Beautiful wooden crafts can decorate any interior of a house or apartment, a summer cottage or a playground. This natural material, which is easy to find even in the city, in the skillful hands of a master turns into real works of art.
What kind of wood are crafts made from?
All tree species can be divided into two groups:
- Softwood
of evergreen conifers. Its density is slightly lower than that of broad-leaved trees, and it costs less because coniferous trees grow faster. This wood is used to make paper, plywood, and is used in the furniture industry. The most popular varieties: pine, cedar, fir, larch. - Hardwood
of deciduous species. It is denser and more expensive, and crafts made from it are strong and durable. Deciduous trees are valued in carpentry. Varieties common in mid-latitudes: oak, birch, hazel, linden, maple.
Interesting wood crafts can be made by both adults and children. The process of joint creativity brings the family together, children develop motor skills and creative thinking. To create interesting panels, figures or interior items, you don’t always need to use carpentry tools. For the simplest things, wood itself, office supplies and free time with an interesting idea will be enough. Any parts can be used:
- array;
- roots;
- branches;
- bark;
- saw cuts;
- hemp.
Preparing driftwood
First, high-quality raw materials are selected for crafts. It should not be badly damaged, rotten or rotten. Suitable wood is processed in several stages.
Cleaning from dirt
The easiest way is to wash the driftwood in the basin using a soapy sponge. If the dirt is difficult to clean off, you can use washing powder. Remove dirt from cracks and small depressions with water from a shower head or using a high-pressure washer. If necessary, use a soft brush for cleaning.
Cleaning the bark
Loose bark must be removed using a non-sharp chisel. Act carefully so as not to damage the wood. You can also use a grinder with a suitable attachment or a sandblaster to get rid of bark.
Drying
If the moisture content of the wood is not reduced, the process of rotting and destruction will continue. After cleaning, the driftwood must be dried naturally or forcibly.
In the first case, the workpieces are left in a ventilated area for 10-30 months. Forced drying in a dryer or oven is much faster and lasts only 10-50 hours.
Removing the loose part
The boundaries of rotten, rotten, loose wood are marked with a pencil. Afterwards, the middle of the rotten area is broken off by hand or cut out with a jigsaw or an ax, and the remains are ground off with a brush. The dust is removed with a large rasp or brushed off with a metal brush.
Changing shape
To give the workpiece the desired shape, it is cut with a hacksaw, electric saw, jigsaw or grinder. The cut surface is leveled with a plane and jointer, and slots and holes are made with any suitable tools.
Puttying
The cracks are covered with ready-made wood putties or you can independently mix a composition based on fine sawdust and PVA. If desired, add color to the putty.
Grinding
Small irregularities and excess putty are removed by sanding. For rough sanding, use coarse sandpaper or a sander. Soft wood is sanded manually with medium and fine sandpaper.
Burning
After heat treatment, the wood darkens and becomes more noble in appearance. You can burn either individual parts of the driftwood or the entire piece. For firing, use a blowtorch or gas torch.
Impregnation with reagents
If the product will be used where there is high humidity, be sure to impregnate it with the following substances:
- antiseptics;
- water repellents;
- flame retardants.
Important! It is better to purchase a ready-made composition with all the necessary components and apply it according to the instructions.
Painting and varnishing
If you plan to paint the driftwood with water-based paint, carry out “wet sanding” in advance - it will help remove excess lint. Polymer products are applied only after the wood has been thoroughly dried. Instead of paint, you can use varnish or stain - they will enhance and emphasize the color.
Polishing and finishing
The driftwood is polished with any mastic for parquet and wooden floors. If necessary, auxiliary parts, fasteners, and additional elements are attached to it. For this purpose, glue, locks, threads, nails, etc. are used.
Solid wood crafts
You can work with solid wood if you have special carpentry tools. The minimum set includes:
- work surface with a vice;
- cutting tools, such as a jigsaw;
- grinding devices.
Depending on your imagination, available material and time, you can create your own:
- Creative wooden crafts in the form of figures of fairy-tale characters, book and cartoon characters. For example, heroes, Baba Yaga or the old man Borovichka.
