Scrap Wood Christmas Tree

Do you have a scrap wood pile, and is it full of an assortment of boards left over from previous projects? Don't let the difference in widths and lengths stop you from being creative. Use them together on one project and make a Scrap Wood Christmas Tree. Christmas tree craft ideas like this are perfect to decorate your porch or yard. Using different widths for the wood boards will give the finished tree more character. Create a fabulous new rustic decoration for your yard and save money in the process with this tree craft.

Materials:

• Scrap boards
• Measuring tape
• Chop saw
• Hunter green acrylic paint
• Paintbrush
• Brown acrylic paint
• Wood glue
• 12 wood screws
• Drill, screwdriver bit and 3/32-inch bit
• Star pattern
• Pencil
• Metal flashing scrap
• Tin snips
• Yellow-gold acrylic paint
• Carpet tack
• Rusty baling wire
• Wire cutters
• Needle nose pliers

Instructions:

1. Cut branches for the tree using scrap boards and a chop saw. You will need a 9-inch, a 14-inch, an 18-inch, a 24-inch, a 29-inch and a 32-inch-long board. Cut a 45-inch-long board for the tree trunk. The width of each board can be any size from 2 to 4 1/2 inches.

2. Dry brush one side of each branch using hunter green acrylic paint. Dry brush one side of the trunk using brown acrylic paint. Allow the paint to dry.

3. Lay the trunk on your work surface with the painted side facing up. Turn the trunk so that it is pointing away from you vertically. With the painted side of the branches facing up, horizontally place each one across the trunk starting with the shortest branch at the top and ending with the longest  at the bottom.
4. Shift the top branch 5 inches down from the top and the bottom branch 9 inches up from the bottom of the trunk. Adjust and equally space the remaining branches between the top and bottom branches. Center each branch on the trunk.
5. Apply wood glue between each branch and the trunk. Allow the glue to dry.
6. Turn the tree over with the back side facing up. Run two wood screws per branch through the trunk and into the branches. Note: Make sure your screws are long enough to go through the trunk and into the branches, but not too long where they will poke through the front of the branches. If cracking wood is a concern, drill pilot holes for the screws before attaching.
7. Trace a star approximately 6 inches in diameter onto a scrap of metal flashing. Use tin snips to cut out the star. Paint one side of the star using yellow-gold acrylic paint.
8. Lay the tree with the front side facing up. Place the star on the trunk at the top of the tree. Attach the star to the trunk using a carpet tack through the center of the star.

9. Attach a wire hanger. Using a 3/32-inch drill bit, drill a hole on each end of the top branch 1 inch down from the top of the branch and 1 inch in from the ends. Cut a 24-inch length of rusty baling wire using wire cutters. Insert one end through each hole from the front of the branch to the back. Pull the wire ends through approximately 2 inches. Bend the loop of the hanger up. Twist the wire ends around the wire on the front of the branch using needle nose pliers.