Recycled Crafts

Creative DIY Projects That Turn Trash Into Treasure

How To Make Faux Fake Driftwood

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Over at the blog Stephanie @ Home there was a great tutorial on how to make faux driftwood (link dead).

If you’re looking to create a coastal vibe in your home or add some natural elements to your decor, driftwood can be a great option. However, finding real driftwood can be difficult or costly. Fortunately, with a few materials and some patience, you can create your own faux driftwood at home.

Here’s what you’ll need:

Eye protection and rubber gloves
Sticks and small logs that are at least partially dry
Hammer and other tools for distressing the wood
Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (MSDS)
Hot water
Container large enough to hold the wood
Wire brush
Optional: oven for drying the wood, sandpaper or sander power tool
Here are the steps to follow:

Collect dry sticks and small logs. Make sure they’re partially dry to ensure they’re able to absorb the solution.

Use a hammer and other tools to beat up your wood. This will give it a more natural, distressed look.

Fill a container with hot water and add washing soda while stirring. Be sure to wear rubber gloves and eye protection as the solution is caustic. Add washing soda until it no longer dissolves.

Place your wood in the solution and let it soak for 12-24 hours or longer. Use a rock to keep the logs submerged.

A few times during the soaking period, use a wire brush to scrub off softened bark. This can take a few rounds of scrubbing depending on the amount of bark.

Rinse your logs well with water and dry them. You can air dry them in the sun or use an oven at 250°F for an hour.

Use sandpaper or a sander power tool to round out sharp edges and create a more realistic driftwood look.

Now you have your very own faux driftwood to decorate your home with. The active ingredient in washing soda is sodium carbonate which breaks down lignin in wood. Lignin is a component of plant cell walls that gives them strength and rigidity. By breaking it down, the bark softens and can be easily scraped off.

In addition, the wood’s natural colors are released, lightening the surface. With this easy and affordable method, you can bring the beauty of driftwood into your home without the high cost or difficulty of finding the real thing.

I hope this works for you all, you driftwood-making peeps!

Looking for more Driftwood ideas? Check out these handmade crafts on Etsy.

Related Posts:

Comments

  1. Looks great, you should check out a new show called “Sister Pickers” they picked then bought old items to start a business. I love the stuff you link. Keep on keeping on!

  2. I would LOVE to see this DIY but the blog is blocked (?) Is there a way to request permission from the blogger to view this tutorial? My husband is building us a farmhouse table and I wanted to find a good way to PHYSICALLY distress the wood (besides just distressing with paints and stains…)

  4. When I click on the link you provide, it does not allow me to see it. It says only people invited by the blogger can access the site 🙁

  5. Would like to be invited to read your blog and see the tutorial on how to turn wood into driftwood…. thank you

Have you read?

How To Make A Milk Carton Village – A Recycled Craft for Kids

Ready to turn your recycling bin into a colorful, miniature village? Grab those empty milk cartons and let’s create a town filled with tiny houses, shops, and even a school or bakery! This craft is perfect for kids of all ages and encourages imagination, storytelling, and eco-friendly creativity.

 What You’ll Need:

  • Empty milk or juice cartons (washed and dried)

  • Paints or markers

  • Paintbrushes

  • Craft glue or glue stick

  • Scissors (adult supervision recommended)

  • Colored paper or old magazines

  • Bottle caps, buttons, or plastic lids (for windows or decorations)

  • Sticks, straws, or skewers (for flag poles or chimneys)

  • Optional: glitter, stickers, washi tape, cotton balls (for snow or clouds!)

 Step-by-Step Instructions:

Step 1: Clean and Prep the Cartons
Make sure your milk or juice cartons are washed and completely dry. Remove any plastic lids or caps and keep them for decorations!

Step 2: Plan Your Village
Decide how many buildings you want to make. Each milk carton becomes a house, shop, or whatever your imagination dreams up. Arrange them side by side or in a circle like a real village square.

Step 3: Cut Out Doors and Windows
With the help of an adult, carefully cut small door and window shapes into your cartons. You can also glue cut-out shapes from colored paper if you’d rather not cut into the carton.

Step 4: Paint and Decorate
Use paint or markers to bring your buildings to life. Make brick patterns, colorful siding, or roof tiles. Let each child choose their own theme – rainbow bakery, monster house, fairy home, or tiny fire station!

Step 5: Add the Roofs
You can paint the top pointy part of the carton like a roof, or glue on cardboard triangles to create overhangs. Want to add a chimney? Glue a straw or cardboard roll on top!

Step 6: Make Flags and Signs
Cut small flags from recycled plastic or paper and tape them to straws or sticks. Glue your flags to the rooftops. You can even create tiny signs for each building – “Toy Store,” “Library,” or “Super Cat’s House.”

Step 7: Build Your Village
Place all the finished buildings together on a large piece of cardboard, tray, or table. Use bottle caps for stepping stones, cotton balls for bushes or clouds, and draw roads with marker.

Step 8: Play!
Now that your village is built, use little toys, action figures, or LEGO people to live in your new town. Create stories and adventures—your Milk Carton Village is officially open!

 Learning Bonus:

This craft is not just fun—it also teaches recycling, fine motor skills, creative thinking, and storytelling. Plus, it’s a great group activity for playdates, classrooms, or family craft nights.

Let your kids’ imaginations run wild—and remember, no two villages need to look the same. Each one tells its own story!