Pallet Wood is cheap wood that you can upcycle into new projects to use in and outside of your home. We like to tear apart the pallets and use them in craft projects like the one that I’m featuring today on the blog. These two Halloween Porch Leaners were made by upcycling 1/2 of a wood pallet.
To get started you need to carefully tear apart the pallet and separating the wood into piles. You’ll need one long board for the Jack ‘O Lantern and one long board for the Scarecrow. You’ll need to cut down one of the other boards to use for the brim of his hat. I didn’t use measurements at all. To attach the brim I used his nail gun to put it in place.
All of the painting was done with acrylic craft paints and a paint brush. All of it very simple that anyone can do, even a non-painter! The top hat on the Jack ‘O Lantern was painted black and the top hat on the Scarecrow was painted a dark brown/black (looks black in the photo). The Jack ‘O Lantern was painted a muted orange color (I didn’t like the bright orange but I’m sure others will). The Scarecrow was left natural with no paint.
You can follow the photos to see the simple triangles that I used to make the facial features. Nothing is really precise at all. Once all of the paint was done drying I took them outside and sprayed them on all sides with 2 coats of clear acrylic spray sealer in a matte finish. You need to allow for 1 hour of drying time between coats. This will protect the painted finish from the weather elements.
Tip – Every year when you put your outdoor stuff out on display you should be spraying them again with another coat of clear acrylic spray finish. I do that with all ceramic, resin, and wood items. This will extend their longevity and keep them looking nice for years to come.
I opted to tie simple jute style rope around each of their necklines to serve as a rustic scarf. On the scarecrow I added a fall colored faux MUM flower that I picked up at Dollar Tree (4 were on the pick for $1.25). I used Gorilla Glue to attach it since hot glue isn’t good for items that will be hit by adverse weather from time to time. I just ordered a little black crow and will be attaching that to the brim of the Jack ‘O Lantern once it arrives.
These porch leaners are really easy-to-make! You don’t have to be an artist or even crafty to make them. They’re a great beginner’s project. For display…you just lean them up against the side of your house on the porch. That’s why they’re called Porch Leaners! Easy peasy!
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