DIY Medal Hanger

I don't know about you, but I do not have the money to invest in a fancy medal hanger. Don't get me wrong, I totally love the ones I have seen and have definitely considered taking a hit to my wallet to own one, but I would much rather use that money for fancy compression socks...

So, to have my socks and a medal hanger too, I decided to make my own! So here is how I made my very own, personalized race medal hanger! Enjoy!!!




DIY Race Medal Hanger
Note: I have never done a DIY quite like this, so I am sorry if I have next to terrible instructions!

 What You Need

• Wooden Plaque
• Mod Podge
• Paint brush
• Race Bibs
• Scanner/Printer (so you don't ruin your race bibs!)
• Scissors
• Exacto Knife or Box Cutter
• Wall Hook Screws
• Round Picture Hangers
• Screw Driver

First, you will need to collect all the race bibs that you want to present on your medal hanger. If you don't think you have enough to fill the background of your selected plaque, that is okay! We are using a scanner/printer to make copies of your bibs so we can double them up. Also, we don't want to ruin your race memorabilia!

I copied and printed about six of my race bibs and doubled the copies, which gave me 12 bibs total. Cut the copies out and set them to the side.

Next, bring out your selected wooden plaque. I bought mine from Michael's and they had several sizes and shapes. I preferred this design because it could hold several medal hooks. But you can choose whatever size and shape that suites you and your medal collection.

I arranged my bibs in the area I wanted to see them on the plaque off to the side. I did that so when I started applying Mod Podge, I did not have to try and peel the bibs off if I didn't like where they were.

Take your brush and apply a coat of Mod Podge directly to the plaque.

I applied it in sections, then began to add my race bibs.

Make sure that you stick them securely so no air bubbles are trapped underneath. Also, don't worry if your bibs hang over the edge of the plaque, you will cut the access off later. Just make sure you are covering the entire surface area.

Once the bibs are applied, you will add a coat of Mod Podge on top. Be careful on this step. If you are brushing towards the edge of a bib, the paper may come up and get bubbles underneath. Try to brush away from the edges.

The white coat will turn clear when dried. You will want to apply 1-2 more coats to ensure that the bibs will stay secure.

Once you have completed the drying process, take an exacto knife or box cutter around the outside of the plaque to remove the excess paper that hangs over. If you do not wait until it is completely dry, you will get a rough edge. It can also pull the bibs, leaving wrinkles. (sorry no picture!)

Apply one last coat of Mod Podge and let dry completely. I set mine in the sun to speed up the drying process.

Next, mark where you want your hooks to go before screwing them in. I was able to fit a total of 10 hooks on my plaque. I did a zig zag method so when medals were added, they would not cover another medal up.

Ta Da!

Now, when it comes to hanging it, you can follow what I do, or find an easier method. I bought these from Target...

I nailed two to the back of the plaque, then put two screws in the wall to catch the loop of the hanger. If you are off by a centimeter, it will not hang. So you have to be pretty precise. If you find better hangers, by all means, use them! However, my method still turned out good, but was a pain in the ass.

If you decide to use my method and make your own wall mounted medal hanger, send me the pics! I would love to see your creations!