DIY Christmas Trees Made From Old Junk: Wall Decor Ideas
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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
So very cute and creative! We have a huge box of old hardware that I wasn’t sure what to do with, now my mind is working overtime! Thank you ?
These are great! I love old crusty hardware too so this is great inspiration for a Christmas project. Wishing you a wonderful Christmas!
I have a junk collection too that I hold onto awaiting the perfect project. But mine isn’t near as impressive as yours. Love love love this project!
Kathy,
You are part genius and part angel! I love these trees and the resources you used to make them. I have “copied” all of them so I can work on these pieces through the year. I donate a lot of my “art???” to a local thrift store so they can earn money to help our community. Thanks so much for sharing your talents and ingunuity!
Kathy,
Just darling! They certainly are fun projects to do! Us junkers have the stuff for sure! Merry Christmas!
Smiles,
Alice
You are so original with your decor pieces, Thanks for all the great ideas.
Kathy, those are awesome!!.I love them. I’m going to start looking out for junk to do that. I love all of them.
Oh my, it’s too hard to pick a favorite. Great ideas! I need to look around and see what I can find to give this a try! Thanks for the inspiration!!
Hi Kathy – Oh my goodness I love your trees! Wishing you and yours the merriest and the most blessed Christmas and holiday season! Hugs, Holly
I love them!!!! How clever:)
Love them all, Kathy but I have to say my favorite is the one you made last year. Love how all the junk finds pop against that pretty dry brushed turquoise paint.
These are quite fun! It’s a tie for my favorite between the one with the hardware on the turquoise drawer bottom and, surprisingly to me, the very simple one with the earring on top. I just really like the clean lines and simplicity of that one.
Great show and tell!
Love love love. Right up my alley. Merry Christmas
You always amaze me! Love.
I like the first tree that you made the best also and my second favorite is the one you made last year. I really like the idea of using old handles and hinges. That’s such a creative idea.
Creativity everywhere. Thanks for sharing.
I am loving your creative trees. I am crazy for the one on turquoise colored wood! Matches my colors.
Anything old I love it. I love them all
super cute!
Also…hope you are going to share the ?? again!
I LOVE…all of these! You are my inspiration to attempt making these gems! I’m in the process of gathering the treasures required! Thank you Kathy! ?
I love the first one and the Partridge in a pear tree ones. You did a marvelous job!!!! Thanks for sharing these with us.
Kathy,
I love ’em! I’d be proud to hang one anywhere in my home. I especially like the checker pieces one. Thanks for passing on ways to repurpose rusty old pieces or odd “no mates” pieces.
Love all of them! Partridge in a Pear Tree is my fav!
Very cute and creative!