How to Make a Wooden Igloo Decoration

A wooden igloo is a fun way to decorate your yard for the winter months. As long as you already have the tools, it won't be very expensive to make. It also shouldn't take a great deal of time. Not including the time you'll have to wait for the paint to dry, the actual work should only take an hour or two.

Things You'll Need

• 4-by-8 sheet of 1/4-inch plywood
• Ruler
• Pencil
• String
• Circular saw
• Sander or sandpaper
• Drill
• 4 screws
• 2 24-inch wood stakes
• White paint
• Paint brush
• Paint rag
• Light blue paint
• Black paint

Instructions

1. 

   Lay the plywood on a flat work surface. Start at the bottom left corner of the wood and measure across the bottom how wide you want the rounded part of your igloo to be. Make sure you leave at least 18 inches to the right of your igloo.

2. Find the center of the igloo based on how wide you made it. Have a partner hold a piece of sting firmly to the wood in the center of the bottom of the igloo.

3. Pull the string across the plywood until it reaches the top of the plywood.

4. Tie a pencil to the string and then draw the rounded part of the igloo. Having the other end in the center of the bottom and keeping the string tight will allow you to draw a perfectly even and rounded igloo.

5. Use your ruler to measure 12 inches up from the bottom right side of the igloo. Then, measure 18 inches out from the side of the igloo. Draw a straight line 18 inches out and 12 inches down. This will be the door to the igloo.

6. 

   Use a circular saw to cut out the igloo along the lines you drew. When you are done, the igloo should be a half-moon shape with a long piece coming out of the bottom right side.

7. Sand all the edges of the wood until they are smooth and won't splinter.

8. 

   Place your wood stakes on the back of the igloo, one at either end. There should be approximately 12 inches of the stake sticking out below the bottom of your igloo. The stakes are used to stand the igloo up in the ground. You can choose to forgo the stakes if you plan to use the igloo decoration in some other way.

9. Use the drill to screw the stakes to the igloo. Put two screws in each stake and drill the screws through the front of the igloo and into the stake. You'll be able to cover the screw heads when you paint.

10. Paint the entire igloo white and let it sit until all the paint is dry.

11. Dip a paint rag into some light blue paint and rub it over the entire front of the igloo. You'll only need a small amount of blue paint. Keep spreading the paint with the rag and rubbing it in until there is only a thin layer of blue paint, and the white paint still shows through in most areas.

12. Draw a half-moon shape on the door of the igloo with black paint. Paint the half-moon in with the black paint. Then, use the black paint to make horizontal lines across the igloo. The lines don't have to be perfect.

13. Start at the top horizontal line and paint vertical lines between the horizontal lines. Each layer of vertical lines should be shifted, so the lines create a brick pattern on the igloo.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember, the black lines don't have to be perfect; you just want them to give the appearance of bricks made out of snow.

• Be extremely careful when using the circular saw. If you have never used one before, have someone with you who has.

Resources

• Building and painting supplies