From Dowels to Display: Transforming Spaces with Dowel Art

Dowel Art Supplies:

• Plywood
• Dowels
• Several Stains
• Wood Glue
• Jigsaw

Step 1: Make your circle.

Make a circle on the back of a 1/2 inch piece of plywood. The best way to make a perfect circle is to take a piece of string and attach a thumb tack on one end and a pen to the other end. Place the thumbtack in the center of the wood and extend the string until it is tight. Draw a circle with the pencil keeping the string tight as you move around the thumbtack.

Step 2: Stain all the dowels.

Stain the dowels various colors. You can do a gradient of colors, a rainbow of colors, random colors or even all the same color. I did a gradient of colors. I will be honest, I did not realize how many dowels I would need! haha! I needed about 70 dowels. Staining them all was pretty tedious.

On the front of the plywood (opposite of the circle you drew), add wood glue to the plywood in sections. Make sure the glue is all over. Start adding the dowels to the plywood. Make sure it covers the entire length of the sheet. Continue adding glue and dowels until the plywood is completely covering the plywood.

Place another sheet of plywood on top and use clamps and weights to apply pressure to the dowels as they dry.

Step 4: Cut out the circle of Dowel Art.

Once the glue is completely dry its time to cut the circle out. I covered the dowels in painters tape to secure them while I cut them. I probably went a little overboard on the tape, but I did not want them to come off.

Then turn the wood upside down and use your jigsaw to cut the circle out. Sand the edges to clean it up. AND YOU ARE DONE!