Where to get driftwood

Where to Get Driftwood

Use driftwood to create all sorts of beautiful items, such as mirror or picture frames, lamps, rustic-looking clothes hangers, candleholders, or even excellent centerpieces for weddings and focal pieces for landscaping.  The list is endless if you use your imagination. But most of us don’t live right on beach so where do you find driftwood. If you’re interested in collecting driftwood as a hobby, or as a way to make some extra cash from time to time, then read on, and learn how and where to get driftwood treasures.

It’s actually pretty easy to make your own driftwood at home and we’ve created an easy tutorial.

Where to fine driftwoodBuying Driftwood

One of the advantages of buying driftwood in person, is that you can look at the pieces and choose the ones that best suit your project. Driftwood pieces of all shapes and sizes are available from craft and hobby shops, florists, souvenir shops, aquarium shops and at flea markets. You can also buy driftwood on eBay, and at many other online stores.

The downside about buying pieces of driftwood online is that they can sometimes be rather pricey, especially when you consider shipping. Pieces can be big and heavy, and shipping costs can add a significant amount to the actual price of the item. Prices vary a lot but you need to keep in mind the shipping costs. 

Our Driftwood Storewww.LittleDriftwoodStore.com for driftwood pieces from 2" - 12"

DIYDriftwood now sells driftwood pieces good for making projects such as candleholders, birdhouses, mirrors, and other items where you might need pieces ranging in size from 2″ to 12″.  Visit our shop for driftwood pieces.  Shipping is free.

Etsy.com is also a good source for different size pieces of driftwood at reasonable prices.  If you live in Australia and need a source for driftwood you can try ElaLakeDesign an Etsy seller in Australia.

Where to Find Driftwood That Won’t Cost You a Cent

Finding your own driftwood won’t cost you anything and is a great way to spend a few healthy hours in the outdoors – either on your own, or with your family or friends. This is because most driftwood is found along riverbanks, at the edges of lakes, or along the beach. It’s a misconception that driftwood is only found on a beach. Riverbanks and around lakes are all good places to get driftwood.  I’ve even found beautiful pieces in swamps – I believe this is referred to as “bogwood”. Once cleaned and dried, I actually had some very unique driftwood or “bogwood” pieces. Some were even petrified wood.

The best time to find driftwood on the beach is early in the morning, late afternoon, after a storm, or when it is low tide. All sorts of debris washes up onto the beach, including rusty nails and jellyfish. It’s a good idea to protect your feet with a pair of beach shoes.

You may also have to do a bit of digging through the debris and sand to get to a piece of driftwood that catches your eye. If you don’t like getting your hands dirty, bring along a pair of gloves as well. Having a bag is a good idea, because those prized pieces of driftwood become rather awkward to haul around as you stroll along the shore. I see a lot of beautiful driftwood pieces here in Florida when I kayak in the coastal areas. Unfortunately, my kayak cannot hold the larger pieces I’d love to bring home. These are the times I wish my kayak was a canoe or skiff.

Protected Areas

Be aware that some areas are protected and you are not allowed to take driftwood. Beware of protected natural areas, parks and private property. Public beaches and waterways are usually fair game. 

Once you find a great spot, you may be the one selling to others on line and making a handsome profit. Some pieces are so unique and beautiful that they can fetch a hefty price from a willing buyer. You may need to clean your driftwood before using or selling it.

Knowing where to find driftwood and having a great imagination will allow you to create your own beautiful and interesting pieces of art. Use your pieces for your home or to sell online, at a craft show or flea market.

If turning a flea market find into a beautiful piece of driftwood furniture is more what you’re looking to do – try applying Driftwood Weathering Wood Finish to bare, unfinished or sanded wood.

Gator on Driftwood
Be brave… sometimes you might have to fight for that perfect piece of driftwood. On the otherhand, it wasn’t that great of piece anyway…

How to Refinish Driftwood

To me, the beauty of driftwood comes from having its surfaced worn away, bleached and sculpted by the elements.  Real driftwood would never have an intact shiny finish.  I definitely prefer a non-shiny finish in the pieces I create from actual driftwood found along the shore or even furniture pieces I have stripped down, sanded and re-created with a driftwood finish.  Nonetheless, there are times when you may want or perhaps need a protective finish like when you have a tabletop that will get lots of use and will be subjected to water marks if not protected.

