67 Amazing DIY Ideas for Repurposing Logs and Branches

Are you looking for things to make out of logs and branches? Try some of these. So you’ve had to say goodbye to an old friend, and now you have a backyard full of remains from a tree removal project. Or perhaps the latest windstorm to whip through town has gifted your property with a bounty of branches.

It could also be the result of something simple like your buddy calling and saying, “Hey, there’s a guy on Craigslist advertising you-haul-it-away wood! Should we grab some?” The best adventures never start with a plan. They start by getting something large and heavy for free.  

Sure, you could pull out the chainsaw and make firewood. Or let your woodchipper turn those former tree parts into decorative mulch. But that sounds like work, and we’re into fun. And with that spirit, we’d like you to consider some of the following DIY and craft options the next time Mother Nature provides you with tree leftovers.

Things to Make Out of Logs

Here’s how we roll. The whole enchi-log-a!

If you’ve got an entire trunk to contend with, you’re limited only by your imagination. Consider yourself Michelangelo in front of a new block of marble, about to sculpt a masterpiece. Or, you know, maybe something a little less ambitious. Let the following suggestions light your path.

1. Flower Bed

Do you have too many pine cones and wood chips left over from garden cleanup? Use them to decorate or start a flower garden! We love wood chips especially. We also read from the University of Maine Coop Extension blog that wood chips can help with moisture retention and weed suppression. Perfect!

And you don’t need entire wheelbarrow loads if you want to turn leftover wood into wood chip mulch. You can begin with only a couple of branches.

2. Log Beehive

While researching various things to make out of logs and branches, we remembered our epic bee hive stand ideas guide we published the other day. We think a solid tree stump could serve a bee hive well. But, the stump needs to be 100% level and secure. We don’t recommend hosting your bee hive on an uneven woodpile – even if they are super sturdy branches!

3. Pig Log Seats

Look at these adorable pig log seats! We’re unsure if we have the artistic wood-cutting skillset to duplicate these eloquent designs. But – nothing beats a rustic log bench or log seats if you want to put your extra wooden pieces to good use. It’s not the fanciest of art projects. But it’s one of the most practical ways to repurpose an old tree stump or dry wood.

4. Amazing Log Tables

If water shortages have you down, and you can’t commit to building an eloquent flower bed, then why not build a rural and rustic log table? Log tables are perfect for hosting a game of checkers or cards. And they also make the best backyard decor you can proudly show off to your guests, friends, and neighbors.

5. Succulent Log

Succulent logs are perfect for a fairy garden addon and look beautifully strewn along almost any branch structure, walkway, or indoor office. Succulents are also famous for flawlessly growing in low-moisture landscapes. Aloe is one of our favorite succulents, and we have an excellent guide that teaches how to plant aloe vera without roots.

6. Log Accent Tables

Is your log broad enough for safely balancing upright? If so – you can cut it into two-foot to three-foot sections. Then dry it, and remove the bark and sand. Next – coat it in polyurethane for rustic accent tables or nightstands.

Log accent tables feature a beautiful design and are a genius method for repurposing old wood. All homesteaders need plenty of indoor or outdoor surface area for gardening, cloning plants, and yard work. Log accent tables can also make lovely dining tables or coffee tables. (Homesteading isn’t all work. It’s also recreation. And relaxation!)

7. Stunning Epoxy Table

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8. Garden Arrangement

Spring garden arrangements are our favorite things to make out of logs and branches. Choosing the best native flowers for your garden is the best part! You can also integrate all your garden leftovers from fall cleanup, including pine cones, wood chips, bark mulch, or a collection of branches.

We also found a superb guide for flower garden design on the Cornell blog with tips on building your dream flower garden. They cover garden soil requirements, garden sketching, planning, plant selection, and more.

9. Plant Stands

Wooden plant stands are one of the easiest ways to transform old logs and stumps into practical homestead decor. They make lovely flower pot holders for your herbs, flowers, or succulents.

Try placing your favorite terracotta flower arrangement atop your log – and see how it looks. Or – you could see how your plants in glass pots look decorated atop your unwanted tree stumps.

10. Log Animals

11. Wooden Dining Table – Or Breakfast Table

Look at this elegant (yet rustic) wooden dining table on an outdoor porch. We love old-fashioned carpentry and all-natural design. We also noticed the thick and sturdy log seats.

12. Aurora Art Coasters

The problem with painting is that you always run out of surface areas to decorate. If you have a few fallen trees, unwanted wood, old logs, or pinecones idling around, they make excellent artistic palettes for our fellow artists. And hobbyists!

13. Stools

Or, if you’re handy with carving tools, how about a decorative set of custom stools for your poker table, patio, or basement bar?

