Turn A Leftover Scrap Tree Stump Into A Rustic Storage Shelf

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If you ever remove a mature tree from your yard, you can cut out cross sections, or wood rounds, and make shelves from them to add some character to your outdoor space. These shelves provide a nice spot for a vase, a bowl of bird feed, or a small birdbath. This project should only take an afternoon, but the shelf will last for many years, can easily match the exterior of a shed or a wooden cabin. TikTok creator heywanderer demonstrated how to carry out this outdoor project.

To start, you'll need two wood rounds. You can cut the wood rounds off a stump or a large limb. The first wood round should be about two inches wide, while the width of the second should be at least twice that width. Then, you'll need a power drill, a 1/16-inch drill bit, a 3/8-inch spade drill bit, a pencil, a bottle of wood glue, and a pack of 3/8-inch dowels at least 3 inches long. Savvy carpenters can even skip the store and DIY their own wood dowels. The next step is to split each cross-section in half to form two semicircles. You can use an axe, but if you want to be more precise, use a table saw. 

Once you're ready with materials, drill two dowel holes through the thinner wood round with your 3/8-inch drill bit. Place the holes in the center of the semicircle, about four inches apart, on one of the two sides where the growth rings are visible. Next, place the thin wood round on top of the thicker wood round and mark the spots where the holes line up. Drill into those marked spots with your drill bit about halfway through the piece of wood. 

Then, you will need to screw your thin wood round into the wall by drilling two holes in the wood round with the 1/16-inch drill bit. Finally, place the wood round against the wall and sink your screws through those holes into the wall. Once the wood round is attached to the side of the building, you can place glue in the dowel holes and then insert the dowels. Then, place glue in the dowel holes of the second wood round and attach it to the first. You may have to tap the wood round in place with a hammer. 

Once you're finished, you can place decorative items, like these HL Submersible LED Lights on Amazon, on your shelves to give your backyard a mystical aura in the evening. If you're interested in similar indoor projects using wood, you can also make a decorative shelf from Dollar Tree picture frames, or explore these DIY floating shelf options that look like a custom build.