Lauan Mural Tutorial

I learned about this process from working on exhibits at a children’s museum and it is a great method for making a moveable mural or to put a mural on a heavily textured wall.  I will never have to paint over my kids murals, just pass them on to someone younger when they out grow them.  That is much less emotional than having to paint high hiding primer over them!

Materials:

·         Sketch or a printout of your image on paper

·         Pencil or chalk

·         Drill with large drill bit

·         Saw horses

·         Jigsaw with fine finish blade

·         Latex Primer

·         Lauan

·         Sand paper or electric handheld sander

Directions:

1.       Prepare your lauan board with a coat of primer.

      2.       Draw your image onto your primed board.

3.       Drill a hole in each corner where you will have to change directions with your saw blade.  Be sure that your blade is smaller than the diameter of the holes you drill.  Imagine that you are creating a dot to dot picture.

4.       Use a jigsaw to cut out your image.

5.       Sand the edges working on the corners to remove any evidence of the drilled hole.

6.       Paint your image with latex or acrylic paint.

7.       Using drywall screws attach your wood cut-out mural to the wall.  Be sure that at least one screw is securely fastened to a stud in the wall.