DIY: Easy Growth Chart

I still remember the section of wall that my mom would mark to measure our height each year. As a kid, I loved looking back at the previous year's mark and seeing how much I'd grown. I wanted something similar for my kids, but being a military family we move a lot. You can buy paper or plastic growth charts, but the constant moving can add a lot of wear and tear. I set out to make something that was durable but also portable. And in true Mediocre fashion: easy and quick.

I started by buying a 6-foot piece of unfinished wood from Lowe's ($16). It was pre-cut to 6 feet and came in a couple different width options. I chose six inches wide. Here're the other supplies I used:

I stained the board with leftover stain I had from a previous project in the shade "mineral green." But I didn't like the finish so I used a darker stain, "gunstock." I just poured the stain right on the wood and rubbed it around with a sock I found. I think it was Nick's. Obviously if you want it to be perfect, follow the directions on the can instead of my pour/sock method.

After it dried overnight, I added the hash marks with a black Sharpie. I made the inch marks two inches in length and the quarter-inch marks an inch in length. I started marking the chart at six inches because I was planning on hanging it six inches from the ground.

I added the stickers I got from Michaels ($4) in the center of the board. You could also use stencils and paint, but I was looking for something a little more quick and easy.

Then I sprayed the whole thing with two coats of a clear gloss sealant so the stickers wouldn't lift at the edges. Modpodge would also work similarly.

Finally I attached a small metal sawtooth picture hanger (six for $1) to the back of the board and hung it six inches from the floor.