DIY Christmas Trees Made From Old Junk: Wall Decor Ideas
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
I’ve put together many DIY Christmas tree decor pieces over the years. I didn’t realize just how many until I started looking back at old Christmas projects. I made the trees from junky stuff, sometimes combined with new items, and metallic paint!
I love creating with reclaimed hardware, drawer pulls, etc., to make unique items. You can do the same. I bet you have items in your junk drawer, garage, or workshop you could use to make something fun.
Maybe these projects will give you some ideas. You don’t have to make a Christmas tree. The first project on the list is from 2012.
DIY Christmas Tree Decor
This was my first hardware Christmas tree, and it’s still my favorite. I had this old reclaimed door with a handle and hinges still attached, and I went from there.
This photo of my junk hardware stash was taken in 2012. The stash has grown considerably since then. I have a good selection of vintage furniture pulls and knobs, door hardware, old tool parts, and miscellaneous metal junk.
You never know what might come in handy, so I pick up any odd or fun-looking piece. The more odd looking an item, the more I love it.
I gathered hardware parts and pieces, and put the tree together using hot glue and a few screws. The flower topper is a piece of vintage jewelry. It’s now 2025 and the hardware tree is still in one piece and a favorite of my Christmas decorations.
We store our Christmas decorations in the top of our storage shed, and it can get hot up there in the summertime. I had to hot glue a piece or two back on once when unpacking for the holiday season, but that’s it.
The little DIY reclaimed hardware Christmas tree is similar to the first tree but on a smaller scale. I really like that green piece. Trying out different junky fragments in various spots is half the fun of putting these guys together.
The checker tree has a garden spigot topper. I made several projects from garden spigots, but haven’t done any recently. I need to get on that. I even used a garden spigot as a drawer pull.
The tree is on a vintage ceiling tin. The hanger is rusty reclaimed wire.
Always check the local thrift stores, Goodwill, Salvation Army, and flea markets for inexpensive objects to work with. This bag of checkers was cheap! Glue a magnet to the back of a checker to make a refrigerator magnet.
My pretty bead tree. Turquoise is one of my favorite colors so I use it a lot….maybe too much. But this little tree ornament or wall decor was planned around the neutral wood pieces and the multi-colored blue beads.
This piece is a little different from the first two. I painted the tree on a blank white canvas using frog tape as guides. The colors are silver and gold metallics. The tree topper is a vintage earring.
The partridge in the pear tree was a fun stencil project. The frame is a junky find, and the color is the original.
That little partridge is so cute, and I love the curly cue branches of the tree.
I made this tree last Christmas. The board is a reclaimed drawer bottom. I tried to do something a little different with this tree. Most of the hardware is not flat like the first tree, and I dry-brushed the rough wood. Both of these ideas add depth to the tree, and I like it!
The rhinestone topper came from my jewelry stash.
The silver and gold tree on a new canvas has a vintage earring star topper. I used Frogtape for the design and you can find the details of the sparkly tree here.
This tree was made with old wood drawer pulls. I couldn’t decide on the backboard for the tree.
Do you like the plaid background or the turquoise background best?
And now for my sisal rope tree. The sisal rope tree is perfect for the home with nautical decor. It’s really easy to make, too. Get all the details here…sisal tree.
How about some trees that don’t involve hardware? These trees are warm and soft.
Old quilts that have seen better days (cutter quilts) are great for upcycled projects like the Christmas tree garland I made. Take the trees off the garland and they can be ornaments. Hang the garland on the wall, a bed footboard, or the mantel.
I hope you liked the tree review. Which is your favorite? Ready to go through your junk drawer? Get creative. I’ll see you guys later. Have a good day, Kathy
