Categories: Crafts & Hobbies

How to Wood Burn a Checkerboard

A wood burned Checkerboard is the perfect gift for older kids to make themselves for Dad, Grand Dad, or even Mom for a homemade gift. Using a simple piece of wood and a wood burning tool, you can easily make your own wood burned checkerboard for about $11.

This is also a great wood working craft project if you like to make crafts with your kids. You shouldn’t leave kids alone to work the wood-burning tool alone though!

To Make a Wood burned Checkerboard You Will Need:

Sheet of plywood (cut to 16×16 inches)

Wood burning tool

Wood burning tool tips

Painter’s Tape

Wood Stain or Sealer

Felt

Spray Adhesive

You can buy great wood boards at almost any art supply store. They come with finished edges that have been mitered and look great. I see these all the time at Michael Arts and Crafts. You can buy them for as little as $10.99 all the way up to $19.99. They come in every shape from rectangle to octagon.

Now, if you want to save some money you can buy some birch plywood at the local home improvement store and have it cut to size. Use sand paper to smooth the edges of the checker board.

The first thing I like to do is choose a design. This means, do you want to add a board, only have the checks, or even engrave some fun patterns around the border.

Once you have the design try drawing it out on some paper.

You can transfer it to your wooden checker board with a sheet of graphite paper.

Lay your checkerboard drawing on top of the wood board. Tape it in place with painter’s tape. This holds your stencil in place while you work. No, trace the design onto your checkerboard with a pen or sharp pencil.

Remove the paper and you are ready to start wood burning your checkerboard.

Plug your wood-burning tool in and let it heat up.

Now, use your pre drawn guidelines to start engraving your Checkerboard. Simply trace out the design with the wood burning tool tip.

Now, start adding some more details free hand if you want!

You can also stencils designs around the sides of the Checkerboard and even put some on the bottom for fun.

Once you have completed applying the wood burning details you can move onto the next step of this Checkerboard craft project.

Use a natural bristled paintbrush to apply a coat of wood stain to your Checkerboard. This will really make it have a finished look. It will also protect wood burn artwork for years to come.

Let the wood stain dry completely for twenty-four hours.

Cut out your felt to fit bottom side of the wood burned Checkerboard. Start by measuring the Checkerboard. Cut out the bottom piece out. Lightly spray the felt with glue adhesive. Lay it into the bottom of the Checkerboard. Press it down with your fingers.

Tips:

The kids can use stencils to trace the name of who they are giving this gift to onto their Checkerboard. Trace them on with a pencil. Now, remove the stencils. Use the wood-burning tool to outline their name. They can also create details inside of the letters of their name. Stain and seal as before.

If you want to add paint color to the wood burn Checkerboard do it right after you have finished wood bringing. Then, let it dry. Once the paint is dry use the clear polyurethane.