The Family Tree

This family tree growth chart is a fun and interesting way to catalog your family’s development.

1. Selecting the piece: We cut a piece of live edge Pine 10″ wide, 2″ thick and 7′ tall. Any rustic wide piece of wood works just fine. Lighter coloured wood is best so you can mark and write on it during the growth of your little ones. Softer wood works too like Pine or Fir so you can use thumb tacks or other hardware to pin pictures and other keepsakes.

2. Sanding & Surfacing: We planed the family tree flat and somewhat smooth. We used our handmade mop sander  to remove burs and roughness from the bark. Using a mop sander will maintain the edges rustic look and feel and removes slivers. The flat surface was sanded.

3. Filling:  We filled knotholes and damaged areas with eco-friendly UVpoxy. Once dry we sanded again and made sure all the wholes and cracks were completely filled.

4. Finishing: There are many ways to finish, seal and harden your wood. For this family tree we used standard oil based lacquer. We used a spray lacquer and coated it 8 times. This was fast and easy. Today we tend to use and recommend more natural products like Tung Oil, Bees Wax, water based lacquers. These are safer to use with less harsh chemicals and are more environmentally friendly products. We recommend these products for homeowners and do-it-yourself folks.

5. Install: Once complete we fastened it to a stud in the home using two 4″ screws fastened at the top and bottom.

This family tree moves and grows with you. Nourish your memories and keep them growing on the family tree. You can attach photos and keepsakes for all the family to enjoy and contribute to.

Live edge tree slabs and accessory branches fasten easily to your wall. Completely portable, so you can always bring your cherished memories with you.