← Projects & Plans · Small makes & gifts · No. 05
Christmas Tree
A stepped outline Christmas tree about 701 mm tall and 580 mm wide, from one 2.4 m length of 38 × 63 mm CLS (3x2) on a short 4x2 base. Every cut is 30° (flip the board between cuts), the bar fits between the bottom legs, each tier tucks inside the one above, glued and screwed. Built and tested in the workshop. Make it any height from 400 mm to 1500 mm with the custom size panel. Style inspired by the Biscuit Tree Woodworks 30° stepped tree.
What the levels mean
- Difficulty 1 of 51 · First buildHand saw, straight cuts and screws. About 1–2 hours. Fine for complete beginners and supported learners.
- Difficulty 2 of 52 · BeginnerAdds angle cuts and drilling. Some steps need a helper.
- Difficulty 3 of 53 · ImproverBevels, rip cuts and a power saw, with more parts to keep square. About half a day.
- Difficulty 4 of 54 · ConfidentProper joints like halving and mortise, where measuring accuracy matters. About a day.
- Difficulty 5 of 55 · AdvancedFrames and structures, heavy parts, two people and several days.
Drag to look around. Use the chapters along the bottom to jump between stages.
02 · Tools & materials
Everything you need.
Gather it all before you start. Tick things off as you go: the ticks stay on this device.
Tools
Materials & cost
| Item | Per build | You need | Buy | Price | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLS timber 38 × 63 mm (3x2), 2.4 m lengthsSheet Materials Wholesale CLS sawn C16 38 × 63 mm × 2400 mm, November 2026. DIY stores sell planed CLS for a little more | 1 lengths | £per lengths | |||
| Sawn timber 47 × 100 mm (4x2), 2.4 m lengthsFor the 205 mm base; an offcut is fine. Estimate for a 2.4 m sawn C16 length; price not checked | 0.09 length | £per length | |||
| Wood screws 4 × 70 mmEstimate for a Goldscrew-type 100-pack (Screwfix, B&Q); price not checked | 16 screws | £per pack | |||
| Wood glue (PVA), 250 mlEstimate: about a tenth of a 250 ml bottle per tree; price not checked | 0.08 bottle | £per bottle | |||
| Sanding sheets 120 gritScrewfix Essentials 10-pack, October 2026 | 1 sheet | £per pack | |||
| Total | |||||
A rough guide, not a quote. Prices are typical UK examples checked in November 2026, including VAT and before delivery. They change often and vary between merchants, and timber sizes do too, so check before you buy. Reclaimed or offcut timber can bring the cost close to nothing. Tap any price to change it.
Converted from millimetres and rounded to the nearest 1/16″. This plan is drawn for UK metric timber. US lumber sizes differ (a 1×6 is 5½″ × ¾″), so check widths and thicknesses before you cut.
03 · Cut list
Eight parts.
| Part | Name | Size (mm) | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Long top arm | 305 × 38 | 1 | 30° both ends, flip; runs past the short arm to the point; measure the long point |
| 02 | Short top arm | 261 × 38 | 1 | 30° both ends, flip; butts into the long arm; measure the long point |
| 03 | Tier arm | 261 × 38 | 4 | 30° both ends, parallel (no flip); 2 bottom, 2 middle; measure the long point |
| 04 | Bottom bar | 492 × 38 | 1 | 30° both ends, flip; fits between the bottom legs; measure the long point |
| 05 | Base (4x2) | 205 × 100 | 1 | Sawn 4x2 (47 × 100 mm), square ends; laid flat under the bar |
Converted from millimetres and rounded to the nearest 1/16″. This plan is drawn for UK metric timber. US lumber sizes differ (a 1×6 is 5½″ × ¾″), so check widths and thicknesses before you cut.
04 · Your size
Make it your size
Not the printed plan. The plans and film show the standard 701 mm tree. This cut list is for your size: same 30° cuts, same 50 mm overlap, base from 4x2.
