Spruce up your garden with these DIY totem poles

24 Jan 2024

If you are wanting to jazz up some plant pots or create a feature in your garden then why not give these wooden garden totems a go? These are simple to make and yet so effective! Paint them in a solid colour of your choice first, we used Resene Saratoga, then use some painters’ masking tape to add some designs. Be as colourful and creative as you like, this is a great one to get the kids involved in too! Happy DIYing!

You will need:

• 1 x piece of wood, 42mm wide, 42mm thick, 1.2 m long
• 1 x piece of wood, 42mm wide, 42mm thick, 90cm long
• Jig saw or handsaw to cut the ends of the wood
• Painters’ masking tape
• 2 wooden knobs (optional)
• Glue for knobs (super glue or wood glue)
• Resene testpot paintbrush
• Fine paintbrush
• Resene testpots in paint colours of your choice. We used Resene Saratoga, Resene Ying Yang, Resene Awol, Resene Pacifika and Resene Koru

Step 1: Paint your wood in a solid colour. We used Resene Saratoga. Two coats will give best coverage. Allow dry time after each coat.

Step 2: Mask up your design using painters’ masking tape.

Step 3: Paint your design in your chosen Resene paint colours. We used Resene Ying Yang, Resene Awol, Resene Pacifika and Resene Koru. Use a fine paintbrush to do the smaller design details.

Step 4: Paint the two wooden knobs in your chosen Resene paint colour. We used Resene Awol. Once dry, glue these to the top of the totems.

Step 5: Remove the masking tape to reveal your design. Place your totems in an existing pot plant or in the garden.

Trellis painted in Resene Aspiring, large plant pot in Resene Saratoga, small plant pot in Resene Rice Cake and deck stained in Resene Woodsman Uluru.

project Vanessa Nouwens

images Bryce Carleton

Published: 24 Jan 2024