DIY American Flag



A wooden plank painted to resemble the American flag is mounted on a fence, with shadows of nearby plants cast across it.

I’m here to bring you another DIY that you just have to try! A few years ago, I turned three mason jars into an American Flag. It was a cute patriotic craft that I still bring out and display around this time of year. But as cute as it was, it wasn’t as simple as this American Flag DIY.

Just a few weeks ago, I blogged on how to make a DIY coffee mug rack. For this project, I am going to be using the same type of wood. This American Flag is going to be relatively small and not a replica of an American Flag but rather a fun, simple, DIY flag.

A wooden board, three paint cans labeled as chalk paint, and several paintbrushes are laid out on a light surface.

What you’ll need to make an American Flag:

Paint – Red, White, and Blue. I used chalk paint but most any type of craft paint will suffice.

Wood – 3 pieces of wood. The wood I used was salvaged from an old wine barrel. Each slat was about 3″x25″ but you can use any size. You can make your flag as big or as small as you’d like.

Stencil – A 1″ to 2″ star cut out or stencil. I found an image online, printed it and cut it out.

A pencil for outlining the star.

Paint Brushes – I used 3 large brushes and 1 small brush.

Screws and wood for backing.

Three paint cans in blue, white, and red are placed beside three unpainted wooden planks on a light surface.

How to make an American Flag:

The first step in making an American Flag is to paint each slat. Paint the top slat 1/3 blue and 2/3 red, the middle slat white and the bottom slat red. I used a different paintbrush for each color so that I wouldn’t have to wash my brush between colors. And the last thing you want is a little red paint residue mixing with your white stripe.

Three wooden planks are painted in blue, white, and red, with one plank showing a blend of blue and red.

Now you immediately have what looks like the beginning of an American Flag. Take the next 30 minutes or so and do the dishes, watch a show, or take a quick nap. You can’t move on to the next step until your slats are completely dry.

A partially painted wooden plank in blue and red is placed beside a small white star, a paintbrush, and an open can of white chalk paint.

Once everything is dry, it’s time to paint some beautiful white stars. Use a pencil to outline the stars on the blue painted portion. I was able to fit three small stars across the blue.

A blue wooden plank with one white painted star and another unpainted star stencil, alongside paintbrushes and a can of white chalk paint.

Once you have it outlined, fill it in with your white paint with a tiny brush. Once the stars are completely dry, lay the slats out and see how it looks.

A wooden plank painted in a pattern resembling the American flag, with blue and white stars on the left, and red and white stripes on the right.

If you’re happy with your paint job, flip the slats over. Lay the reinforcement wood in the middle and drill a screw into each slat. After you attach the backing, you’re finished!

A painted wooden plank resembling the American flag is mounted on a wooden fence, with a planter below it filled with trailing greenery.
A rustic outdoor setup featuring a painted American flag wooden plank mounted on a fence, with a planter below it and another large, overflowing planter sitting on a barrel nearby.


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