Tag Archives: tree stump

Tree Stump Pencil Holder

Posted on January 30, 2013 by Katie | Leave a comment

Christmas may have come and gone, but we’re holding on a little longer thanks to some stump slices I rescued from the Christmas tree lot back in December. I saw the stumps cast away in the corner of the lot — various widths, different wood tones — and knew I had to snag a few.

I couldn’t pass up this chunky fellow. He’s been sitting in our living room since early December, drying out while I pondered his future.

After seeing wood blocks turned into pencil holders like this on Etsy, I had my plan. First, drill holes with a large bit into the stump.

Move around until you have relatively evenly distributed holes.

Test to make sure a pencil fits, continue drilling if needed (get larger bit if hole isn’t wide enough).

Clean off dust, rub in some beeswax (or finish of choice) to accentuate the natural hues of the wood.

Gaze at your masterpiece, count the rings.

Add pencils.

Have you salvaged any tree stump slices for quick and easy projects like this?

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Posted in Arts & Crafts

Tagged arts and crafts, christmas, pencil holder, tree stump, wood slice

A DIY Tree Stump Table: The Reveal

Posted on October 11, 2011 by Leslie | 5 Comments

You may recall my post Need a Tree Stump End Table: No Problem! from a few weeks ago? Quick recap: I shopped online for an occasional or end table, saw a tree stump table ($199) in a retail store, and decided to make one myself. The post tells how Katie and I found a stump and hauled it home.

Here’s the photo of the stump, bark and all, sitting in my house.

Here’s what happened next.

The stump sat for a few weeks to dry out. I moved it outside so I could start scraping off the bark with a small prybar.

This step took a very long time, but was fun to reveal the beautiful smooth cedar wood underneath.

I even used a small saw to cut off the ends of a couple of branches poking out from the side. Next, I used rough sandpaper to smooth out the edges and sides, and especially around the knobs and inside groves. In between sanding, I wiped the entire stump down with a piece of cheese cloth and then I used a fine sandpaper over all surfaces. My girls got in on the action too.

Finally, after I felt satisfied that I had removed every bit of bark and the sides were nice and smooth, I filled in a small cut with a tiny bit of Plastic Wood and then started applying layers of polyurethane to the sides. I did about three layers in all, with a good few hours in between, plus light sanding.

The top got about 6 coats of polyurethane. Look how beautiful the red cedar looks with a waxy shine.

After the table dried completely and aired out over night, I carried it inside. (I’m calling it a “table” now because I don’t think it qualifies as a mere “stump” anymore.)

The table is not nearly as heavy now that I removed the bark and it dried out. I put felt pads on the bottom to protect the floor. So, here it is looking as pretty as can be. I just love the shape and wish I could have brought several more red cedar stumps home with this one.

The best part? It’s for sale. Yes, you heard right. It goes in to the DIY Del Ray store, which also includes our leather belt chair. In fact, the two pieces would look smashing side by side.

Posted by Leslie

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Posted in Build It

Tagged diy, end table, occasional table, red cedar, tree stump

Need a Tree Stump End Table: No Problem!

Posted on September 19, 2011 by Leslie | 4 Comments

I think this DIY project falls under the category of “I’d do anything for the sake of the blog.” One afternoon, I was looking for ideas for a new occasional table or end table for next to the couch – something small and contemporary in style. When I saw this trendy tree stump table from West Elm ($199), well, it was all over.

“I can make that,” I announced. And so it began:

1. First, I find this rather humorous how-to and I decide it will work, apart from adding the legs. I’d rather have the plain stump. I measure the arm of my couch to get the correct height for the stump.
2. Next, I make a request on Freecycle: WANTED: tree stump, 20” tall.
3. Freecycle, as always, comes through. I tell my husband about our fabulous new end table. He replies drily, “Um, can we talk about this.” One other problem — the stump is 150 lbs. How am I going to get it home? Katie, of course. She’ll understand.
4. When the Freecycle donor takes Katie and me around the back of her house to see the 150 lb. stump, I’m crestfallen. It’s much too wide. It’s at least 3 feet in diameter. And there’s no way in hell we can haul it to the car.
5. On the way home, we see an entire red cedar tree chopped up on the side of the road. The choices are endless. I want them all. Katie reels me in. We pick a modest tree stump, one we can feasibly put in the back of her car. One that weighs considerably less than 150 lbs. — more like 100 lbs.

6. My husband hems and haws and then agrees to help carry the stump into our living room. (Sap, by the way, is nearly impossible to wash off.) And now, I wait weeks for the stump to dry out.

In about a month, I’ll blog about the next steps: the bark removal, sanding, staining (optional) and multiple coats of polyurethane finish. After that, I will either keep the tree stump table, or sell it to one of you lucky readers. Of course, by then, I’ll have moved on to the next great DIY challenge.

Posted by Leslie

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Posted in Build It

Tagged diy, table, tree stump