If you’re looking for a fun but achievable DIY Christmas project, we’ve come across this adorable stocking hanger. While the construction will need to be done by an adult, the kids can help out with the painting and decorating. And once it’s completed, you’ll have a designer Christmas decoration that you can use year after year.
Materials (available from hardware stores)
- One: 1200 x 70 x 70 mm dressed pine post
- One: 1200 x 19 mm dowel
- One: 1290 x 285 x 19mm dressed pine sheet
- Two: long (approx 5cm x 1cm (head of screw)) bugle head screws
- Sandpaper
- Paint (leftover house paint works well)
- Paintbrush
- Drill with drill bit and 19mm spade bit
- Hand saw (or get hardware store to make cuts)
- Decorations
Method
- Cut the dressed pine sheet to a square shape for the base (285 x 285 x 19mm). You may even be able to buy a ready-made base. Lightly sand and pre-drill holes in the centre of the sheet to attach to post.
- Using the spade bit, drill a hole through 1200 mm post at 70 mm from the top (this becomes the cross bar).
- Drill two holes, each on opposite sides at 600mm and 900mm from the base of the post to approximately 20mm deep, but try not to drill through.
- Lightly sand the post. Get the kids helping for this task!
- Cut the dowel into 5 lengths (1 x 670 mm, 4 x 120 mm) and sand to smooth the edges
- Insert the longest dowel through the top hole and shorter lengths into holes for stockings to hang on (you don’t need glue as the paint will hold it and it should be a snug fit).
- Using bugle head screws, attach the base to the post from underneath.
- Lightly sand everything and paint in desired colour. It will require approximately three coats of paint with a light sand between coats.
- Decorate with a countdown sign and Christmas ornaments.
Tips
- Use long screws – approximately 5cm long and the head of the screw should have a 1cm diameter for strength. Little screws won’t support the weight of the timber.
- If drilling holes for dowels is not possible, an alternative is to screw coat hooks on – also found at hardware stores.
- Stockings shown in pictures are currently available in grey at Myer, and white and silver at David Jones.
If you liked this post, you will love our DIY Christmas Fireplace, made out of cardboard boxes!
1 Comment
kate
November 21, 2017 at 9:50 amThis is such a clever idea! Perfect for people without a fireplace!