Stunning Driftwood Weathered Wood Finished Table and Chairs

Table & Chair Project Using Driftwood Products and Poets Paint Waterglass Paint

This is a project I’ve been working on for a year and a half, little by little, here and there until it’s finally now done.  Well, not really – I still have two more chairs that need to be stripped and finished but all I have room for right now is two chairs so I’m good – for now, I’ve got my driftwood weathered wood finished table and chairs.

Driftwood Weathering Wood Finish

I not only used the Driftwood line of products on this project, including the Driftwood Weathering Wood Finish, Driftwood Weathering Wax and Driftwood Liming Wax, but I also borrowed from our sister company, Poet’s Paint Waterglass Paint and painted the caning in Vintage White.  I also used one of my favorite colors, Poet’s Paint Vintage Silk Blue, which is a beautiful soft pale blue, and painted a drop cloth and used that for the chair covers.

Below, I’ve stripped and sanded this little table, then applied the Driftwood Weathering Wood Finish and finally applied the Driftwood Liming Wax.

Driftwood Weathering Wood Finish

Driftwood Weathering Wood Finish

Driftwood Weathering Wood Finish

I had my driftwood weathered wood finished table so next I started on the chairs.  I have four of them that I found at a second hand store and had to have them.  The carving is just exquisite but they are all heavily painted and need to be stripped.  I tried stripping them myself by it was soon clear it was way too laborious and tedious and I needed to call in the professionals.  I had two stripped professionally and the other two are still waiting to be done.

I still have no idea what type of wood they are made from and suspect that it is a composite.  You can see there is a variation in color in the two legs on the stripped chair and that caused a variation in color when I applied the Driftwood Weathering Wood Finish.

Driftwood Weathering Wood Finish

Driftwood Weathering Wood Finish

Driftwood Weathering Wood Finish

Now I used the Driftwood Weathering Wax and waxing brush to get more gray tone and even out the color.  After the Driftwood Weathering Wax, I went over by brushing it lightly with the Driftwood Liming Wax.  I have found that I like the combination of the Driftwood Weathering Wood Finish with the Driftwood Liming Wax on most of my pieces and usually do both.

Driftwood Weathering Wood Finish

Driftwood Weathering Wood Finish

Driftwood Weathering Wood Finish

Now comes the chair cover.  For this I used a drop cloth and Poet’s Paint Waterglass Paint in Vintage Silk Blue.  I filled a plastic storage container with about 3 gallons of water and to that I added about 1/2 quart of the paint and then just soaked the two pieces of cloth that I had already cut out for about an hour.  After an hour, I took the material out of the solution, rinsed it off and hung it to dry.  I later soaked it again in a bath of water softner as I found the canvas cloth to be rather stiff – due more to the weight of the canvas cloth and not the paint.  The softner bath helped a little so I could wrap it and staple it.

Once dry, I steamed them with a hot iron and wrapped and stapled them to make my chair covers.  The color was perfect.

Driftwood Weathering Wood Finish

Driftwood Weathering Wood Finish

My chairs and table are complete and look fantastic on my sun porch.

Driftwood Weathering Wood Finish

Driftwood_plant and candleholders

Creating Expandable Driftwood Candleholders and Plant Holders

Creating Expandable Driftwood Candleholders and Plant Holders

driftwood planter

This is an easy way to make driftwood candleholders and plant holders that will stretch to accommodate different size jars.  Those pretty glass candle jars that you normally throw out after the candle burns down can now become a very pretty driftwood plant holder.  The secret is simply using “stretch” bead and jewelry cord purchased from Michaels or from Amazon BEADNOVA 1mm Clear Elastic Stretch Jewelry Roll.

 

Materials You Will Need:

  • 1mm Clear Stretch Beading or Jewelry Cording
  • Glue Gun
  • Glue Sticks
  • Drill
  • 1/8″ drill bit
  • Glass container
  • Driftwood Pieces preferably 1/2″ or more round, and straight. If you need driftwood pieces, we have driftwood in stock. 2-6″ pieces or 5-12″ pieces.
  • Pencil to mark drill holes
  • Ruler to measure and mark for drill holes

Creative driftwood candleholders

 

Creative driftwood candleholders

Creative driftwood candleholders

 

Creative driftwood candleholders
Place a driftwood piece against your glass container.  Measure 2″ up from the bottom and mark a hole for drilling.  Then measure up another 2-3″ from the first mark and drill a second hole.  You want the holes to line up as much as possible on each piece of driftwood.

Creative driftwood candleholders

Creative driftwood candleholders

Once your pieces are all drilled, just start threading the stretch cord through the holes.  I tied knots about every 4th piece to keep spacing a little more equal when the candleholder expanded but it’s not really necessary. Pull and tighten the driftwood row.

 

Creative driftwood candleholders

Make Your Circle

Occasionally place the driftwood row around the circumference of the glass shade to check the fit.  When you have the row the length you want – tie a final knot or two.  DO NOT CUT THE CORD.  Form a circle with the driftwood row and continue threading the cord through 3 or 4 driftwood pieces from the other end.   Knot the ends.  You can add a little bit of hot glue to the end knots or lightly melt the stretch thread with a match.

