Modern Wood Trees using Color Stain

Create a whimsical woodland theme by making DIY Modern Wood Trees using Color Stain. Great for displaying outdoors for the holidays.

Disclosure: I am a member of the core blogger program with DecoArt. I received compensation and product for this post. All ideas and opinions are 100% my own.

Hello there! I can’t believe the holiday season is upon us. I have some of my Christmas shopping done but I still have lots to buy. Today, I am sharing how you can make these Modern Wood Trees using color stain. These trees are very easy to make and I wanted to use them to create a whimsical woodland theme. You can use any color stain to create a theme that you desire and color stain is so easy to use too.

Americana Decor Color Stain® offers a unique self-sealing technology that gives a durable, weather-resistant finish to interior and exterior home decor projects. Its beautiful semi-transparent finish does not require an additional sealer. This is the ideal stain for refurbishing patio furniture, deck boards, terra cotta pots, outdoor signs, and more.

Supplies (affiliate links):

Americana Decor Color Stain 8 0z – White
Americana Decor Color Stain 8 0z – Black
Americana Decor Color Stain 8 0z – Brick
(2) 2′ x 4′ x 1/4″ Ply Wood
Paint Brushes
Painters Tape
Nail Gun and Wood Glue

Instructions:

First I started by making two wood trees. I used two 2′ x 4′ x 1/4″ sheets of pre sanded plywood. It already comes with a smooth finish so there’s minimal prep work. I made one tree 4′ tall and 2′ wide. The smaller tree is 3′ tall and 18″ wide. I marked the sheets on the back by finding the center on the top and bottom first. To make the trunk I came up 2″ from the bottom and 2″ from each side of the center. On the bottom I came up 2″ again and I marked half the width on each side of the center line (12″ to each side for the 4′ tree and 9″ to each side for the 3′ tree). Then I used a straight edge to go from the center of the top to the width mark made on the bottom to make the triangle part of the tree. I used a jig saw with a fine tooth wood blade to cut the trees out. A circular saw can also be used if you cut slowly to avoid chipping the top layer off the plywood. This is why you mark on the back so that any chipping from the saw won’t be seen.

I painted the smaller tree using one coat of Americana Decor Color Stain in the color Brick. You apply the color stain either using a paint brush or a white cotton cloth. Once you apply the color stain, immediately wipe the stain with the grain of the wood using a white cotton cloth. Let the color stain dry completely.

To create a whimsical woodland theme, I used a large round sponge brush and Americana Decor Color Stain in White to create polka dots on the red brick. This reminds me of those cute little mushrooms you find in the woods. I found that it turned out better to barely coat the sponge brush with the color stain and apply it with a twisting motion rather than just dabbing the sponge.

For the larger wood tree, I started by painting three coats of Americana Decor Color Stain in White allowing each coat of color stain to dry before applying additional coats. Also, I lightly sanded in between coats. Next, I placed two inch thick painters tape two inches apart. I applied Americana Decor Color Stain in Black using a paint brush then wiping it with a white cotton cloth. I applied two coats of black and I think it looks more of a darker gray color which was what I was looking for. The gray and white are in the woodland theme decor.