Handcrafting Wedding Columns: A Guide To Diy Pillars

Wedding pillars and columns can be easily handmade at home. They are elegant, affordable, and super easy to make. The pillars can be used at the wedding ceremony, reception, or even as home decor. The process involves spray painting wood and pie pans, covering a tube with laminate paper, and gluing the pieces together. The final product is a beautiful and elegant pillar that can be customised to your desired height and colour.

Characteristics and Values of Handmade Wedding Pillars and Columns

Materials needed for DIY wedding pillars

Wedding pillars can be easily made with a few simple materials. The first step is to gather the wood that will form the structure of the pillars. For this, you will need oak wood and melamine shelf wood. The oak wood pieces should measure 5/6 X 11 X 14 inches, and you will need two pieces for each pillar. The melamine wood, which will be used as shelving, should be 3/4 X 10 1/2 X 12 inches, and again, you will need two pieces per pillar.

To assemble the pillars, you will need liquid nails construction adhesive, applied with a caulk gun. Super glue is also recommended to secure the structure. For the pillar's base, you will require two dollar tree pie pans per pillar, which should be 8 inches in diameter. These pans will be sprayed white to match the colour of the wood.

To create the pillar's tube, you will need a 8" X32" white dry erase marker tube, which will be wrapped in white dry erase laminate paper. This will give the tube a smooth finish. The tube will then be placed over the pie pan and left to dry for 4-6 hours.

Finally, you will need spray paint, preferably in white, to ensure all the components match in colour.

Painting and glueing the wood

When creating your own wedding pillars, painting and gluing the wood is a crucial step in the process. Here is a detailed guide to help you achieve the best results:

Firstly, you will need to gather the necessary materials, including spray paint in your chosen colour – perhaps white to match a traditional wedding theme – as well as super glue, construction adhesive, and a caulk gun. Ensure you are working in a well-ventilated area and lay out some old newspapers or a drop cloth to protect your work surface from the paint.

Before you begin painting, it is essential to prepare the wood properly. Lightly sand the surface of the wood to create a smooth finish and remove any imperfections. This step will help the paint adhere better to the wood and create a more professional-looking result. Use a tack cloth or a slightly damp cloth to remove any dust from the sanding.

Once the wood is prepared, you can start painting. Apply light, even coats of spray paint to the wood, ensuring you follow the direction of the grain. Allow each coat to dry completely before applying the next. Depending on the desired opacity and the instructions on your specific paint, you may need to apply multiple thin coats rather than one heavy coat.

After the paint has dried, you can begin the process of gluing. Using the construction adhesive, apply a generous amount to one of the surfaces you wish to join. Spread the glue evenly, ensuring full coverage, and then firmly press the pieces of wood together. Use clamps or heavy objects to hold the pieces in place while the glue dries if necessary.

For smaller areas or more intricate details, super glue can be used. Apply a small amount to one of the surfaces and press the pieces together. Hold the pieces firmly for a few seconds to ensure a strong bond. Be careful, as super glue dries very quickly and can bond skin instantly.

Wrapping the tube

To wrap the tube, you will need white dry erase laminate paper and super glue. First, spray paint or cover any writing on the tube. Then, take your dry erase laminate paper and wrap it around the tube. The tube will be bumpy and grainy, so make sure to keep the paper backing on the laminate paper. Once you have the paper in place, apply super glue to the paper borders to bond them to the tube. Repeat this process on the other side of the tube and then cut off any excess paper.

Pie pans as pillar bases

For the pillar bases, you will need two 8-inch pie pans from the Dollar Tree. You will also need two 11 x 14 oak wood pieces, two 3/4 x 10 1/2 x 12 melamine wood (shelf wood) pieces, an 8" x 32" Quick Tube, white (dry erase) laminate paper, gloss white spray paint, liquid nails construction adhesive, a caulk gun, and super glue.

Start by spray painting the wood and the back of the pie pans white. Next, spray paint or cover any writing on the Quick Tube. Wrap the tube with the dry erase laminate paper, ensuring that the paper backing is kept on. Use super glue to bond the paper to the tube, and then cut off any excess.

To assemble the pillar base, use liquid nails construction adhesive to glue the pieces together. Place the 11 x 14 piece at the bottom, add glue to the back of the 10 1/2 x 12 piece, and centre it over the 11 x 14 piece. Finally, centre the pie pan over the 10 1/2 x 12 piece and glue it in place.

Repeat this process for the top of the pillar, stacking the pieces in the opposite order: 11 x 14 on top, 10 1/2 x 12 in the middle, and the pie pan last. Apply liquid glue around the pie pan and place the tube over it. Let it dry for 4-6 hours.

Place the top over the tube, and your pillar is complete! You can choose not to glue the top piece in case you want to add sand on a windy day.

Drying and assembling the pillars

Once you've wrapped the tube, cut off any excess paper and glue the paper borders to the tube using super glue. You should then follow the same process for the other side of the tube.

After you've finished wrapping the tube, it's time to start drying and assembling the pillars. First, you'll need to glue the base of the pillar together. Place the 11x14 piece of wood at the bottom and apply glue to the back of the 10 1/2 X 12 piece of wood. Center this over the 11x14 piece. Then, center the pie pan over the 10 1/2 X 12 piece and apply a small amount of liquid glue around the edge to secure it in place.

Let the glue dry for 4-6 hours. In the meantime, you can work on preparing the top of your pillar. This will be stacked in the opposite order: place the 11x14 piece on top, followed by the 10 1/2 X 12 piece, and finally, the pie pan.

After the glue on the base has dried, place the tube over the pie pan. You can choose whether or not to glue the top of the pillar, depending on whether you might want to add sand on a windy day. And that's it! Your handmade wedding pillar is now ready to be displayed.

Frequently asked questions