Liberty Wall Art from Scraps

Lay out the mixed-width boards into your design — the varied widths (1x4, 1x2, 1x3, and the single 1x6) are what create the visual texture. Follow a plan or improvise your own word or geometric motif. Don't stress about perfectly even boards; the handmade character is the whole appeal of the piece.

Paint your boards and distress them before assembly. Painting the pieces loose is far easier than trying to cut in around them once they're mounted, and distressing reads better when you can get at every edge.

With glue and 1" nails, start at one corner and work across, fastening boards to the plywood backer. Keep the top edges flush and check for square as you go so the overall panel stays rectangular. The plywood back is cut slightly smaller than the field of boards so it doesn't peek out around the edges of the finished piece.