14. Candle Holders

15. Make a Log Print Artwork

16. Swing

17. Garden Seating Area

A custom garden chair is arguably the most rewarding thing to make out of logs and branches. Garden seats let you sit down, relax, and enjoy all the work you’ve done in your yard. You’ve worked hard. Now you can sit and relax for a while!

18. Make a Wooden Flower

19. Feature It

When all else fails – turn your unwanted logs into a centerpiece. Stacked logs add a rustic, chic, and sophisticated charm to your homestead. And you could also try positioning and posing well-trimmed logs artfully in your garden or walkway.

20. Turn Logs Into Boards

21. Log Table

22. Rocking and Rolling

Did you end up with some warped records in your last crate-digging outing? And maybe you don’t trust the oven trick for getting rid of the warp? If your leftover log is more than twelve inches in diameter, you can cut a couple of six-inch slices to act as a press. Just leave the record in its jacket to protect it, put it between a couple of pieces of cloth, and give it a few days of low-tech pressure to get rid of some of the wobbles.

Things to Make Out of Wood Slices

Care for a slice?

How do you eat a whole elephant? A bite at a time, as the saying goes. And maybe that’s how you (or your friendly neighborhood chainsaw-wielding hero) have decided to get rid of the tree that was decorating your lawn: in slices.

Log slices are surprisingly versatile and lend themselves to so many simple crafts. Consider the following.

23. Cutting Board

Welcome to your new cabin kitchen. Some sandpaper and a can of food-safe lacquer open the door to endless options. It can turn those log slices into a durable cutting board.

24. Coasters

Or more slender trunks and larger sliced branches into coasters for the man cave.

25. Lovely Plant Holders

26. Serving Tray

If you’ve got an extra-large slice, a couple of drawer handles mounted to its face transform it into a serving tray to bring your loved one breakfast in bed. You’re probably not going last through with the breakfast-in-bed plan, but it’s a nice thought.

27. Table Protectors

No lacquer? No problem! Just sand those slices down, and you can set your hot pots and pans on a protective surface that makes a statement, even if that statement screams, I don’t have any lacquer!

28. Knife Block

29. Weathered Log Planter

Here’s one of our favorite ideas for using an old wooden log. Turn it into an outdoor succulent or cactus bed. Flowering succulents also look lovely growing in almost anything – and would complement any old log, tree stump, or log garden.

30. Carved Log Bench

31. Log Vase

How about a rustic decor idea? If you go with thicker slices, you can put your wood router to work using a hole in the center as a decorative vase. Or drill several stem-sized holes if your neighbor borrowed your router again. 🙂

32. Repurposed Table Stand

33. Pencil Holder

Or you can use those same techniques on slimmer trunks to make custom pencil holders.

Cut a slice in half, add brackets on the bottom, and you’ve got an accompanying pair of matching shelves!

For larger slices, try drilling a few holes toward the edges of the face and stringing sturdy ribbon through to make a unique hanging plant stand.

34. The Decorative Touch

The Decorative Touch: You could skip the coasters and go with something a little craftier for those slim trunk slices. Try painting or gluing pictures to the face to turn them into memorable Christmas ornaments. Or a magnet on the back makes it refrigerator-ready!

35. Log Bridge

36. Garden Ornament

37. Log Signs

38. Fence Posts

Tree logs make great gate posts – or strainer posts for your fence. We don’t use fallen logs for strainer posts – only trees that have gotten chopped down.

We also only use trees if we know what type the wood is. Termites and wood borers are rife here, so we only use hardwood trees like ironbark and bloodwood. The logs in the photos are old power poles – we got lucky and scored two line poles. Perfect for this project.

Logs like these will last for decades if not 100s of years!

The poles may look rough but honestly, they suit us!

39. Rustig Log Steps

40. Log Stepping Stones

Things to Make Out of Branches

Congratulations! You’re the new branch manager.

41. Fairy Castle

While brainstorming how to use leftover logs and branches, fairy houses were at the top of our list. And we wanted to find the most epic backyard fairy house possible. We think we succeeded! On second thought, this one seems more like a fairy temple. Or maybe a fairy castle!

This would have to be one of the kids’ favorite things to make out of logs and branches!

42. Vegetable Garden Trellis

43. Branch Weaving

44. Scratching Pole

In-home outdoors! Do you know who’d love to have a log in the house? Your cat.

(So would your dog, but let’s face it! Your dog loves everything you do.)

After the log is dried and sanded, you can attach a sturdy base to the bottom, apply fake branches if the real ones are no longer present, and Milo Whiskerman now has an all-natural scratching post/napping spot/attack roost.

