How to Make DIY Wooden Christmas Trees

Christmas is one of my favorite holidays. I love spending time with family, exchanging gifts, and cooking desserts for friends but one of my favorite parts of the holiday season is the decorations! I typically purchase a few new items every year but I also like to spend time using leftover craft and project materials to make my own decorations. I want to show you how to create beautiful holiday decorations using items you probably have at home already. Use leftover lumber, stain, paint, and other scrap project materials to make these simple wooden Christmas trees.

1. Draw your desired Christmas tree shapes on your lumber. Clamp your lumber to your work surface and cut out the shapes with your saw (Use a jigsaw for curved cuts. A jigsaw or circular saw can be used for straight cuts). Once your shapes are cut out, use a sanding block to smooth the surface and to soften any rough corners and edges.
   

2. Using your desired saw, cut your 2x4s to 3 inches in length. The blocks will serve as the base for your trees.

3. Using a drill and a 1/8-in bit, drill a hole through the center of the 3-in 2x4s. Drill a pilot hole in the center of the bottom of each Christmas tree cut out.

4. Paint or stain the trees and tree bases your desired color using a paintbrush or rag (I used leftover Behr paint in the color Fig Tree, and leftover Olympic deck samples in the colors Avocado and Winge).

5. Decorate the trees using your decor items. I wrapped one of my trees with leftover soft garden twine, another I decorated with thumbtacks, and the final tree I drilled multiple holes through to add texture.

6. Drill a 2.5-in screw
   through the hole in each of your tree bases (the end of the screw should stick through the opposite end). Place the tip of the screw in the pilot hole at the bottom of the tree, and twist the tree base clockwise until it’s tightened and secure to the tree cutout.

7. Touch up any paint or stain as needed and place your trees in your desired location.

One thing I love about these trees is that they can be customized for any design style. Consider all white for a modern home, stain with a natural brown for a rustic look, or use bold and bright colors for a child's bedroom. The possibilities for customization are endless. These trees are perfect for table centerpieces, mantel accents, or could even be made to an extra large scale for outdoor decorations!