Faux Stone Address Block

I want to replace my lame address block over the garage. It is old and cheap and not even up to code. Code requires 4" high numbers, in both the back and front of the house. The old ones are 3" high. The goal is to make something that looks like the nice stone (well, concrete) address block built in to the front of the house.

Step 1:

I used scraps of 3/4" thick PVC left over from window frame replacement work, which is lucky since PVC is a bit pricey. I wanted PVC so it lasts forever. PVC works and paints like wood.

1. Get your dimensions and cut frame pieces with mitered corners. Add a bevel to the inside edge of the frame. I used a table saw for the bevel. Alternatively, you can plate glue a couple pieces of PVC together and use a router and jigs to remove the material for the recessed area (make a tray out of one piece of PVC).
2. Glue the PVC frame together with a compatible outdoor adhesive like PL Premium. Clamp the corners. I made these little corner clamp jigs.
3. I re-sawed some PVC stock to create 1/4" thick back panel to insert in the frame. Glue it in.
4. Sand the surfaces to remove sharp corners and to give more bite for the paint.
5. I bought some keyhole hangers and used a small router bit to recess them and hollow out clearance for the screw head. They are just screwed on using 5/8" long screws. I sprayed them to inhibit rust, since they were not labeled for outdoor used.

Step 2:

1. Prime and paint the color your want the numbers to be. In my case black. We will next mask off the black to paint the field color (sandstone/white).
2. Use your computer to design your typeface. Use a program like Word, Pages, or Adobe Illustrator (which is what I used) to tweak the font, thickness, and height of the numbers.
3. Print the numbers out, and check that they measure correctly.
4. Cut the numbers out. I just patiently used scissors.
5. Make your own adhesive version of the numbers. I put mylar duct table on wax paper. Then trace the numbers. They don't have to line up with each other, at this time. You just need all of the numbers in sticker form.
6. Cut the numbers out, with scissors or a sharp hobby knife.
7. Take some time to layout the numbers before peeling the wax paper back off. I used blue tape references to help lay them out so it was easier to position them after you expose the adhesive backing.
8. Press the number masks down firmly along all the edges.
9. Paint light coats of the field color. Before the final color, I painted a textured paint to help give it a textured natural look.
10. After it is dry, peel off the numbers.

Step 3:

Came out looking pretty similar. I purposely chose a typeface that was easier to cut out than the original. After I finished, I realized another final light coat of the sandy textured paint might have made it look even better.