- Images of animals and birds.
- Kitchen utensils: spoons, ladle, mugs, candlesticks and tubs.
- Garden and indoor furniture: stools, stands, tables.
- Light wood crafts are made by using logs of different sizes. This way you can recreate a steam locomotive, a wooden horse in a harness, or figurines of fairy-tale characters. Children can also be involved in creating such decorations.
Crafts made from tree roots
If working with solid wood requires special tools and skills, then roots and driftwood suggest simpler, but no less spectacular wood crafts. They can be used for the creative process with your child:
- Roots look good in the form of unusual frames for mirrors, paintings, photographs and watches.
- Properly connected parts of the root serve as a good stand for vases or aquariums.
- Easy wood crafts for the home include weaving roots around flower vases.
- You can make beautiful candlesticks from driftwood.
- For an interesting interior, you can create an unusual chandelier or lampshade from roots.
- Real craftsmen make unimaginable pieces of furniture from old roots: chairs, armchairs, tables and benches.
Crafts from tree branches
You can create beautiful wood crafts from the most common dry branches. First, such material must be cleaned of dirt and disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate, so as not to infest your home with unnecessary larvae. Crafts made from tree branches often become interior decorations or holiday decor:
- A simple vase of branches looks natural with an autumn bouquet.
- An unusual solution for placing photographs are large dried branches.
- Unusual baskets and storage containers.
- With kids you can create simple animal figures.
- Volumetric applications on a variety of topics: animals, family, holidays.
Decorative candlestick
This is the simplest option for making crafts with your own hands. It will take less than an hour to make a decorative ornament. To work you will need:
- glass glass. A container with high and low walls is suitable; it is better to choose transparent glass, but this point remains at the discretion of the master;
- glue;
- thin dry branches;
- small pruner.
At the initial stage, the lower parts of the branches need to be trimmed so that they fit evenly to the bottom of the glass. The proportionality of the upper part does not play a significant role.
The further operation is simple: spread the branches with glue and glue them to the wall of the glass close to each other. The candle is inserted inside the glass container, and an original candlestick for decorating a room or a romantic dinner is ready.
The second version of this craft: the branches are glued directly to the candle. Thin willow twigs, which have a straight shape, are more suitable for this. However, such products are used only as decoration: you should not light a candle covered with dry wood for fire safety reasons.
Tree bark crafts
Considered a waste material in the wood industry, the bark serves as a valuable material for crafts. It can be collected from dry or freshly cut down trees. The tree periodically sheds parts of its bark, so you can collect the required amount yourself. You should not remove the bark from a growing specimen, as it serves as a protective layer of wood, without which the plant will die. Crafts made from tree bark are very fragile, so it is better to use the material for decorating different surfaces:
- flower vases and flowerpots;
- frames for paintings and photographs;
- papier-mâché products.
In the old days, cool wood crafts were made from birch bark, prepared in a special way. It was called birch bark and was an analogue of modern paper. It was used for writing and making:
- baskets and baskets;
- containers for storing food;
- caskets;
- decorative stands.
Where can I find it and can I collect it?
Since driftwood comes from unmaintained trees, it is easier to find it in :
- forests;
- forest parks;
- forest belts;
- groves.
Despite the fact that Article 32 of the Forest Code of the Russian Federation allows the collection of snags and other fragments of trees separated from the plant in a natural way, local authorities often introduce various restrictions.
Therefore, before you go into the forest for snags, ask the local administration if there are any prohibitions at the local level.
After all, the federal law “On the general principles of organizing local self-government in the Russian Federation” dated October 6, 2003 N 131-FZ gives the local administration the right to independently establish the procedure for collecting any forest resources.
Crafts from old wood
Don’t rush to throw away old boards left over after renovation or construction. This material is in great demand for creating stylish art objects in eco style. Simple crafts made from old wood can decorate various rooms in the house:
- Place on the wall as a backdrop for candles, photographs or clocks.
- You can cut a variety of flat shapes from knocked together boards and successfully fit them into the style of the room.
