How to Make Wooden Poster Holders

Wooden poster holders are an effective way to create awareness about your business, cause or event in the community. If you're a traveling vendor and do a lot of business at craft or Renaissance fairs, for example, easy portability becomes an extra advantage.



The poster holder in this project can fit posters up to a size of 22 inches x 28 inches. If you're comfortable with a table saw, you can make your own wooden poster holder from simple, inexpensive materials in less than an afternoon. It is a basic frame-and-panel project.

Instructions

1

Put on your safety goggles. Use the measuring tape to measure the following lengths of 2x4s and the table saw to cut them. Cut two 2x4s to a length of 4 feet and 10 1/4 inches. These are the poster holder's upright support. Cut two lengths of a 2x4 to 24 inches. These pieces are its feet. Cut two pieces of another 2x4 to a length of 29 inches and one to a length of 22 inches to create the horizontal supports.

2

Draw two pencil lines across both ends of each each upright support. Each line must be 1/4 inch from the center so that they are 1/2 inch apart. Set the table saw's blade to a height of 1/4 inch. Cut the length of the upright along the first pencil mark. Then adjust the table saw's fence slightly so the saw blade is lined up with the edge of the previous cut. Lock the fence. Make another cut. Repeat this process until you have cut a 1/2-inch-wide groove into each upright support.

3

Place each upright support on your work surface. Label one set of ends "top" and the others "bottom." Across each top end, place a pencil mark at 1 inch and 2 1/2 inches. Using these marks as reference points, mark out a 1 3/4-inch-deep mortise, or slot. Do the same at the bottom ends. Cut out the mortises with the straight-backed hand saw by cutting 1 3/4 inches into the wood. Punch out the centers with the wood chisels.

4

Label one of the long horizontal supports "top" and the other "bottom." Label the short one "middle." Using the straight-backed hand saw, cut mortises into each end of the top and bottom horizontal supports. Punch out the centers with the wood chisels. The mortises must be 1 1/2 inch from each end. They must be 1 1/2 inch wide and 1 3/4 inches deep.

5

Place pencil marks on the upright supports at 28 inches and 31 1/2 inches, measuring from the top. Use the power drill to drill two pilot holes at 28 1/2 inches and 31 inches. Make sure these pilot holes are centered exactly along the width of the uprights. Slide the bottom horizontal support into the bottom end of the upright supports. Make sure the uprights' grooves are on the inside. Replace the drill bit with the Phillips head driving bit on the drill and secure the bottom support with one wood screw.

6

Align the center horizontal support with the pencil marks on the upright supports. Fasten it with wood screws. Insert the plywood sheet into the grooves. Slide it onto the center support. Slide the top horizontal support into the upright supports and secure it with wood screws.

7

Draw a line across the width of each poster holder's feet at 12 inches. Mark the halfway point of each line. Drill pilot holes, using a regular drill bit, on each line, 3/4 inches from each end and 1 inch from each side of the line at the center point. Align each foot's center line with the center of the bottom support. Secure the feet to the bottom and upright supports with wood screws.

8

Place coarse sand paper on your electric sander. Sand the entire poster stand. Sand it again using medium-grain sand paper. Sand it one more time using fine-grain paper. Dust off the wood with a cloth or an old paintbrush. Apply two coats of clear lacquer finish with a clean 2-inch-wide paintbrush. Allow it to dry.