I’ve contacted many woodworkers and companies that specifically make finishes in an ongoing quest to find a good product that would ultimately protect the finish while not darkening the color.

A lot of people will use polyurethane on their driftwood furniture or even driftwood sculptures.  This is one of the worst looks in my opinion.  The polyurethane tends to be heavy and makes it look artificial and plastic-like.  So what does one do?

I have found that lighter woods such as pine or birch handle some protective coatings better than others.  And by better, I mean the color you get once you apply the protective finish does not get as dark as other woods, but still gets darker.  I tried a product called High Performance Top Coat by General Finishes in a satin finish and I applied it over the Driftwood Weathered Wood Finish used on a piece of pine, birch and walnut.  I was happy with the outcome on the pine as it was only 1-2 shades darker, but the walnut was 10x darker and even the birch became too dark for my liking. So, I would recommend this finish if your driftwood piece is pine.

I also tried another product called Safecoat® AcriGlaze Matte by American Formulating and Manufacturing (AFM), a company dedicated to safe green products.  I ordered a sample bottle and tried the product on different sample boards of pine, birch and oak over the Driftwood Weathered Wood Finish.  I was very happy with the results considering everything else I have tried produced a very dark finish.  With the AcriGlaze Matte, I could see where I had applied the product but it really didn’t darken it by much and left no shine.  On some samples, I could not even tell I had applied any finish at all.  I am impressed with this product and would recommend it for use on bare driftwood or over a driftwood finish.  The above link will take you directly to Amazon where it can be purchased in quarts or gallons but make sure to get the matte finish.

Here is a description taken from their PDF:

DESCRIPTION: Safecoat® AcriGlaze is a special mixing medium and finish suitable for use in the display, art and show fields. It is mildew resistant, odorless and dries clear. Ideal for restoring old finishes to their original brilliance, sealing and preserving painted work, faux finishing and as an adhesive for paper mache. Dries clear. Available in gloss and matte sheens. USE ON: Clear finish for masonry, brick, plaster, wood, paneling, etc., where a soft low luster finish and sealer is desired. May be used both interior or exterior as a reducer for any type of waterbased paint. Excellent medium for artist colors and universal tints.

After trying many products, we came to realize that the best way to preserve the color of the Driftwood Final Finish Liquid Waxfinish was to use a product that does not contain solvents or oils.  They can be hard to find which is why we also decided to release our Driftwood Final Finish Liquid Wax.  It contains no solvents or VOCs but does contain carnauba wax for a very hard and durable finish, plus it’s in liquid form so it’s easy to apply and the finish is a soft satin finish.  It usually takes about two coats and that depends upon how thirsty your wood is.  Driftwood Final Finish Liquid Wax 

If you still want to finish driftwood so that it is protected and preserved for years to come, and don’t mind the “shiny” look –  read on.

refinishing driftwood

Step 1: Smoothing the Surface of the Driftwood

You will need to begin by smoothing the surface of the wood using something like a 220 grit sandpaper to take off any rough spots. Nature will already have done most of the hard work for you, but there are usually a few spots that need a little bit of extra work. If the particular piece of driftwood you are working with has any sharp or broken ends, then these too need to be sanded away, to create a rounded and smooth surface.

Step 2:  Pre-Treating the Driftwood

Next, you will need to treat the wood before it can be stained – if indeed you are going to stain the piece. For this you can use a wood conditioner, but do not apply it directly to the wood. Instead, soak a cloth in wood conditioner and then rub it into the surface of the driftwood. Once the wood has been generously coated, leave it to dry for 15 or 20 minutes. Some people are tempted to skip this stage and move straight on to staining their piece. Do not be tempted to do this. Applying a wood conditioner is essential to ensure that, when the stain is added, it will create an even finish.

Step 3: Applying the Stain

Time to apply a stain to your wood. You will want to put on rubber gloves for this step, so that you don’t end up with stained hands and, as with the wood conditioner, put the stain onto a cloth first, and then rub in into the wood. Apply any stain with a circular motion and rub it well into the wood. Once applied, leave the stain to soak in for between 5 and 15 minutes, depending on how deeply stained you want the wood to be.

Once you have the color you are looking for, rub any excess stain off using a dry rag, and set the wood to one side for several hours, until the wood is dry when you touch it and no stain comes off when you run your fingers along the surface.

