Balusters can make striking, and sometimes very large, wooden candle holders.
Baluster candle holders can add a cozy touch to your home. Balusters are the spindles that run vertically on a staircase and are topped with a handrail. These support spindles often have wonderful decorative turnings that make them ideal for a variety of home decor projects. If you have salvaged or received your balusters secondhand, this project can be very economical.
Instructions
Weathered Patina Baluster Candle Holder
1. Measure and mark the length of the baluster 10-inches long. Cut using a jigsaw. Sand the ends and the surface to eliminate rough and uneven areas. Center a wood bull's eye molding on one end of the baluster with the bull's eye face down on the baluster. This is the bottom base of your candle holder. Drill a pilot hole, with a small bit, through the center of the bull's eye and into the baluster. Insert a 1-inch wood screw to secure and set the candle holder right side up.
2. Trace a 2-inch wide by 4-inch long teardrop on lightweight cardboard and cut out. Place the end of utility scissors into the opening of a beverage can and cut down the side to the bottom. Cut off the top and bottom of the can and discard. Repeat on another can. Place the beverage can sides flat on an old magazine. Lay the teardrop pattern on the can sides and trace around it using the point of a wood skewer or a dry ink pen. This will emboss the shape on the can sides. Repeat seven more times for a total of eight teardrops. Cut out the teardrops using pinking shears.
3. Paint the baluster with the attached bull's eye and all the teardrop shapes with copper acrylic paint and a paint brush. Allow the paint to dry. Dab a sea sponge into bronze acrylic paint and lightly pounce over the copper paint on all items. Allow the paint to dry. Patina the surfaces by dabbing a sea sponge in green and light green acrylic paint and pouncing lightly on all items. Allow the paint to dry. Spray with clear acrylic sealer.
4. Stand the baluster candle holder on your work table. Mark the center of the top surface of the candle holder. Place two teardrops on one edge of the baluster candle holder top, with the fatter edges on the candle holder and the points hanging off the edge. The long teardrop sides will overlap. Tack the fat ends of the teardrops to the candle holder using 1-inch brad nails. Place two more teardrops on each top edge of the baluster and tack like the first pair. Looking straight down from the top, you will have a flower petal effect. Gently bend the pointed ends of the teardrops down to droop around the top of the baluster.
5. Apply household cement to the bottom of a clear glass votive holder. Set the votive holder in the center of the tacked teardrops. Insert a tea light candle to finish.
Shabby Chic Baluster Candle Holder
6. Measure and mark the length of the baluster 10-inches long. Cut the baluster using a jigsaw. Sand the ends and the surface to eliminate rough and uneven areas. Center a 1-inch thick hardback book on one end of the baluster. The book should be approximately 5-inches wide by 7-inches long. This is the bottom base of your candle holder. Drill a pilot hole through the center of the book and into the baluster. Insert a 2-inch wood screw to secure.
7. Paint the top, bottom and sides of the book and the entire baluster with a light green acrylic paint. Repeat for full coverage if needed. Paint crackle medium over the painted book and baluster. Allow the crackle medium to dry to a tacky feel. Paint white acrylic paint over the painted book and baluster. The reaction of the paint with the crackle medium will cause it to crackle almost immediately. Do not stroke over the paint multiple times or it may smudge. Allow the paint to dry.
8. Remove a pink silk cottage rose blossom from its stem. Remove the plastic from the bottom and the inside of the blossom. Pull the petal layers apart. Apply a thin layer of household cement to the top of the baluster candle holder. Center the bottom petal in the glue, right side up. Center and glue the remaining petals in the same way.
9. Apply household cement to the bottom of a clear glass votive holder. Set the votive holder in the center of the cottage rose. Insert a tea light candle to finish.
Tags: acrylic paint, candle holder, Allow paint, candle holder, votive holder, baluster with, book baluster
