I have another crafty project to share with you today: this DIY pizza board in an easy wood-burning project.

Today I have a new craft and one that is a little bit of a cheat from the real deal. That’s right, I will be trying out wood burning but an easier way with this DIY pizza board.

Wood burning typically involves a heated tool (pyrography tool) to burn a design into wood. It takes some skill and a steady hand with lots of practice. But, what if I told you, you can get a very similar effect more easily? Well, that is what I am going to show you today!

DIY Pizza Board – Scorch Pen

For this easy wood-burning project, I will personalise a round board into a DIY pizza board. No need for a pyrograph tool either, as we are going to be using a ‘scorch pen’ instead.

The idea behind the scorch marker are they use chemicals which react to heat to effectively burn the design into the wood. To make it easier, it is like using a felt-tip pen to draw your design. Pretty cool right?

Now, there is a slight downside to the scorch pens; they can bleed down the wood grain which can lead to a smudged look to the design. So, your design can look a little bit more rustic than when using a pyrography tool. You can still get a great effect though and is a great way to test out designs for wood burning.

To help apply the design, we will also create a vinyl stencil. I am using the Silhouette Cameo 4, however, you can use any digital cutting tool that you have, or even buy a pre-designed stencil. I will show you the process of making your stencil, very similar to the DIY Christmas Cups as well as how to use the scorch marker.

If this project inspires you, check out these other digital cutting projects too!

So, if you would like to see how to make a DIY pizza board in this easy wood-burning project, then, let’s get crafting!

DIY Pizza Board – What You Need

To make the DIY pizza board, you will need the following items. Please note some of these items are affiliate links and will be marked with an asterisk (*).

• Silhouette Cameo 4 (or other digital cutting devices)
• Silhouette Studio (or relevant software)
• Vinyl*
• Transfer Tape*
• Round Pizza board*
• Scorch marker*
• Heat Gun*
• Wooden board conditioning oil*

Step 1 – Create a Design

Before we can begin wood burning, we first need to design the stencil. To do this, I am using the Silhouette Studio and my Silhouette Cameo 4. Use whichever design programme for your digital cutting machine. The wording may be different but the principles will be pretty much the same. If you have opted to buy a stencil, then skip this part and jump to step 3.

Open the design space, and adjust your settings to match the media. In this case, my vinyl pieces are 12×12 and therefore I have changed this setting to reflect this.
Then draw a circle the same circumference as the wooden board you are going to be using. Mine is 30cm in diameter. This will allow you to create the design which will fit the board you are wood burning.

Now, this part can be completely creative. I am using a mix of text and pictures for my design. Just be mindful of the images you are using and how they will be cut out in stencil. You also don’t want a design too intricate due to the way the scorch pen works.

Text

Start by creating the text box and writing your chosen word or phrase. Then head to the right-hand side text tab to edit the font. I have chosen two different fonts that complement each other, one formal and easy to read and another that is more script-like. I wanted the text to be personal to the person and make it sound like they have their pizzeria, therefore the font should reflect this.

Once you have your text, select all as well as the circle and head to the transform tab. You can align the text from here to centralise this within the circle. It helps with the design process, I think anyway.

Images

I selected the library tab for the images on my DIY pizza board and searched through the installed designs. As this is pizza-themed, I wanted something that I felt was Italian. Therefore I have looked for olive branches or wreaths to add to the design. Now, I am not sure if this design is included in the software, or provided in the deal I got when buying my machine. You will be able to search through the store or library to find whatever suits your design. Again, remember not to have something too intricate.

Position the image(s) in your design where you would like them to be placed.

Once you have your design, we need to adjust it to make it a stencil. First, start by removing the circle from the cutting mat (on the software). You can delete this, but I like to drag it to the side so that I have it if I want to create another board.
Then move the text boxes and images around the mat, trying to save space and vinyl when it is cut. Draw a rectangle around each word and image to create the stencil part. This will then act as the base for the stencil when the words/images are reverse-weeded out.

Step 2 – Cut out & Weed Vinyl

Once the stencil design is complete and has been made into a stencil, it is time to cut it out. Place your chosen vinyl onto the cutting mat, making sure the colour side is facing upwards. I chose to use a colour that I more than likely won’t use for actual vinyl designs.

Place the cutting mat into the silhouette cameo 4 and head to the ‘send’ tab in the studio. Again, make sure the settings correlate to your design, selecting the correct vinyl setting. In my case, it is ‘Vinyl, glossy’. I am also using an auto blade, which will automatically adjust to the correct blade depth for cutting out the design. I also like to select the ‘overcut’ option for a neater cut line.

Let the machine do its business and cut out the design, then remove it from the mat. A top tip for removing the vinyl is to turn it over so the mat is facing you and pull the mat towards you, removing the mat from the vinyl rather than the vinyl to the mat. This will help reduce any air bubbles forming under the vinyl.

Cut the vinyl down into individual pieces, making sure not to cut into the rectangle around each design piece. Then, we need to weed the design and this is in reverse to a usual vinyl project. Instead, we are removing the design, rather than the area around it. This is called reverse weeding. I like to use sharp pointed tweezers to help with the weeding process, as it allows you to get into the corners of the vinyl a bit easier.

Once everything is weeded, place transfer tape onto the design. Adhere to the vinyl by using the scraper tool.

Step 3 – Apply to the Pizza Board

Once you have your design ready, it is time to place them on the board. Start by placing where you want the design to sit (without removing the tape). I also used a tape measure to help find the middle of the board to place the design.

When happy with the placement, start with the middle of the design and work outwards. Remove the backing of the vinyl and place it onto the board, smoothing this down with the vinyl scraper. Then, remove the transfer tape. I like to place the vinyl scraper on top of this to help pull the transfer tape back on itself and give some control in making sure the vinyl remains in place. As we are placing the vinyl on wood, it can be unstuck, so you want to make sure it fully adheres.

Repeat until all of your vinyl stencil pieces are placed onto the board. If you are using a pre-made stencil, place it down where you want your design to be, and secure it with tape. A painter’s tape is grippy enough to hold into place but gentle enough to not leave a sticky residue when removed.

Step 4 – Apply Scorch Marker & Heat

Now the stencil is in place, it is time for the fun to begin. Shake the scorch marker as directed on the pen to get the chemicals flowing, blotting on a tissue to check it is flowing. Then, begin filling in the stencil, making sure not to apply too much but not too little. Use a tissue to blot once filled to remove any excess. Leave a few minutes to soak into the wood.

Now, remove the vinyl to reveal the design made by the pen. Make sure all of the vinyl is removed before heating.
Then, grab the heat tool/heat gun and begin heating the design that you have marked with the scorch marker. You will see the heat react with the chemicals and the wood will start to darken. The more heat, the darker the design, so play around with the look you like, being careful not to get too close to the surrounding wood, which can scorch from the heat.

Then the DIY pizza board is nearly complete! Allow the board to cool, then apply a liberal amount of wood conditioning oil. This will condition the wood and help the longevity of the board.

The DIY pizza board is then complete to either keep for yourself or give away as a gift!

Although not completely perfect, the scorch pen is a great way to get that wood-burned look to your designs. What do you think of this DIY Pizza Board? Will you be making one similar? Let me know in the comments below!

DIY Pizza Board – Video

Here is the video version of this post, if you find it easier to follow along this way! Don’t forget to like the video if you have enjoyed it, and why not subscribe to my channel to keep up with all of my creative and crafty antics on YouTube?

DIY Pizza Board – Share it!

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