Scrap Wood Framed Christmas Tree

I’m excited to add some woodworking to DIY Colorful Christmas with this easy Scrap Wood Framed Christmas Tree.

If the video doesn’t load above, you can find it at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMtxtaC4mRI

I have a BIG stash of scrap wood. My husband notoriously overbuys for projects and since I’m bit cheap I save nearly every scrap. Friends and neighbors have learned of my love for little scrap wood and started dumping their cut offs in my garage, too. I love having so much on hand to work with!

But, right now, the scrap pile is getting a little out of control. It’s expanded from our wall storage to several totes and buckets full on the floor of our garage.

Pin for later!

scrap wood christmas tree video and printable woodworking plans

My little Scrap Wood Framed Christmas Tree barely scrapes the surface when it comes to clearing out all of this excess wood, but it’s a start.

For this project I used pine fence pickets and if you’ve been around for a while you might know that fence pickets are one of my favorite sources of cheap lumber. It’s what I used for my DIY Geometric Wall Art, Big X Wood Wall Quilt, and $6 Wedding Centerpiece Boxes.

Download the FREE Woodworking Plans

I created printable woodworking plans for this project that are free to download in my free resource library. This library is full of woodworking plans, craft tutorials and more. Enter your information below to get the password sent straight to your email.

pink scrap wood christmas tree on a blue wall with colorful christmas decor

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Supplies

Scrap Wood Framed Christmas Tree Woodworking Plans
(2) fence pickets
scrap 1×3
scrap 1/4″ plywood
table saw
miter saw
pin nailer (This is what I use.)
wood glue
paint & wood stain

Rip Fence Pickets

The first step for this project is to rip the fence pickets to 1″ width. Use your table saw to do this. I used strips that I had leftover from making my DIY Geometric Wall Art a few months ago.

I used 5.5″ wide pine fence pickets and was able to get (4) 1″ strips out of each board with a strip left over that is about 1/2″ wide. Before you toss that skinny leftover strip, cut it into 8-12″ lengths and you have some stir sticks for your paint and wood stain.

Make Back

Cut your fence picket strips and 1/4″ plywood backing based on the measurements in the printable woodworking plans. Then, you can start building the back of the frame.

Use wood glue and a brad nailer or pin nailer to attach the fence picket strips to the 1/4 plywood backing. Start attaching your strips at the bottom and work your way, using one edge of the plywood as your guide to keep them straight.

(By the way, this is the glue bottle I use and it’s awesome! I’ve had it nearly a year and it never clogs. It’s totally worth it!)

After you have attached all of the strips, you might find that the edges of your piece aren’t completely straight – that’s no problem! Head back over to your table saw and square it up.

Frame it Out

After creating the backing, you can frame it out. I used the same 1″ fence pickets strips as I did for the backing to make the frame. Use wood glue and your brad nailer or pin nailer to attach the frame.

I recommend measuring the backing and then cutting your frame pieces based on the exact measurements of your piece. I included measurements in the printable woodworking plans, but to get a perfect fit you will want to use the measurements of your actual piece.

Also, if you want to paint or stain the frame a different color than the backing, go ahead and do that before attaching it. Painting or staining first will make it SO much easier.

Cut Christmas Tree Pieces

The pieces for the Christmas tree are made from a scrap 1×3 board and cut at 45 degree angles. I did this using my miter saw. The pieces are a little small, which can be intimidating to cut with a miter saw. Check the video for my tips on how to cut smaller pieces with a miter saw.

Paint & Stain

Next, paint and stain everything before completing assembly of your Scrap Wood Framed Christmas Tree. I find it so much easier to do this before I put a piece together, especially if I’m using multiple colors.

Put it all together

And, finally put it all together! Arrange your Christmas Tree onto the backing of the frame and attach it with wood glue and a pin nailer. I just centered it by sight, but if you want to be exact go ahead and whip out your tape measure for this part.