Learn exactly how to make a wooden 5 point star in any size, for indoors or outdoors – with this step by step guide. When you know the angles involved, and the kit you need – it’s easier than you think!
I love having things in my house that are unique and in the style we love (industrial, natural materials, creating impact), and so when I saw an oversized wooden star in a local shop recently, it made we want one!
Did I also mention that my favourite shape is a star?!.
It was meant to be…
However, the cost was far too much for my budget, and I felt that I could definitely have a go at creating my own version (what’s the worst that could happen!?).
I’m quite creative, and like a challenge, and this was perfect!
As such, I started to do a little research.
That’s when I came across this amazing video on YouTube about creating a similar wooden star for a decorative piece in the home.
It seemed quite straightforward…
Luckily my Dad has been staying with us recently and he was up for the challenge as well.
So – let’s go through each step so you can see how we managed, and all the pitfalls and tips we learned along the way.
If you’re keen like me to give it a go, then I hope it helps!
10 Easy Steps To Create Your Own DIY Wooden Star
Step #1 – Get All The Equipment Needed
Here’s everything you need. If you get it altogether before starting, it makes everything a lot easier for sure.
There are some options in some cases – so have a think about what works best for you and go with that.
- Wood – You’ll need 10 pieces of equal length – with each length being half the total height you’d like the star to be when finished. (We decided on 60cm as we wanted the finished star to be 120cm high).
- 2 – Protractor or Angle Measure
- 3 – Pencil
- 4 – Saw – Tenon saw or Mitre Saw – or whatever works best for you.
- 5 – Sandpaper
- 6 – Drill
- 7 – Screws – You’ll need 3 or 4 for each point of the star – so between 15 and 20. Make sure they’re at least 1.25-1.5 times the length of the depth of the wood so they secure the two pieces together well.
- 8 – Screwdriver
- 9 – Wood Stain / Paint
- 10 – Paintbrush
Related: Free Printable Project Planner – Perfect To Track All Those Steps!
Step #2 – Cut Wood To Length Required
We sourced our wood from a local timber merchant.
I bought 3 lengths of 2m treated wood (suitable for outdoor use) and got them to cut 3 * 60cm from each one for us (leaving a 20cm off-cut).
TIP: We picked wood sized 5 inches by 2 inches. However, if we did it again we’d pick less deep wood and probably go for 4 inches by 1inch as this would be a LOT easier to cut the angles from!
Now it was time to get the angles cut on each end of each piece. For the next couple of steps it’s worth keeping the following in mind:
Step #3 – Mark 72 Degrees On One End Of All Pieces Of Wood
At first we were planning on solely using a hand saw, and so we wanted pencil lines to show us where to saw exactly.
We used my daughters school protractor to mark 72 degrees on the same side of each of the 10 pieces of wood.
This worked pretty well, but I think if we made another one we’d probably invest in a wood angle measure which would be more accurate.
TIP: Make sure the protractor was square against the wood by putting a second piece up against the main piece so you can rest against it. That way the angle will be more accurate.
TIP: Once you’ve got the right angle cut for one piece of wood, you can use this as a template for the rest.
Step #4 – Mark 36 Degrees On the Other End Of All Pieces Of Wood
Step #5 – Cut All Angles Into The Wood
Although we originally were going to hand saw each piece, my dad decided to use his mitre saw for some cuts.
Had we picked this first, we wouldn’t have had to measure the angles out on the wood first as the saw determines the angle for you.
However, one issue we had was that the BIG downside of the circular saw is that although you can accurately set it to do 36 degree cuts, you have to create a 45 degree jig to be able to do the 72 degree cut – and this caused quite a few headaches before we got it right!
Had we not drawn the angles on the wood we may not have realised we had calculated the angles slightly wrong on our first try…
After a while we decided to go back to the original plan and changed to a hand saw. This was fine, but quite hard because of the thickness of wood we chose.
If we did it again we’d use thinner wood and just use the hand saw.
I’d say go for the hand saw as it’s less hassle – unless you’re really handy with a circular saw and are fine with creating that jig!
Step #6 – Sand All Wood Pieces
After you’ve cut all the angles, you’ll want to smooth all the edges off.
You can use a sander or just do it by hand – whatever you prefer.
TIP: We chose wood that was already sanded along the long edges, which saved a lot of time at the end as oppose to raw wood that would have been a lot more work to smooth out completely.
Step #7 – Place In Star Shape, And Add Holes For Screws
As the video clip at the start of the post showed, all you need to do to create the star is to lay one piece out, flip the second piece and lay it on top to form the first point, and then do the same for all 5 points so that the star is formed.
It was really easy to do, and just took a little tweaking to get perfect.
Once ready, I held the wood in place while my dad drilled holes through ready for the screws.
I would definitely recommend 2 people for this job just to make sure everything stays in the right place.
Step #8 – Screw Into Place
Screwing everything in was really easy as we had the drill holes to match up to.
TIP: I’d definitely recommend screwing in 1 screw into each ‘joint’ and then making sure everything is totally lined up before tightening up the screws.
Step #9 – Stain The Wood
We went for an oak coloured satin finished stain, but you could get really creative here with anything you fancy.
Think about what the star will be placed against. Ours was either going against our black railings or against a black fence – and so a wood finish would really stand out.
Had it been going against a brick wall, I may have painted it black or white, or even a bright colour. Who knows!
TIP: Use an off-cut of the wood to test your stain and see if the colour is what you want. The wood you choose may affect the colour a little – so best to be safe before you start staining the star at the end.
Step #10 – Let It Dry, Then Place Where You Want To Enjoy It!
This is the nicest step – as you can admire your handy work!
Whether you choose to display the screws side, or the non screws side, is a decorative choice – but have fun and bathe in the glory that you created something beautiful!
Who knows, you may be tempted to make another one as well (I know I am…).
I hope you’ve been inspired to try making this DIY wooden star for yourself.
You can make it to your own dimensions, and finish it as you want – so it will be a totally unique piece just for you and your home.
Have fun – and I hope you get lots of joy out of it.
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