If you want to make your own driftwood for this project, check out our tutorial on How to Create your Own Driftwood – it really works.

The simple holders are also great for Using driftwood in a Party or Wedding Theme.

We actually used this same technique to create pendant light shades and they look awesome!  Making driftwood pendant light shades.

Driftwood Planter and candleholder
Driftwood Planter and candleholder

 

Driftwood Candleholder and plant holder

 

Make a Driftwood Ball

Make a Driftwood Ball

How to Make a Driftwood Ball

Very simple tutorial to Make a Driftwood Ball or Driftwood Orb.

Make a Driftwood Ball

 Materials Needed:

Pro Hot glue gun or Titebond HiPur Adhesive Applicator Glue sticks – professional glue such as:

  • Titebond Wood to Wood WW60 or WW30 (for use with Titebond HiPur Adhesive Applicator)
  • Ad-Tech Wood Glue Sticks
  • All Temperature Wood Stik
  • 100 or more 2″-6″ driftwood pieces.  If you need driftwood pieces, we have driftwood in stock. 2-6″ pieces or 5-12″ pieces.
  • Balloon or beachball.  (Use extra strong balloons)

How to Make a Driftwood BallI wanted my driftwood ball to be about 10-12″ in diameter so I had to use a balloon.  I found “Punch Ball” balloons at Walmart for about $3.00 for a package of 8 which were strong enough and allowed me to get the size I wanted.  Once a blew up the balloon to the size I wanted, I tied it off so that I would be able to untie it easily enough to let the air out slowly when I was done instead of just popping the balloon.  My driftwood ball is about 10″ in diameter and I used 100 pieces of driftwood for my project.

How to Make a Driftwood Ball

How to Make a Driftwood BallI started by actually gluing a driftwood piece directly to the balloon just to hold it in place.  Keep in mind that once you let the air out of the balloon, it will continue to stick to the glue so you want to use as little glue as possible to hold it in place on the balloon and as few times as possible gluing directly to the balloon.  I believe I glued directly to the balloon 5 times.  The less you can do it the better.  Ideally, you want to glue just on the driftwood pieces.

And it’s important to use a professional hot glue gun and professional grade glue sticks or the piece will not stay together.  If you don’t want to use a glue gun, you can use any glue that will give you a quick and permanent adhesion – “quick” being the operative word here.  You don’t want to be holding the pieces in place and waiting for them to dry.

If you live in a hot, humid climate like Florida, you will find that regular glue sticks will not hold up and your driftwood orb will quickly fall apart so it is important to use professional glue for “all temperature”.  This will also allow you to use your driftwood ball outside without it disintergrating.

How to Make a Driftwood Ball

How to Make a Driftwood Ball Continue making your way around the balloon and filling in the spaces with driftwood pieces until you like what you see.

How to Make a Driftwood BallFind where you tied your balloon and untie it then slowly let the air out.  It should pull away from the glued sides but it will leave behind some pieces of balloon that will be difficult to remove unless you used as little as possible to hold it in place.

How to Make a Driftwood BallThere you have it – a beautiful driftwood ball that you made in about 2 hours.

Once you’ve created your driftwood ball, the possibilities are endless as far as what you can do with it. Certainly, it’s decorative and quite textural by itself but add a string of LED lights or even just one bulb and you’ve got a unique light source.  Attach dirt wrapped in moss using wire or fishing line and insert some succulent  plants and you’ve now got a unique planter.  Or just use it as a sculptural garden element.  Whatever you decide, you now have a clever and decorative driftwood element.

Using Driftwood in a Wedding or Party Theme

Using Driftwood in a Wedding or Party Theme

By Kim Foster

Whether you’re planning a romantic barefoot wedding at the beach or you’ve simply chosen a nautical theme party, using driftwood in a wedding or for your party is one of the most dramatic elements available for your party décor.

Not only is driftwood naturally-occurring and often obtainable for free, but it also adds a perfectly casual yet classy touch to your special occasion. Plus, as an added bonus, driftwood stands up to wind and weather, unlike expensive fresh flowers that will wilt in the heat. Check out these clever ideas for using beautiful, eco-friendly driftwood for your wedding or party.  If you don’t have driftwood available to you locally, check out this tutorial on how to make your own driftwood, or these online sources for obtaining some good driftwood pieces online to get your projects started. Recommended from Amazon for creating Driftwood Furniture including driftwood arches – great for a wedding. Driftwood Furniture: Practical Projects for Your Home and Garden

•    Driftwood Menus

Adding driftwood to your special event menu is a lovely way to add the driftwood theme to your tablescape.  Buy inexpensive frames that have a back stand, make copies of your menu and insert into the frames, then attach driftwood pieces using a hot glue gun and your done.  When the party is over, remove the menus and add your favorite photos from your special event.

Using Driftwood in a Wedding
    •    Driftwood Sailboats

Use simple Driftwood Sailboats as table décor.  Follow these simple instructions for making these easy driftwood sailboats which look amazing when added to any beach themed wedding or party décor and are super easy to make.  Surround your sailboats with other driftwood pieces, shells, candles, sand flowers and you have your simple yet elegant and inexpensive table decorations.

