IMUPRU - Inspirational Family Wood Sign - Before you leave this home Decor - Entry Way Wall Decor - Family Home Wall Art - House warming Gift.
Creating Our New Rustic Framed "Before You Leave This Home" Sign
Hey there! We’re Kristen (Kay) and Tommy, the makers behind IMUPRU, where we craft meaningful, laser-cut and engraved designs straight from our West Virginia workshop. Today, we’re excited to take you behind the scenes as we create one of our favorite new pieces—our rustic farmhouse-style framed sign, “Before You Leave This Home.”
This sign holds a special place in our hearts because it’s not just home decor—it’s a reminder filled with love, encouragement, and warmth for any home. Let’s dive into the process of how we brought this sign to life!
Step 1: Laser Engraving the Design
Like all of our custom pieces, this sign starts with designing and engraving on our Thunder Laser Nova 51/130. Watching the laser do its thing is always mesmerizing—it etches each letter with incredible precision, leaving behind crisp, bold text that gives the sign its signature rustic look.
After engraving, the wood naturally has some char and residue around the letters, but that’s where the next step comes in—sanding it down to perfection!
Step 2: Sanding It Smooth
To clean up the engraved surface and smooth out the wood, we brought in one of our favorite tools—the Kobalt Brushless Palm Sander.
I (Kay) had been waiting months to get my hands on this sander, and let me tell you—it was worth the wait! It’s easy to control, has adjustable speed settings, and even comes with a built-in dust collector (a major win for keeping the workshop clean!).
Sanding removes any roughness and prepares the wood for the next step: staining.
Step 3: Adding a Dimensional Touch
While the engraving looked amazing on its own, we wanted to take it a step further. So, we cut an extra 3D layer for the words “We Love You” using pre-stained black ¼-inch maple wood.
This small but impactful addition makes the message pop and gives the sign a unique dimensional feel. Sometimes, little details like this make all the difference in a design!
Step 4: Prepping & Staining the Frame
One of our favorite things about this sign is the rustic farmhouse-style frame. We’ve recently learned how to build these wooden frames ourselves, and they add the perfect finishing touch to our engraved designs.
Tommy cut down the wood for the frame, and I went back to my trusty Kobalt sander to smooth it all out. Once the pieces were ready, we stained them using Minwax Early American, which brings out the beautiful wood grain and enhances the natural character of the sign.
Step 5: Assembling the Frame
Now, this is where one of our other favorite tools comes into play—the Kobalt 24V Brushless Nail Gun.
Not gonna lie—I felt pretty powerful using this beast! 😂 It took some getting used to because of its weight, but once we got into a rhythm, it made assembling the frame quick and easy.
With everything nailed together securely, the sign was finally complete!
The Final Reveal
And here it is—our completed Before You Leave This Home sign! From the precise engraving and 3D lettering to the richly stained farmhouse frame, this sign turned out even better than we imagined.
This piece isn’t just decor—it’s a daily reminder to those we love, making it the perfect addition to any home. Whether it hangs by the front door or in a cozy hallway, it serves as a heartfelt send-off before stepping out into the world.
Want One for Your Home?
We’re so excited to offer this design in our shop! If you’d love to have this inspirational family sign in your home (or gift it to someone special), you can find it here: 🛒 Shop Now: Before You Leave This Home - IMUPRU
Thank you for following along on our journey! We love creating meaningful pieces, and we can’t wait to share more behind-the-scenes projects with you soon.
💙 Tommy & Kay
IMUPRU – Handmade with Love in West Virginia
Thank you for your small business support! 💙
IM UP ARE YOU!?
Comments