DIY Network

Copper Tree Wall Art Plant this striking copper tree in your home. From "B. Original" episode DBOR-149

Creativity may grow on trees after all.

Copper pipes are too pretty to always hide behind walls. So, Michele Beschen uses them on the walls to create this fabulous tree sculpture. There's no welding or epoxy involved; everything just attaches with pipe clips or screws into other pipes. It's a beautiful way to B. Original.

You can still do this project even if you live in an apartment or just can't stand to attach something large to the wall. Just create the tree on a large board, and you can shift it from room to room or even take it with you if you move.

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	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D

Materials:

½" copper pipe, 5' long
assorted sizes copper tubing, ¼" to ½" thick
½" copper pipe straps
drywall screws
pipe cutter
hammer

• Build the trunk of your tree by attaching the 5' length of ½" copper pipe to the wall with copper pipe straps and drywall screws (figure A). You can attach more pipes next to this main pipe for a beefier trunk.

  Note: Michele Beschen likes the contrast of the drywall screws and the copper pipe. If you don't, you can look for copper screws that will blend in .

• Create branches from your larger copper tubing (figure B). Bend the tubing to shape your larger branches, with some lying flat and some curved up. You also can add texture by flattening some branches with a hammer.

• Attach these larger branches with copper pipe straps.

• Start adding smaller branches, using ¼" copper tubing that you bend and hammer into the shapes you want. The metal is soft enough that you can screw these branches directly into the larger ones (figure C).

• Adorn your branches with old metal wall art such as butterflies, birds, leaves and similar items. Trim these pieces out with wire snips, leaving short wire stems. Slide these stems into the ends of the smaller branches and pinch with pliers to attach. You also can attach wall art pieces and other adornments by screwing them into the copper tubing (figure D).

"Plant" your wall art somewhere you'll see it every day—who knows what inspirations will bloom.