DIY Wooden World Map Art
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Decorate your walls with this beautiful DIY Wooden World Map for a fraction of store bought price.
Last week while perusing the web I came across an amazing Wooden World Map on Vivaterra (no longer available). I thought that it would be a gorgeous addition to my son Jack’s room-he is very much a little geography nut. The price tag however-a whopping $475-was not going to work. I knew I could make my own knock-off.
If you like this DIY tutorial you should also check out how to hang curtains with command hooks!
How to Make a Wood World Map
I started by creating a wood base with scraps left over from my DIY Headboard build a while back. I simply nailed the planks to the scrap wood on the back to stabilize them.
I then printed off a map template online and began the painstaking process of tracing it onto the wood-the easiest way to do this is using carbon paper between the printed map and the wood. The stain you use later will cover the traced lines.
Below you can see the map traced onto the wood. After I traced the map I prepared the wood with a wood conditioner and sanded it with a fine grain sandpaper. (DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP-YOUR STAIN WILL BLEED IF YOU DO NOT CONDITION YOUR WOOD!!)
I then used the leftover Mission Oak stain from my headboard project and a small paintbrush to paint the map design onto the wood. Use very fine paint brushes to outline sections at a time then fill in with a wider brush. Updated to add: I used a variety pack of inexpensive brushes like this when I made these maps to sell years ago because the stain pretty much ruins the brushes.
And here it is! I love it! I like that it has a rustic, distressed look to it. It was quite the process to make but I am just tickled at how it turned out-so much so that I decided to make them to order through my Etsy shop as well! (Update: I am not currently selling these maps.)
Now I need your opinion-I had originally planned to hang this on the wall in my son’s room but one of the other projects I started this weekend was making him a headboard-my husband had the idea of framing this out and making it into his headboard…what do you think? I think it could look pretty cool but I’m not 100% convinced yet. Your thoughts?
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Other map projects:
You remembered New Zealand! You wouldn’t believe how many people leave us off maps. 🙂
wow this is simply amazing! good job!!!
Here it is: https://www.thecopycat.org/2012/07/24/copycatmapart/
That’s great Jess! Can you send me a link?
Melissa — I love this project and I’m attempting it myself! I’m posting about it on my (very) new blog, and I’ve added a picture that leads to this page, if that’s alright with you!
Beautiful!!!! How did you attach the front to the back support beams?
I just used a small board to attach the wood planks together but when I build my next one I’ll be using joining strips from the hardware store to reduce bulk.
This is wonderful! I would keep the headboard and the art – that is use the headboard for the headboard and keep this for the wall. I think you should have at least one really cool thing to look at while you are in bed. This would be it.
Absolutely amazing! I’m speechless!! I love it. Megan
Hi Melissa,
I’m making this for my boyfriend’s birthday present. I had a couple questions though…
What size wood did you use?
What size map from the website did you use?
Thank you!
Recently I saw another DIY project that required tracing onto wood. You might find this a bit quicker…this lady blacked out the back of her paper with charcoal, taped it to the wood and just traced over the image. That transferred the charcoal lines onto the wood and she was able to go from there. I hope that makes sense. If not…I’ll link to her tutorial on her project.
Great idea! Thanks!
Looks great! I was also wondering how you traced the map onto the wood and what website you got the map template from? Thank you!
— Ade H.
Hi Ade!
I used this site to print the map I wanted-they have tons of options for maps and different sizes up to almost 6′ by 6′:
https://www.yourchildlearns.com/megamaps.htm
Then I taped it to my wood panel and traced it with a pencil hard enough to leave an impression on the wood (I used a soft wood) After I traced the entire thing I went back and painted it with the stain using the impression outline as my guide.
Let me know if you have any other questions, hope this helps!
Melissa
An idea is to go to a sign shop and get them to cut the map into thin tape like plastic. Stick it down, stain then peel. I want to make it and mark everywhere I travel 🙂
I love this! How did you trace from the map?
This is super-cool! What a neat idea, and your execution is just right. I’m sure the process of tracing was no fun, but it was worth it!
This is beautiful. What wood and stain did you use? -Kourtney S
Hi Kourtney, it is pine wood with Minwax Mission Oak stain. I used Minwax wood conditioner as well and finished with polyurethane.
Love this idea! You did a fabulous job!! The stain just makes it!
WOW! My hubby would love this (former history/geo/social studies teacher). I think it would make a great head board but agree with Miranda. Either way, you can’t go wrong.
I love this!
lovely!
this is awesome~ I imagine it would take a long time with all of the detail of the map. great job!