Using Driftwood in a Wedding

•    Driftwood Arch

To begin with the most obvious and yet one of the most striking uses of driftwood, consider exchanging vows with your beloved under a driftwood arch.  Driftwood arches range from stark and simple to breathtakingly intricate, and are easy to enhance in many ways, should you choose. You can cover the entire piece with greenery, or add fabric or ribbons to flutter in the ocean breezes. LED lights wound around the arch look lovely for a nighttime wedding, bringing that radiant glow to your face and that of your intended.

driftwood arch

•    Driftwood Vases

You can just easily make a driftwood vase for holding flowers as you can a driftwood candleholder – the same technique is used.  Find a large cylinder glass vase – clear or even a pretty seaglass color that will show through will work just fine and attach it all the way around using a hot glue gun then just add your choice of flowers.

Driftwood vase

•    Driftwood Signs

Signs are often used to point the way to the ceremony or reception, to urge guests to “Choose a seat, not a side,” or simply to display the names of the bride and groom with a loving message or a romantic quotation underneath. Driftwood signs look right at home in any natural or “shabby chic” venue, and are easy to personalize by painting freehand or using stencils. Driftwood can also be used to frame chalkboards, and messages in chalk can of course be erased after the big day, so you can continue to use the signs in the future.

Driftwood signs

•    Place cards

Search online for “driftwood place cards” and you’ll find so many artful ideas you won’t know which to pick. For starters, you could decide to paint or carve each guest’s name directly onto a small piece of driftwood, creating for each person a unique wedding favor as well as a placeholder. If painting or carving seems too labor-intensive, you can cut small slits into pieces of driftwood to hold handwritten name cards, or drill tiny holes into any small, irregular pieces of wood and insert wire card holders.  This idea from June Bug Weddings.  Photo by Harrison Studio

driftwood placecards

•    Driftwood Candleholders

If you’d like to add a cozy ambiance to your tables, driftwood can be used to make candle holders in countless imaginative styles. If you have a long driftwood log at your disposal, small divots can be cut into it to hold tiny tea lights. You might also arrange sticks of driftwood vertically around a glass candle holder, or directly around a wide candle itself. They can be decorated with ribbon, though twine or thin rope would also be in keeping with a nautical or beachy feel.  For a tutorial on how to make driftwood candleholders click here.

 driftwood candleholder

•    Driftwood Garland

When frilly bows and ribbons just won’t fit in with your theme, you can add a truly unique finishing touch to your wedding décor by creating driftwood garlands. Whether natural colored or whitewashed, a collection of driftwood twigs can be strung together and draped from furniture, laid casually on a tabletop, or used as a tie-back for fabric. Add a few sand dollars, shells, or starfish to turn it into an idyllic seaside accent.

driftwood garland

•    Driftwood Chandelier

For the more ambitious decorator, nothing says “drama” like a handmade driftwood chandelier. The idea is more do-able than you think, and like so many driftwood items, you’ll find that chandeliers can range from intricately entangled sculptures, wired for electricity, to  plain driftwood sticks used to suspend candles in beautiful holders. Metal candle holders are often used and mason jars are popular, too, but any colored glass container can add interest to the piece and tie in with your wedding motif as well.

driftwood chandelier •    Driftwood Cake Display

If you can find the right piece of driftwood, it can be a clever display to highlight a beautiful wedding cake, champagne fountain or food tray.  Make sure your unique piece is capable of holding the weight of whatever you want it to hold and then properly balance and support it for a spectacular driftwood  display your guests will be talking about for years.

Cake on driftwood

•    Driftwood, River Rocks and Flowers

There’s something simple yet serenely beautiful about smooth stacked river rocks and purposefully placed flowers against a backdrop of driftwood that will set the tone for a beach themed wedding.  Hot glue them together so they stay attached then artfully place them on your guest tables or scatter them about your reception area to set a sea inspired zen like ambiance complete with driftwood, flowers and river rocks. 

driftwood and river rocks

 •    Driftwood Centerpiece

Use driftwood as your centerpiece.  Driftwood is naturally beautiful and can easily stand alone as a piece of sculpture or use it as an integral part and incorporate it along with other natural elements.  Include flowers, stones, shells, intertwined or sculptural driftwood and candles.  Simplicity is key.  It doesn’t need to be elaborate to be beautiful.  And don’t forget to add a hint of your colors for your special day, event or the season your celebrating.

Driftwood centerpiece

The allure of driftwood lies in the history each fragment holds. Once young and green, every piece has traveled far and changed much from its original form. Tossed by the waves for many years, it has finally landed on the sunny shore—time-worn, but still strong and beautiful. There is no better symbol for an enduring marriage than driftwood!

Make a Whimsical Driftwood Birdhouse

Make a Whimsical Driftwood Birdhouse

How to Make a Whimsical Driftwood Birdhouse

Make a Whimsical Driftwood Birdhouse

Simple tutorial will show you how to make a whimsical driftwood birdhouse for indoor or outdoor use.  Add charm and character to your garden with a whimsical driftwood birdhouse you make yourself.

