House numbers blasted in stone

Sunset, August, 1993 by Peter O. Whiteley

THOUGH OFTEN overlooked by homeowners, house numbers are the first thing looked for by visitors. The pair of house numbers shown here make sure that a good first impression is carved in stone.

Stone's natural color, shape, and texture give these numbers distinctive good looks that set them apart from their more utilitarian metal and wood kin. While professional sandblasting is required to etch the numbers, most of the project can be done by anyone capable of cutting a stencil. However, it does require a little legwork to bring together supplies from different sources.

We found the black slate and lichen-covered flagstone at a building supply yard. Both kinds of rock are relatively soft and flat with broad, smooth surfaces. Though we opted for more free-form shapes, you also can choose stone that's been cut into squares and rectangles for patio paving. (Tile stores are a good place to look for smaller, lightweight slate squares.)

To find the right stone, you'll probably have to sort through bins of heavy rocks, so be sure to wear gloves and grubby clothes. Rocks are usually sold by the pound; the black slate ran about 60 cents per pound, the flagstone 11 to 16 cents.

For the numbers them selves, use rub-on characters from an art supply store or a typeface created on a home computer, or draw your own by hand. Make sure the letters are tall enough--4 to 6 inches--to be legible from a distance. (If necessary, you can enlarge them on a copying machine.)

You'll also need adhesive backed stencil material, sold at stores that carry stained glass or sign-painting supplies, for masking glass or wood while sandblasting. One kind resembles extra-thick contact paper, while another feels more like vinyl. Both have a peel-off backing covering an adhesive surface, and can be cut easily with a fine point craft or mat knife.

Before applying the numbers, be sure the stone surface is clean. Remove the stencil materials' backing and place the material over the entire surface. Next, glue the numbers in place, and cut around them (you may have to change blades, as they dull quickly on the stone). If you want the numbers to be etched into the stone, peel away the numbers; to make the numbers stand out against a recessed background, cut an appropriate shape around the numbers and remove the surrounding material.

The stone is now ready for sandblasting. To find some one for that job, check in the yellow pages under Sand blasting. You may also find someone equipped to do it at a stained-glass shop. These are relatively small jobs; each stone was etched about 1/6 inch in roughly 15 minutes for about $15.

When the moment of truth came to peel off our stencils,we found good contrast on the flagstone but more subtle contrast on the black slate. To heighten the legibility from a distance, we painted the etched area with copper paint.