Do-It-Yourself American Flag Pallet Art

Do-It-Yourself American Flag Pallet Art has become a fun trend with many possibilities for artistic reflection. Recycling of old or used materials, such as wooden pallets, can be a wonderful way to decorate the interior and exterior of your home. Many industrial companies throw away pallets they have used, with only minor pieces that are broken.  Ask your local companies if they use pallets, if so, they may give them to you free or charge a very nominal fee for you to purchase them.  Retrieve or purchase three or four pallets for each item you want to make.  This will give you the ability to piece together a whole pallet using pieces from all of the broken ones.  Make sure to have nails and a hammer available to piece your pallet together to form a “new” one.  Although, sometimes, using pallets that have missing pieces can add to the vintage look of your project.

For this American Flag Pallet Art project you will need to go to a local hardware store to purchase small cans of paint in red, white, and blue.  Exterior enamel or spray paint works well for pallets that will be displayed outdoors.  In addition to the paint, you may want to purchase a clear matte or gloss sealant.  You can choose to purchase it in a small paint can to be brushed on or a spray can to be sprayed onto the finished product.  This will ensure that your artwork will have additional protection from the elements.  When choosing to display your pallet art inside of your home, acrylic paint is a good, inexpensive paint to use.  There will be no need to apply the sealant for the indoor projects.

Purchasing painter’s tape for taping off portions of the pallet you do not want to get paint on while you paint certain areas is a must.  You will also need to purchase a variety of paint brushes such as a small, thin bristled brush for outlining, a small flat brush, a medium flat brush, and a large flat brush.  You may also want to purchase vinyl gloves, as well.  Enamel and spray paint are very difficult to remove, so protecting your hands and any other part of your body that may be exposed to the paint is a good idea. Of course, old clothing while creating your work of art is also a necessity!

For the American Flag theme, you may prefer to hand-paint the stars or you can purchase star stencils, star-shaped sponges, or even small metal stars.  Beginning with the top slat of the wooden pallet, draw a pencil line vertically down the slats for the guideline for the stars section of the flag,  Then mark the pallet horizontally where the stars section should end to form a square.  You may not need to do this step if you decide the section will end at the bottom of a slat.  Next paint the square blue.  Let it dry.Proceed by painting the stripes starting with red on the top slat, then white on the next, until you have painted all of the slats.  Once all of this paint is dry; you may begin painting, stenciling, or stamping the stars using white paint.  It is up to you if you want all fifty stars, thirteen stars, or even just one large star. This is also when you may decide to use metal stars you have purchased at a craft store or possibly from an antique store.  If you use metal stars, depending on the type you purchase, you will need to drill a small hole in the center of each star to nail to the pallet.

Another great addition to your art is a quote.  You can paint the words free-handed or use stencils. Paint the letters on the red and white stripes in the blue paint, or if you prefer, in a black paint.  The following are a few ideas for quotes to paint on your American Flag Pallet Art: One flag, one land, one heart, one hand, one nation evermore…Oliver Wendell Holmes; You’re a Grand Ole Flag, You’re a High Flying Flag, And Forever in Peace May You Wave; Every Heart Beats True ‘Neath the Red White and Blue…George M. Cohan; Red For Courage, White For Purity, Blue For Loyalty; and Home Sweet Home works nicely as well. Once you have decided that your project is complete, then paint or spray the sealant on if it will be displayed outdoors.

Some ideas for outdoor display are to lean the pallet flag art against a tree, against a bench, or even mount it on your house using special hooks made for brick or vinyl siding, or nails for wood siding.  The special hooks can also be purchased at your local hardware store and often craft stores will carry them, as well.  Indoor display ideas include hanging on a wall, or leaning against a wall, or on a shelf.  Whatever you chose, you can be sure that all of your guests will be thrilled when they see your masterpiece! Your next Pallet Art Idea can be from a variety of themes including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.  Use your imagination and have fun!