Supplies

  • Driftwood pieces – 5-12″ round and flat plus assortment of other pieces. If you need driftwood pieces, we have driftwood in stock. 2-6″ pieces or 5-12″ pieces.
  • 18 oz. oatmeal carton or similar cardboard carton
  • Titebond WW30 or WW60 (for use with HiPur Adhesive Applicator) or Ad-Tech Wood Glue Sticks or All Temperature Wood Stik (look for glue sticks that will hold up in all temperatures)
  • Heat Gun such as HiPur Adhesive Applicator by Stienel or Professional Glue Gun
  • wooden stand (optional)
  • wooden round 5″ – 8″ (optional)

Make a Whimsical Driftwood Birdhouse

 

Make a Whimsical Driftwood Birdhouse

I used an 18 oz. oatmeal box but pretty much any similar cardboard box, round or square, will work.  Remove the advertising so you just have the brown cardboard.

Make a Whimsical Driftwood Birdhouse

Cut out a hole for the door and any additional “windows” you might want.

Make a Whimsical Driftwood Birdhouse

Then just fit and glue your pieces around your form.  You can use flat or round, long or short – just cover your form.

Make a Whimsical Driftwood Birdhouse

 

Make a Whimsical Driftwood Birdhouse

Once the form is covered on the sides, you can start on the top.  I wanted mine to be off-centered and longer on one side which would give it a more whimsical look so you can see I started with a long piece on one side propped up by a shorter piece on the other.  From there I just started filling in areas.  It’s like a puzzle where you find the best pieces to fit and pieces that will add some character here and there.

Make a Whimsical Driftwood Birdhouse

Here is a view from the back.  Once again, I just started layering smaller, flatter pieces on the roof until I had it completely covered.

Make a Whimsical Driftwood Birdhouse

In the front top I added a post that protruded out so the birds would have a perch and other little unique pieces that just fit well on the top.  I then added a “front porch” so to speak and a piece on the right that ended up looking almost like a handle.  I found a unique driftwood piece that was like a curly little pig’s tail and added that coming down from the top and one more piece to balance the left side and I was finished with my whimsical little birdhouse.  It was hard not to keep going by adding more little pieces here and there. 

Make a Whimsical Driftwood Birdhouse

The final thing I did was use the Driftwood Weathering Wood Finish on the base so it would look more weathered.  You can see the difference in the very top picture where it blends in very well with the regular driftwood.

And there you have it.  So cute in a garden or just on display.  Since I used Titebond WW30 HiPur Hot Melt Adhesive, I can use my birdhouse outside. 

Make a Whimsical Driftwood Birdhouse

 

Ideas for Landscaping with Driftwood

Landscaping with Driftwood Archway

Landscaping with Driftwood

Landscaping with driftwood starts with a good plan and a some imagination. Since driftwood is already a work of nature, it’s not difficult to cohesively work it in somewhere as either a focal point or complimentary element with your existing natural environment.

Driftwood can easily be carved, sanded and finished to get the shape, texture and look you’re after or just leave it as is. Whether using smaller-sized pieces for projects like birdhouses or larger pieces to make sculptures or lawn and garden furniture, you’re guaranteed to end up with items that are completely unique since no two pieces of driftwood will ever be alike in shape, texture and color.

For instance, if you want to give visual height to an area, create planters from a combination of driftwood and airplants, orchids, succulents or bromeliads then attach them to a wall or tree and watch your new plants happily make themselves at home in the cracks and crevices of the driftwood. Your wall will soon be teaming with carefree greenery, shoots and flowers and become a focal point.  The same idea can be used to create a horizontal focal point.

driftwood fencingLandscaping with driftwood can add visual interest and a focal point to areas that are frequently overlooked or otherwise seem to lack purpose and have no existing appeal. Imagine a large piece of driftwood where others might plant a tree or embed a large boulder – then surround your new sculpture with sea grass or wild flowers.

Think about adding a large driftwood pieces to a pond or other water feature you may have for a natural look. Driftwood on its own could make a unique and beautiful water fountain with the right tools and a little imagination.

Bind together long pieces of driftwood and attach a box to the top for a one-of-a-kind mailbox or create a driftwood Landscaping with Driftwood Benchchandelier for outdoor hanging in a special garden nook. Use it with candles or drape it with pretty flowers or vines.

How about creating driftwood retaining walls for flower beds or around trees by using 8″ linear pieces and sinking them into the ground. You can also create a heavier retainer wall with larger driftwood logs set end to end.

Thick, solid pieces of driftwood make wonderful benches or quaint chairs for sitting in unexpected places. Add a handcrafted driftwood table and you have yourself the perfect place to read a book and enjoy your garden while sipping an ice tea. Insert logs into the ground for natural fence posting.

There are a myriad of possibilities for landscaping with driftwood to create interest in your outdoor space. How will landscaping with driftwood inspire you?

