• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Blog
    • Vintage Love
    • DIY + Crafts
    • Home Projects + Makeovers
    • Decorating Ideas
    • Furniture Flips
    • Pop-Up Shops
    • Seasonal Decor
    • Good Things
  • Home Tour
  • Shop Our Home
    • Amazon Favorites
    • Holiday Shop
  • About
  • Work With Us
    • Email Kristy
    • Marketing + Design Services
    • Disclosure Policy
    • Privacy Policy
  • Nav Widget Area

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

Robb Restyle

DIY | Decorating with Flea Market and Vintage Finds

You are here: Home / Projects / DIY + Crafts / DIY License Plate Flower

February 22, 2015

DIY License Plate Flower

This easy DIY project marries our love for vintage and repurpose. The result? A license plate love child, in the shape of a flower.

We love to recycle old license plates. It’s one of the first projects we ever sold. Today we are going to finally give you a little behind the scenes on how we make them.

stockpile_license_plates

Because we are hoarders collectors, we have dozens of license plates in our inventory. Our collection represents several states, colors and decades. And, this little project creates a unique wall hanging that works both indoors and out.

minnesota_plate

This project only takes 3 license plates, so it’s easy to get started if you have a few leftover license plates around your house. If not, you can usually find a few at the flea market or tucked away in someone’s garage. Just sayin’.

DIY_License_plate_flower

You need a few tools to begin. First, a set of tin snips. Any ol’ pair will do. You’re also going to want a brad nailer. We use our handy Ryobi Brad Nailer… and while it’s not a complicated DIY project, you’re going to want a brad nailer to attach the metal plates to the wood. It’s faster, more accurate, and the tiny nails are barely visible.

If you don’t have a brad nailer in your DIY arsenal, you are missing out. Here’s what we like about the Ryobi Brad Nailer:

  • Like all other Ryobi tools, the battery life is excellent. The lithium is lightweight and we can crank out a lot of projects on a single charge. Plus, it comes in this cool lime green.
  • This cordless version also lends itself to being a little lighter to hold and easier to handle. Yet, it’s not short on power and quickly penetrates both metal and wood.
  • The narrow width of the tool and the added light gives you a good, clear view of what you are trying to nail. Plus, Ryobi has made it easy to get nails in and out so we can adjust nail size quickly when we’re working on multiple projects.

Let’s begin.

Start with a wood circle. We traced an old whipped cream lid for ours. We have several trimmed circles from wood scraps at the ready. But you can use something already shaped in a circle if you want.

trace_a_circle

Next, center the main plate you want to use over the circle and secure it with some nails. Part of the beauty of using a Ryobi brad nailer is that the nails are barely visible. So, nail away my friend.

line_up_plate

ryobi_nailgun_airstrike

Trim the excess around the circle with your tin snips. This is going to take some strength. We’ve found that some plates are easier to cut than others. Our favorite plates to work with are from Illinois. The are a little thinner and easier to cut.

flip_and_cut

Use the scraps of the circle plate to cut 3-4 thin strips to line the outside of the circle and attach them to the edge with the brad nailer.

cut_1

cut_step2

sides_step3

Trace your petals on the other two license plates and trim. Whatever shape of petals you trace, just make sure you can get 4 cut from each plate. Flex your muscles and put those tin snips to work again.

petals_1

petal_2

Before you attach the petals, find the top center on the back and add a picture hanger. This will help you align the petals.

sawtooth_hanger

Shape your petals a bit before attaching them. A slight bend will make them look better.

petal_bend

Attach the first 4 petals of one of the plates in the 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock positions. The fill in the spaces with the other 4 petals.

add_petals

And, that’s it! Nothing to it but to do it.

final_flower

Here are a few other creative ways to repurpose old license plates.

maryland_plate

illinois_heart_plate

big_flower

Vintage ceiling tiles also make nice flowers.

mudroom

vintage_sled

 

And, just to prove how easy this DIY really is, we created this time-lapse video. Too bad we can’t really crank these out this fast. Now wouldn’t that be fun???

But, if you don’t have any license plates at home or think this project isn’t for you, don’t worry! Simply visit our Etsy shop … we’ve got a few ready for ya!

Kristy Robb

DIY License Plate Flower Project

 

 

 

Filed Under: DIY + Crafts, Vintage Love Kristy Robb

Reader Interactions

Country Chic Paint & Me
Painting My Dining & Craft Room

Comments

  1. Betsy says

    February 23, 2015 at 7:33 pm

    These are so cute, and I love how you’ve color coordinated them. Great tutorial! Thanks so much for sharing at Vintage Inspiration Party.

    • Kristy Robb says

      February 24, 2015 at 2:34 pm

      Thanks so much Betsy!

  2. Cindy Trobaugh says

    March 1, 2015 at 1:36 pm

    AMAZING!! Saw Your talent on dyi sunday showcase.Congrats on the feature and Thanks for sharing. Smiles.Cindy

    • Kristy Robb says

      March 1, 2015 at 3:01 pm

      Thank you Cindy!

  3. Cindy @ Upcycled Design Lab says

    March 1, 2015 at 3:27 pm

    What a fun project! Wish I had some license plates. 🙂

  4. Stacey K says

    March 3, 2015 at 5:29 pm

    I love this! I am definitely going to make this. Thanks for the inspiration! This will look great on my porch this summer!

    • Kristy Robb says

      March 3, 2015 at 6:36 pm

      Oh thanks, I love them outside! Good luck!

Primary Sidebar

Meet Kristy

Robb Restyle Hi there friend!
I'm so glad you're here. My name is Kristy and together with my husband Corey, we are DIY enthusiasts restyling our 1914 Indiana home and hunting for architectural salvage. We love sharing eclectic home decorating ideas for your vintage finds, retro furniture rehabs, and savvy advice for restyling your home - we're creating champagne style on a beer budget. Read More!
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

AS SEEN IN

Robb Restyle Magazine Feature

Looking for something?

Archives

© Kristy Robb and Robb Restyle, 2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Robb Restyle with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Please only use one picture with a link back unless individual permission is given otherwise by Robb Restyle. Full disclosure here.

Footer

Helpful Links

  • Blog
  • Shop Our Home
  • Work With Us
  • Disclosure Policy
  • Privacy Policy

Search

Archives

Categories

© 2015 Pretty Happy WordPress Theme · By: Pretty Darn Cute Design