Hands up, who doesn’t love free printables? And if you’re a bit of a nerd like me then I have six awesome and free periodic table printables to share with you guys today. They make super cool gifts and will look great hanging on the wall. I even had one printed on a T-shirt for my hubby. He’s a nerd too :D
Nerd (noun): An intellectual badass
Some Interesting Facts About the Periodic Table
The periodic table was created way back in 1869 by Dmitry Mendeleev, a cantankerous professor from the University of St. Petersburg. Apparently he had a tough deadline to meet and played a game of “chemical solitaire” to arrange all the jumbled facts about elements into a logical “cheat sheet”. It seems that cranky Prof was quite protective over his table. When argon was discovered in 1894, it didn’t fit into Mendeleev’s table, so he denied its existence. It was only when radon, neon, krypton, helium, and xenon were found that he finally revised his periodic table to include these noble gases.
Ever wondered why some elements are drifting around at the bottom of the periodic table? It’s to make it all fit nicely on a page or screen. Seriously, I’m not kidding. It seems even mad scientists think about pretty layouts ;-)
Wonder is the heaviest element on the periodic table. Even a tiny fleck of it stops time.
Elements are often named after the place in which they were documented, like germanium (Germany) and americium (America). Even the Scandinavian god of thunder has an element name after him (Thorium). So do Einstein, the Curies and Prof Mendeleev (Einsteinium, Curium and Mendelevium).
Here’s another interesting fact. Dubnium was named after a Russian city north of Moscow where the element was first discovered by Otto Hahn. But prior to the name becoming official, the University of California proposed that it be called hahnium (Ha) in honor of Otto Hahn. I wish they’d gone for Ha instead of Db :D
There are 118 elements on the periodic table so making up words was so much fun. It’s like playing scrabble with chemistry :D The only letter you won’t be able to find is J. Anyhows enough of my babbling. I promised you printables, not a lesson in the history of the periodic table ;-)
Periodic Table Printables for the Nerd in your Life
The first 3 printables are all 8×8 images so they are super easy to print at home and display in a square frame. Just click on the pic to download the zip file. It contains all the elements you need to make the words.
The next 3 are standard letter size and are perfect for nerds with a sense of humor ;-) Once again you can just click on the image to download the zip file.
The following are available in both “black on white” and “white on black”. So you get to choose which one fits your decor best.
Don’t forget to pin it for later ;-)
Sharing is caring ;-)

And if you don’t want to go to the trouble to find the right frames for your printables, I’ve got you covered Disclosure: Clicking on the links below, means we may receive a very small commission from Amazon. But don’t worry it won’t come out of your pocket, and it helps us come up with more unique DIY and craft ideas for you ;-)
Or perhaps you’re looking for some more nerd friendly gift ideas, then maybe these will work.
Thanks so much for stopping by. Until next time, hope you have a beautiful creative week.
30 comments
Very clever – and fun! Wanted to create my name, but then the bummer…. no ‘J’. Didn’t give up, then no ‘Q’ either… (I think?) – and oh, I have 3 names, all starting with…. you guessed it!
Anyway, as you write, many other words to scrabble together.
In case you want to go bold (as in BIG), maybe use this site: https://www.blockposters.com/
Mooi bly!
LOL, yes J and Q are problem children when it comes to the periodic table :D Maybe they find an amazing new element, something that’s really rare like astatine, and call it a J something or other. And thanks for the blockposter link, Jay. I love using it to make BIG images
Love this. I took GED classes with my autistic daughter to help her get through, and was fascinated with the periodic table. These printables have special meaning to me as a memory of that time with her. (She passed after 1.5 years. Yessss!!.)
Oh Dorothy that’s so awesome and what an amazing Mom you are. Memories like that are beyond special and something that most people will probably never understand fully. Thank you so very much for sharing them here, that means so much to me ?
These are adorable…and hilarious! I love all the history about the periodic table. My favorite fact was that Mendeleev denied Argon’s existence because it didn’t fit into his table. Dying.
Oh shame that poor man. HE came from obscurity and shot to fame with his periodic table. It was pure genius but he was very protective over it ?
Thank you for the printables Michelle. They are so minimal and they are perfect for my daughter’s little appartment in the University.
? Cool Christina, I’m glad you like them and hope your daughter does too
Thank you ?
It’s a pleasure Marli
Thank you for the printables. I’ve been trying to find something fun to give my son for his dorm room and these will work really well ?
It’s a pleasure Susan, thank you so much for coming to say hi too
How cool! This is brilliant! Just amazing, thanks for the huge laugh today, pining and sharing on my Facebook page!
Thank you Wendi ?
Love these and my science-loving sons will too!
Thanks so much Claire, glad you like them
Now this idea is genius! Love how you put these elements together to create fun wall art. Wine fits for my house and I need Ha in my office! Pinned and sharing with all the nerds in my life.
? We’re doing the Beer and Ha one ?Thanks so much for the pin Marie
What a fun project. It is the closest I will ever get to the periodic tables. Science is not my thing but using the tables as artwork sure is.
Science is fun. You get to blow all kinds of things up ? Glad you liked them Debra
Michelle the one with the wine is perfect for my son who is going through this phase where he wants to sample all the wines out there. Very cute and so much fun, all of them!!
? We have to put that one on a T-shirt for him Mary, so everyone knows he’s doing it for science ?
Oh, my good grief I love these …. bahahaha…. I have to share these with my sons, they will kill themselves laughing.
Spot on fun. Pinning as well.
? ? ? Glad you liked them Leanna and thanks so much for the pin too
Love these Michelle, and how you put them together for some fun wall art! Thanks for sharing the printables and the interesting lesson in history ?
You’re most welcome Linda ?
I just love these printables. What fun! And what a great idea for any geek in your life!
? Thank you Carolann. I had lots of fun doing them
Hahaha, I love these and the simple look and how you can make up anything with them!! Awesome idea!!
Thanks so much Katrin. I didn’t realize until I started how many possibilities there actually were ?