400–1500 mm, in steps of 50 mm
| Part | Name | Length (mm) | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Long top arm | 305 | 1 | 30° both ends, flip; runs past the short arm to the point |
| 02 | Short top arm | 261 | 1 | 30° both ends, flip; butts into the long arm |
| 03 | Tier arm | 261 | 4 | 30° both ends, parallel (no flip); 2 bottom, 2 middle |
| 04 | Bottom bar | 492 | 1 | 30° both ends, flip; fits between the bottom legs |
| 05 | Base (4x2) | 205 | 1 | Sawn 4x2 (47 × 100 mm), square ends; laid flat under the bar |
Buy 1 × 2.4 m lengths of 3x2
05 · Instructions
Thirteen steps.
- 1
Mark the length
Lay the 3x2 38 mm side up. Mark each part from one end along the long edge and draw the 30° lines.
- 2
Cut the bottom bar
Mitre saw at 30°: cut one end, measure 492 mm along the long edge, flip the board and cut.
✋ Helper needed - 3
Cut the long top arm
Measure 305 mm along the long edge, flip and cut.
✋ Helper needed - 4
Cut the short top arm
Measure 261 mm along the long edge, flip and cut.
✋ Helper needed - 5
Cut the 4 tier arms
Every 261 mm with no flip, so one cut makes the end of the next arm.
✋ Helper needed - 6
Cut the base
From sawn 4x2 (47 × 100 mm): a square cut at 205 mm.
✋ Helper needed - 7
Sand all the parts
Sand the cut ends and the points, then lay out the 8 parts like a tree.
- 8
Base under the bar
Centre the base under the bottom bar, wide side down; glue and 2 screws down through the bar in 3 mm pilot holes.
✋ Helper needed - 9
Bottom tier arms
A tier arm at each end of the bar: the bar fits between them, legs level with its underside. Glue and 2 screws through each leg into the bar.
✋ Helper needed - 10
Middle tier arms
A tier arm on the outside of each bottom arm, its foot 50 mm below the bottom arm's top, sticking out like a branch; glue and 2 screws each side.
✋ Helper needed - 11
Short top arm
Outside the right middle arm, 50 mm overlap; glue and 2 screws.
✋ Helper needed - 12
Long top arm
Outside the left middle arm the same way (glue, 2 screws), then 2 screws through it into the short arm at the point.
✋ Helper needed - 13
Check and finish
Let the glue dry, sand the point and corners, check every screw head sits flat, stand it up and add lights. 16 screws in all.
06 · Learning layer
Why every cut is 30°.
The 3x2 parts come out of one 2.4 m length of 38 × 63 mm CLS, with a 3 mm saw cut between parts.
30° + 30° = 60°Each side leans 30° from upright, so the two top arms meet at a 60° point.90° − 30° = 60°A level end on a 30° arm is a 30° cut on the saw: the same setting for every cut.Flip = trapezoid · no flip = parallelogramTurn the board between cuts and the ends slope in; keep it the same way and the tier arms nest, sharing their cuts.38 mm ÷ cos 30° ≈ 44 mmHow much narrower each lower tier sits, measured across: one board width, tilted.2076 mm of 2400 mmBar, two top arms and four tier arms from one length, with saw cuts.2 + 4 + 4 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 16 screwsBase, bottom legs into the bar, middle arms, short arm, long arm, and the point.≈ 85% of the length usedThe rest is spare: enough for a star on top.The maths stays in millimetres: it's how the plan was measured and how it's taught.
07 · Plans
Take the plan to the bench.
Easy plan
20 pages · one step per pageBig text, 3D pictures, board diagrams for every cut, tick boxes, helper badges, tools and shopping list.
Download ↓Quick plan
2 pagesCutting layout to scale, cut list with angles, the build in pictures and the materials with prices.
Download ↓Make it with me
Sessions · groups · privateBuild it in a session with tools and timber ready to go.
Ask about a session →Keep making
