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How to make plywood Christmas trees

Three plywood Christmas trees of varying sizes placed on a tiled porch next to a potted plant.

Overview

This D.I.Y. Christmas tree project creates a set of three plywood trees (large – 1.7m tall, medium – 1.2m tall and small – less than a metre tall) that make for a rustically elegant decoration. You can feature them inside your home or under cover outdoors (your front porch, for example), and you can leave them with a natural finish, or paint them, or drape them in festive lights.

Safety tip: Always wear the appropriate safety equipment (safety glasses, gloves, ear muffs and a mask, for example) and always follow the instructions for the product or equipment.

 

Steps

  1. 1

    Mark out your Christmas trees

    Set up your sawhorses. (Use a minimum of two sawhorses; for this project, we used three to provide additional support.) Place one of the sheets of plywood on the sawhorses. Using the downloadable plan, mark out the different sizes of the three Christmas trees on the plywood using a tape measure and pencil. Start with the centre line and measure out from there.

    Green Bunnings hammer
    Tip: If you prefer, you can be creative here and draw your own versions of Christmas trees.
    Christmas tree drawn out on a piece of plywood.
  2. 2

    Cut the plywood into pieces that are easy to work with

    Clamp your plywood to the sawhorses. Using a jigsaw, cut the plywood into more manageable pieces, taking care to avoid cutting through the outlines of the three trees. Basically, what you’re trying to do is make a wide cut around each tree shape to make the plywood easier to work with.

    Use a jigsaw to cut as close to the line as possible, being careful not to cut into your sawhorses. When cutting to the inner part of the branch, cut in from the outside to leave a crisp inner corner. Complete this for all three tree sizes.

    Green Bunnings hammer
    Tip: If your cut edges are a bit wavey or jagged, use your orbital sander to smooth out the cut.
    Christmas trees drawn onto three cut out pieces of plywood.
  3. 3

    Cut out your remaining Christmas tree shapes

    Using your freshly cut shapes as a template, trace them onto the second sheet of plywood. Repeat Step #2 and cut out the remaining Christmas tree shapes. You should now have two shapes of each of the three Christmas tree sizes, or six shapes in total.
  4. 4

    Create the split down the middle of the trees

    Now we’re going to make the cut-out (or split) down the middle of the trees. Using the centre line, mark the middle point on each tree.

    The split down the centre of the tree needs to be 19mm thick. You can make this in one of two ways. Using a cut-off from the plywood, mark the width of the split down the centre of each tree. Alternatively, you can measure 19mm.

    Using a circular saw or a jigsaw, cut out the centre of the section to the centre point. On each set of trees (large, medium and small), one of the trees needs to have the split reaching from the bottom to the middle of the tree; the other tree needs to have the split reaching from the top to the middle of the tree.

    Check that a scrap piece of plywood fits in the gaps that you have created. Finesse the fit with sandpaper or a saw as required.

    Green Bunnings hammer
    Tip: Clamp something straight to the plywood and run the edge of your saw along the edge to help cut a straight line.
    Jigsaw cutting through the middle of the plywood Christmas tree.
  5. 5

    Check the fit

    Make sure that the two pieces of each Christmas tree (large, medium and small) fit together. Take both pieces of the same size tree, lift the piece with the bottom section removed and slide it over the top of the other piece. Slide the two pieces together, ensuring that both bottom edges are touching the ground.

    Green Bunnings hammer
    Tip: If the fit isn’t quite right, remove a little more from one of the pieces so that they fit together seamlessly.
    Un-assembled plywood Christmas trees stacked together.
  6. 6

    Sand the shapes

    Dismantle all of the trees and place the pieces on a work surface. Sand with 120-grit sandpaper and wipe away any dust. Repeat the process with 180-grit sandpaper, rounding over the edges slightly and wiping away any dust.
  7. 7

    Add the finishing touches

    If you want your trees to have a natural finish, you can leave them as-is or coat them with timber oil.

    If you’d like to paint your trees, lay out a drop sheet and place the pieces on cut-offs to raise them up so you can paint the edges. Apply one coat of undercoat to both sides. Once the undercoat has dried, sand lightly with 180-grit sandpaper and wipe away any dust. Apply two coats of topcoat in your chosen colour, allowing the paint to dry between each coat. Allow the trees to dry thoroughly before you assemble them.

    Green Bunnings hammer
    Tip: If you apply timber oil or paint to your trees, it will be safe to display them outdoors under cover (on your front porch or veranda, for example). Avoid getting the wood wet.
    Three plywood Christmas trees painted pink and red.
  8. 8

    Make it shine

    If you’d like to add lights to your Christmas trees or your front porch as a fairytale backdrop, shop our wide range.

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Health & Safety

Asbestos, lead-based paints and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber are health hazards you need to look out for when renovating older homes. These substances can easily be disturbed when renovating and exposure to them can cause a range of life-threatening diseases and conditions including cancer. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer or visit our Health & Safety page.

When following our advice in our D.I.Y. videos, make sure you use all equipment, including PPE, safely by following the manufacturer’s instructions. Check that the equipment is suitable for the task and that PPE fits properly. If you are unsure, hire an expert to do the job or talk to a Bunnings Team Member.