Beach Style Decorating Ideas

Beach style decorating isn’t just for coastal beach houses and cottages by the seashore. It can be incorporated absolutely anywhere to soothe the nerves, provide positive energy and lighten the mood. Some simple beach style decorating tips can bring the therapeutic benefits of a vacation at the beach right into your home.Driftwood chair

Start by installing an interior louvre door and painting it a vibrant Caribbean blue or a deep aquamarine. Louvered doors automatically stir thoughts of old casual beach cottages. Next, install some horizontal planking across one wall of the living room or a whole ceiling and whitewash it for an overall beach house ambiance. Continue the aqua colors in accent pillows, comfy throws and an area rug. Toss in the bright orange of a warm beach sunset.

Go boldly into beach style decorating with unusual and unexpected color in the kitchen. Paint the kitchen island an eye-catching sea green and repeat the color in the window treatments. White or shell cabinets and a sea glass backsplash provide just the right amount of contrast while giving you that sand swept beachy feel.

If you’re not that daring, go to the opposite end of the spectrum and make nearly everything stark white. Then paint the wooden floor and the

cabinet doors a subtle sandy color. Easily add some sophistication with the texture of stainless steel appliances and accents. Purchase or create your own accessories with a nautical or coastal theme with using driftwood, shells and sea glass to create the feeling of being near the sea. Hang some artwork depicting the seaside and fill some shelves with picture frames and treasure boxes bordered in delicate shells. Translucent blue glass accents bring the sea inside.

Wall decor made of woven sea grass and random room accents made of wicker strengthen the aura of a retreat by the beach. Driftwood, when adapted as a home decorating accessory, is extremely versatile and lends itself to endless creative ideas. Weathered driftwood can be hung on a wall as is or insert a simple airplant and use as a planter. Equip it with some small hooks and dangle some souvenirs from the beach. Pick up an inexpensive wood-framed mirror and attach small pieces of driftwood around the border.

Gathering several pieces of driftwood that are all near the same length, tie them together with sea grass or nautical rope and stand them on their ends. Use this as the base for holding dried wild flowers. If you have a large section of driftwood, secure it to a wall, attach some hooks and use it as an unusual hat rack. Try making one of our suggested driftwood candleholders or driftwood lamps. Refinish a great flea market find with a driftwood finish by using Driftwood Weathering Wood Finish or one of our alternative homemade techniques.

If you have a pool, construct a backyard open-air cabana. Basically, this consists of nothing but a simplistic frame and a roof-like covering. Add floor to ceiling canvas curtains tied back to each post and create a look that’s as soft as a sea breeze. Add some more lush plants. Fill it with accent pieces that have seaside motifs like palm fronds, shells or marine life.

Outdoors, landscape with solar lighting as a reminder of the sun’s subtle energy. Indoors, adorn a few side tables with a grouping of sand candles.

Lighten up your mood and your atmosphere with beach style decorating. It’s the next best thing to being there.

Creating a Driftwood Finish

If you’re anything like me, you love the look of driftwood furniture. The aged and worn look just appeals to me although most of the pieces I see for sale in the major stores are not actual driftwood but wood that’s made to look weathered, usually with painting techniques.  So I began a quest to find out how I could get that same look at home.  After all, I was experienced at refinishing furniture, painting, staining and distressing – why not try my hand at this driftwood finish look.

And there’s nothing more satisfying than finding a beautiful piece of furniture in a thrift store that someone else has discarded – no longer useful to them.  I’m one of those that can see its possibilities and I’m quick to snap it up, take it home and give it a whole new life.

I found myself a gem of a side table at one local thrift store.  It was perfect.  I stripped off the old stain and finish and had initially decided that I wanted a distressed white look.  After about four months of this distressed white table, I decided I wanted it to look more like a driftwood finish.  I was seeing driftwood tables, beds and lamps, etc. everywhere and I wanted it.

An indepth search on the Internet revealed some very interesting processes that others were using to achieve that driftwood finish.  Some with paint (which I also did and it came out great and you can read that post – Creating a Driftwood Finish With Paint), others with concoctions of vinegar and steel wood and still others using baking soda, tea and coffee.

Along the way, I discovered my own mixture, which I call Driftwood Weathering Wood Finish, and to my surprise, it worked beautifully on that little white table once I had stripped and sanded it again.  But I still wanted to test the other methods I came across so below you will see a video of the five different methods I used on 3 different types of wood – oak, pine and birch.  I will show the initial application and the outcome 24 hours later.

The five methods I use to achieve a weathered wood driftwood finish are:

#1 – Tea – Steeped green tea in 1/2 water for several hours.

#2 – Coffee – Steeped coffee grounds in 1/2 cup water for several hours.

#3 – Vinegar & Steel Wool (3 Cups White Vinegar and 1 steel wool pad – soaked for 45 days, although you really only need to soak it for 24 hours – I just happen to still have a mixture still around from another project);

#4 – Baking Soda & Water (1/4 Cup water to 1/8 Cup baking soda); and

#5 – Driftwood Weathering Wood Finish – which you can now buy here on our website or through Amazon

Watch Video

How to Create a Driftwood Candleholder

Three Simple Driftwood Candleholders You Can Make Yourself

Driftwood Candleholder Style #1Driftwood Candleholder

You will need:

  • enough cleaned driftwood pieces to fit around your glass candle container
  • multi-purpose epoxy glue
  • glass contained candle
  • raffia or twine (optional)

Directions:

For this style driftwood candleholder, you will want to have enough clean driftwood pieces to go around your glass container candle – 10-20 pieces to chose from depending on the size of your glass container . It’s best to use 1″ thick linear pieces rather than awkward shaped driftwood pieces.

