Halloween Pallet Art

1. Saw the pallet. To start, you'll need a pallet. You can get these at most hardware stores, and lots of retail shops and warehouses give these away for free when they're done using them. Using the Fiskars® Precision Hand Saw, cut sections from your old wooden pallet. We chose planks with a variety of thicknesses, textures and lengths.

2. Make the back supports. Lay the planks together how you would like to display them in your final project. Using the Fiskars® Tape Measure, measure the height of the planks and cut two pieces of pallet wood that measure a little less than the total height.

3. Nail the back supports to the planks. Using the Fiskars® Precision Nail Starter and Fiskars® Precision Hammer, nail the two back supports to the back of the planks. Check that the planks stay together, and add extra nails if necessary. The Nail Starter will ensure straight drives of the nail into the wooden boards.

4. Sand the planks. It's likely that the pallet wood is rough in texture. Use a sanding block to sand the entire surface so no one gets any splinters in their fingers!

5. Stain the wood. Stain the wood using an appropriate wood stain, if desired.

6. Create the stencil. To create your stencil, print out your words or images on to cardstock. Then, cut out each letter using the Fiskars® Easy Change Detail Knife.

7. Paint the sign. Trim the cardstock so that it fits on the wood using the Fiskars® Original Orange-handled Scissors™. Tape the stencil down securely, then use paint and a stenciling brush to apply your paint. Allow the paint to dry fully and apply a second coat, if necessary.

8. Finish the pallet art. Remove the stencil and use the original wood stain and a fine brush to touch up any bleeds. Happy Halloween!