Bring out the Santa’s elf in you with these simple Christmas wood crafts for the holidays. Your creations will be around for years to come and enjoyed by all. Read how to do it here.
Show your holiday spirit and your DIY skills by turning some wood scraps into memorable Christmas ornaments and crafts. Your family will really appreciate the personal touch that these bring to the holidays—and it’s a lot of fun! Chances are you already have most of what is needed, so let’s gets started!
There are endless ideas to make Christmas decorations out of wood. You’ll want to find relatively simple designs so that cutting or shaping the wood will not be too difficult. Reindeer, Christmas trees, stars, even a Santa figure should not be too hard. You may be able to find templates or line drawings on the internet which can be used. Once you’ve decided on a figure, follow these steps:
- Print out the image and then trace it onto a piece of wood with carbon paper.
- Now it’s time to cut the figure out. If the piece of wood is thin, you may be able to cut it with a sharp hand saw such as a coping saw. More often though, you will need a small power saw. A scroll saw or even a handheld battery-operated tool work well for this.
- Sand all the edges smooth.
- Paint the ornament with a good quality acrylic paint. You may want to use artist brushes for fine details.
- For even more dramatic designs, combine two or more figures and glue them together. For example, Santa and a reindeer or a Christmas tree with presents underneath.
The tools and supplies needed to create homemade wood Christmas decorations are pretty basic. You will need a pencil and paper (and likely some carbon paper) to trace or draw the figure and then transfer the image onto the piece or pieces of wood.
You’ll also need a knife or saw to cut the wood. Which you will use depends on the type and thickness of the wood and also on your own preference. Many small electric tools are ideal for making precise cuts on a piece of wood. Check your local home center for some options. If you want to go basic, a coping saw is easy to use and the extremely thin blade makes it easy to cut out shapes and detailed designs.
Once the item is painted and dry, you will likely need some glue. If you have multiple parts to the decoration, you’ll want to glue them together. Even if the item is one piece, you may need to glue a stand or a hanger to it for display.
Loctite Super Glue Ultra Gel Control is the perfect choice for most projects of this type. It takes hold almost instantly and forms a super strong, shock-resistant bond. It dries clear, so it won’t mar the look of your decorations. You’ll love the pinpoint accuracy you get with the easy-to-use dispenser.
If the piece you are working on is larger or has more area that has to be glued, you may prefer a brush-on adhesive. Try Loctite Super Glue Brush On. This formula works well on a variety of porous and non-porous surfaces, so if you are gluing another type of material to a wooden ornament, this should do the trick. It comes in a spill-resistant bottle with a built-in brush applicator.
