A decorative setup with a black pillow featuring a white starburst design, scrap wood Christmas trees, wooden triangular sculptures, a small golden star, and pine branches with cones on a marble surface.
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DIY Scrap Wood Christmas Trees

ByLisa

With the completion of all our recent projects, it should come as no surprise that my scrap wood pile in the garage is growing! As a result, I decided to make some scrap wood Christmas trees.  Despite our weather being unusually warm for this time of year, Christmas is in full swing over here. And if you have learned anything from me over the years you know I love to repurpose items especially if they can become decor for $0.  The best part is, I am going to show you how to make your own scrap wood Christmas trees.

Wooden planks are neatly arranged on a table, showcasing assembled scrap wood Christmas trees. In the foreground, a black pillow with a star design complements small decorative pine branches and a gold star, creating a cozy festive scene.This post contains affiliate links. For more information, please see my policies.

 

 

As I mentioned above, we have no shortage of scrap wood in our garage. And with the completion of the bunk room, the pile has grown a bit. Let’s just say its a good thing our garage is oversized and we don’t have large cars, haha! So it was time to make use of some of it as I did with my  wood houses and my scrap wood pumpkins.  

A garage workshop with three orange buckets labeled "Let's Do This" teeming with wood pieces for scrap wood Christmas trees. Stacks of lumber are neatly arranged on the floor, and a shelf displays various items. To the left, a cabinet is partially visible.

DIY Scrap Wood Christmas Trees

Scrap Wood 
Gorilla Construction Adhesive
Miter Saw
Sander or Sanding Block

Step 1

Rummage through your scrap wood pile and pick your pieces. I had a fair amount of long thin scraps of oak from the bunk bed ladder and let’s be honest, oak is too expensive to toss. But you definitely do not need fancy wood for this project. I was just using something I had and would probably not use for anything else. You could easily make these out of a 1×2, 2×4 or any scrap ripped from a long board as I did.

A series of light wooden strips, reminiscent of miniature scrap wood Christmas trees, are neatly arranged on a white surface, fanned out slightly. The wood has a smooth, natural finish.

All my pieces were roughly 24 inches long before I made any cuts and I ended up using three of these scraps. 

Step 2

Determine how big you want your scrap wood Christmas trees to be and miter cut one end at a 45 degree angle.

Two wooden strips are arranged on a white surface in a "V" shape, resembling scrap wood Christmas trees. In the background, several boards of various sizes lean against each other. A logo reading "Garrison Street Design Studio" is visible on the left.

I then lined up the cut piece with my next scrap to determine where to make the next cut. I drew a line with a pencil where the top of the miter ends and then made my second 45 degree cut. The sides of the triangle are not the same length so don’t panic that one is longer.

A long, thin piece of wood with a bevel cut rests on a white surface, accompanied by the faint logo "Garrison Street design studio" in the bottom left corner. Its simplicity evokes the charm of scrap wood Christmas trees.

As I mentioned above, I used three of the long scraps I had and was able to get two scrap wood Christmas trees out of them. I reserved the smaller pieces from each of my longer cuts for my smaller Christmas trees.  My large tree is 14 inches tall and my small tree is 10.5 inches tall. 

Two overlapping wooden angle frames form a chevron pattern on a white surface, reminiscent of scrap wood Christmas trees. Various shades create a background with subtle geometric shapes. A logo reads "Garrison Street design studio" in the bottom left corner.

Step 3

Cut the angles on the bottom legs of the Christmas trees. I’m not going to lie, I had no idea how to figure out mathematically what the “correct” angle was. I know there is probably a  formula for that but I took a different approach.  I lined up my next scrap wood piece and set it on top of the triangle and drew a line where the angle should be.

A wooden triangular frame crafted from scrap wood with a base support lies on a white surface. The background features various shades of wooden panels, reminiscent of rustic Christmas trees. The words "Garrison Street design studio" are visible in the bottom left corner.

I then took it over to my miter saw and started moving it until it lined up. Super scientific, I know! It turns out this is already marked on the saw, probably for this very reason. This particular angle is 22.5 degrees (half of 45).  In doing all this I realized this is how math should be taught in school. Show me how and when I will use it and I will remember it. Just saying.

A miter saw with a wooden board ready for trimming sits on the workbench, ideal for crafting scrap wood Christmas trees. Cabinets stand in the background while the saw's measurement guide is clearly visible.