Determine how tall you want the height to be. Some prefer the height to be just to the top of the glass while I’ve seen others extend it 2-3

inches taller than your glass container. Either way looks great.

  1. Saw off the ends of each piece so they will line up evenly at the bottom around the your glass container while still giving you the height you want.
  2. Now one by one, line up a piece with the bottom of the glass container and begin gluing. Continue until you have completed the circumference.

Wait until the glue dries according to the package before using.

You may wish to dress up your container with raffia or twine.

A great decorating tip is to create three of these candleholders of various heights for use in displaying.

 

Driftwood Candleholder Style #2Driftwood candleholder

You will need:

  • Driftwood
  • candles in glass votive holders or tea lights in tin holders
  • drill
  • 1  3/4″ (44 mm)  hole saw – which is a type of bit that will fit on a drill and create the holes (available at Lowe’s and Home Depot)

Directions:

Suppose you have a wonderfully unique piece that is too big to use for the first style candle holder but you really want a driftwood candleholder. If you have a piece that will sit solidly on a flat surface without being “tippy”, then this is a good option for making your unique driftwood candle holder.

  1. Lay your driftwood piece on a flat surface and determine where you might want to put one or more candles. Space them out so they won’t cause a fire hazard when lit.
  2. Once you have identified where you want the candles, mark the center.
  3. Now secure your driftwood and drill your holes using the hole saw drill bit to match the size of your votive or tin candle holders. Drill no more than 1/2″ for tin tea lights. You can drill deeper for votive holders. You want to make sure that the hole is not so deep that a lit candle will catch the surrounding edges of the driftwood on fire.

I’ve seen this style used with elaborate pieces and many candles, as well as with one hole and one simple candle – and they are all beautiful.

Driftwood Candleholder Style #3Driftwood candleholder

You will need:

  • thick cut of driftwood (4″ or more circumference)
  • drill
  • 1  3/4″ (44 mm)  hole saw – which is a type of bit that will fit on a drill and create the holes (available at Lowe’s and Home Depot)
  • glass votive holder or tea light tins

Directions:

  1. Cut both ends of your driftwood so both the top and bottom are flat.
  2. Using the hole saw drill bit, drill a hole in the center of the top deep enough to fit your tin or votive holder.
  3. Insert your votive or tin.

This style looks best when the votive or tin sits almost level with the driftwood surface.

A great tip is to make three of this style in various heights for a great display.

There you have it – a driftwood candle holder style for everyone!

Other projects to try: Driftwood Lamp; Driftwood Sailboat; Driftwood Christmas Tree, Driftwood Windchime, Driftwood Clock

Driftwood Bergere Chair Project

Driftwood Bergere Chair Refinishing Projectcat on Bergere chair

This is one of those projects I started over a year ago – yes over a year ago.  It took me that long to remove all the staples (if you’ve ever done a re-upholstery job then you know what I’m talking about); decide on a fabric; make my own piping and then summon up the courage to actually attempt the re-upholstering and applying piping.  And, in between there was a move to a new house so yes, this was a long time in the making.  Amazingly enough, this is one of those projects that came out so beautiful when it was finally finished that it was well worth the time it took and I now have a beautiful driftwood Bergere chair.

Driftwood Berege Chair

This is the chair I started with – picked up at a thrift store for a mere $25.  Pretty ugly but the style is exactly what I was looking for.  I knew I wanted a Bergere style chair to use the Driftwood Weathering Wood Finish to create a driftwood finish on the wood and recover it with some fresh new updated fabric most likely in gray tones.  When the time came to choose a fabric, it took forever to decide and I actually purchased three different fabrics.  I ultimately decided it was time to just pick one and move forward – anything was better than this hideous blue and pink fabric.

Driftwood Berege Chair

The first step is removing all the trillions of staples.  I used a pair of needle nose pliers.  You want to save all your pieces of fabric, including the lining pieces as you will use them as templates for cutting your own fabric so don’t get impatient and start tearing and ripping.  You’ll also want to take good closeup pictures of every angle of the chair to show how the fabric folds and the piping flows.  This really becomes helpful as does using the old fabric as a template to cut your new pieces.  Pay attention to the layers and sequence of batting, webbing, canvas and any other pieces that make up the underlying structure of your chair as you will want to duplicate it as much as possible and use the same pieces when possible.  Take pictures and make notes – you’ll be very glad you did.

 Driftwood Berege Chair

 Since I was going to use a paint stripping solution, I needed to tape off the areas I wanted to protect.

Driftwood Berege Chair

Then I started the very messy project of stripping this bad boy before applying the Driftwood Weathering Wood Finish that would give me the driftwood finish I was looking for.  Once the old paint was removed, I mixed a packet of the Driftwood Weathering Wood Finish powder with a cup of water and started applying with a brush.  Driftwood Weathered Wood FinishAnd of course, because I’m so impatient, I don’t test it first and I get a very dark color – darker than I really want. But I keep going anyway because it still looks good even though it’s darker than I want.  What I should have done was test it first and I would have known to dilute the solution.  This would have resulted in the lighter finish I really wanted.

