When a storm rolled over Imgur user Nastymastodon's parents' house, it blew down several large trees on the property. They were big, lovely trees, and so Nastymastodon hauled them off the grounds.
Initially, the plan was simply to slice them into slabs and let them dry out, but then inspiration struck.
Instead of simply having them milled and then leaving them, Nastmastodon decided to use three of the slabs, along with some steel bars, to create a shelf, both rustic and modern, to place behind the living room couch .
By doing so, he really captured the beauty of the wood and the memory of the tree — all while making a gorgeous and functional shelf!
Natural wood looks great in any home, and it's a beautiful way to not only appreciate nature, but also a great way to repurpose material and save some money. Plus making something with your own two hands is just so satisfying!
Nastymastodon left the wood as natural and untouched as possible in this project, and it really works wonderfully. See how it was done below!
[H/T: Reddit]
These cherry trees were knocked over in a storm. They were large, strong trees, and so Nastymastodon didn't want the wood to go to waste.
Originally, the plan was just to mill them into slabs and then maybe use them later, but then came the idea for a natural-edge shelf.
First came the cutting and trimming. The shelves could be no more than two feet wide, so some of the edges needed to be pared down.
Then the tree trunks were cut into slabs with the help of a bandsaw mill.
The slabs kept the bark and the natural shape of the tree. In this case, there was a curved section and a thicker end.
Nastymastodon admits that documenting this project wasn't something that was considered at first, so some of the steps are missing.
In essence, though, this is the steel frame Nastymastodon created to hold the slabs.
"The welds aren't pretty," Nastymoastodon admits. "I made some adjustments by the end and was able to weld a bit easier. But it was frustrating."
Still, we think it turned out pretty well, especially if this was a first-time attempt.
The slabs were then measured and trimmed again so they would fit into the frame and in the room.
When they were cut to size, they were installed into the frame. It's a pretty simple idea, but the contrast between the industrial steel and the natural wood is really striking.
It was also designed to fit right behind the couch, making use of some dead space in the living room but without getting in the way of the normal traffic of the room.
And once it was stocked with interesting things, it became a little showcase, as well as convenient storage.
Nastymastodon also didn't finish the wood, but instead left it natural. This will help the wood dry out, and will also keep that natural feel.
What do you think of this shelf? SHARE this great way to breathe new life into a fallen tree!
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