.). But, as a rule, these are just words (or letters) without additional decoration. They use different formats for attaching to the surface. There is a hook at the back for wall mounting. For a flat surface, they are mounted on a glass stand on a shelf or table. If the letters are thicker than 12 mm, they are simply placed on the surface and they stand due to their dimensions. This is usually done indoors. You will have to attach letters outside.

Who needs such plywood signs and why?

The question is correct, where to use them? Why buy such sets at all? And who are they - the buyers of “plywood words”? Let's look at each question in detail. Where can you use plywood words? Let us give a number of well-known examples. Perhaps you yourself will add 2-3 options. Interior decorations for residential or office space. Despite the seeming primitiveness of these products, they look interesting in the room. Especially if the plywood words are covered with high-quality expensive paint. Such plywood inscriptions can be placed on a shelf, on a fireplace, just on a desktop, on a shelf with CDs or books.

Letters can be used to creatively decorate the walls of any home, giving the interior of the apartment an unusual and modern design. Another option for using inscriptions and letters made of plywood is to create a background for photo shoots. Nowadays it is fashionable to take photographs not just within the walls of the house, but in a specially created studio. We are talking specifically about modern studios, where the interior contains not only modern photographic equipment, but also stylish decorations for installing a beautiful interior.

Words (and other signs) made from plywood are used by photographers to create beautiful backdrops for photo shoots. Give more examples? Weddings, birthdays, parties, corporate events. Everywhere, plywood words and letters created in trendy fonts and painted in stylish colors will make a stunning holiday decoration.

This is a good replacement for balloons and flowers. For those who have a birthday, you can make a gift by cutting out their name and age from colored plywood. Young mothers are the most active buyers of such gifts. You can also use plywood to create stylish inscriptions for signs of restaurants, bars, pizzerias, shops, offices, etc. If you think carefully, you can conclude that inscriptions and letters made of plywood can be used almost anywhere where it is necessary to add creative style, design and a new interior.

How to start a plywood lettering business?

This craft has only three components - equipment and raw materials, technology for manufacturing and marketing products. Let's take a closer look. As a rule, such small businesses are started by those people who themselves once bought similar accessories. When you need one such inscription, everything is simple, we order and pay. But when you need to purchase a lot of letters or inscriptions, then thoughts arise about the price of these products. And the cost is quite decent for plywood inscriptions.

Potential clients begin to study the demand for products and come to the conclusion that it is easier and more profitable to set up production themselves, thereby opening their own small business. And all this at home, you will need simple equipment and affordable raw materials. We will tell you in more detail what is needed, what equipment and raw materials.

The raw material is ordinary plywood. It is worth considering that sheets of different thicknesses are needed for different purposes. You should not use plywood less than 6 mm thick. – it is not durable and may look unpresentable. Paint is also needed. In this case, acrylic paint is the ideal option. This paint fits perfectly on plywood, dries faster, and the final product looks quite presentable. The cost of plywood is 500 rubles per sheet measuring 1.5 x 1.5 m. Acrylic paint– from 150 rubles per liter. The choice of equipment depends on financial capabilities. The most primitive and accessible tool is a jigsaw. Yes, that's right, a simple hand jigsaw. Even with its help it is easy to cut out the most bizarre shapes and plywood, letters and entire inscriptions. A jigsaw means precise cutting, simplicity, and low cost. The cost is approximately 1000 rubles. There are options for 200 rubles.

Files also cost 100 rubles for a whole set (more expensive ones cost the same price per unit). A manual jigsaw also has its disadvantages. Work is possible only with small letters. It will not be possible to saw a large sheet of plywood. Not every hand jigsaw can be used for plywood with a thickness of more than 10-12 mm. Cutting with your hands is a very labor-intensive task. Manual labor complex and not suitable for large volumes of work. There is another option to purchase an electric jigsaw. Significantly speeds up the production process. He can cut plywood 30-40 mm thick. The price is appropriate, the model (Bosh, Makita) costs 4000-6000 rubles.

A jigsaw works just as well. They are produced in two types. The first large machine, such units cost an average of 15,000 rubles or more. For those who do not want to overpay for the sale of tabletop jigsaw machines. They are similar in appearance and size to a sewing machine. Prices start at 3800 rubles.

Well, the most expensive option is to purchase an automated milling machine. The price tag starts from 150,000 rubles and above. But it saves time on production, cuts out letters as needed according to your idea. It can also be used not only for working on plywood, but also on wood, acrylic, plastic and metal. All these advantages open up new opportunities for developing a manufacturing business. Using a machine will give you a head start over your competitors.

In general, you should choose the option that suits you. Much depends on the availability of funds and suitable premises. A large machine obviously won’t fit into standard apartment. Now about the manufacturing method. It’s clear that letters or words are cut out with a jigsaw or using a machine, then sanded and painted with acrylic.

But where does this inscription or letter even come from? You need to install any graphics program on your computer; Photoshop is the ideal option. Next, we install a variety of designer fonts.

Everything else is simple and clear. IN graphics program We create the necessary inscription of the desired design and size. Add beautiful elements that will become the inscription. Be careful - the signs and all elements of the inscription must eventually become a single whole. Let us explain that all elements of the inscription must have points of contact. Next, print the resulting template onto cardboard. We take a sheet of plywood and place it on a cardboard template, having previously placed carbon paper under it. We secure the structure so that the inscription does not move. And we translate the inscription to plywood blank to create a future inscription. We remove the cardboard stencil and carbon paper. The inscription is ready. Next we cut and paint.

How to sell a product? Of course, at the beginning of a business, no one knows about your products. Therefore, your main goal is to shine wherever possible. Create some beautiful lettering. Take pictures of the inscriptions from all possible angles. You may have to invest in a great photographer. Create your first portfolio. Upload your portfolio to your website, which can be created using templates. And then - leave a link to the portfolio or the pictures themselves on bulletin boards, on thematic sites, portals and forums, on special sites of interest, such as the “Masters Fair”.

Go to gift shops, wedding salons, companies organizing events, call photographers and toastmasters. Show and offer them your finished products. Next, wait for the first orders. Then, word of mouth will work among your potential clients. Personal recommendations will provide you with new orders. And as a result, a stable income.