Here we go again! I had four different projects I needed to complete for people, therefore, I had to con my husband into bringing pallets home and dismantling them with the sawzall. He loves all of my projects and me!
Out of all the projects I was completing this weekend, there was one for my home, and I was very excited about it. I recently came across a picture of wooden pumpkins to use for harvest front porch décor and knew I could easily recreate them.
Of course, having a project that is free to make is always better. If for some reason you do not have all the supplies to complete this project, then I would estimate the cost to be between $5 and $15 assuming you use pallet wood, which is usually easily obtainable in every city, and depending on the finish you choose.
Items needed:
– Reclaimed wood
– Stain, paint, or your choice of finish
– Wood screws
– Jigsaw
– Pencil
– Wood glue
– Pumpkin picture template (optional)
– Sawzall (optional)
If you are going to be using a pallet and need to disassemble the wood, make sure to do that first. In a previous article, I spoke about using a sawzall to cut through the nails in the pallet. This tool will allow you to completely take the pallet apart in a matter of minutes.
Before you begin figuring out the layout of the wood, make sure to have a pumpkin template cut out to the size you need. However, if you are artistically inclined, you can freehand your drawing directly onto the wood. You will want to make sure the wood slats are long and wide enough for the pumpkin sketch/template. I ended up drawing my pumpkin straight onto the wood without a stencil.
Next, pick out the wood you would like to use and line the boards up in the desired direction. I used five boards running vertically. Since I placed my boards vertically, I needed to attach two boards along the back running horizontally using glue and wood screws. This braced all the boards together, making one solid unit.
Once everything is attached and tight, you will need to cut the pumpkin out. Using the jigsaw, make slow and steady movements to ensure the best cuts.
Once the pumpkin is cut out, complete the final additions with the paint, stain, or finish of your choice. I chose to stain mine with a coat of cream-colored paint on top. After the paint dried, I distressed mine slightly.
I plan to make many more of these pumpkins in all shapes and sizes. I love the way they turned out! Decorating for the holidays is quite expensive, but with these DIY projects the cost is much lower, and our family still gets to enjoy decorating.
Happy pumpkin carving!
April Sherrill is a staff writer for the Hamilton County Herald. Contact her at april@dailydata.com.