There’s something fascinating about the unique twists and turns, knots, and unusual shape of driftwood. A macramé piece that incorporates an interesting piece of driftwood will truly be one-of-a-kind. No one will be able to exactly recreate the raw beauty of that particular piece of driftwood. But how do you clean and prepare the driftwood for crafting?
Where can driftwood be found?
Driftwood can be found around any waterways; oceans, rivers, or lakes.
Although I’ve often spent time searching for driftwood at the beach, I’ve only ever found very small pieces that looked any good. Driftwood can more commonly be found along flowing rivers and around lakes in the few days after a good rainfall. High rainfall tends to raise the level of water in lakes and then when the water recedes it can leave great-looking pieces of driftwood sitting on the banks.
If all else fails, you can use a fallen branch that hasn’t been in the water. This just means you may have to spend longer sanding it and if you want that “bleached” look it will require more steps.
What makes a good piece of driftwood?
Some aspects of choosing a good piece of driftwood can be purely personal preference, such as whether the shape speaks to you and whether or not the wood contains knots.
However, there are some common characteristics that all good pieces of driftwood have:
- No evidence of termites or other wood-eating insects
- Strong enough that the wood won’t break once cord is attached to it (you can test this by feeling if it has any give when you place the wood over your knee and apply downwards pressure with your hands)
- Generally has a smooth surface
- Majority of the bark has been removed or is easy to pull off
- No sign of mould or lichen
Why does driftwood need to be cleaned?
Cleaning driftwood before using it for crafts can prevent a multitude of problems:
- Ensures the wood is free from any spiders and insects hiding in crevices.
- Prevents excess dirt from rubbing off onto the macramé cord attached.
- Minimises the risk of tannins leaching onto light-coloured cords.
- Helps weed out any lengths of wood that are susceptible to breaking (that made it past the test in the previous paragraph).
How can driftwood be used in macramé?
Below are some ideas of how driftwood can be incorporated into macramé projects:
- Use driftwood as the starting point for wall hangings.
- Use as a spreader bar after a ring to spread two sections of cord before attaching shelves. (For instance, it could replace the dowel in this reel.)
- Attach small pieces of driftwood throughout your piece to give it a beachy/natural vibe.
- Depending on the shape of the driftwood, it could be used for shelves.
- Use to mount rolls such as paper towel or toilet paper.
- Attach driftwood to finish off wall hangings, such as those using vertical clove hitch knots.
- Use as a feature in pieces. (For instance, it could be a branch or perch in a wall hanging of a bird.)
How to Clean Driftwood
Below are the steps I follow to clean and prepare driftwood before I use it for crafting. Although, I have included some tips on different options incase you don’t have some of the materials on hand or if you want to lighten the wood.
Materials Needed
-
- Small brush (the type found in a dustpan and brush set)
- Saw (not needed if the driftwood is already the desired length)
- Optional: Clamp to secure driftwood while cutting
- Detergent
- Large tub, trough, or bathtub
- Stones/bucket filled with water or something else heavy to weigh driftwood down
- Scrubbing brush (the type used to clean showers)
- Sandpaper in a few different grades (40, 120, and 240 is what I used)
- Optional: A sanding block to fold the paper around
Step 1: Remove excess dirt if needed
If the driftwood is already relatively clean, this step can be skipped.
Lay the driftwood out on some grass or another area outside because this step can make a mess. Use a small brush (the type of brush found in a dustpan and brush set) and brush along the grain of the wood to remove any excess dirt.
Repeat with all pieces of driftwood that still have dirt on them.
Step 2: Cut driftwood to desired length/s
Once again, if the driftwood already happens to be the perfect length, this step can be skipped.
Inspect the driftwood and decide where to cut, keeping in mind the lengths required and working with any unusual features of the driftwood.
If you have a clamp, secure the driftwood to a table or other stable surface. Don’t stress if you don’t own a clamp, simply wedge the driftwood in between something stable or enlist someone else to help hold the driftwood still while cutting.
