Wood Block Candle Holder DIY (15 min project)

Got fifteen minutes? Then you can do today’s project: make a wooden candle holder…..

Today’s little woodworking project is perfect for an odd hour in between doing the laundry and doing your taxes.

You know those moments when you feel that you have a creative itch that you must scratch but not enough time or energy to start a major project.

If you happen to have some pieces of scrap wood laying around and a can of leftover paint you have all the supplies you need for this project.

Today’s little craft project was inspired by an after-Christmas organizing spree.

As I was putting away the Christmas containers, I found a forgotten stash of 40 of these tiny taper candles. These extra tall and slim taper candles are typically used in fresh Christmas centerpieces, but I didn’t know that I had so many of them.

I thought ‘why not make some candle sticks for these candles and get some use of them?’.

And so it happened…

How to Make a Candle Holder out of Wood

I am pretty sure you can figure out how to make these wood block candle holders on your own. But just in case you want some tips and directions I’ll write up the steps.

Materials Necessary for Making Wood Block Candle Holders

• Scraps of 2×4 wood
• Saw
• Drill
• Auger or Forstner Drill Bit
• Leftover paint

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Related Reading: 41 Easy Scrap Wood Project Ideas

How to Make a Wood Block Candle Holder – Instructions

Step 1 Prepare your wood blocks

Gather your scraps of 2×4 and assess what you have to work with. For a group of four small candle sticks like mine, you’ll need to cut your wood scraps in different lengths that complement each other.

Don’t go too high or your candlestick will become unstable since the taper candles add extra height too.

Step 2 Cut your wood blocks in size

Once you have designed the length of your various blocks you can cut them to size. You can use a hand saw, (I have fallen in love with working with this one), or run them under the chop saw (I have a smallish one like this).

Make sure that at least one side (but preferably both) is level, so your candle holder won’t wobble.

Step 3 Drill holes

Measure your candles against your drill bits and choose the one that fits. With either an Auger or a Forstner drill bit drill a straight hole in the middle of your wood block. About half an inch or a bit more) deep.

Step 4 Sand the Wood Blocks

Do as I tell you, and not as I did, and properly finish your wood blocks with a good sanding. Make sure the top and bottom are smooth.

Step 5 (optional) Dip and drip paint

Now for the fun part!

Carefully dip your wood blocks in a can of paint and let the paint drip on the sides.

This is messy so prepare a surface with cardboard to protect your tabletop.

That’s it! Fifteen minutes are over. Now let the paint dry and then enjoy your own homemade candle holder DIY success.

See just five easy steps anyone can do and you can totally customize these to your decor and choice of candles. I am totally digging the drips of the paint in this project. So often we are so careful not to have drips and droopy bits, but this time I think they definitely add a bit of quirk.

These would totally work with a color paint too. But I had the white paint open (and I love white), so I went for it. 

You like?

Tell me are you into droopy bits too? Do you have any candles laying around that need a custom fit candle holder?