 

 

 

Driftwood Berege Chair

Now starts the hard part of re-upholstering.  But this poor little chair sat like this for over a year before I picked up this project again.  Now, a smart person would have applied the Driftwood Liming Wax at this point certainly before recovering the chair with fabric but not me.  I was still okay with how dark the wood was so I began the re-upholstery.  Here’s where researching the internet came in very handy.  I researched many videos and websites on re-upholstering chairs and gleaned a lot of good information.  I am a fairly good seamstress so sewing the cushion didn’t scare me.  Cutting and making my own piping was just time consuming but ended up not being that bad at all.  Even applying the piping was pretty easy using Magna Tac glue. 

Driftwood Berege Chair
Following the advice of one website – I actually used a spray glue to fuse and apply the webbing and batting to the chair.  This eliminated the need for using too many staples in the areas where the wood was already worn out. Using the old fabric pieces as my templates, I cut all my new pieces in my nice new fabric.

Driftwood-Berege-Chair

Once I applied the batting to the front, back, arms and seat with the spray glue, I started stapling the fabric in place using an electric staple gun.  This is where I learned a very important lesson that helped me a lot and made a world of difference so I want to pass it on.  I initially started by pulling the fabric taught on all sides and stapling as shown on the left below – then I saw a video of someone who suggested folding the fabric under before stapling and I literally pulled out all my staples and started over with rolling under the hem before stapling.  You can see how much neater and cleaner it looks and I can tell you it will save you time as you will not have to go back and cut away the excess and you will not have hanging threads.  And it’s so much neater and easier to cover with either a single or double row of piping. 

 

Driftwood Berege Chair

Using Magna-tac glue I applied my single row piping.  Here is another big tip I’d like to share.  Measure and sew your pieces of piping together to create more than enough length to cover the area you are working on.  Trying to piece together two pieces of piping because you come up short just makes it very difficult and usually ends up looking sloppy.  Plus it usually ends up with trying to piece it together in an awkward place like smack in the front where it will be quite noticeable.  It’s so much easier if you have the right length to fully cover the area right from the start. Here you can see I’ve glued on the piping on the arm and tucked and glued the ends.  Start and end in the most inconspicuous area possible. Start with small sections first until you get comfortable with it though it’s not that hard. Just make sure to cover your staples.

  Driftwood Berege Chair

Weeks after the chair was completed, I decided to attempt applying the Driftwood Liming Wax to lighten the finish.  Not an easy task and not one I recommend.  Trying to avoid getting the wax on the fabric was difficult at best but with a lot of effort, I managed.  I do like the finish so much better.  You can see the difference below.  This is the driftwood shade I was looking for and if I had just taken the time to test the Driftwood Weathering Wood Finish I would have known to dilute it and would have gotten this color without having to add the Driftwood Liming Wax.  But I will say it again – this is one of my favorite projects and it came out so well.  I finally have my driftwood Bergere chair.  This chair would sell for an easy $600-$700 in the stores and it’s going to look amazing in my sunroom as soon as I can get that room finished.

Driftwood Berege Chair

Driftwood-Berege-Chair

Driftwood-Berege-Chair

 

 

Driftwood Highboy Refinishing Project

Over the past 2 months, I’ve been slowly working on my driftwood highboy refinishing project which meant stripping and refinishing an antique highboy piece and then refinishing it with the Driftwood Weathering Wood Finish.  Well, I’m happy to say it’s finally done and I couldn’t be happier with the results.

driftwood highway
Finished Highboy using Driftwood Weathered Wood Finish

I purchased this highboy piece over 30 years ago at an antique store.  At the time I purchased the highboy, it was a hideous orange toned stained wood but it was a bargain at $375.00.  I distinctly remember that once I had stripped the orange stain, I had made a mental note that the bare wood had a beautiful distressed look to it and even back then I was tempted to leave it that way.  I also remember that I had done a major faux pas at the time I stripped it by using a steel wool pad to remove the finish and it had left little black specks everywhere.  But this had actually contributed to the weathered look in a good way.  I ended up staining the highboy in a dark mahogany color to match the other furniture in my room at the time.  I also remember that the stain did not take very well and I literally had to apply the stain and leave it on the piece without wiping off the excess.  This was the only way I could get the stain dark enough over the maple wood.

Original antique highboy
Original piece

Above is the piece before stripping and sanding.  It has always been a beautiful piece.  Below, I have started to strip and sand and needed to remove some of the more intricate pieces in order to get the finished removed.  I did this work outside in the Florida summer heat – not exactly the best conditions to be doing this type of work and that is why it took me 6 weeks to fully complete this project.  Some days it was just too hot!
Driftwood Highboy

Driftwood Finish Highboy

 

Driftwood Weathered Wood Finish applied to top drawer but still drying
Driftwood Weathered Wood Finish applied to top drawer but still drying
Antique driftwood highboy
Stripped and sanded; application of Driftwood Weathered Wood Finish.

