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Make an Outdoor Rustic Chandelier – an easy DIY

November 21, 2016 18 Comments

I love any opportunity to entertain family and friends, and I especially love being able to create a beautiful space on our patio in order to host dinners and brunches. Because we have a big family but a small dining room, creating an outdoor dining room is a fun (but challenging) project and I try to change things up every Thanksgiving.

rustic-outdoor-chandelier

Easy DIY Rustic Outdoor Chandelier

This year I decided to create a rustic outdoor chandelier. (Actually, my grand plan was to make five of them and hang them over the length of the 16′ table, but I ran out of time, so I will only be making two.)

What’s great about this DIY chandelier is that you can easily make it from items found in the garden center at the hardware store. The base of this chandy is a tomato cage and the wood strips are made from cedar fence boards.

Because there are different sizes of tomato cages, some of these measurements will need to be approximated for your project.

This post contains affiliate links.

To make 1 chandelier you will need:

  • circular tomato cage
  • 2 to 3 cedar fence boards (approx 5′ x 6″ x .5″)
  • 18 gauge wire (copper or colored – approx 25 feet)
  • a length of chain for hanging
  • wood stain or wood tint (I recommend water based)
  • gold paint or glaze (I used Martha Stewart, but any brand will work)
  • plug-in hanging light fixture
  • Various tools: wire cutters, chop saw, table saw, and drill

To get started, you’ll want to cut the stakes off of the bottom of the tomato cage. You can make it a 3 tier or a 2 tier chandelier. Decide which you’d like and use the wire cutters to clip off the unwanted portion of the tomato cage.
how-to-make-a-rustic-chandelier-from-a-tomato-cage
Once you’ve cut the stakes off of the tomato cage, you’ll want to measure the distance between the tiers, as that will determine the length you need to cut your board.  You will want to make sure that the length of your wooden strips will be long enough to cover the  top of the tier below it. (Note: I spray painted my tomato cages black, but you could paint them any color or leave them as is.  No rules here.)

Use a chop saw to cut the boards to the proper length, then use a table saw to rip the cut boards down into 1 to 1.5 inch wide strips.  Drill a hole into the end of each strip.  (I convinced Handsome Hubby to do this for me, but it really is easy enough to do for anyone.)
cutting-boards-to-size-to-make-a-diy-wooden-outdoor-chandelier
Once your all of your wood strips have a hole drilled in them, you’re ready to stain them if you’d like. I think one of the quickest and easiest ways to get a little color on them is to use a water based stain or tint and stain them in a bucket. Simply fill a small bucket about half way full with water and mix in a generous amount of tint or stain. (1 part stain to 6 parts water…?) Just eyeball it.
staining-wood-strips-for-a-diy-wooden-chandelier
Fit as many wooden strips into the bucket as you can. The mass of the strips will raise the water level in the bucket. Let sit for several minutes, then take the strips out, flip them over and place back in the bucket so that the unexposed ends get a little time soaking in the tinted solution.  Set them flat to dry.

I wanted to add a little shimmer and glam to some of the rustic wood pieces, so I thought a little gold glittery paint was in order.  I used Martha Stewart’s and dipped, but you could use any technique or paint to do this. I only wanted the gold dipped strips of wood on one of the tiers, so I left the majority of the wooden strips alone.

dip-painted-ends

Once the gold paint dries, you are ready to start assembling the chandelier.  I attached a length of chain to each side of the top tier of the tomato cage and hung it from a hook to make it easier to attach the wood strips.

assembling-a-wooden-chandelier

Snip little sections of wire that are long enough for you to work with. Thread the pieces through the drilled hole in the wooden strip and twist on to the bottom rung of the tier.  They are not going to show, so don’t worry too much about whether or not they are perfect and uniform.  You may need to straighten the wood strip in order for it to hang just right.  Twist the strip until it hangs the way you want it to. Do not twist the wires securing the strips too tightly. You want the strips to hang from the wire… gravity is your friend once the chandy is hanging up.

I chose to have the gold dipped wooden strips on the bottom tier of the chandelier. Once the bottom tier was filled with the gold strips, I moved up to the next tier and started adding strips there.  You definitely want to work from the bottom up. This allows you to add the wooden strips much more easily.   In an effort to keep the tier balanced while adding the wooden pieces, try not to add them all on one side, working around. Instead, add on opposite sides from each other, one at a time.
rustic-glam-outdoor-chandelier
Continue adding wood strips until you finish the top tier. Tuck the loose wire ends down towards the center of the chandelier, as they will show.
top-tier-of-a-diy-tomato-cage-chandelier

Hang your beautiful DIY Rustic chandelier outside. I hung this one in a tree, then took these light bulb extension cord style fixtures and threaded it along a tree branch so that it dropped down right into the center of the chandy.

This plug in light fixture makes creating a DIY chandelier easy-peasy!

This plug in light fixture makes creating a DIY chandelier easy-peasy!

