Wooden Letters for Crafts

Overview

Hand-crafted wooden letters can be used with other crafts or on their own. Wooden letters are often crafted from pine, but other, more expensive woods can be used as well. Some wood crafters carve their letters by hand, while others use patterns. A talented carver can bring just about any lettering style to life from a block of wood. Designing and carving letters from wood takes practice and patience.

Tools of the Trade

Wooden letter art requires minimal tools. A power cutting tool such as the Dremel, which uses attachments for cutting, sanding and engraving, can be used for cutting letters from wood. Paints, wood stains and chisels may be employed for finishing work. Keep a good supply of wood on hand for your letter projects. Pine, cedar and balsa are good choices for simple projects. These woods are ideal for beginners too, since they are easy to carve. Cherry and mahogany woods are ideal for more expensive projects.

Design Methods

Some wood craftsmen prefer to hand-draw the letters either on the wood or as stencil patterns that can be placed over blocks of wood to initiate the letters. If you are particularly skilled, you can cut the rough shape of your letters directly from the wood and finish each letter with sandpaper or a power sander. Paint finished letters or stain them with clear stain to let the natural color of the wood through.

Uses

Wooden letters can be used for old-fashioned signs. Carve miniature wooden letters for storage jars. Try carving names from wood as one continuous piece. Wood carvings of this type sell well at flea markets and craft fairs. Wooden-letter candle holders are also popular at flea markets. Other ideas for wooden letters include letter blocks for children or toys made from wooden letters to help young children learn the alphabet.