How to Carve Wooden Crosses

Carve your own wooden cross from wooden garden stakes.

Crosses adorn church facades, mausoleums, jewelry and memorials. They symbolize Christian faith, remembrance and protection. Purchasing crosses can be expensive and it may be difficult to find one in the style you like. Carving a wooden cross is less expensive and allows you free reign over the size and design.

Things You'll Need

• Two wooden garden stakes, 1 foot long by 1 inch wide by 1 inch thick
• Measuring tape
• Pencil
• Hacksaw
• High-powered rotary tool
• Wood glue
• Sandpaper
• Tack cloth
• Varnish

Instructions

1. Make a line across one of your stakes just above the point. This should leave you about 8 inches of cross. Measure down 6 inches from the flat top of the second stake and make another line. Cut through these lines with a hacksaw to make the pieces of your cross. The longer piece is the vertical arm and the shorter is the horizontal arm.

2. Place the wooden pieces horizontally in front of you. Mark a section 1 inch wide in the center of each piece. Clip a thick, burr-edged rotary wheel to your rotary tool and pass it gently back and forth over the 1 inch wide sections. Wear away a section on each wooden piece an inch square and ½ inch deep. Don't push; let the rotary wheel work at its own pace.

3. Fit the notches you cut together. The pieces should create a clean, flat joint. Pull them back apart and smear some wood glue over both notches. Put them back together and let the glue dry overnight.

4. Draw a simple design on the front of your cross. It may be vines, a repeating Celtic knot or a simple rose. Put the drawing in the center where the arms meet. Push down with your pencil. Make the lines distinct and dark.

5. Clip a pointed carving burr onto your rotary tool. Draw it gently over your drawn design. Don't push. If the design isn't deep enough after one pass, pass over it again. Once satisfied, sand the entire cross with fine paper.

6. Wipe down the cross with tack paper (sticky cheesecloth) to remove sawdust. Cover the cross in a coat of water-based varnish. Tilt it up after you're finished to let the excess varnish run out of the design cuts. Let the varnish cure overnight. Sand it lightly to smooth burrs. Apply a second coat of varnish. Your cross is ready to display.

References

• Artsy Fartsy Family: Making Wooden Crosses with Cheap Stakes
• The Cross Web: Cross Making 101