You know that I love me a good DIY candlestick. In the past, I’ve made colorblock wood candlesticks, multiple taper holder candlesticks, and paint-dipped brass candlesticks. Well, I’m back with another do-it-yourself candlestick! Can you handle it?
This month those of us on the Lowe’s Creative Blogger Team were challenged to create some Halloween decor. Since I like to keep things stylish, and candles are a must for Halloween decorating, I thought this idea for DIY Copper and Wood Candlesticks would be perfect!
I wish I was the genius behind this concept, but I’ve seen several variations of it online. I thought the candlesticks were wonderful so I decided to make them on my own.
Plus, with my newfound love for copper, I was excited to incorporate a bit of its metallic sheen in my home. Yes, friends. I’m taking a break from brass today.
Anyway, these candlesticks basically come together with wood dowels and copper pipe fittings. That’s it. It’s kind of like constructing something with Lincoln Logs or Tinker Toys. The shape and style are totally up to you.
Now I’m going to show you how I created mine. I made three different candlesticks. You’ll need the same supplies for each. I’ve listed the exact copper fittings and lengths of the wood pieces to make things a bit easier for you. But don’t feel compelled to follow my designs exactly. Mix it up and try some of your own.
DIY Copper and Wood Candlesticks
Here’s what you will need:
wood dowels* – 7/8 inch
copper fittings* – 7/8 inch openings (elbows, Ts, and female adapters)
circular saw
ruler and pencil
sandpaper
hammer
glue (optional)
*The dowels and copper fittings come in a variety of sizes. When you’re at Lowe’s picking up your supplies, just make sure the dowels fit snugly into the fittings. I brought a taper candle with me to the store to make sure that it would fit as well.
Begin by cleaning your copper fittings. Remove labels, give them a good scrub, and, if you want them to shine, polish them. That’s what I did with mine. It takes a little extra time, but it’s worth it. Polish them just like would with brass. (I have a tutorial on that here.) One round of cleaning and polishing will do the trick.
Next, you’ll want to cut the dowels to length. You can figure out a plan for how you want your candlesticks to look or follow the guide below that gives the measurements I used.
Once your dowels are cut, sand any rough edges.
Then, start assembling. My cut dowels fit tightly into my copper fittings. So much so that I need to use a hammer at times. I didn’t find it necessary to use glue, However, if your fittings are looser, add a bit of E6000 glue to hold everything in place.
Play with the fittings and the wood until everything is even and level.
And that’s it! Your candlesticks are complete.
I decided to leave my wood natural. However, you could paint the dowels to match your decor. I think black would look really chic. In fact, I may even try that down the road. Alternatively, you could even stain the wood.
I’m hoping that one or two of these candlesticks make it into my bedroom transformation, but at this point I’ve placed them around my house to show you how fabulous they can look in your home.
I thought this one with a black candle looked great next to my Succulent Pumpkin Planter (which is still doing and looking fabulous a week later!).
My coffee table got a little candle action, too.
As you can see, using different fittings and lengths of wood allows you to come up with some really unique designs.
That wraps up another candlestick project here on IBC. What do you think?
And don’t forget, for even more ideas, visit Lowes Creative Ideas. You can also sign up to receive their free Creative Ideas Magazine, which is loaded with inspiration! There’s also a magazine app so you can have inspiration on the go!
This post was created as part of my collaboration with the Lowe’s Creative Ideas Network. As always, all of the opinions, thoughts, and ideas in this post are my own.
