Holiday DIY: Charming Wooden Tabletop Christmas Tree
Combine dowels, evergreen branches, gold wire and ornaments to create a holiday tree you can use for years
Whether you’re looking for a great small-space solution or a second tree to supplement your primary one, this wooden tabletop Christmas tree will fit the bill. We left the wood its natural color and went with simple gold ornaments, but you could also stain or paint the wood and use different ornaments to fit your style.
This 21-inch-tall tree is the perfect size for a dining table, side table, mantel or the top of a bookshelf. The frame is simple to make and easy to store. The greenery can be removed after the holidays and then replaced next season so the tree can be enjoyed for many years to come.
Materials
- Two ¾-inch-thick square dowel rods, each 20½ inches long, for the sides
- Ruler
- Pencil
- One ¾-inch-thick square dowel rod, 17 inches long, for the bottom
- Handsaw or miter saw
- Fine-grit sandpaper
- Electric drill with a ⅛-inch bit (bit should match the thickness of the gold wire)
- Wood glue
- Two ¾-inch-thick wooden cubes, to use as “feet”
- Wire cutters
- 1 yard of malleable gold wire, 8 gauge, or about ⅛ inch in diameter (found in the floral aisle of your craft store)
- Nine miniature round gold ornaments (or a collection of your own favorites)
- Bundle of evergreen branches
- Fishing twine
- Scissors
- Pruning shears
- One 6-inch-square wooden slab, ½ to ¾ inch thick, for the base
Photo by Marianne Lipanovich
Steps to Assemble the Tree
1. Begin by mitering the ends of the dowels to form the three corners of the triangular tree frame.
Lay out the two 20½-inch-long square dowels that will form the sides of the tree. Starting with the dowel for the tree’s left side, lay a ruler from the top of the dowel down the right (inside) edge and, with a pencil, mark the wood 1¾ inches down. Using the ruler and pencil, draw a diagonal line between this point and the top left (outside) corner of the dowel. You will later cut along this line with a saw.
Repeat this process in reverse on the other 20½-inch dowel. Measure and mark the dowel 1¾ inches down from the top left (inside) edge. Then draw a diagonal line between that spot and the top right (outside) corner.
Now measure the areas to cut on the bottom of these dowels. Starting with the left dowel, measure up 1 1/16 (one and one-sixteenth) inches from the bottom right (inside) edge and mark that point with a pencil. Draw a diagonal line from here to the bottom left (outside) corner of the dowel. Repeat this process in reverse on the piece for the right side of the tree, measuring 1 1/16 inches from the bottom left (inside) edge, drawing a diagonal line from that point down to the bottom right (outside) corner.
Next, lay out the 17-inch-long dowel that will be the bottom of the tree. Starting with the left end of the dowel, measure in 1 inch along the right (inside) edge and mark that point. Use the ruler to draw a diagonal line between this point and the left (outside) corner of the dowel.
Do the same thing in reverse on the same side of the other end of the dowel, measuring in 1 inch along the left (inside) edge and marking that point. Draw a diagonal line from here to the right (outside) corner of this end of the dowel.
Steps to Assemble the Tree
1. Begin by mitering the ends of the dowels to form the three corners of the triangular tree frame.
Lay out the two 20½-inch-long square dowels that will form the sides of the tree. Starting with the dowel for the tree’s left side, lay a ruler from the top of the dowel down the right (inside) edge and, with a pencil, mark the wood 1¾ inches down. Using the ruler and pencil, draw a diagonal line between this point and the top left (outside) corner of the dowel. You will later cut along this line with a saw.
Repeat this process in reverse on the other 20½-inch dowel. Measure and mark the dowel 1¾ inches down from the top left (inside) edge. Then draw a diagonal line between that spot and the top right (outside) corner.
Now measure the areas to cut on the bottom of these dowels. Starting with the left dowel, measure up 1 1/16 (one and one-sixteenth) inches from the bottom right (inside) edge and mark that point with a pencil. Draw a diagonal line from here to the bottom left (outside) corner of the dowel. Repeat this process in reverse on the piece for the right side of the tree, measuring 1 1/16 inches from the bottom left (inside) edge, drawing a diagonal line from that point down to the bottom right (outside) corner.
Next, lay out the 17-inch-long dowel that will be the bottom of the tree. Starting with the left end of the dowel, measure in 1 inch along the right (inside) edge and mark that point. Use the ruler to draw a diagonal line between this point and the left (outside) corner of the dowel.
Do the same thing in reverse on the same side of the other end of the dowel, measuring in 1 inch along the left (inside) edge and marking that point. Draw a diagonal line from here to the right (outside) corner of this end of the dowel.
Now, using a handsaw or miter saw, cut along the lines you have penciled in, starting with the tops of the tree’s two side pieces. Then, press the two cut areas together to make sure they meet in a neat triangle.
Using your saw, continue cutting along the other lines on the side and bottom dowels.
Lay out the three pieces in a triangle and make sure they fit together nicely.
Using your saw, continue cutting along the other lines on the side and bottom dowels.
Lay out the three pieces in a triangle and make sure they fit together nicely.
2. Sand down everything with fine-grit sandpaper so all the edges are smooth.
3. Next, measure out and mark where you will drill holes for the three rows of wires holding the hanging ornaments.
Start by laying the two 20½-inch dowel rods next to each other, with the edges that form the inside of the tree facing up.
On the ends that will be the top of the tree, measure down from the bottom of the diagonal cuts and pencil in dots at 2¼ inches, 7¼ inches and 12¼ inches.
Start by laying the two 20½-inch dowel rods next to each other, with the edges that form the inside of the tree facing up.
On the ends that will be the top of the tree, measure down from the bottom of the diagonal cuts and pencil in dots at 2¼ inches, 7¼ inches and 12¼ inches.
4. Drill holes in the six spots that you just marked. Stop drilling about halfway through the dowels. You’ll insert the gold wire into these holes and secure with wood glue.
5. Assemble your tree. Lay out the dowels so they form a triangle, and glue them together at the connection points. Because the tree is light, the wood glue should hold everything together.
6. Attach the wooden cubes to the bottom edge of your tree with glue. Center them so they are about 4 inches apart. Let everything dry for a couple of hours.
7. Using wire cutters, cut a piece of gold wire 4 inches long for the top row of ornaments. (It should be about 1 inch longer than the space between the two holes.) Put a dab of glue on one end and insert it into one hole.
Thread two ornaments onto the wire. Bend the wire slightly, add glue to the other end and insert the wire into the opposite hole. If the wire doesn’t straighten out completely, take that end out, trim it slightly and try again.
Repeat this process for the middle and bottom wires, cutting the wire to 8½ inches and 12½ inches, and threading three and four ornaments, respectively.
Thread two ornaments onto the wire. Bend the wire slightly, add glue to the other end and insert the wire into the opposite hole. If the wire doesn’t straighten out completely, take that end out, trim it slightly and try again.
Repeat this process for the middle and bottom wires, cutting the wire to 8½ inches and 12½ inches, and threading three and four ornaments, respectively.
8. Tie small evergreen branches to the frame of the tree using fishing twine. Knot the twine on the back of the tree, then trim the ends with scissors. Use pruning shears to cut off any excess branch ends.
9. Glue the feet of the tree to the base, propping it up with something sturdy on either side so it stays straight while it dries.
Place the tree on a table, mantel or other spot in your home to enjoy throughout the holiday season. Be sure to remove the evergreen branches by cutting the twine before you store it for next year.
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