How to Build Your Own Wooden Tree Stand

How to make a Christmas tree stand that will last.

Whether you're looking for a family project or trying to save a bit of money during the holiday season, creating your own wooden Christmas tree stand may be just what you're looking for. It's something you can do together as a family, with the smallest helpers assisting with fitting the pieces together or making pencil marks while the older helpers do the hammering, drilling and screwing. You can make a tree stand that will last for years and still be much cheaper than a commercially made metal or plastic tree stand.

Things You'll Need

• Two 2-by-4's, 2 feet long
• Four wood screws
• Four eyelet screws
• Drill
• Galvanized steel oil-change pan
• Pencil
• Hammer
• Four nails
• Utility knife or scissors
• 1/8" thick nylon cord

Instructions

1. Lay the 2-by-4's flat. Measure to find the centers of the boards and cut a 3/4-inch notch across the center of each flat side, making sure they match. These notches, called lap joints, must be exactly in the middle of the boards.

2. Lay one 2-by-4 flat with the lap joint facing up. Place the other board with the lap joint facing down in the lap joint of the other board so they connect and form an "X." The "X" should lie flat on the ground and not wobble.

3. In the center of the "X," use your electric drill to make shallow holes, called pilot holes. Place four wood screws in the pilot holes and screw them in to fasten your 2-by-4's together. The screws should hold your "X" firmly in place and the boards should not be able to move.

4. Put the galvanized-steel oil change pan in the middle of the "X." Using a pencil, mark the outer edges of the pan on each "X" arm.

5. Hammer a nail in each pencil mark on the "X". These nails will hold the galvanized steel oil change pan in place as the water reservoir, so they must go far enough into the wood to be secure but still have enough nail out of the wood to hold the steel pan in place.

6. Put a pencil mark 1/2 inch from the end of each "X" arm. Screw in an eyelet screw into each pencil mark.

7. Place the steel pan in the center of the "X," held in place by the nails.

8. Cut four equal lengths of nylon cord. Tie one end of each cord piece through an eyelet screw. With the help of another person, stand the Christmas tree in the middle of the pan. While the other person holds up the tree, wrap each cord around the trunk about two feet up. Then wrap the cord over a branch on the side opposite the eyelet screw you are using. Bring the cord back around the trunk and secure it with a knot. Once all four cords are tightened, the tree will be secure and upright.

References

• True-Value :Build a Christmas Tree Stand