Projects – Driftwood Part I – Sorting and Cleaning

On By TimelessladyIn Projects

Goose wall-hanging created with driftwood and acrylic paints.

I love driftwood. I live near oceans and bays and enjoy beachcombing for driftwood, shells and sea glass. This year has been a boom year for driftwood. I’ve collected quite an array, and can’t wait to craft a few new projects.

Untreated driftwood must be cleaned and disinfected; the pieces can harbor germs and bacteria. Before I handle it too much or begin to create, I soak it in a solution of weak bleach. A few pieces are near three feet in length. Finding a way to fully immerse each piece is a bit of a quandary. I eventually soak the pieces in an under-the-bed plastic storage container. Once emptied, this gives me about four feet of soaking space…perfect!

After rinsing, I spread each piece on outdoor tables for additional drying and whitening.  A few pieces still have a bit of grayish, sandy debris in the crevasses. I’ll brush this out with an old toothbrush and soap in the next few days.

I’m excited about all the beautiful projects I can create with this gift from the sea. The designs and texture created by natural weathering would be next to impossible to duplicate. Through the coming weeks I’ll post a few photos of some of the projects I create.

12 thoughts on “Projects – Driftwood Part I – Sorting and Cleaning”

    1. Timelesslady

      Thanks Anne…I was just outside in the heat picking out a piece to use as a trellis for my jasmine plant. It’s winding around the shelf it is sitting on and that’s a good indication it needs some support.

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  5. Timelesslady

    I put one together yesterday. I’ll post it soon. I don’t know how creative it is though…more utilitarian. I used several pieces as a trellis for my crazy-wild jasmine plant. It’s very happy now, instead of twirling around the shelf beside it, it’s climbing up the driftwood.

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