The original hardware was brass and my original intention was to create a “rusted” finish.  I thought driftwood finish would be a nice backdrop to rusted hardware.  I attempted many solutions to create a rusted finish including soaking the hardware overnight in baths of vinegar and baking soda; vinegar and salt; and ammonia.  While I didn’t get a rust finish, I did get a somewhat verdigris finish.  After soaking the hardware pieces overnight and letting them air dry, I then applied a product by Modern Options called Verdigris with a paintbrush and dried it using my heat gun.  This seemed to increase the verdigris finish somewhat although I did not use the product according to their directions.  I did not apply their base product.  I have since found that the hardware’s verdigris finish has continued to turn quite a bit.

distressed hardward
Distressing the hardware
finished driftwood highboy
Finished driftwood highboy

 Driftwood highboy

So there you have the final driftwood highboy refinishing project.  It came out even better than I had expected and I’m in love with this piece but now my bed no longer matches.  Just when I thought I was done with refinishing projects for awhile…

How to Make a Driftwood Windchime

How to make a driftwood windchime using driftwood pieces and inexpensive silverware,  sea glass and marbles.  Here’s two different easy driftwood windchime versions – both make delicate chime sounds in the wind and either take just a few hours to make.  You can get creative and use seashells or other items that might inspire you.

 Driftwood Windchime

Here’s what you will need:

  • driftwood pieces (4-5). If you need driftwood pieces, we have driftwood in stock. 2-6″ pieces or 5-12″ pieces.
  • silverware (4-6 pieces – use soft pieces for easy flattening)
  • 14# fishing line
  • 24# beading wire
  • ear hoops from the beading department
  • flat drain from Wal-mart
  • sea glass pieces (available at Wal-mart)
  • Aleene’s Jewel It glue to glue fishing line knots
  • drill and drill bit for silverware
  • regular and needle nose pliers to mold wire around sea glass and bend fork
  • scissors
  • saw for driftwood pieces
  • hammer to hammer all the silverware pieces until flattened

Driftwood windchime

driftwood windchime

1. First use a hammer to flatten all the silverware pieces.

2. Drill a small hole at the top of each piece in order to pass the fishing line through.

3.  On one fork piece, using the pliers, twist each prong in each direction and curl under the end to form a small loop as shown in the picture below.  You will use each loop to string fishing line from the fork to loops on the strainer.

driftwood windchimedriftwood windchime

driftwood windchime

4.  Add an ear hoop to the underside of the strainer and using the fishing line, attach your choice of silverware as the centerpiece to your windchime.  I like to use a large silver spoon only because it tends to “hit” more of the other pieces moreso than a narrow knife or fork.

driftwood windchime

5.  Add 4 more ear loops to each opposing sides of the strainer.  These will be for the driftwood pieces.

6.  Add 4 more ear loops in between the existing ones.  These will be for the sea glass pieces.

7.  Now add 4 more ear loops in a circle half way between the outside rim and the center. These will be for the additional silverware pieces.  Add as many loops as you have silverware pieces.  You should now have 12 loops in additional to the center loop.

driftwood windchime

8.  Now cut your driftwood pieces to the lengths that you want.

9.  Drill holes in one end of each piece.  Insert a length of fishing line and tie off.  Just estimate a length of fishing line as you don’t want to put it together quite yet.

driftwood windchime

driftwood windchime

10.  Using the images above, wrap the wire around the sea glass pieces to hold it in place and form and loops and shapes shown.  These will hang easily onto the ear hoops.  You just want to make sure the sea glass is wrapped securely.  You can make it as long and elaborate as you wish – wrap two or more if you want.

11.  Now you want to put it all together.  It’s easiest if you can put a fishing line loop from the fork handle and hang it from something before you start to hang and knot each piece.  Start with each fork prong loop and attach fishing line (about 8 inches) from the loop on the fork  to a loop on the strainer and repeat for each fork prong loop – making sure it hangs level.

12.  Then decide how long you want each piece of silverware to hang and attached each piece.

13.  Now attach each piece of driftwood.

Driftwood Windchime

14.  Attach the seaglass pieces.

15.  Finally, go back and apply glue to each knot to make sure they do not come apart.

2ND DRIFTWOOD WINDCHIME VERSION

Below is another version using a different strainer, clear marbles (also from Wal-Mart), a dime store windchime I took apart, and driftwood pieces I made myself following this method How to Make Your Own Driftwood.  I actually like this second version better.  I ended up using a small baby spoon in the center and glued several of the marbles on the top of the strainer.  The strainer was larger.  I also used a stronger beading wire.  There’s so many options you can use to make your own version.

driftwood windchime

driftwood windchime

Dimestore windchime I took apart and used the chimes

driftwood windchime

I found two different versions of this strainer – the wooden one obviously cheaper and easier to take apart.  This worked great.  Just follow the same instructions for version one but use this second, larger strainer as your base and take apart the dime store windchime to use those chimes in place of the silverware.  I did however use one silverware fork for the top piece and another spoon for the very center of the chime.   And finally, I used marbles in place of sea glass and attached 5 marbles as a decorative element on the top of the strainer which I thought added a nice touch.