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I may have an obsession with maps and globes. I hope this sparks curiosity and a sense of exploration in my kids. This DIY USA Wood Wall Picture is my new favorite wall decor and it was easy. I’m not just saying that for the sake of it… seriously. I actually asked a friend to do this project with me. A friend who has never used power tools before and will agree, this is a lot more manageable than it looks.
You will need:
- A sheet of plywood
- Wooden planks; wooden pallets or cheap fences
- Wood glue
- Nails
- Projector of some sort
- Keyhole saw
Instructions:
Start by cutting a sheet of plywood roughly the size of the map you want. Home improvement stores will gladly cut it to size for you. Mine is almost 6 feet wide.
Lay out how the planks will be placed on the plywood. I chose an inexpensive cedar fence with a horizontal pattern. Glue the planks to the plywood. I used heavy wheat buckets to keep it flat while it dries. You can also put some nails in the back to hold it in place while it dries.
Once it is completely dry, draw a backward I drew the map on the plywood side with a permanent marker. I used an LCD video projector, but an overhead projector would work with a transparency. 
Once I had the map laid out, I reinforced the entire perimeter of the map (inside the layout) with nails from my nail gun. I knew that the jigsaw would be working back and forth and might cause some of the smaller pieces to come loose, but this helped hold everything together.
With the plywood facing up, using a jigsaw, slowly cut along the marker line that outlines the map. There are a lot of intricate pieces on the U.S. map, and I didn’t cut out every small piece; a jigsaw isn’t designed for fine cuts. To make some cuts, you’ll need to make them from multiple angles to make them work, but be patient. 
At first, you’ll want to try to follow every little curve and line, but then you’ll realize that it’s not necessary. Depending on the size of the map, cutting can take an hour or two. Go slowly. Take breaks, or your hand might fall off from the vibration of the saw!
It’s time to admire your work!
Flip it over and admire your work. You may see areas you want to clean up a bit or be more thorough with. If that’s the case, flip it over and keep cutting.
I decided to make this piece a little rustic, so I sanded just some of the edges to make them look pretty, but I didn’t sand the whole piece. Don’t you love rough wood? It had character and charm. I also decided not to stain it, because I liked the color variations in the wood. But you can choose whatever suits your home and style – sand and stain if you wish!
See more of my adventures and projects at www.lifewithfingerprints.com
Now that you have your rustic style, continue adding some of these rustic touches to your home decor:
