Hey, DIYers! Wanna make the cutest scrap wood Santa Claus ever? Well, at least I think it is. I’m going all in on my scrap pile for this one, and it’s a winner. It’s the perfect way to add that touch of farmhouse charm to your Christmas decorating!
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DIY RED Wood Santa Claus Craft
Hey, some of the projects I share are just for me, ya know? I put them here because I think what I do is worth it, and if it helps others save some cash, learn something new, or makes them happy, then I’ve done my job.
This Christmas craft is totally my jam. It’s super personal, and I just love everything about Christmas and what it means, especially the magic of Santa we all knew as kids.
Here’s a fun fact: I’m not a big fan of red, really don’t like it, but hey, gotta make Santa, right?!
Because Santa is and will always be red. HO HO HO!
SUPPLY LIST:
Here is what you’ll need to create a painted Santa Claus using scrap wood.
- scrap wood (brittle fence pickets work the best)
- heavy hammer
- pencil
- wood glue
- wood clamps
- wood sander (my fave for all my wood projects)
- Burlap Chalk Mineral Paint (for the face)
- Cotton Chalk Mineral Paint (beard)
- Barn Red Chalk Mineral Paint (for the hat)
- Caviar Chalk Mineral Paint (for the eyes)
- Tea Rose Chalk Mineral Paint
- Artist Brushes
- cotton string
- hot glue gun
The Best Lumber | Wood Santa Claus
Can I just say this DIY project is cathartic? I don’t get to hit things with a sledgehammer every day, and I especially enjoyed this part, as well as painting. 😁
STEP 1: To start, you’ll need the roughest, gnarliest fence picket you can find. Preferably, one that has had years of weather on it and is brittle because you are going to break it into pieces using a heavy hammer. I used a sledgehammer to demolish my board, and demolish it did!
Lay the board across a hard surface (bricks to elevate) that supports only the ends of the board (not shown in the pic), with the middle unsupported. Grab that hammer and hit the center of the board as hard and as fast as you can for optimal damage!
What you hope to get is several pieces split and mangled. Enough to make more than one wooden Santa Claus. I think I did very well with my first attempt.
Prep The Wood For Paint
STEP 2: Next, you’ll need to sand the wood, starting with about 180-grit and finishing with 220-grit, to remove any loose splinters and give the board a thorough sanding, making the surface ready for paint.
Remember, we’re not looking for perfection, just a rough piece of scrap wood we can work with.
If there are any big splits in the wood, glue ’em with wood glue and clamp them until they’re dry, then sand them smooth.
Time To Draw Santa!
STEP 3: Using a pencil, draw a line at the bottom of Santa Claus’s hat. The length of the hat is up to you. I would say it depends on the length of your board.
Next, leave a space for his face and draw a second line below for the start of his beard.
Painting The Scrap Wood Santa Claus
STEP 4: Now that you have an outline of where to paint, start with the white paint first.
Paint Santa Claus’s beard and the white fur that is at the bottom of his cap. This may require two coats to cover the wood fully.
Next, paint the hat red. I used Dixie Belle’s Barn Red for a beautiful, rustic-looking Santa.
And finally, paint the face. I used burlap chalk mineral paint, which was the perfect color for skin.
While the face paint was still wet, I used Tea Rose (pink chalk mineral paint) to blend in the cheeks just below where the eyes will be. Santa does have rosy cheeks, you know.
Add the eyes (black) and eyebrows (white) to complete the face. Don’t forget the tiny dot of white inside the black eyes for a reflective light.
Creating A Mustache For Santa Claus
STEP 5: To give my wood Santa Claus some depth (not just a flat-painted Santa), I created a simple mustache from cotton string. Here’s how I did it!
Decide on the length of the mustache you want for your Santa. Use a piece of cardboard (whatever you have), cut it to the length you want, and wrap it around for multiple layers. The more string you use, the bushier the mustache. I think I did probably 15-20 wraps for mine.
Next, cut the string into two pieces at both ends. Add both pieces together and tie in the center with another piece of string to create the mustache.
Use a hotglue gun to secure it just below Santa’s eyes.
Before And After Wood Santa Claus
BEFORE… three busted-up pieces of an old fence picket sanded smooth.
AFTER… Three very unique painted scrap wood Santas.
For more relatable content, click the links below for unique DIY craft projects.
3 Adorable Wood Santa Clauses From One Board
Aren’t they cute! I love how the jagged ends of the boards worked perfectly for a beard.
I think these charming (each unique) wood Santas would be perfect to add to a gift basket, placed on top of a Christmas gift (a gift on a gift), given as is, or even sold at an arts and crafts show.
Endless decorating possibilities, too!
How did I use my wooden Santa Clauses??? I added them to my wood bin!
My afterthought, maybe not a great place… someone might grab them to start a fire. 🔥That would be one smokin’ HOT Santa. 🤭
Hey, thanks for hanging out with me today, and I hope you enjoyed learning about how to use scrap wood to create a unique wooden Santa Claus. No two can ever be alike, that’s for sure.
Want to share your thoughts on this project? I welcome any and all comments below. Or say hi ✋ so I know you were here.
Until the next project… xo, Do
Ohmygosh Do, these little Santas are adorable and I LOVE the way you staged/styled them in the bucket. i gotta say though, it looks like you might need some power to use that heavy-looking sledgehammer! 🤣🔨💪 Merry Christmas my friend. XOXO
Girlfriend, don’t you know it! 💪🏻 It’s a great way to relieve some stress and make cute Christmas decor at the same time. 😂 Merry Christmas. 😘 🎄