45. Tree Stump Table

Wow. This rustic log picnic table is perfect! It looks tremendously sturdy and sleek. We also love the thick-cut timber tabletop and bench seats. We noticed that the wooden table surface appears sanded and polished. It seems smooth. And comfier than most log picnic tables.

46. DIY Weaving Baskets

Unbeweavable! It’s not difficult to get rid of a few random twigs. They’re perfect as plant stakes, kindling, or marshmallow roasters. But what do you do with a whole pile of sticks other than pull out your lighter?  

Depending on their size, video tutorials on everything from weaving baskets to entire medieval fences will help you put them to good use. Not quite enough branches to weave together? You can also create projects woven between branches. 

47. Hanging Bird Feeder

Here you see a genius bird feeder assembled using a bundle of old sticks tied together using twine. The old stick bundle supports the bowl of birdseed and suspends from an old tree branch.

Attracting lovely doves, finches, blue jays, and chickadees to your yard isn’t tough. Offer plenty of tasty sunflower seeds, bird suet, and a bird bath. Plenty of backyard birds will visit!

48. Easy Art

We’ve got a use for that oddly-shaped frame that’s become a permanent resident of your closet. Use it for some simple natural decor that’s en-vogue now but never goes out of style. Once you’ve let the twigs dry for a month or so (thicker twigs take longer) in a well-ventilated area, you can paint them (if desired), remove and discard the frame’s backing, glue or staple the sticks vertically to the back of the frame, then trim them to fit.

49. Plant Hanger

50. Catalan Tray From Foraged Materials

51. Insect Hotel

We love insect hotels! Beneficial insects often seek hollows in the forest to nest or hatch their eggs. We also read from the University of Illinois Extension blog that some of our favorite insects, like ladybugs, bumblebees, and butterflies, might visit if you have an insect hotel. That’s good enough for us!

52. Branch Artwork

53. Tree Supports

54. Branch Fence

55. Christmas Ornament

Here’s our favorite tip for using old tree stumps, twigs, and sticks. The best decor is always homemade – holiday decor included. The same thing with holiday gifts! It doesn’t have to be perfect. It’s the thought, creativity, and imagination that count most.

56. Pine Needle Baskets

57. Stick Scarecrow

58. Traditional Lath Fence

Fence weaving is the perfect solution if you have a pile of unwanted branches. The more old tree branches, the merrier! 

We also wrote an epic guide containing 15 cheap fence ideas perfect for gardens, homesteads, walkways, and rural yards. (Put your old log pile to good use!)

59. Hanging Christmas Decoration

60. Blair Witch Style

The Blair Witch method. Grab the twine! Crafting the twigs into stick figures isn’t just a fun project that anyone can do. (The kids will love it!) These act as an excellent all-natural security system. Who dares rob a house with Blair Witch-style stick figures all over their lawn? Nobody.

Want to make them even creepier? You can use larger branches to turn every day into Halloween by making them life-sized. You’ll become a neighborhood legend. (If only as the person driving down property values.)

61. Fairy House

Fairy gardens and fairy homes are the best solutions to your excess wood problem if you don’t want to build a massive fairy castle – or temple! They’re much smaller and easier to plan using leftover twigs, sticks, and tiny branches.

Want to go above and beyond with your mini garden? We also found the perfect miniature garden guide on the Clemson Coop Extension blog. They share how to build excellent miniature gardens from scratch.

62. Nature Weaving

63. Twig Figures

These twig figures looked like an excellent creative outlet. Turn your leftover pinecones, acorns, twigs, and sticks into epic farmyard creatures. Or bugs. Or Halloween aliens! One of our favorite things to make out of logs and branches!

64. Herb Drying Branch

65. Branch Spider Web

66. Fun Garden Ornaments

67. Natural Paint Brushes

The next time you’ve got a yard full of leftover trees, turn it into a crafting opportunity. Put on Kenny Loggins, Axl Rose, or Woody Guthrie, let your creativity and DIY spirit run wild, and see just how crafty you can get.

Conclusion

We know that having barrows of leftover wood, trees, and branches is a downer. We hope our overgrown list of methods to reuse your old branch bundles and logs helps you.

Oh, and don’t forget to send us the pics of how you’ve repurposed your leafy leftovers!

Sources and Inspiration

1. Rebecca Thienes Cherny, 10 Things to Do with Cross-Cut Trees. Bob Vila, Accessed Aug 26, 2022.
2. Rebekah Lowin, 25 Best Wood Slice Crafts for Naturally Beautiful Décor and Gifts. Country Living, Updated Feb 27, 2020.
3. Kim, 50 Ways to Upcycle Tree Branches and Logs. Living Vintage. Aug 19, 2013.
4. Loraine Brummer, 56 Rustic Twig Craft Ideas. May 9, 2022.

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