Cedar Root Craft

Furniture

• Large pieces of cedar root lend themselves to functional furniture. For example, you can use a large cedar root piece as the base for a coffee or end table. You can top the tabletop with glass or make a top from another piece of wood. To create chairs, you can carve smaller roots for slats to construct the chair. Smaller roots can be used to create the base of a coat rack. Wood sealant protects the finished product from environmental damage.

Baskets

• You can use cedar roots to create a functional basket to hold magazines or use as a trashcan. There are several ways to make a basket. The first is to cut large cedar roots into very thin strips for weaving into a basket. Or you can cut larger strips of cedar and use them to make a slatted-basket. Lay the strips side by side, similar to a picket fence, to create the sides and bottom of the basket. Or if you prefer the look of a more traditional construction, make a box out of five pieces of cedar root sheets, leaving the top open. To create a handle for the basket, use long thin roots to form a braid then attach it to opposite sides of the basket.

Home Decorations

• Instead of throwing away dated picture or mirror frames, you can use cedar roots to transform them into new room decor. You can use hot glue or nails to hold thin roots to the side of the existing frame. If desired, you can paint the roots to blend in with the room decor. To create natural wood candlesticks, you can cut roots that are 2 to 3 inches in diameter to the desired height. The flat tops of the candlesticks offer a base to hold the candles.

Wood Working

• If you have wood working experience, you can use your skills to create functional and decorative pieces for your home from cedar roots. For example, you can use a lathe to turn a bowl or serving dish. If you want to use the piece for food, be sure to apply a food-grade stain on the wood. Or you can hand-whittle an animal or other shapes from cedar roots. Since cedar roots come in unique and interesting shapes, you can design an abstract piece of art for your mantel or bookshelf.