VINTAGE WINDOW MEMO BOARD

Memo boards are perfect for keeping track of schedules, phone numbers, photos, and mementos. A memo board basically serves as a spot where you keep things in place, but why not make yours a little more interesting than that? This metal memo board starts with something old—a vintage window—and pairs it with something new—a piece of sheet metal. The combination of the two creates a unique piece of wall art that still functions as a memo board. And, if you want the metal on your memo board to look old, just use the aging techniques shared in Chapter 1 and add even more character to your walls.

MATERIALS

• Vintage window (the one I used measures out at 20" × 36")
• Work gloves
• Eye protection
• 1 heavy-duty trash bag (optional)
• Hammer
• Flat-head screwdriver
• Needle-nose pliers
• Tape measure
• Straightedge
• Pencil
• 24" × 36" piece of sheet metal
• Metal snips
• Miter box
• 4 thin wood strips or pieces of lathe at least as long as your window is wide (The window I used was 36" in width, but size yours according to the window you are using. Lathe come in 48"× 1¹⁄₂"× .31".)
• About 20 (³⁄₄") carpentry nails
• Picture-hanging hardware

1. If your window has glass, begin by wearing your work gloves and eye protection. Then place your window in a heavy-duty trash bag and break out the glass with a hammer. Next, use your screwdriver and pliers to remove all of the remaining glass pieces from the frame. You can use your hammer to tap the end of your screwdriver into the grooves where the glass was held. Keep maneuvering your screwdriver to drive the glass out of the grooves. Pieces that are difficult to remove can be pulled with pliers.

   

2. Measure the dimensions of the window opening from the back side with your tape measure. Use your straightedge and pencil and transfer those measurements to your metal, and mark your cut line on the back side of the sheet metal. Wear your work gloves and use your metal snips to carefully cut your sheet metal down to size.

   

3. Using your width measurement from the first step, use your miter box to cut down your pieces of wood lathe into four pieces that will be used to hold the metal in place.

   

4. Place your cut metal sheet in the back of the window. Place one piece of lathe at each end and two spaced out through the center. Use your hammer and nails to attach your woods strips to the frame by hammering the nails in at an angle. Continue until all the strips are secure.

   

5. Attach your picture-hanging hardware according to the directions included with the packaging.

   

TIPS & RECOMMENDATIONS

If you’d like to leave the glass in your vintage window intact, just add the galvanized metal to the back as a decorative background and use the glass as a wipe board.