I was walking my dog, Burt, the other night, and found some old, Cedar fence posts on my neighbor's curb. Scrap wood was the last thing I needed, but of course, I couldn't resist! This fortunate find coincided with my wanting to do a little Fall decorating. I saw a candle holder similar to this one, made with a 4x4, and I thought that stacking the worn, wooden planks would add some texture and a nice, rustic feel. This project was very easy and cost-effective. You can use basic tools and change the candle color to match the holiday, occasion, or keep them white/cream-colored for every day use. Have fun creating!
Tools and supplies:
(2) Fence posts or (if you are using new wood) a 1X4 that is 6.5' or longer
Circular Saw or Miter Saw
Drill
Drill bit for pilot holes
Spade set 7/8 or 13/16 spade should work for most candles
(2) 2" screws
Wood glue
Measuring tape
Triangle Carpenter's Square (optional)
Instructions:
If you are making a candle holder for 12 tapered candles, you must first cut the wood down to (3) 26" planks. If you are using reclaimed wood, chances are it is a bit warped. Play around with the planks and decide how they best fit, stacked on top of each other, and which one you would like to be on top.
Place the top board on top of the middle board
Run your measuring tape down the middle of the top board and, starting from one end, place hash marks every 2" alternating either side of the tape. You are alternating sides of the tape, because you are going to drill your holes in a staggered pattern.
Using your Carpenter's Square, measure 1" from the sides of the board and put a perpendicular mark over the hash marks you just made all the way down the board. You should now have (12) crosses on your board that are 2" apart and 1" in from the sides of the board.
Clamp the top and middle boards together onto your workbench
Practice drilling your holes with the spade on a scrap piece of wood, and place your candles in the holes to find out which size spade you need to use.
Place the tip of the spade in the middle of your cross and drill down until the hole is all the way through the top board. You will drill down into the middle board some, and that is okay. Do this for all 12 marked crosses on the board.
Unclamp the boards and, using your scrub brush, dry scrub all three boards back and front to remove any dirt, dust or splinters.
Using an ample amount of wood glue, stack the three boards and bond them together with the glue. Making sure that your boards are perfectly aligned, spread the glue in between each layer, clamp the three layers together, and let them dry for a few hours.
Permanently secure the boards by adding a screw to each side of the candle holder. Remove the clamps and drill pilot holes on each end of the bottom. This way, the screws don't crack the old wood! Also, make sure you are not drilling up through one of the holes!
Add the two screws and voila! You're done! Fill your new candle holder with candles that match your décor or dress it up for the holidays!
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