Upcycled Wooden Candleholder

Change the look of your space without spending a great deal of money. Simply save an old staircase baluster and use it to create your own Upcycled Wooden Candleholder. This project has a rustic, woodsy feel, making it a great shabby chic accessory.


 

Materials:

• Old baluster, approximately 2 inches in diameter
• Measuring tape
• Miter saw
• 2-by-4, scrap
• Pencil
• Hot glue gun
• Drill
• 3/32-inch drill bit and screwdriver bit
• 2-inch wood screws, four
• 1-inch wooden candle cups, two
• Acrylic latex paint
• Paintbrush
• Sandpaper

Instructions:

1. Determine the portions of the baluster you would like for two candlestick holders. Cut an 8-inch and a 10-inch section from the portions using a miter saw.
   
   
    
2. Cut a 6-inch length from a 2-by-4 scrap using a miter saw.
    
3. Lay the 2-by-4 flat on your work surface. Stand the cut balusters on the 2-by-4. Center and evenly space them down the center of the board. Use hot glue to temporarily hold them in place.
    
4. Turn the 2-by-4 over with the bottom facing up. Using a 3/32-inch drill bit, drill a pilot hole through the bottom of the board and up through the center of one baluster. Repeat with the other baluster. Insert a 2-inch wood screw in each pilot hole and attach. Sink the heads of the screws below the bottom surface of the board.
    
5. Hot glue a 1-inch wooden candle cup to the top of each baluster to temporarily hold. Drill a pilot hole down through the center of the cup and into the top of the baluster. Insert wood screws to attach.
   
   
    
6. Paint the holder's base, balusters and candle cups using an acrylic latex paint. Craft paint or leftover wall paints are suitable choices for this project. They cleanup with soap and water and are available in a variety of color choices. Allow the paint to dry.
    
7. Lightly sand the painted surfaces. This will remove paint in random areas, providing a worn, aged appearance.
    
8. Balusters are typically 36 to 42 inches long. Depending on whether the remaining portions of the baluster have a pleasing design, you will have enough to make another candlestick holder for yourself or as a gift.
    
9. If you prefer a pair of candlestick holders that can be separated when displayed, cut two 3 1/2-inch pieces from the 2-by-4 and center one cut baluster piece on each.