Article Photo

Create a wonderful wooden Christmas tree

No space for a Christmas tree? Create festive cheer with this easy-to-build wooden Christmas tree which sits flat against a wall, handy for small houses, apartments or baches. Update the look each year by painting it in new Resene paint colours.

Resene paint colours used in this project

Green tree

Resene Cleopatra, Resene Surf Crest, Resene Norway, Resene Highland, Resene Clover, Resene Dingley, Resene Forest Green, Resene Jalapeno

Rainbow tree

Resene Jalapeno, Resene Irresistible, Resene Gold Drop, Resene Funk,Resene Seeker,Resene Blue Lagoon, Resene Lucky Point

Reclaimed tree

Resene Quarter Milk White, Resene Wishlist

 You will need

  • At least 7 different pieces wood in a variety of widths to create the branches (this project used wood pieces which ranged from 30mm to 90mm wide)
  • 60cm length of 4cm x 1.8cm wood for the trunk
  • Measuring tape
  • Saw
  • Sandpaper
  • Paint
  • Paint brush
  • Wood glue
  • Set square
  • Star
  • Old plastic plant pot or tin
  • Stones


Step 1

To make the Christmas tree slats, cut your wood into different lengths. For this project, Fleur used nine different pieces wood cut into different lengths, each 5cm shorter than the previous piece of wood.  The longest piece is 50cm and the shortest is 10cm.  Use sandpaper to sand any rough edges smooth.

 Step 2

Paint each of the wooden slat in a graduating colour.  Fleur painted the shortest/top slat in Resene Surf Crest, followed by Resene Norway, two slats in Resene Highland, two slats in Resene Clover, two in Resene Dingley and the last/bottom slat in Resene Forest Green.

 Step 3

For the trunk of the tree, use a 60cm length of 4cm x 1.8cm wood.  Apply wood glue to the trunk where you want the branch to sit.

Use a set square to make sure the branch sits at 90 degrees from the trunk.

 Step 5

Continue gluing each of the branches to the trunk. Leave a gap of a few millimetres between each branch.

Step 6

Add a star to the top of the tree.  Fleur painted hers in Resene Cleopatra.  Paint an old plastic plant pot or large tin can in Resene Jalapeno.  Place the tree trunk in the pot/tin and fill with stones.

Experiment with using different widths of wood, different angled cuts at the ends and non-traditional colour schemes. Wall painted in Resene Carrara, skirting board in Resene Half Rice Cake. Reclaimed tree painted in Resene Quarter Milk White and Resene Wishlist. Green tree painted in Resene Cleopatra, Resene Surf Crest, Resene Norway, Resene Highland, Resene Clover, Resene Dingley, Resene Forest Green and Resene Jalapeno.  Rainbow tree painted in Resene Jalapeno, Resene Irresistible, Resene Gold Drop, Resene Funk, Resene Seeker, Resene Blue Lagoon and Resene Lucky Point.

project by Fleur Thorpe.

Published: