|
text by Vicki Sign up to get Mother Daughter Projects updates in your email! The A-frame 2X4 Christmas tree we made for 2017 was designed to come apart and fold for easy storage. With the exception of the concrete base, the tree came apart and easily stored as expected. Because of the weight and size of the base, we knew we didn’t want to try to store it, but wanted a way to use it throughout the year making storage unnecessary. We designed a PVC (plumbing pipe) stand that utilizes the base to serve as a garden flag holder! People, at least in the south, enjoy displaying and changing out garden flags to match the season. Although the base is heavy, it’s not so heavy that it can’t be moved around to where you want it. You could even pop it into the car and reassemble it at your next tailgate and hang your team colors from it!  We designed our 2x4 tree to fold for storage. Once the base was removed all that was left was to remove four bolts.
 These are the PVC parts needed for the garden flag stand. The 1" adapter is the piece that will screw into the cement stand.
 Our first step was to mark the cut lines. Cut the pieces to length. From the 1" PVC cut one piece 4' long and the other about 6 to 8". From the 1/2" PVC cut a piece about 13".  The easiest way to cut the PVC is with a miter saw.  Remove any stuck on labels with WD 40. Sand all the pipes clean. This step is not necessary if you are painting but we did it to rough up the PVC to help the paint adhere better. Wipe everything down with a tack cloth.  Once everything is clean spray with the color of your choice. We used hammered black.  Assemble the pieces once dry. Start by screwing in the adapter to the base. Then glue the long pipe into the 1” male adapter.  The PVC glue is applied to both the pipe and fitting.  To help add strength to the post, we inserted a 4’ dowel into the 1” PVC.  Add the tee, the shorter piece of pipe, top with the 1” pipe cap. Screw the 1/2” adapter into the tee, insert the 1/2” pipe. Put the flag into place and add the 1/2” pipe cap.
We also made a quick chalkboard “flag” so we could write personalized messages on it. It’s made from a 12x18” piece of 3/8” MDF board painted with chalkboard paint and hung with two key rings. Two small holes are drilled into the top to accommodate the key rings. Since there is felt on the bottom of the concrete base (because it was initially used inside for the tree), you could remove this or set the stand on some kind of waterproof base to keep the felt from getting wet. Garden flags are abundant in stores or online. They seem to come in two sizes. This stand uses the smaller 12"x18” flags. The flags can be changed out seasonally for holidays, special occasions like birthdays, to support your team or cause, or to welcome guests into your home. We love that we are able to utilize the concrete base from a Christmas decoration and use it year round!
Please note: We are not sponsored by any of the companies/products that we used. These products were picked and bought by us. FYI: We are not professionals, and we don’t claim to be. This is what we found worked for our project. Yours may need a little different approach. Safety first! FYI: Affiliate links are being used on this page. Purchasing via these links help support MDP! Related Projects
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Mother Daughter Projects
|