- Create unusual key holders and shelves for storing bags, alcohol and various small items.
Wall panel
Birch bark panels are a great alternative to art paintings! It will not only decorate the wall of your home, but also bring an element of eco-style to the interior, giving a touch of freshness and unity with nature.
To create a panel you will need:
- thin birch bark blanks and birch bark chips;
- pencil and paper;
- cardboard (can be colored);
- scissors or knife;
- PVA glue and glue gun;
- wooden beads, beads for decoration (optional).
Stages of work:
- PVA glue is applied to the smooth side of the cardboard and birch bark chips are poured. If colored cardboard is used, the color should contrast with the birch bark. A good combination would be light bark and a blue, black or chocolate background.
- While the glue dries, elements of the plot of the future panel are drawn on a sheet of paper.
- They are then cut out and traced onto a birch bark blank.
- The resulting drawings are also cut out on birch bark.
- After that, they are glued with a glue gun, embodying the intended plot.
- To give the panel a 3D effect, it is best to use birch bark of different shades.
- If necessary, you can decorate your creation with decorative elements (beads, seed beads, etc.).
Crafts made from round wood
In art schools and studios, wooden crafts for children, which children make on their own, are made from saw cuts - round flat parts of the trunk and branches of different diameters. By connecting them using special glue, you can create:
- volumetric decorative figures;
- wooden crafts for the garden in the form of animals, birds and insects;
- small themed interior decorations - Christmas trees, leaves;
- decorative panels on the wall;
Stands
After cutting down an old tree at your dacha, you don’t need to immediately put it on the fire. From a small part of the trunk you can make an original stand for stationery. To create this craft you will need:
- cutting a trunk with a diameter of no more than 15 cm, a height of 5-8 cm;
- drill with a set of drills;
- fine-grained sandpaper;
- varnish for wood processing.
The workpiece is cleared of bark if necessary, the lower part, which will serve as the base, is leveled to provide stability. Holes are drilled in the upper part, the distance between each is maintained at 5-10 mm. Then all surfaces and corners are sanded with sandpaper. At the final stage, the wood is coated with several layers of varnish, and after drying, the stand for pencils and pens is ready for use.
Crafts made from tree stumps
Popular wood crafts for the garden made from old stumps are tables and stools for them. Such products can be left practically untreated or given a more aesthetic appearance by sanding, varnishing, painting or decorative carving. However, if you have free time, you can truly improve unsightly stumps:
- With the help of decorative carvings, craftsmen turn a dull piece of driftwood that could simply be uprooted into a real masterpiece of art.
- Using paints and old things, you can place a brownie or other fairy-tale character in your house or on your property.
- You can decorate a nondescript stump with flowers by planting live plants in it or placing indoor flowers for the summer.
- With children, you can create fairy-tale houses from stumps using different techniques for your favorite characters and toys.
Advantages of the presented type of furniture
Products for the site must be durable and moisture resistant. The tree copes well with its tasks. You can buy furniture or make it yourself. Wood has been used since time immemorial, and now it has not lost its relevance. Previously, they tried to decorate and improve products in various ways; roots were often used. Now this option also has the right to life.
The use of the roots began at the end of the 18th century. People were fascinated by the bizarre shapes. Each item became individual. Furniture of this kind was in the collections of kings.
Then the original method of producing furniture was forgotten, but after some time it was revived again, and it became popular again.
Main distinctive features:
- Since each tree is unique, products made from it will also be unique. You won't find anything else like it in the world.
- The furniture is environmentally friendly and absolutely safe.
- The roots are strong, which means the products are as reliable as possible.
- Any type of furniture can be made.
Who is the original solution suitable for?
The roots have an expressive shape, suitable for fans of non-standard solutions. Much depends on the conditions in which the tree grew. The more difficult the conditions, the more bizarre the roots will turn out. If the master is experienced, it will not be difficult for him to find interesting solutions.
Products made from trees are very durable; furniture is made to last forever. This applies to those tables and chairs that are made from a single piece of wood. Often a whole stump with roots is used.
