DIY: Beautiful Handmade Crosses in Six Steps or Less!

I am so excited to share these beautiful handmade crosses with you today! Inspired by my hubby’s unique, intricate, and stunning “Flawless” series (see the last photos in this blog post), I set out to create a cross that was DIY friendly for the blog. The crosses pictured can be achieved in six steps or less! They do require a bit more equipment than some of our other DIY projects, but they are very beginner-friendly! And the best part? You can customize, embellish, and decorate them any way that you like! I hope you enjoy this DIY project as much as I did! No more stalling…let’s jump right in!

The materials you will need for this project vary based on how you would like to decorate it, but here’s the basic list for the ones pictured:

Wood: 1″x4″x6′ Pine Board

1/4 Sheet Sander and 100 Grit Paper

Wood Glue (Recommend Titebond III) and Wood Clamp

Wood Stain (Minwax Dark Walnut used)

1″ Foam Brush or Stain Rag

Lastly, add any materials that you may choose to use as embellishments.

As promised, these beautiful crosses can be completed in six steps or less, so in this blog post, I’m going to break down these steps for you in simple, easy to follow instructions! Trust me… if I can make these, so can you! I’ll throw in some extra tips here and there to help you avoid some common mishaps, but remember to have fun and allow for imperfections! The imperfections only add to the beauty! These make great gifts all year round, so while you’re at it, make two … one for you and another for a friend!

Step One: This step can be done at home or at most hardware stores. You’ll need to cut your pine board to the dimensions needed for your cross. You will need one board cut at 36″ and two boards cut at 7.5″.

Optional Step: I prefer to sand all of my boards two times: before and after gluing them together. Therefore, there is an optional step here to sand your three wood pieces before you glue them together during step two. If you choose to skip this optional step, it will be okay. Sanding before step two just makes it a tad easier to remove some imperfections.

Step Two: Time to glue your boards together! Let’s start by covering measurements. To get the dimensions pictured in the cross above, you’ll need to line up the top of the horizontal pieces exactly 9″ from the top of the vertical piece. Make sure you have a level surface for your cross to sit on while the glue dries. I usually line my work area with wax paper before I begin the gluing process. My husband has been working with wood glue for a while and he generally prefers Titebond III. Once your area is set and you’re ready to glue, line up your cross, apply glue to the horizontal pieces where they will meet the vertical piece, make one final measurement to confirm they are in the right place, and use your wood clamp to secure them. At this point, I usually take a damp cloth and remove as much excess glue as possible to make step three and four easier. Pay special attention to appropriate drying times, as listed on your wood glue product.

Step Three: Once the wood glue is dry, you’re ready to give the cross a good final sanding (or first sanding if you skipped the optional step above). Give the back a light sanding, at least, to raise the hairs of the wood and allow it to absorb the paint or stain easily. Sand your edges and corners to remove any splinters, lumber stamps, or sharp edges. And lastly, take extra time to sand the front of the cross with great attention to detail. Make sure you always sand with the grain when sanding the front of the cross. Accidental cross-sanding will be noticeable when you stain. Further, make sure all excess dry glue is sanded off. Stain will not absorb into the wood if there is dry glue blocking it. When you feel like you’ve done a thorough job sanding, remove any excess sawdust from your cross and move on to step four.

Step Four: Time to stain or paint your cross! I chose to stain both of my crosses with Minwax Dark Walnut, but you can choose to paint your cross, stain your cross, or better yet, stain it, paint it, and distress it for a farmhouse chabby chic look! The options are endless!

An important few tips if you’re new to staining: 1) Wear protective gear! I always wear gloves, a mask, and eye protection when cutting, sanding and staining! 2) Pay extra attention to DISPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS when it comes to stain, stain rags, brushes, etc. These materials are highly flammable and need to be disposed of properly! 3) Stain with the grain and wipe off any excess stain. 4) Always use stain in a ventilated area, preferably outside!

Step Five: Seal your cross with a protectant of your choice. Some of the options that I encourage are either a Rust-Oleum Semi-Gloss Clear spray coating or brush-on Minwax Water-Based Polycrylic.

Note: If you plan to paint on your cross, whether it be a quote or verse using a stencil or a portion of the cross itself, wait until after you have painted and then apply your protectant.

Step Six: Accessorize! This is my favorite step!! Time to add the embellishments! Whether you choose to add a quote or a Bible verse using a stencil and chalk paint, or if you plan to add flowers, a cross or any other embellishments, accessorizing your cross adds that sweet personalization that makes it an extra special gift or a unique and beautiful piece to your home.

So, Let’s Talk Embellishments…

In the two crosses pictured, I used various accessories to add that personal touch.

With the cross pictured on the left, I found the smaller cross embellishment at a local thrift shop. At only $4, it added the perfect touch to my larger wooden cross. Score! Then, I used a stencil and chalk paint to add the verse, “A cord of three strands is not easily broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:12). For the verse, I used the chalk paint brand Waverly Chalk (found at Walmart) in the color “Cashew.” It gave that perfect pop in contrast to my Minwax Dark Walnut stain. This cross ended up simple, yet perfect.

For the cross on the right, I picked up some faux floral pieces from my local Walmart (we don’t have craft stores nearby) and using a little hot glue and hot glue gun, I added them onto the cross. You’ll notice in the pics of my final pieces that I actually changed out the greenery on this cross. In the final piece, I decided that I liked the look of the lamb’s ear better than the greenery pictured here. Again, I used a quote that I really love and stenciled it in to complete my look. Here’s the quote used on this cross:

“I am the daughter of a King who is not moved by the world for my God is with me and goes before me. I do not fear because I am His.” (Author Unknown)

When they were completed, I absolutely fell in love with both of these crosses and couldn’t believe how easy and beginner-friendly the project really was!

Now, as promised, here’s a peek at my husband’s absolutely beautiful “Flawless” series.

Aaron, my husband, started this series after suffering the deep and painful loss of his mom. In the year that followed, he was on a journey to put the pieces back together and the road was full of incredible, but sometimes painful, revelations about who he was and who he was in Him. Through it all, God was present with his unconditional love and grace and he blanketed Aaron with protection and reassurance of his presence through each painful step. Over that year, Aaron’s relationship with Jesus grew into something very dear and personal. It was a transformational period for Aaron, me, our marriage and our family.

Jesus’s love is so beautiful and so complete. It’s not religion. It’s a relationship. He wants us to flourish and thrive. To seek Him and love and hold dear each other. He wants to give us peace beyond understanding, unconditional love, and unending grace, understanding, and acceptance. He knows every one of our flaws and He wants us to see our beauty. He wants us to see ourselves and each other the way He sees us. It’s an indescribable love. He gave us a beautiful and powerful sacrifice then promised us that we were made flawless in Him. And He wants to wrap his arms around you right where you are and tell you that you are loved, wanted, accepted, forgiven and His.

Here’s what Aaron says about his “Flawless” series:

“Each cross is uniquely broken, with its own unique flaws. No two are the same. Yet, they are all made flawless by God’s love and grace. They are made flawless by the cross.”

Thank you so much for dropping by to check out our DIY Handmade Crosses! We hope you’ll drop us a comment below with your feedback or thoughts!

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Happy Crafting, Friends!

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