Using the saw, cut the driftwood into the desired lengths. **Make sure you keep your hands well clear of the saw.
Step 3: Roughly sand the cut edges
Give the edges cut in the previous step a quick sand with the largest grit sandpaper you have (40 to 60) to prevent any splinters during the next few steps.
Step 4: Soak the driftwood
Set up a container large enough to submerge the pieces of driftwood. In this scenario I used the bathtub because some of the pieces of driftwood were larger than any containers I had. Be careful if you have a new bathtub as the tannins (colours) in the driftwood may leach out and discolour the tub.
Fill the container or tub with warm water and dishwashing liquid. Lay the pieces of driftwood in the water. Ensure the driftwood stays submerged by placing heavy stones or a bucket filled with water on top to weigh them down.
Leave the driftwood soaking overnight.
Alternatively, Super Washing Soda can be diluted in the water to clean and lighten the driftwood. I haven’t yet tried this method, but it is commonly used by other crafters.
Step 5: Scrub and rinse the driftwood
Once the driftwood has been sufficiently soaked, drain the water out of the container or tub.
Using fresh, clean water and a scrubbing brush, scrub the driftwood along the grain to remove any dirt, mud or other contaminants that haven’t yet come off. With this particular piece of driftwood I found that a lot of the caked-on mud only came off during this scrubbing process.
Soaking the driftwood overnight softened the mud and started to dislodge some of it. Then it was much easier scrubbing the remainder off because it was already soaked. I found the colour of the driftwood lightened dramatically during this process.
After all the dirt and other contaminants have been removed, I generally move straight onto the next step of drying the driftwood.
If mould is a problem in your climate, or if you want to further lighten the driftwood, dilute some bleach in water and leave the driftwood to soak for another period of time.
Keep in mind the driftwood will appear darker while it’s still wet so you may want to dry the driftwood first before deciding whether or not to bleach it simply to lighten the colour.
Step 6: Leave the driftwood outside to dry
Find a sunny place outside that is fairly clean and sheltered from dust. Lay the driftwood out in a single layer and leave to dry. The driftwood can be placed on a towel or sheet if there are no areas free from dirt.
Depending on your climate, this can take one day or a few days. Check the driftwood daily and turn over the pieces to ensure all sides are dry.
I find in Western Australia I can generally leave the driftwood outside to dry for one day and it’s warm and sunny enough that it doesn’t require any turning.
Step 7: Sand the driftwood
Once the driftwood is completely dry, now it’s time to sand.
Start with the largest grit sandpaper you have. I find 40 – 60 grit works best for removing any large, unwanted protrusions from the wood. Cut the sandpaper to size and fold it over the sanding block if you’re using one.
Begin sanding along the grain to smooth the wood. Make sure to also focus on finishing the ends nicely. The ends can be left raw, if that’s the look you want. Otherwise sand the sharp edges to make them a little more rounded.
When happy with the general shape of the driftwood, move down to the next grit sandpaper. Continue this process until the driftwood is nice and smooth, but not so smooth that macramé cord will slide out of place.
In this case I used 40 grit to sand the main unwanted lumps and smooth the edges. I then briefly sanded with 120 grit and 240 grit sandpaper, but made sure the driftwood still had a rustic feel and macramé cord would be held securely in place.
Step 8: Start crafting!
Brush away any excess dust from sanding and you’re ready to start crafting!
To see a short video of the process, watch the How to Clean Driftwood for Crafting reel.
Safety considerations
Depending on the type of saw used to cut the driftwood and the ventilation or breeze in the area, consider using a mask, ear muffs, and eye protection.
If using a circular saw or table saw, these safety precautions are a must.
Conclusion
Taking the time to properly clean and prepare driftwood before using it for crafting can save you from costly or embarrassing mistakes.
Use the hashtag #mymumthedreamer on FB or Insta if you use this method to prepare driftwood for crafting and show me what you’ve created!
THANKYOU FOR YOUR INPUT.
CAROL