DIY Large House Numbers

Did you know that you’re required to have the street number of your house clearly visible either on the house itself or on your mailbox? I remember reading that when I was researching how high to set my mailbox back in 2011 when I moved in. (There was an elderly lady who lived here before me who had a mailbox mounted on the house. I wasn’t allowed to use it since I’m able-bodied. I still have it displayed in my office though!)

Well, just because something is a necessity doesn’t mean it can’t be fun!

I used the same techniques used in this video to create them, just on a smaller scale.

First, I printed my numbers on the computer and scribbled on the backs of both to cover the entire outline of each number.

Then I traced them onto my 1/4″ scrap plywood.

Everything was cut out using my jigsaw. A little advice. If you’re cutting out an ‘O’ or a zero, cut the circle in the middle out first so you don’t have to hold your letter or number while cutting it after the fact. I thought of this half-way through cutting the outside and realized it would be very difficult to hold or clamp the zero while also cutting the inside out. Whew! Crisis averted!

Fortunately I had some craft moss leftover from making a giant moss-covered ‘R’ last month. So I laid my numbers down and roughly cut them out.

Using the same glue and clamps as the ‘R’, I slowly worked my way around each number until all sides had moss securely attached. Then I trimmed the moss along the back so it covered the sides, but didn’t overlap onto the back of the plywood.

Then I used my favorite lightweight hanging strips.

It’s essentially a hook and loop fastener with an adhesive back, but with a pretty strong bond. I used one set, cut in a few pieces, for both of my numbers.

They don’t leave any residue when removing. Ideal for a temporary hanging situation like a dorm. (I should have bought their stock when I was in college!) I wouldn’t recommend them for hanging anything with glass! These are great for hanging canvases inside or, in this case, house numbers on the front porch.