Rusty Vintage Washboard Laundry Room Sign
April 26, 2019
Quite a few years ago, my mom gave me this old washboard that she had found thrifting.
It was pretty rusty, so I assumed it had been displayed or left outdoors. I leaned it up against my house in a flower garden.
The next season, I added a lag screw bin and made it into a junky planter HERE.
But after a few more years, I took the washboard, and the lag screw bin apart to make another project!
You may remember the lag screw bin atop this 50 cent, garage sale sawhorse last summer. Another junky planter idea.
See the details on this project and rusty sign HERE.
(When you click on the bold Amazon, Old Sign Stencils or Dixie Belle Paint Company affiliate links you will be taken to the products I use for this project. If you order it does not change the price or service at all. As an Amazon Affiliate, Old Sign Stencils Affiliate or Dixie Belle Paint Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)
So the washboard was kicking around in my shed, and I came across it the other day.
The washboard had three screw holes in it from the lag screw bin.
I filled the holes with a putty knife, and Elmer's Carpenter's Wood Filler in Natural.
I let it dry overnight, and then sanded the wood filler smooth. I then brushed on a couple coats of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Graphite (It's great for chalkboard paint too, without any wax or sealer).
I had it on hand, but a cheaper alternative is Rustoleum Chalked in Charcoal.
I then taped a laundry themed stencil from my FolkArt Paper Stencils, Phrases (26-Pack) onto the wooden flat back of the washboard
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I pounced on the stencil's four words using Ceramcoat Acrylic Paint in Light Ivory. I filled in the stencil bridges (letter gaps).
My technique is to tape at the top and bottom areas of the bridges, and pouncing, with a very small stencil brush, to fill in the open space. 
This method produces better results for me than using a liner brush to join the letters.
This method produces better results for me than using a liner brush to join the letters.
I sanded the stenciling very lightly with 220 grit sandpaper, applying hardly any pressure. I sealed just the painted and stenciled area with two coats of Krylon Gallery Series Clear Coatings Aerosol in Satin Finish
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Two eye hooks and a wire were added for hanging.
Here's the washboard on about it's fourth life! Three lives here and probably at least one for washing clothes too!
The washboard sign displays well with vintage hangers.
I have a small collection of vintage hangers.
I love decorating with vintage pieces!
Thanks for visiting!
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Very clever, Carlene. I have an old washboard that I've never done anything with! Not even hung it up! I think it's about time I decorated it and hung it in my laundry room and you've given me the perfect inspiration! Thanks so much for sharing your project--or, I should say, projectS!
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