Classroom DIY - Fence into Wall Display

When we moved into our house, the fence was falling down.  We knew it would have to be replaced and were excited to have so much wood to use for crafting!  As I sat looking at the finished product, I realized that this would also be a great classroom project.  

We are using it to hang pictures of our wonderful family and friends.  In the classroom, it would be awesome for pictures of class events to inspire student writing or as a wall of fame to celebrate student successes.

This would definitely not fit in my current classroom, as I have been blessed with walls full of cabinet space.  However, I am thinking of a few giant classrooms I've had the pleasure of working in.  There was always extra space available in my double-sized classrooms.  This would have been a great addition to our decor!

It was remarkably easy and almost free, since we happened to have almost everything on hand.  We started by picking the best fence pieces.

Then we tested all the sandpaper we could find.  We liked the look of the 100 grit (top) and were shocked at how different it looked.  About a million other ideas came to us when we saw that!

Then we sanded it, so it wouldn't hurt anyone or mess up the look of the paint.  This awesome guy is the brains behind hanging the fence on the wall.  I married a genius, I tell you!

I, of course, had a blast.  DIY project?  Home improvement project, and I can't mess it up?  YES!

I painted it with colors we had from painting various parts of the house or samples we looked at when we were trying to pick colors.  Then we hung it up.  Please forgive the horrible glare!

We used Gorilla glue to attach 3/4 inch clothespins to the center and outer edges of the fence posts.  We attached the twine to each one, then hung pictures with the rest of the clothespins.

We are really enjoying this in our living room.  If you have a giant classroom to decorate, this would be a great way to do it!

Happy DIYing!