• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • DIY Home Projects
  • Recipes
  • Spring
  • About

Craving Some Creativity logo

menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • DIY Home Projects
  • Home Tour
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Free Email Series
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Home Decorating » DIY Home Decor

    Published: Feb 2, 2023 by Rachel

    DIY Arrow Wall Decor

    This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure.
    790 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet
    Jump to Tutorial Print Tutorial

    How to make a rustic wooden arrow wall decoration as art, any size you desire. This easy wood project includes easy step by step instructions and a distressed painting technique for a beachy weathered look.

    Gallery wall with a DIY arrow wall decoration, framed art, and glass vase with yellow flowers.
    Contents show
    1 Supplies
    2 Our Decorative Wood Arrow Project
    3 Whitewash Technique with Stain
    4 How to Hang Arrow Decor
    5 DIY Arrow Wall Decor

    I was trying to figure out a good way to finish out the narrow and tall gallery wall between our two staircases. After eyeballing some leftover wood scraps from our kid’s closet makeover, I decided one of those trendy wood arrow wall decorations would be perfect.

    It’s an easy project and only requires a standard miter saw or jigsaw and I give a few options on the build if you don’t have a jigsaw. It also takes less than an hour to build and it’s got a cool beachy vibe from the whitewash wood painting technique.

    By the way, if you like simple projects like this, we have over 20 creative wood wall decoration ideas in this post.

    Supplies

    • 1 straight 6-foot 1×3 wood board without knots
    • A pocket hole system (like this one) OR mending metal plates to screw to the back
    • Screws (½ inch if using mending plates)
    • Wood Glue
    • Miter Saw
    • Jigsaw or Bandsaw
    • Velcro Hangers like these

    Our Decorative Wood Arrow Project

    The card at the bottom of this post includes a printable version of the basic instructions and plans. I include this section for options, techniques, and changes we made for our particular design.

    Graphic of plans for making a DIY arrow wall decor piece with cut lines.

    The center rod can be as long or short as you need. The rear arrow flaps (all 4 of them) measure 6.5 inches on the longest edge. We used a miter saw to cut the 1×4 at 45 degree angles.

    Cutting the arrow

    Cut the arrow point and tail fins first. Attach them together and use them to draw the correct end cuts on the long center shaft. Here is a basic photo of how the cuts were done on a single board – All cuts are 45-degree angles.

    Cut list for making an arrow wall decor idea.

    Some pieces are flipped once cut, and then they will fit together correctly.

    The angle on the rear of the center shaft can be cut a few ways:

    1. Make the center rod out of two pieces, cut them at the correct length and angle and then joint them with wood glue and screw them together.
    2. Use a jigsaw or a band saw with a fine-tooth wood blade.

    Assembling the Pieces

    First, use a bit of wood glue in all of the attaching seams. The arrows show the direction that the pocket screws were put in.

    DIY wooden arrow shown with small red arrows to indicate direction to put pocket screws when assembling.

    The best way to do this is to use a pocket hole kit. Because the screws sit below surface level, the arrow lays completely flat against the wall.

    If you do not have a pocket hole jig, mending plates can be used much the same way to reinforce all joints, but it won’t be completely flat.

    Whitewash Technique with Stain

    For this project, I wanted a weathered, beachy look to the wood but not heavily distressed or heavily textured.

    Whitewashed arrow with stain and paint next to it in a bottle.

    For this treatment, I used two products: A walnut stain (leftover sample can for our deck restoration project), and Annie Sloan’s Chalk Paint in Old White.

    You read that right, I used and Oil-Based Stain and water-based Chalk Paint together. It’s like the cardinal sin of painting and I broke it with gusto to make a cool, weathered texture:

    Whitewash finish on DIY wooden arrow point laying on work bench next to tools.

    The oil-based stain mean’s that the chalk paint doesn’t quite bond right and creates a neat, old-time weathered look.

    Steps to creating distressed beachy look above:

    1. Stain the board. I prefer to stain by rubbing the grain with an old t-shirt rather than a brush because it gives me more control. Let dry completely.
    2. Paint the entire arrow with the chalk paint. Chalk paint dries quickly, so I waited only about 10 minutes.
    3. I used a mixture of 300 grit sandpaper and very fine steel wool to gently remove some of the paint layers.

    At this point, I love the beachy weathered look of the wooden arrow, but it was a little too weathered for what I had in mind. So, I repeated steps 1 and 2 again but instead of completely covering the arrow with paint, I lightly dry brushed it in the spots to keep the texture I was looking for.

    Corner of dry brush painted stained wood with white chalk paint next to paint brush.

    Lastly, with my paint brush, I dry brushed stain on just the edges of the boards.

    How to Hang Arrow Decor

    Wall art gallery with DIY wooden arrow, DIY art and frames above white chest of drawers with glass vase filled with bright yellow flowers.

    We hung the arrow using velcro tape to keep it smooth to the wall and easy to remove if necessary. If using mending plates, I would attach the velcro on them since they stick out a little bit.

    Since we used scrap wood, it was completely free! I do love free. However, I love the way this wall turned out even more. What do you think? How will you use this arrow design to decorate?

    Weekend DIY project. A pegboard organizer in the craft room above the desk workspace.

    Grab our free series "Weekend Home Projects that will Transform Your Life"

    Sign up below to receive updates including free printables, organization tips, home improvement projects, recipes and more!

