How to make a giant wooden yardstick growth chart by hand without a stencil. These giant wooden growth chart rulers are so fun to make with a fence board. They are the perfect baby shower, child's first birthday, or Christmas gift idea.

I think this is a wonderful handmade gift for grandparents to make for their grandkids. It's a childhood keepsake they will cherish their whole life. With these, they can move from room-to-room or house-to-house with the child, unlike the old days where you were measured against a wall.

DIY Giant Wooden Growth Chart Ruler

I wish I had thought of this idea when my kids were little. Their growth milestones were charted on a wood-paneled wall in our basement. Thankfully we were able to remove the panel to salvage the growth chart.

Another nice thing about these DIY growth charts is that you can personalize them with the child's name or family name for multiple children. I personalized this one with my grandson's name and I wrote a special message on the back.

What You'll Need To Make It

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Supply List

6-foot Fence Board
Dark Walnut or Golden Oak Stain
2-inch Numbered Stencils
Black Acrylic Craft Paint
Script Liner Art Brush OR Sharpie Oil-Based Paint Markers
Clear Polycrylic
2 D-Ring Picture Hangers OR Large 3M Command Strips

Here's How To Make It

As mentioned earlier, you'll need a nice straight unwarped six-foot fence board. I prefer using pine fence boards because the boards have a smooth finish.

Prep Fence Board

You'll want to lightly hand sand the board with 150-grit sandpaper to remove any splinters. You'll also want to run the sandpaper along the edges of the board to soften the corners a little.

Stain Fence Board

After you finish sanding, wipe the board with a damp lint-free rag. With either a foam brush or a lint-free shop rag, apply one coat of stain, wiping the excess after a few minutes.

I used a dark walnut stain color but my preference is normally a golden oak because the color closely resembles a vintage wooden yardstick. The choice is yours what color you stain it. You may need to apply two coats depending on the color.

Once the stain is completely dry, you'll need a tape measure, pencil, and small square to draw the unit measurements in the next step.

Important Note:

At this point, you'll need to decide whether to make the growth chart rest on the floor like I did OR hang it on the wall.

Floor Standing Option: If you prefer the floor standing option like I did, then move on to the measurement guidelines in the next step.

Wall Mount Option: If you prefer the wall mount option, then the growth chart should be hung on the wall six inches above the floor. This means you'll need to adjust the units on the growth chart accordingly.

To do this measure six inches from the bottom of the growth chart to start the 1-foot unit measurement. You can see what that looks like in the stenciled growth chart that I made for my granddaughter.

Unit Guidelines For Floor Standing Growth Chart

1-Foot Unit Marks: (look like 1-inch on a ruler)

1. From the bottom of the board, measure 12-inches and mark it with a pencil on the left side of the board.
2. With a small square, draw a 3-inch long pencil line.
3. From that mark, measure another 12-inches up the board and draw another 3-inch long pencil line. Repeat until you've reached the top of the board.

6-Inch Unit Marks: (look like 1/2-inch on a ruler)

1. From the bottom of the board, measure 6-inches and mark it with a pencil.
2. With a small square, draw a 2 1/2- inch long pencil line.
3. Repeat between each 1-foot line.

3-Inch Unit Marks: (look like 1/4-inch on a ruler)

1. Measure 3-inches between the 12-inch and 6-inch pencil lines and mark with a pencil.
2. With a small square, draw a 2-inch long pencil line.
3. Repeat between each 12-inch and 6-inch line.

1 1/2-Inch Unit Marks: (look like 1/8-inch on a ruler)

1. Measure 1 1/2-inches between the 12-inch, 6-inch, and 3-inch pencil lines and mark with a pencil.
2. With a small square, draw a 1 1/2-inch long pencil line.
3. Repeat between each 12-inch, 6-inch line, and 3-inch line.

Stencil Unit Numbers

You'll want to use 2-inch number stencils and the same black acrylic craft paint to mark the unit numbers on the growth chart. Directly underneath each 1-foot unit stencil the corresponding number like pictured below.

Stencil Tips

• Use painter's tape to hold the stencil in place.
• The key to avoiding paint bleed is to dab the excess paint onto a paper towel first.
• You want very little paint left on the brush.
• Start in the open area of the stencil and work your way toward the edges.

Personalize Growth Chart

Next, we'll personalize the growth chart with the child's name or children's surname.

1. Create the name graphic in Microsoft Word, PicMonkey, or whatever your software preference is.
2. Find a font that you like and type the name sized to fit the width of the fence board.
3. Save it to your computer and print it onto bond paper.
4. Next, use this image transfer technique to apply the name onto the stained fence board.
5. With a script liner art brush or a Sharpie Oil Paint Pen, paint over the transferred name.

How To Hang Growth Chart

Attach two D-ring picture hangers on the back of the growth chart. I don't recommend using a sawtooth picture hanger because the bottom of the growth chart will easily sway and can fall onto the child's head.

Alternatively, especially if you are in a rental, use two large 3M Command Picture Hanging Strips, one at the top and one at the bottom.

IMPORTANT

If you made your growth chart based on the floor standing option, it's important that you secure the growth chart to the wall for a young child's safety.

As I mentioned earlier, write a special message on the back of the growth chart. On the back of mine, I wished my grandson a Merry Christmas with the year and signed it Love Grandma B. with some red hearts with a Sharpie pen.

I hope this has inspired you to make a personalized yardstick growth chart for the little ones in your life. Thanks for stopping by the Interior Frugalista today!

Here's another fun handmade gift idea for little ones that will also make their parents very happy. These adorable DIY stuffed animal zoos are a fun way to corral them all in one place in their rooms.

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