Step 4

Cut the bottom piece for the scrap wood Christmas trees. Again, I wasn’t sure how to figure this one out, but then I noticed another seemingly odd measurement specifically marked on the miter saw and figured that was no coincidence either. I gave it a go, and sure enough 31.6 degrees was a winner.  Moral of the story, when it doubt, look for things that seem out of place 😉 Don’t forget, while each side of the bottom piece is 31.6 degrees they are opposite angles and you will either need to flip your piece or move the saw to cut the other way. 

A miter saw is positioned on a workbench with a piece of wood ready to be cut, perhaps for crafting scrap wood Christmas trees. The circular blade is prominently visible, and measurement markings adorn the saw's base. Wooden cabinets are in the background.

Step 5

Cut the stump for the bottom of the scrap wood Christmas trees. For these cuts no angles were needed. Just a good old fashioned straight cut. I cut one piece at 3.5 inches for the larger tree and one at 2.25 inches for the smaller tree. I then used the best tape measure ever to find the exact center point on the bottom of my trees and stumps. Spoiler alert, this tape measure tells you! Mind blown, right?

Two wooden triangular frames, a yellow measuring tape, and a pencil are neatly arranged on a white surface. In the background sits a stack of wood, hinting at the raw materials for crafting charming scrap wood Christmas trees. 

Step 6

Sand your scrap wood Christmas tree parts. I gave all the pieces a light sand with a sanding block. If you are making large trees out of 2x4s, I would use an orbital sander to make the process a bit faster. 

Two wooden triangles resembling scrap wood Christmas trees and a rectangular block rest on a white table. Wood panels are stacked in the background, suggesting a workspace, possibly related to crafting or carpentry.

Step 7

Glue all the pieces together. I used gorilla construction adhesive because I had it on hand and it sets fast, but you could also use wood glue. If you decide to make large trees out of 2x4s, I would also nail all the pieces together with a nail gun. Since my wood is very thin and light weight, nails were not needed. I let my trees dry overnight. 

Two wooden triangular frames on a table beside a tube of adhesive, resembling the early stages of crafting scrap wood Christmas trees. The unassembled pieces lay neatly while light wood panels form the backdrop, setting the scene for a cozy DIY project.

Step 8

Enjoy your scrap wood Christmas trees and decorating for the holidays! This was an easy project and great way to make use of leftover wood. I am almost done with my holiday decorating but if you want to catch a glimpse, make sure you check out my Instagram stories!

Wooden triangular sculptures, reminiscent of scrap wood Christmas trees, are arranged on a marble surface. Adorned with small pinecones and sprigs of green foliage, they create a festive display. A gold star ornament rests to the left against a plain white wall backdrop.

This project was SO easy and it didn’t cost a dime! My favorite kind of project! But don’t worry, we are working on our 2022 plans and we might be tackling our biggest project yet….stay tuned 😉  

Scrap wood Christmas trees in triangular shapes are displayed on a marble surface. In front, a gold star ornament is surrounded by small pine cones and sprigs of greenery. The background is a plain white wall, enhancing the minimalist charm.

Two wooden triangular frames, reminiscent of scrap wood Christmas trees, stand against a white background. A small inset image at the bottom displays the pieces in their "before" state, laid flat. The text "before," with an arrow, points to this inset image.

Wooden triangular frames, reminiscent of scrap wood Christmas trees, are arranged against a white background. Pine branches and small pinecones are artfully placed in front. The text "Garrison Street Design Studio" is visible in the bottom left corner.

If you enjoyed my DIY Scrap Wood Christmas Trees, please share it on Facebook or hover over an image and save to Pinterest! And if you don’t already follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, or Facebook, I would love for us to be friends!

Modern interior with a decorative white console table featuring a wooden frame. On top, there's a white vase with branches and a wooden triangular sculpture. A staircase with black railing is in the background, complemented by charming scrap wood Christmas trees, adding festive cheer.

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Wooden Christmas tree frames crafted from scrap wood form a triangular shape on a marble surface, surrounded by small pine branches, pine cones, and a gold star. The words "DIY Scrap Wood Christmas Trees" are displayed prominently at the top.

This post, DIY Scrap Wood Christmas Trees, appeared first on Garrison Street Design Studio.

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