Step 4: Applying Polyurethane

The final stage is to apply two thin coats of polyurethane to the whole surface of the driftwood piece, allowing 6 to 8 hours for the first coat to become dry before applying the second coat.  Keep in mind that applying polyurethane or even beeswax polish will darken your finish considerably.  I would test an area first if possible to make sure you like how dark it will become.

Your driftwood will now last for years and provide you with a wonderful and uniquely sculptured ornament to enjoy.

How to Create a Driftwood Lamp

How to Create a Driftwood Lamp

Making a driftwood lamp is a great way to put your favorite driftwood pieces on display. Whether using one large solid driftwood piece or several small pieces, your new driftwood creation is going to bring plenty of texture and certainly a wonderful naturalness to your decor by bringing the outdoors feeling in. These three simple lamp-building projects can be completed in one afternoon.

Turning a Flea Market Find into a Beautiful New Driftwood Table Lamp create a driftwood lamp

Pick up a basic table lamp from a yard sale or thrift shop, if you don’t already have one that you’d like to redo.

  1. Disassemble the lamp to remove any decorative column so you are left with the metal center rod.
  2. Reassemble the lamp with just the center rod. This is what you will attach your driftwood pieces to.
  3. Gather several slender driftwood pieces that curve slightly outward at one end. The bottom ends will sit on the the original base; the tops will reach just beyond the socket.
  4. Surrounding the lamp rod with the driftwood and attach with a multi-purpose epoxy glue, position the top ends outward and away from the socket.
  5. Top with your favorite lampshade.

When turned on, this light will present a soft driftwood silhouette.

Create a Driftwood Lamp For Your Desk

Create a driftwood lampGet started with an inexpensive lamp kit, a quarter-inch thick wooden base, four wooden buttons and four or more pieces of driftwood of similar length to the base.

  1. Start with a base that’s about nine inches long and three inches wide.
  2. Drill a three-quarter inch hole into the center.
  3. Drill the same width hole through the center of each piece of driftwood. The driftwood shapes can range from flat to round and, for this project, the width or diameter of each piece should not exceed two inches.
  4. Fix the lamp rod to the base by securing it with a washer and nut.
  5. Artfully stack the driftwood horizontally over the rod and onto the base. Once you have happy with the placement of the driftwood pieces, use glue to adhere each piece together so they stay in place.
  6. Work the lamp cord through the bottom of the base, through each piece of driftwood right up to the top of the rod.
  7. Follow the lamp kit’s instructions to wire and secure the socket to the rod’s top end then attach the harp to the socket.
  8. Glue the wooden buttons to the bottom four corners of the base to give enough height to accommodate the lamp cord under the base

Ttop off your new lamp with a complimentary shade.

Driftwood Stands Out As A Floor Lampcreate a driftwood lamp

Bring the outside in and create a driftwood lamp for that special reading nook.

  1. Drill a three-quarter inch center hole into a 1″ thick base that can be 12″ wide by 12-24″ long.
  2. Drill a quarter-inch hole through the side of the base until it merges with the center hole. This will be for the lamp cord.
  3. Run the lamp cord through the hole in the side of the base to the center hole and then work it through a five-foot lamp rod.
  4. Choose as many long pieces of driftwood that you want to use to achieve your look – 25-30 pieces all roughly the same height. Cut the ends of each piece so you have a flat surface.
  5. Decide as best you can where you want to place each piece and drill a wide enough hole into the base about 1/2″ deep to accommodate each piece.
  6. Using a fast acting epoxy glue, glue each piece into their respective drilled holes until you achieve the look you want. Make sure the glue doesn’t seep out onto the top of the base although if it does, you could easily disguise it with pieces of moss.
  7. The brass rod should extend at least four inches above the top of the driftwood.
  8. Finish as per the instructions for the desk lamp.
  9. Top it off with a complimentary shade and you’ve created a beautiful new driftwood floor lamp.

Driftwood lampNeed pictures to go with the step by step directions?  Check out Step by Step Directions for Making a Driftwood Lamp. There are countless other ways to create a driftwood lamp, chandeliers, floor lamps, wall sconces and simple candleholders using driftwood. It only takes a little imagination to put some eclectic lighting into your living space. You’ll save hundreds of dollars on what it would cost for a similar driftwood lamp and you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that you can create a driftwood lamp yourself.

For more driftwood projects, check out 5 Easy Creative Driftwood Projects you Can do at Home.