Reader Project: Nautical Walnut Wedding Sign With White Epoxy Lettering

Photo of author

Mike, a beginner woodworker from Columbus, Ohio, built a walnut wedding sign for friends tying the knot at the end of September. Their combined bachelor/bachelorette party was a weekend out boating, so he ran with a nautical theme — anchor, ship’s wheel, sailboat and compass rose set in a band of blue epoxy.

All the lettering was hand-routed and filled with white epoxy to pop against the dark walnut, with Mirrorcoat epoxy over the top. The build took about three weeks around weather and a day job, working from his own design with just a table saw and a router.

In Mike’s words

I created an epoxy-filled sign for some friends who are getting married at the end of September. Their bachelor/bachelorette party was together out boating on a lake for a weekend, so I did a nautical theme for the sign.

I hand-routed all the lettering and poured white epoxy in the letters to make it stand out against the dark walnut wood.

The build

  • Project type: Decorative sign
  • Skill level: Beginner
  • Wood: Walnut
  • Finish: Mirrorcoat epoxy
  • Tools: Table saw, router
  • Time: About three weeks, around weather and a day job
  • Plans: His own design

Biggest challenge

My biggest challenge was pouring the epoxy. I unfortunately don’t have a climate-controlled shop to work in. The first epoxy pour never cured properly, so I had to cut the whole middle out and re-do the pour.

Photos

The finished walnut sign held up outdoors, with hand-routed lettering filled in white epoxy and a blue epoxy band carrying the anchor, ship's wheel, sailboat and compass rose.
The finished walnut sign held up outdoors, with hand-routed lettering filled in white epoxy and a blue epoxy band carrying the anchor, ship’s wheel, sailboat and compass rose.
The finished sign standing on its own: two walnut boards flanking a blue epoxy band that carries the nautical icons, with the hand-routed lettering filled in white.
The finished sign standing on its own: two walnut boards flanking a blue epoxy band that carries the nautical icons, with the hand-routed lettering filled in white.
Where it started: the rough walnut board on the bench before any cutting or routing.
Where it started: the rough walnut board on the bench before any cutting or routing.
Both boards with the lettering hand-routed and still empty, before any epoxy went in.
Both boards with the lettering hand-routed and still empty, before any epoxy went in.
White epoxy poured into the routed letters and sanded flush, with the anchor, ship's wheel, sailboat and compass rose cutouts laid out between the boards.
White epoxy poured into the routed letters and sanded flush, with the anchor, ship’s wheel, sailboat and compass rose cutouts laid out between the boards.
The middle section clamped up for the blue epoxy pour, the part Mike had to cut out and redo after the first pour never cured.
The middle section clamped up for the blue epoxy pour, the part Mike had to cut out and redo after the first pour never cured.

Find Mike at mpwoodwerx.com.

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