    More DIY Wall Art Ideas

    Create a fun children's fine art gallery in your playroom to display your kid's art
    Art Gallery Display
    Collage of wall art ideas made from scrap wood.
    Scrap Wood Wall Art
    Best Paint Colors for Walls that create a cohesive home with paint color schemes for home interior paint.
    Choosing Home Paint Colors
    Hands applying window film and getting rid of bubbles.
    Appling Window Film

    PS I love seeing your creations! Be sure to take a photo and tag #cravingcreative on Instagram! You can also stay in touch with me through following me on Instagram, Pinterest, and subscribing to the newsletter!

    DIY arrow wall decor hanging in a gallery wall,

    DIY Arrow Wall Decor

    Make this wooden arrow wall decoration, any size you desire! It's a pretty easy and quick woodworking project that makes a unique gallery wall decor idea.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Project Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes
    Author: Rachel
    Cost: $15

    Tools

    • Pocket Hole Kit Option 1 to attach pieces together.
    • Mending Plates Option 2 to attach all pieces together.
    • Miter Saw
    • Jigsaw
    • Wood clamps to hold wood in place for safety

    Supplies

    • 1 6ft 1×4 board
    • Velcro Command Hangers
    • Wood Glue

    Instructions

    • The design can be as long or short as you wish. All cuts are performed at a 45 degree angle. Start by cutting the front arrow point pieces and the 4 rear fins. The cuts are shown below.
      Graphic of plans for making a DIY arrow wall decor piece with cut lines.
    • Using a pocket screw kit, make holes along the lines shown below. If you do not have a pocket hole kit, then you can use mending plates and ½ inch screws attaching along a similar way as shown.
      DIY wooden arrow shown with small red arrows to indicate direction to put pocket screws when assembling.
    • Join the 4 flap pieces together by screwing into the pocket holes. Join the two front arrow pieces and the rear fins.
      Pocket holes shown in wood to put woodworking frame together.
    • Decide the length of the center shaft of the arrow. Trace the assembled arrow head and the assembled arrow fins as a template for the front and rear of the shaft. Clamp the wood down for safety and use a jigsaw or a band saw to cut a notch out of the rear of the center arrow shaft.
    • Add the pocket holes to the shaft and screw the shaft to the fins and arrow head.
      DIY wooden arrow shown with small red arrows to indicate direction to put pocket screws when assembling.
    Tried this Project? Tag me Today!Mention @CravingCreative or tag #CravingSomeCreativity!
    « How to Whitewash Wood
    DIY Menu Board »

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Headshot of Rachel Beach, the author of Craving Some Creativity.

    Hi, I'm Rachel!

    Creativity makes me energized and fearless. My husband and I have been renovating homes for over a decade and love to share our passion for all things home. Follow along for remodeling tutorials, recipes, and entertaining ideas sure to inspire!

    More about me →


    Popular Projects

    • Midnight blue vanity with brass handles in a grey and white bathroom.
      How to Paint a Bathroom Cabinet the Easy Way
    • Man holding up baseboards for a corner.
      How To Caulk Baseboards like a Pro
    • Behr Midnight blue painted cabinets in a classic old world kitchen with modern white accents and backsplash. Wicker chairs, copper light fixtures, and wood floors add warmth.
      The Best Blue and Navy Kitchen Cabinet Paint Colors
    • Organized linen closet with white towels and grey bins on wire shelves.
      How To Beautifully Organize Your Linen Closet
    • White painted kitchen cabinets with stainless drawer pulls.
      How To Paint Cabinets with a Sprayer
    • Completed oak painted stair railing with black handrail and white balusters.
      How to Paint Stair Railings that Last

    Featured On

    Collection of Expert Features including Better Homes and Gardens Magazine, Apartment Therapy, Angie's List, This Old House Magazine, The Huffington Post, Delish, Wayfair, and Real Simple Magazine.

    Most Popular Recipes

    • Restaurant style Mexican white Cheese Dip with pico de gallo topping in wooden bowl on dish cloth with chips.
      Mexican White Cheese Dip {Queso Blanco}
    • Ricotta Stuffed Shells with Sausage makes an easy italian meal for the whole family!
      The BEST Sausage Stuffed Shells
    • Strawberry Poppyseed salad on a platter with blueberries, mandarin oranges, pecans, red onions, and grilled chicken.
      Strawberry Poppyseed Salad (Panera Copycat)
    • Closeup of blueberry muffins on a table.
      Ultimate Lemon Blueberry Muffins
    • Shrimp etouffee in a bowl on a table.
      Shrimp Etouffee {My Louisiana Family Recipe}
    • Two glasses of blackberry sangria with straws on a wood background.
      Blackberry Sangria – Amazing Summer Cocktail Recipe

    Sweet Spring Recipes

    • Stack of lemon bars on parchment paper with top lemon shortbread having a bite removed.
      Lemon Bars
    • Slice of homemade carrot cake on a plate with walnuts sprinkled on top
      Carrot Cake with Pineapple
    • Top down view of Southern Punch Bowl Cake in a trifle bowl.
      Southern Punch Bowl Cake (Potluck Dessert)
    • Key lime pie on blue plate with a slice cut out to show texture.
      Key Lime Pie
    • Strawberries on top of cheesecake layer and rice krispies crust.
      Cheesecake Rice Krispies Bars
    • Banana Chocolate chip muffins in a muffin tin with one muffin broken open to show texture.
      Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Accessibility Policy

    Favorites

    • Blog
    • Shop
    • Our Home

    Contact

    • Contact

    Copyright © 2022 Craving Some Creativity