7. Reclaimed Barnwood “Today’s Menu” Letter Board
Letter boards have a certain nostalgic charm, and building your own from reclaimed wood makes it feel like a genuine antique rather than a mass-produced copy.
Materials: weathered barnwood or reclaimed fencing, a thin groove cut or thin trim strips to hold letters, a set of plastic or wooden letters, a miter box, and wood glue.
How to build it: Cut four frame pieces and join them into a shallow box. Rather than cutting grooves — which takes a router — glue two thin strips of trim inside the top and bottom edges to create a channel for the letters to slide into. Leave one side open so you can insert them. Sand lightly, but don’t over-sand; the gray patina is the point.
Time: one to two hours. Difficulty: beginner, though a router makes the channel cleaner if you have one.
Display idea: Use it for more than menus — birthdays, the week’s schedule, or a rotating family joke. Kids tend to adopt it quickly.
💡 Pro Tip: If your reclaimed wood smells musty, seal it with a coat of clear shellac before bringing it indoors. It locks in the odor without hiding the grain.