Got wood? Make stuff!
We love the look of natural wood decor, so we’ve included some how to make rustic log furniture videos in this short article. We’d love to see what your making — or what you make if you take on any of these projects.
Living in the woods as we do, there’s always plenty of wood to be found, and our son, Nikolai, enjoys making things out of it. Although his hands tend not to be steady enough for fine woodwork, he can certainly tinker with larger rustic log furniture.
As with anything any of us make, whether it’s cooking something, painting, writing or found wood projects, some things turn out better than others. It’s the same in the garden and how some plants do better than others.
We all know that nature isn’t perfect either, but she’s incredible. So when it comes to our creations, whether it’s the garden, ornamental or edible landscape – foodscapes, art or rustic log furniture, the wabi sabi approach of imperfection has its place and time.
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Rustic Zen
We’ve always admired natural woodcrafting and rustic creations, including in our home. We call our home “rustic zen”… though the zen (sparse) part has been crowded out a bit by 30 years living in the same home and the way “stuff” can accumulate. And yet… in hard times, “stuff” might be used somehow, so it’s hard to decide when to “get rid” of those things that “just might come in handy someday”, ya know?
My favorite kind of wood art is that which uses “found wood”, such as driftwood like pieces. There’s so much natural beauty in these.
When it comes to rustic wood art, seeing Nikolai make things, you come to realize that even rustic pieces need some craftsmanship to make it attractive, functional and longer lasting.
It can be hard to know when to sand something and whether to stain it or leave it natural. But that’s where books and YouTube videos come in handy, so we’ve got all of that here toward helping you find your next project ideas!
Rustic Log Furniture and Wood Decor Books
Fortunately, there are some good books out there, which we’ve gifted Nikolai on various occasions. Here’s a list of are some of our favorites.
Natural Wood Craft Books
- From Tree to Table: How to Make Your Own Rustic Log Furniture, by Alan Garbers
- Rustic Furniture Basics, by Doug Stowe
- Rustic Furniture Workshop, by Dan Mack
- How to Build and Furnish a Log Cabin, by W. Ben Hunt
Anything we take on with consistent and persistent effort over time, combined with learning from those who know more than we do on the topic, is the key to success.
Don’t worry if you fail. It’s inevitable to progress and success.
Failure points the way to success.
~LeAura Alderson, iCreateDaily.com®
How to Make Rustic Log Furniture: The Log Lounger
We were delighted to find some videos on making rustic wood furniture, starting with a beautiful log lounger followed by a simple Viking Chair and a basic log bench.
Okay… so it might not be super comfortable, but that’s often the way of rustic furniture. It’s rustic, not cushy, but it looks really cool! And hey… you can always add a chaise lounge cushion!
Log Lounger Materials
- Logs – between 3-5 inches in diameter
- Zinc-coated lag screws – ¼” lag screws 6″-9″, 3-4 screws per log will do the trick. If you are using smaller logs, you can get away with using cheaper deck screws.
How to Make a Viking Chair or Stargazer Chair
Materials
- Couple of planks
- angle of slotted cut 70-75 degrees, doesn’t have to be exact
Tools
- Electric drill
- Jigsaw
- Sander or sandpaper
- Linseed oil
Make a Viking Chair Part 2 Dimensions
Make a Log Bench by Mitchell Dillman
And here’s an example of “log on steel” furniture construction.
The Best Log Bench in the World by Mitchell Dillman
Got logs? Here’s a video with some ideas for using those logs. Enjoy!
Things to Make With a Log
You can also find rustic log furniture on Amazon.
Let us know what you’re making. We’d love to add it here. If you’re in the Piedmont region of North Carolina, check out our rental cabin.
RELATED: Using bamboo to make a teepee plant trellis.
More Rustic Log Art
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