Creating your own driftwood for projects is great because you can get the exact size you need. In addition to that, it can be a significantly more affordable option than purchasing it. So, you’ll only need to spend money on bleach and Washing Soda. With that said, here’s a comprehensive guide on how to make your own driftwood.
Steps on How to Make Your Own Driftwood
Creating your own driftwood takes about a week. However, the results are just as good as finding some driftwood by the river or sea. Thus, here are the steps to follow.
Gather the Materials You’ll Need
Make sure you have the following materials before you begin making your own driftwood.
- Bleach
- Washing Soda by Arm & Hammer
- Water
- Sandpaper
- A container to hold the driftwood (the wood should fit in completely)
- A wire brush or firm bristle brush
You can use wood that’s trimmed from some branches or any other you can get a hold of. Also, make sure to let it dry completely before you begin.
Prepare the Solution
Add 1 or 2 cups of Washing Soda to your container. You may need to add more if your container is large. Next, add about 7 gallons of water to dissolve the Washing Soda. There should be enough water to fully submerge the wood, which is a vital step on how to make your own driftwood.
Place the Wood into the Solution
Make sure to cover the wood with water completely. Also, wood floats in water. So, you should place something heavy (containers of water will work) on the wood to keep them submerged. Let the pieces of wood soak in the solution for roughly 48 hours. This way, the bark will soften, and you can remove it with a wire brush.
Remove the Bark with the Appropriate Brush
Use a wire brush that’s best used for stripping furniture. If you don’t have one, you can use any brush that has extremely firm bristles. Use steel wool as a last resort. Any of these tools will help remove the soggy bark on the wood that will most likely be peeling away already. Moreover, you should soak the wood for more time if you can’t remove some stubborn bark.
Bleach the Wood
Empty the container filled with the Washing Soda. Next, add about 1 cup of bleach and 7 gallons of water to the container. After that, let the wood stay submerged for another 48 hours. This step on how to make your own driftwood will eliminate bacteria and odd discoloration on the wood.
Dry the Wood
You must keep the wood under the sun for about 2 to 3 days to dry it completely. You could consider placing some small pieces of wood in the oven at low heat. However, placing the wood in a sunny spot in your home is a safer and more affordable solution.
Remove the Roughness on the Wood
Your pieces of wood should look great at this point. That said, its texture will be rough, so it won’t look like actual driftwood. Thus, you must use sandpaper to sand off the rough texture, the point edges, and all ends. As a result, your wood will look like it’s weathered by the currents of the river or sea.
Consider Adding Finish
This step is optional, but adding a finish to your wood pieces can make them look to your specifications. This way, you can make your wood look gray or ebony. The original tone of the wood will depend on the type of wood you use. However, stripping the bark off will leave it looking a little paler than usual.
Last Few Words
Now that you know how to make your own driftwood, you can use the driftwood for various projects. These include building table stands, wind chimes, lamps, candle holders, Christmas trees, mirrors, and more. That said, you shouldn’t use this method for creating driftwood for aquariums because that may not be safe for your fish.
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