8 Steps to DIY Marquee Letters

Materials:

• 1 sheet of 16″ x 24″ x 3/4″ thick pine wood
• Cutting mat
• 25 bulb string lights
• Power jig saw
• Power drill
• Scissors
• Staple gun
• Metal ruler (preferably the kind with cork on the underside to prevent slipping)
• Box Knife
• 8″ aluminum flashing (cut down to 3″ strips)
• 3/8″ drill bit
• 5/16″ spade bit
• Can of white spray paint
• Painting masks
• Sand paper

 

Step 1: Draw the letters or shapes

•  Use a pencil to trace the letters on wood and to identify the starting places for cutting out the center of a shape/letter (‘D’ for example)

Step 2: Cut out the letters or shapes

• Secure the wood on a table with clamps (or have another person help you)

• Use a jig saw to cut out the letters

• If you have letters with a hole in the center (like the letter ‘D’) use an 3/8″ drill bit to drill starter holes so the jig saw can cut out the center

 

Step 3: Sand the letters or shapes

• Sand your letters or shapes to remove rough edges and splinters

Step 4: Paint the letters or shapes

• Paint letters a desired color. We recommend using spray paint since its the quickest, but you can use any kind of paint.

 

• Avoid breathing in toxins by using respirator masks 🙂

 

 

Step 5: Drill holes for the lights

• Use a pencil to mark where you’ll need to drill holes for the lights. If you’re doing multiple letters or symbols, make sure to balance the light bulb placement.
• Use a 5/16″ spade bit to drill your holes

• Lightly sand the inside of the drilled holes

Step 6: Cut the flashing

• Roll your letter or shape along the flashing until it comes back to the start.

• Use the box knife blade to make a mark where you stopped
• Lining up your mark with a ruler, use your box knife to score (means to slice, but not all the way through) the flashing several times along the mark

• Bend from the reverse side and back until it pops in half

• Measure out 3 inches and make several marks along the length of the flashing
• Using a ruler and a box knife, score the length of the flashing along the several 3 inch markers you just made

• Carefully flip it over and fold the metal. Put a ruler at the edge so you don’t bend or warp the metal

Step 7: Bend and staple

• Starting at the bottom of your letter, make a mark with your box knife where you should make a bend at the end of your metal strip (preferably with a ruler to avoid warping the metal)

• Line up the front of your letter or shape 2″ back from the edge of the flashing

• Staple the flashing along the edges of the wood

• Mark your next bend and repeat this process until the perimeter is completely stapled. Use scissors to cut off any excess flashing
• When all edges are stapled, crease the corners

• Use clear tape to align inside corners

Step 8: Install the string lights

• Remove all of the bulbs from the string of lights and place the bulbs somewhere safe (they are VERY delicate so be careful to  not bonk them on anything!)

• Plan out the direction you are going to run the lights and begin inserting the sockets into each corresponding hole
• Screw in the bulbs

Step 9: Enjoy your hard work!