How To DIY Custom Neon Wall Art

Neon signs can instantly bright up your space and are 100% on trend right now! Make your own with Antonio's detailed step-by-step tutorial.

Neon Sign Using Strip Lighting

Materials + Tools

  • Wooden art board
  • Paper, marker
  • Painters tape
  • Drill and drill bits
  • Paint
  • Neon glowing strip light – Electroluminescent (EL wire) – used for crafts and costumes
  • Glue gun
  • Low temp glue gun sticks

Instructions
1. Draw your design or phrase on paper
2. Draw / mark start and stops of each segment in your design – to note where your strip will start and stop (holes)
3. Tape your paper on the art board
4. Drill thru each hole mark
5. Lightly sand board to remove / soften any drill blemishes
6. Paint board
7. Feed strip light thru each hole creating your design / phrase
8. Tape down strips to hold in place
9. Use glue minimally to secure curves in your strip
10. Use tape behind art board to hold down slack

Approximate Cost: $50


Neon Sign Using Pipe Cleaners (Hack)

Materials + Tools

  • Wooden art board
  • Paper, marker
  • Painters tape
  • Drill & drill bits
  • Paint
  • Pipe cleaners
  • Fish tank tubing
  • Scissors
  • Glue gun
  • Low temp glue gun sticks
  • Needle and invisible thread

Instructions
1. Draw your design or phrase on paper
2. Draw / mark start and stops of each segment in your design – to note where your pipe cleaners will start and stop (holes)
3. Tape your paper on the art board
4. Drill thru each hole mark
5. Lightly sand board to remove / soften any drill blemishes
6. Paint board
7. Feed pipe cleaners thru fish tank tubing
8. Feed tubing thru each hole creating your design / phrase
9. Tape down sections of tubes to hold in place
10. Use glue minimally to secure curves in your strip
11. For some curves and bends not holding with glue – drill small hole thru art board to fit a needle and secure tubing with needle and invisible thread

Approximate Cost: $25