Make your own sleek and simple Advent wreath from wood

An Advent wreath made from an old wine barrel stave lies on a festively decorated table. — Make quite the impression at the dinner table this Christmas with this Advent wreath made from an old wine barrel stave.

Difficulty

easy
Cost

< 25 £
Duration

1-3 h

Introduction

Advent – the liturgical term for the run-up to Christmas – is a time of contemplation and preparation before the big day. Traditionally, one candle is lit on the Sunday of each of the four weeks that make up this period. Perhaps you’re one of the people who partakes in this long-standing tradition. If a conventional Advent wreath feels a bit passé, then how about a modern version made from an old wine barrel stave? We’ll show you how you can quickly and easily make your own wooden Advent wreath.

It should go without saying that your safety is paramount throughout every step of the project, so make sure you take the necessary precautions to protect yourself. You can find an overview of the correct protective clothing you need when using each type of tool here:

You need

Tools

Utilities

pocket rule
g-clamps
towel
round jam jar lid
pencil

Materials

Barrel stave
candles (diameter approx. 50 mm)
wood oil

L: Length, W: Width, H: Height, D: Diameter

Let's go - step by step

Step 1 5

Draw and saw the rounded edges

Curvatures are drawn on a barrel stave. — You can get barrel staves online for very little money.

The edges of the barrel stave are sawn off. — The stave looks a bit more elegant with rounded edges.

You need: Cordless Multisaw EasySaw 12, T119BO Jigsaw Blade HCS, pencil, round jam jar lid, pocket rule, g-clamps, barrel stave

You will need something called a ‘wine barrel stave’ to carry out this project. But don’t worry – you won’t have to dismantle a wine barrel to get one. You’ll be able to easily find some barrel staves in classified ads online.
Barrel staves from red wine barrels are usually already stained in a nice burgundy colour, making them perfect for the Advent period.

Saw off both ends of the barrel stave to round the piece of wood for a more elegant look. Use a round object like a small jam jar lid to help you mark the curvature.

Then clamp the stave to the work surface and saw along the drawn lines.

Step 2 5

Sanding

A barrel stave is sanded. — Gently sand the inside to keep the nice burgundy colour.

You need: Multi-sander, Sanding sheet for multi-sander G120, g-clamps

Clamp the barrel stave and sand down the sawn edges and surfaces.

TIP

You should sand the outside of the stave a little more thoroughly, as barrel staves tend to have some residual rust. Gently sand the inside of the stave if you would like to keep its rich burgundy colour.

Step 3 5

Mark the positions for the candles

A marking is drawn onto a barrel stave. — The marking’s diameter depends on how big your candles are.

You need: pencil, pocket rule, candle

The next step is to mark the positions of the hollows for your candles. Determine the diameter of your candles to begin. This is important for the recesses. Then mark the positions for your four candles on the barrel stave. Space the recess markings at equal distances along the length of the barrel stave, while also factoring in the diameter of the candles. Of course, you can also arrange the four candles at random – you won’t have to determine the spacing beforehand and simply see what works for you.

TIP

We recommend standard candles with a diameter of 50 mm so that you can use a Forstner drill bit to drill the recesses (see step 4).

Step 4 5

Drill and sand the recesses

A recess is being drilled in a barrel stave.

Several recesses on the barrel stave are being sanded.

You need: Multi-sander, Forstner bit: 50 mm, Easy CurvSander 12

Now it’s time to drill the recesses for the candle holders. Use a Forstner drill bit to do so – but do not drill fully through the wood (about 2–5 mm deep).
Just keep an eye on your Forstner drill bit as a guide while you’re drilling. Once you have drilled about half of its thickness, then it’s time to stop.

Then sand the drilled recesses from the inside.

Step 5 5

Oil and polish

A barrel stave is being worked on using a polishing device. — Polish your piece of wood for an even more sophisticated look.

You need: Easy CurvSander 12, towel, wood oil, 4 candles

Treat your new wooden Advent wreath using wood oil to give your new decoration a sophisticated touch. It’s also a good idea to polish the piece to give it lovely, smooth surfaces. Now it’s time to insert the candles and light them. We wish you a pleasant Advent period!