Notch- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Time
- 2–3.8 hours
- Cost
- $$
About this build
We used to mark how tall the kids are inside the closet wall, now we have a Kid’s Growth Ruler! This is a much better option to keep record of kid’s growth. Also they have a lot of fun measuring how tall they are. It’s amazing to see how fast kids grow.
Tools
Essential
- Drill / Driver
- Miter Saw
- Random Orbit Sander
Optional / nice to have
- Combination Square
- Tape Measure
Materials
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| Board, 1x8 96" | 1 board |
| Black Sharpie | 1 each |
| 1"Self Stick Numbers | 30 each |
| Pre-Stain | 1 each |
| Stain | 1 each |
| Polyurethane | 1 each |
| Shop Paper Towels | 1 each |
Overall cost: $$. Lumber prices vary by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure we would only be pretending to know.
Cut list
| Part | Qty | T × W × L |
|---|---|---|
| Board | 1 | 1" × 8" × 8" |
What to buy
Buy 1 board at 8 ft.
1" × 8"
1 board
Assumes 8 ft stock, a 1/8" saw kerf, and buying each part at its own width. Change the board size or kerf on the full board plan →
Instructions
1Step-1 Cut 1x6 Board
Take 1x6 board and cut it to 84” long. You could make this any length you want. I cut it at 84” because I wanted the board to be same elevation as the door. Than using a random orbital sander, sand the board on all sides.
2Step-2 Pre-Stain and Stain
On a small project like this, instead of using a brush for staining, I just use Shop Paper Towels. I don’t have to clean the brushes. So first, Pre-stain the boards, then after 10 minutes, apply the Stain. Follow instruction on the can for both Pre-stain and Stain for best results.
3Step-3 Measure and Mark
- Next, pull a measuring tape and mark every inch on the board with a pencil.
- Then draw thick lines using oil based black sharpie over the pencil marks. To draw the lines straight I used a Construction Square as a guide. To make this look like an ruler, I made the lines three different lengths. Starting from 0 up, numbers 0, 12 have 2” long lines. Numbers 3, 6, and 9 have 1 ½” long lines. Numbers 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11 have 1” long lines.
4Step-4 Apply Matte Polyurethane
- Once you’re done with drawings the ruler lines, apply a coat of matte Polyurethane. Let it dry for few hours, then with a fine grit sand paper (300 and up) sand the board lightly.
- Wipe off the dust and then apply a second coat of Polyurethane.
5Step-5 Tape on Adhesive Numbers
For the actual feet numbers I used 1" Self Stick Numbers that I had left over from cornhole scoreboard project.
6Step-6 Attach Ruler to the Wall
- Next determine what wall the ruler will be attached to. In my case I attached the board on the wall above the baseboard. The baseboard is 2 ½” tall, so I had to cut off 2 ½” of the board so that when someone stands on the floor, the ruler will be elevated correctly to give the right reading.
- Attach the board to the wall using 2 ½” wood screws. That's all; you're done with this Kids Growth Ruler.
Tags
- Kid Spaces and Play Room
- Beginner
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