Creating Texture & Elegance: Decoupage on Wood with Artistic Flair
Hey, friends! Today, I’m so excited to share with you how to decoupage on wood and create the most beautiful wall art. We’ll combine a gorgeous wrapping paper, a stunning floral transfer, and a touch of gold shine for extra charm. All the steps are broken down for you, so grab your materials and let’s create something beautiful together!
Materials You’ll Need To Decoupage On Wood With Thick Paper
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- A wooden surface (I used a small wooden plaque)
- Sandpaper if needed (220 grit or higher)
- Thick decorative paper (I used Brush Stroke Gold from Paper Source)
- Wallpaper adhesive (thicker than Mod Podge and works great for heavy paper)
- A small paint brush
- Water in a spritzer bottle
- X-Acto knife or box cutter
- Gold leaf sheets
- Gilding size
- A soft brush (like a makeup brush)
- Paint (I used Paint Couture’s Candlelight and a chalk-style white)
- Clear wax for sealing
How To Decoupage Onto Wood Video Tutorial
How To Decoupage On Wood – Step By Step
Step 1: Prepping Your Paper and Wood
I started with a small, unfinished, wooden plaque purchased at Michael’s. If you’ve ever worked with unfinished wood, you’lI know it sometimes has a few rough spots. If that’s the case, lightly sand the surface to make it smooth as possible for your paper.
The paper I’m using is a thick, hand-made wrapping paper from The Paper Source. It has beautiful, gold brush strokes throughout. I had a piece leftover from How to DIY a Decorative Book Cover and I thought it would make the perfect background for this particular art project.
Before gluing anything down, I placed the paper in the inside section of the wood and marked the edges lightly with my fingernails. No fancy tools—just a simple way to get a rough guide.
Now, to add a little more interest to my piece, I decided to rub a Decor Transfer directly onto my paper. The transfer could also be added after the paper was decoupaged, but I didn’t want to have to wait for the adhesive to dry first. I wan’t sure just how well the transfer would adhere to paper, but it transferred perfectly. It really takes the paper up a notch don’t you think?
New to Decor Transfers and want to learn more? Check out This Guide to using IOD Transfers.
Step 2: Decoupage Paper Onto Wood
Because this paper is thicker (almost like a heavy rice paper), I used wallpaper adhesive instead of regular decoupage medium or ModPodge. It’s thicker and has a little more grip.
Using a small paint brush, I brushed a generous amount of wallpaper adhesive on the inside section of the wood. Next, I spritzed the back of the paper lightly with water. This softens the paper slightly, helping it stick better. After carefully placing the paper on the wood, use your hands or a flat object to smooth it down. Now brush another layer of adhesive on the top of the paper and allow to dry.
If you see a few wrinkles, don’t worry—they usually disappear once dry. Thicker papers rarely wrinkle anyway.
Note: Generally I would paint the surface before decoupaging; however, because this paper was thick and pretty close in color to the wood, I didn’t think it was necessary. Usually when decoupaging, a thinner paper or napkin is used and you would want to paint your surface white to complement the colors in the paper or napkin.
Step 3: Trimming Excess Paper Away
Once the paper was fully dry, I used a box cutter to trim off the excess. An X-Acto knife would work too, if not better. The key here is patience! Go slow and keep your blade sharp to avoid tearing the paper. If any corners of the paper lift up, just add a little more adhesive and press them back down.
Step 4: Painting the Wood
To tie everything together, I painted the outer edges of the wood with a color close to the background of the decorative paper; Paint Couture’s Candlelight. I first started with a layer of white chalk-style paint as my base, only because I knew it could be dried faster. (I was on a live video and sometimes I have to adjust). Candlelight is an acrylic paint and really doesn’t like high heat; also, I didn’t have a cream colored chalk paint on hand.
Step 4: Adding Gold Leaf To Painted Wood
Now for the fun part—gold leaf! I wanted to add just a little shimmer around the edges to complement my paper.
First, I brushed on some gilding size (which is like a glue for gold leaf) along the border. It’s best to let this get tacky before applying the gold—about 10-15 minutes is ideal, but let’s be honest… I usually get impatient and start sooner! You can speed up the drying process by using a hair dryer.
Once tacky, I laid down pieces of gold leaf, pressing it gently into the adhesive. Gold leaf is super delicate, so don’t stress if it crumbles a bit—that’s part of its charm! I used a soft brush to dust off the excess and reveal that beautiful, gilded edge.
New to Gold Leaf? Check out my Blog Post on HOW TO APPLY GOLD LEAF TO MOST SURFACES.
A little tip: I usually add another layer of gold leaf so if I miss a spot, I’ll catch it next time.
Step 6: Adding Extra Details To DIY Decoupage Art
I love layering details, so I decided to add a little script transfer to the design. The Rose Botanical Transfer sheets come with some beautiful script elements, which really elevate the look. I cut out a few pieces and placed them in areas that needed a little something extra.
You can get creative here—script transfers, small florals, or even a wax seal would look amazing!
Step 7: Sealing Decoupage on Wood With Wax
To finish the piece, I sealed everything with clear wax. Clear wax is a nice protective layer and doesn’t dull the shine of the gold leaf. Using a soft, natural bristle brush, gently brush on the clear wax.
And that’s it! All that’s left is just to admire what you’ve made! This little project turned out so beautifully, and I love how the gold leaf accentuates the gold in the paper. You could do this on trays, books, furniture, or even picture frames—so many possibilities! If you loved this project join my creative community and have all new projects delivered right to your in box.
If you’ve ever wanted to decoupage a piece of art, I hope this inspires you to give it a try! Whether you use luxe handmade paper, wrapping paper, or napkins, the possibilities are endless.
What do you think? Will you try this? Let me know in the comments—I’d love to hear your ideas!
Want more inspiration for Decoupage Projects? Check these Projects out:
A Unique Way to Decoupage Lamp Shades With Handmade Paper
How To DIY Decorative Book Covers
DIY DECOUPAGE BOOK COVERS
DIY Decoupage Canvas Wall Art
Decoupage With Wrapping Paper For Beautiful Art
Other Sources For Inspiration:
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Until Next Time!
Happy Creating!
Joanie