No need to attach the light to the chandelier… just hang it separately.
outdoor-rustic-chandelier

Even though I made this with the idea of creating a centerpiece for my Thanksgiving table, this is a great project to leave up year round.  Build them in different sizes and with different finishes and hang them in a cluster in trees… glitter the ends and use them in outdoor Christmas decor.  There’s so much that can be done with this project, and it all starts with a tomato cage.  Happy building!

make-a-rustic-chandelier-from-items-found-in-the-garden-section-at-the-hardware-store

Filed Under: Autumn, Centerpiece, cheap and easy, Crafts, decor, DIY, Fall, Holidays, Outdoor Space, party, Thanksgiving

Comments

  1. Sheila @ Making the Most of Every Day says

    December 8, 2016 at 11:29 AM

    This is soooooo genius!! I love it! I will have to scout out good placement but i want this in my life!
    ~Sheila
    Making the Most of Every Day

    Reply
    • Vivienne says

      December 9, 2016 at 4:09 PM

      Thank you, Sheila! 🙂

    • BArb jenny says

      April 27, 2019 at 2:00 PM

      I love your GENIUS ways euth tomato holders.

  2. Janelle says

    January 24, 2017 at 8:37 AM

    I love it!! How would you modify (if at all) for indoors? Sorry about the caps- not sure why theyre on or how to get them off

    Reply
    • Vivienne says

      January 26, 2017 at 6:41 PM

      Hi Janelle,
      Yes, you could very easily modify this for indoors. In fact, it is easier to find a pendant light kit than it is to find the extension cord style socket I use in the post! 🙂

  3. phurface says

    May 22, 2017 at 6:03 AM

    Wow that is so cool! And I just had a new deck built and just happened to have two fence boards left over; and already have the tomato cages on hand. Thank you so much for sharing.

    Reply
  4. Chris says

    June 27, 2017 at 2:57 PM

    Do you think it would work to make it wirh paint sticks?

    Reply
    • Vivienne says

      July 4, 2017 at 9:03 AM

      Yes, absolutely! And easier because you don’t need to rip down the boards.

  5. IleiGh says

    October 14, 2018 at 4:00 PM

    About how much overlap did you have between tiers? A couple of inches? I’m using paint sticks and wondering if i can get away with not cutting them down.

    Reply
    • Vivienne says

      October 16, 2018 at 11:00 AM

      I guess that would depend on the tomato cage that you use.

  6. Jen says

    March 29, 2019 at 11:37 AM

    Thank you for this amazing idea! I’ve been searching for an affOrdable chandelier to hang in our 2-story foyer, and I think a variation of your tomato cage creation is going to be stunning!

    Reply
  7. Louise Koepfler says

    May 27, 2021 at 7:52 PM

    this looks like such fun, can’t wait to make one!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Got an old tomato cage? Don't toss it out. Here are 10 gorgeous ideas - DIY says:
    August 27, 2017 at 3:46 PM

    […] THRIFTY ARTSY GIRL 3. Rustic chandelier Unique lighting fixtures add a touch of elegance to any setting. This rustic chandelier looks like it cost a lot of money, but was actually created from a little bit of wood, hardware and a tomato cage. In just a few hours, you can create a tomato cage chandelier by following the easy step-by-step tutorial.   […]

    Reply
  2. Tomato cages aren't just for the garden, upcycle them with these amazing ideas - DIY says:
    September 26, 2017 at 8:46 AM

    […] THRIFTY ARTSY GIRL 4. Outdoor chandelier This rustic chandelier looks complicated to make, but it’s surprisingly simple. I especially love how the ends of the bottom boards have been dipped in glittery gold paint! You can learn how to make your own over on The V Spot. […]

    Reply
  3. 21 DIY Lighting Ideas to Brighten Your Home on a Budget - The Handyman's Daughter says:
    March 19, 2018 at 5:24 PM

    […] Rustic Outdoor Chandelier – The V Spot […]

    Reply
  4. Zero Cost Diy Chandelier To Perk Up Your Home Decor - GODIYGO.COM says:
    February 25, 2022 at 7:01 PM

    […] Source […]

    Reply
  5. 31 Inexpensive And Impressive DIY Solar Light Projects 2022 says:
    March 8, 2022 at 6:13 PM

    […] first thing to do is to collect your materials! The base for the chandelier can be an old tomato cage which you will decorate with thin boards or wiring so the light can come in and charge the solar […]

    Reply
  6. 36 DIY Chandelier Plans For Indoor Decoration - Susie Harris says:
    March 11, 2022 at 7:54 PM

    […] Chandeliers are not only for the indoors, but can also decorate your outdoor area with its beauty and attraction. This diy rustic chandelier is all you need for your outdoor space. The material that are used in this chandelier are easily found at any hardware store in their section for garden stuff. Tutorial […]

    Reply

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Vivienne Wagner is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

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