How to make DIY wooden pumpkins. Easy and fun!

Have you ever tried making wooden pumpkins? It’s easier than you might think! Gather scrap wood along with this unique stencil kit, and customize yours for fall!

Have you ever tried making wooden pumpkins? It’s easier than you might think! Gather scrap wood along with this unique stencil kit, and customize yours for fall!

Happy fall! Have you started fall decorating yet?

I admit I have not. So I felt it was time to grab some scrap wood and see what unique and easy fall decorating ideas I could come up with this year…

Which led to pumpkin decor once again!

Wood pumpkins with Pumpkin Patch sign using fall stencils

Wooden Pumpkins with Pumpkin Patch sign HERE

Do you remember these wood pumpkins made from square posts?

These DIY wood pumpkins were super fun to make and turned out so rustically cool, complete with their own sign too! However there was only one problem with them.

Each of the sayings on the pumpkins were from various stencils, so in order to get this look, you’d need at least 4 stencils. So when someone requested if there was a stencil they could all be found on, I made it happen! With a few extras…

Mini Pumpkin Patch Kit by Funky Junk's Old Sign Stencils

View Stencil: Mini Pumpkin Patch Kit HERE

Stencil: Mini Pumpkin Patch Kit

 

This Mini Pumpkin Patch Kit stencil helps you create and decorate stenciled pumpkins or wood pumpkins with a Pumpkin Patch sign, various pumpkin sayings as well as 4 grinning pumpkin carved face stencils to choose from!

I couldn’t wait to take the pumpkin carving faces for a test run! And that’s when my eyes landed on a stack of random 2×4 scraps. Well now, everyone has 2x4s… so let’s play with those!

So here’s how I made sweet and easy wood block pumpkins for fall, Thanksgiving or Halloween decor in just a quick couple of hours!

DIY wooden pumpkins for easy fall decor!

 

Wooden pumpkin supplies:

 

3 short pieces of a 2×4 (view various wood scraps HERE)

Stencil: Mini Pumpkin Patch Kit HERE

Orange paint of choice. (I used Martha Stewart Crafts paint in Carrot.)

Blackish paint of choice. I used Fusion Mineral Paint’s Ash.

Variable speed orbital sander (my fav!)

Wider artist paint brush

Dome tip stencil brush (my fav kind!)

Cordless drill and drill bits to create holes

Sticks for stems (I used grapevine branches)

2x4s used to make wood pumpkins

Preparing the wood

 

1. Using a miter saw, cut 3 random lengths of 2x4s so they are all slightly different lengths.

When standing on their ends, these will become your wooden pumpkins, so keep that in mind when you create your varied heights.

DIY wood pumpkins for easy fall decor

2. Lightly sand the wood on all sides.

I like to use a Bosch variable speed orbital sander so I get the exact control I desire. I like to use about #4 for speed.

View all my fav DIY woodworking tools I highly recommend in THIS POST

Grit size for the sandpaper doesn’t matter with this project unless you wish for your pumpkins to become super smooth. I just sand enough to knock off the rough edges and surfaces.

painting wooden pumpkins orange

View: Orange paint of choice

Painting the wood

 

3. Coat the wood blocks with an orange paint of choice.

I used a wider artist’s brush and Martha Stewart Acrylic craft paint in Carrot (doesn’t appear to be avail any longer) I had on hand.

If you don’t plan to distress your wooden pumpkins, take care using an orange tone you like.

Otherwise, don’t worry too much about the tone if you plan to distress the pumpkins with a top coat like I did.

how to distress paint by sanding

How to distress the paint

 

4. Once the orange paint is dry, lightly sand along the edges and surface of the wood blocks to create a slightly distressed finish.

How to add wooden stems to scrap wood pumpkins

Stencil pumpkin faces

with  Fusion Mineral Paint’s Ash

Stencil faces AND pumpkin patch messages

 

Loads of crafters have the ability to hand paint beautiful pumpkin faces free hand, however I felt having a stencil to make this task easier was a good idea!

The pumpkin faces turned out so adorable! And it’s so easy to stencil lots if you are making a larger pumpkin patch. Just rotate the faces and mix up the features to create even more!

5. Position the various pumpkin face stencil images over top of each wood piece where desired, then stencil the images in a blackish paint.

I used Fusion Mineral Paint in Ash.

6. Flip the pumpkins to the other side, then stencil random pumpkin patch sayings on each one.

How to stencil:

 

  1. Hold the stencil in place with your fingers.
  2. Dip the stencil brush into black paint, then remove most paint onto a rag or paper towel until your brush feels dry.
  3. Tap or swirl paint through the stencil for the desired effect.

Learn more tips about how to stencil in THIS POST.

How to drill holes for pumpkin stems

Creating wooden pumpkin stems

 

I suggest to drill the pumpkin stem holes before the boards are painted. I forgot, so I just touched up with a little extra paint afterwards.

  1. Match up your chosen branches to a drill bit.
  2. Hold each piece in one hand as you drill holes into the tops of the pumpkins.
  3. Touch up with extra paint if needed.

How to distress paint with stain.

Fusion Mineral Paint’s Stain and Finishing Oil in Cappuccino

How to distress with stain

 

The pumpkins are really cute as is!

However I desired my pumpkins to have more of a weathered, older appearance to go with my rustic style, so I decided to use a stain on top of mine.

Fusion Mineral Paint’s Stain and Finishing Oil in Cappuccino is a tone and top coat all-in-one so you don’t need anything extra!

