DIY Network

Tree Branch Handrail Add rustic charm to your home—naturally. From "B. Original" episode DBOR-153

B. Original with the warmth and character of natural wood.

Wood fixtures with the look of natural tree branches add rustic charm to your home—but they can cost a bundle. Never fear, Michele Beschen is here with a great project that brings natural wood into the home.

The B. Original host shares her techniques for creating a beautiful handrail from a tree branch you strip and finish yourself. Beauty doesn’t get much more natural than that.

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	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D

Tree Branch Handrail

long branch for rail
draw knife
wipe on polyurethane
fine-grit sandpaper
tack cloth
handrail hardware

• Choose a long, straight branch that is at least 2" in diameter (figure A).

• Clamp the branch securely to two sawhorses or worktables so it doesn’t slip while you remove the bark. Michele Beschen prefers to peel away the bark with a standard drawknife—available at any woodworking store—while the limb is still fairly green.

• Peel away the bark (figure B). To avoid giving the handrail a completely "bald" look, you can keep a little bit of the darker colored wood from the inside edge of the bark (figure C).

  Note: Take your time peeling away the bark, and always be sure to have both hands on the knife.

• Set the bark strips aside for use in another project.

• If the branch is still fairly green, let it dry out thoroughly to get rid of any excess moisture after you peel the bark.

• Once the wood is dried, sand it down with a fine-grit sandpaper until it’s smooth (figure D). Wipe the piece with a tack cloth to remove any dust.

• Apply a coat of wipe-on polyurethane finish. Let that coat dry, then sand the rail again. Apply at least two more coats of wipe-on polyurethane, sanding in between coats, to get the desired sheen.

• Install the rail with standard hardware.