  1. Open the can, and stir the stain gently and thoroughly.
  2. Dip a rag or brush into the stain, then brush or wipe the stain on each pumpkin side.
  3. Allow to sit for a few moments, then wipe away the excess with a clean rag.

Learn more about how to stain with Fusion’s SFO in THIS POST.

how to wrap twine around wood pumpkins

Adding twine to wooden pumpkins

 

I felt the pumpkins could use a little more detailing, so I decided to wrap some jute twine around the bases of the pumpkins.

  1. Start the twine at the back of the pumpkin.
  2. Hold the start of the twine in place, then wrap the pumpkins several times with twine
  3. Check the front to ensure the twine is crossing over itself here and there for a random effect.
  4. End the twine at the back, cut, then tie the two ends into a knot.

And are you even ready to see how adorable these easy wood pumpkins turned out?!

How to stencil the cutest pumpkins made from 2x4s!

The finished wooden pumpkins!

 

And there you have it! 3 random rustic pumpkins that look as cute as can be all together, as the perfect fall shelf sitters!

But let’s have some fun with those messages now…

How to stencil the cutest pumpkins made from 2x4s!

How to stencil the cutest pumpkins made from 2x4s!

Above shows how the mini Pumpkin Patch sign was stenciled on the taller pumpkin, that now turns into a pumpkin sign either standing up or on its side.

Have you ever tried making wooden pumpkins? It’s easier than you might think! Gather scrap wood along with this unique stencil kit, and customize yours for fall!

The above ‘Pick Your Own’ message pays homage that this IS a U Pick kinda pumpkin patch!

As you can see, you can have a ton of fun with all the different messages with the Mini Pumpkin Patch Kit stencil! And the more pumpkin blocks you make, the more you can display.

Have you ever tried making wooden pumpkins? It’s easier than you might think! Gather scrap wood along with this unique stencil kit, and customize yours for fall!

However I will admit, just having the smiling pumpkin faces from the pumpkin patch really wraps up this little wooden pumpkins project for autumn decor perfectly, don’t you think?

Where to display wooden pumpkins:

 

  • Decorate a fall front porch
  • Attach to a fall porch sign for a fun 3D effect!
  • Place inside a crate or toolbox with outdoor foliage
  • Use as candle stick bases
  • Decorate a fall fireplace mantle
  • Place on window sills
  • Display on bookshelves
  • Any accent display shelving
  • Compact for bathroom decorating

Other wooden pumpkin decorating ideas:

 

Have you ever tried making wooden pumpkins? It’s easier than you might think! Gather scrap wood along with this unique stencil kit, and customize yours for fall!

The hardest part will be deciding where you’ll put them, because quite frankly, they look adorable everywhere they are placed!

DIY wooden pumpkins for easy fall decor

DIY Wooden Pumpkins for Easy Fall Decor

Funky Junk Interiors
Have you ever tried making wooden pumpkins? It’s easier than you might think! Gather 2x4 scraps along with a stencil kit to customize yours! View full tutorial at: https://www.funkyjunkinteriors.net/2022/09/wooden-pumpkins.html

Instructions:
 

  • Cut random scrap wood pieces in different heights.
    DIY wooden pumpkins for easy fall decor
  • Lightly sand, then coat with orange paint.
    Orange paint
    painting wooden pumpkins orange
  • Once dry, lightly sand to distress.
    sanding wooden pumpkins to distress the finish
  • Stencil pumpkin faces in black where desired.
    1 stencil Mini Pumpkin Patch Kit
    Drilling wooden pumpkins to install stems
  • Turn the wood pieces around, then stencil pumpkin messages on the backs.
    DIY wooden pumpkins for easy fall decor
  • Drill holes into the tops of the 2x4s.
    Drilling wooden pumpkins to install stems
  • Insert sticks into the holes for pumpkin stems.
    Drilling wooden pumpkins to install stems
  • Coat with stain to further distress pumpkins.
    Stain to distress pumpkins
    staining wooden pumpkins to distress
  • Wrap bases of pumpkins with jute twine.
    tieing twine around wooden pumpkins
  • Decorate the base of the pumpkins with outdoor leaves.
    DIY wooden pumpkins for easy fall decor
Keyword DIY Tutorials, Fall Decor, Pumpkins, Reclaimed wood, Stencils
Did you try this tutorial?Share it on Instagram and tag @funkyjunkinteriors and include #funkyjunkinteriors so we can check it out!

How would you style your DIY wood block pumpkins to suit your fall decor this year?

View Mini Pumpkin Patch Kit stencil HERE

Check out all the other unique fall stencils HERE

Other pumpkin decorating ideas:

 

stenciled fall pumpkin patch sign

Easy arrow pumpkin patch signs with twine

Pumpkin Spice fall sign with a window

Pumpkin Spice coffee sign with an old window

Homemade Pumpkin Pie sign on an old window with stencils

Stenciled Pumpkin Pie sign on an old window

Buffalo Checked stenciled pumpkins in a wagon as a fall sign

Buffalo Checked pumpkins in a 3D wagon fall sign

How to stencil charming Pumpkin pillows for fall decorating!

Stenciled pumpkin throw pillows shown two ways

Visit other unique fall decorating ideas HERE

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Categories: All Cool Projects, DIY, Fall, Junk Drawer, Old Sign Stencils, Reclaimed wood projects, Seasonal
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4 thoughts on “How to make DIY wooden pumpkins. Easy and fun!

  1. These pumpkins are adorable. I’m going to make some. I’ve got the wood and would like to make some primitive houses. These are just so fun and doable. I pinned it also.

    • Thank you Joanne, I love them too! As for the primitive houses, I have an idea to help create those as well!

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