These DIY Heart Candle Holders are made from plywood, so they are simple to make with just a jigsaw, drill and glue! No band saw needed! Free heart pattern printable included.
There’s no getting around it, no matter how hard I try to squirm past.
There’s no avoiding it, no matter where I hide.
Valentine’s Day is coming, and as much as I’d like to let the day pass unnoticed and unheralded into oblivion, I am now duty-bound as a craft and DIY blogger not only to acknowledge the Hallmark holiday, but to embrace it.
People, I’ve made a life out of ignoring the hell out of Valentine’s Day.
But Handan won’t let me do that anymore.
Nope.
Not this year.
Now she wants me not only to make all sorts of cutesy heartsy crapola, but she wants me to write about it, too!
GAH!
The woman has no remorse!
Well if I’m going to tackle V-Day, I’m going to do it on my terms! I started poking around Pinterest for inspiration when I came across some cool-looking heart candle holders for sale on Etsy. They looked easy enough to make. There was just one problem: making them would require a band saw, as the wood blocks were too thick for a jigsaw.
Yeah, yeah, I know. I have a band saw.
But most of you guys don’t. Why would you? You’re not woodworkers! So it didn’t make sense to show you how to make something most of you wouldn’t be able to make.
I mentioned to Handan that I wanted to make those DIY heart candle holders, but I needed to be able to do it with a jigsaw.
She’s a smarty pants, so of course, she came right up with the solution: make each candle from three pieces of 3/4 inch plywood glued together. The heart shape could easily be cut from each piece with a jigsaw.
It was ingenious!
She made me a heart template (you can download it over at the VIP Patch), and away I went to get my VD on!
o_0
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DIY Heart Candle Holders Supplies List
- 3/4 inch plywood
- Heart candle holder template (available in the “Template-Cut Sheet” section of the VIP Patch for our subscribers)
- Jigsaw with thin blade
- Speed square (optional)
- Wood glue
- Clamps
- Center punch (optional)
- Drill
- 1 1/2 inch Forstner bit
- 220 grit sandpaper
- Wipe-on satin polyurethane (or any other finish of your choice)
DIY Heart Candle Holders Tutorial
I have a ton of plywood scraps, so this project was a total freebie. If you don’t have plywood kicking around, and if you’d rather not buy a big sheet, feel free to substitute 3/4 inch pine.
I found a piece big enough to accommodate all 6 templates (3 for each candle holder).
I glued the template pieces along both edges of the board. You can use a glue stick or spray tack for this step.
I then cut out the heart pieces with a jigsaw fitted with a Bosch T101-AO blade. With that blade, you can make very precise cuts, almost as good as a scroll saw or band saw.
When all the heart pieces were cut, I clamped the board to the workbench again.
I used a speed square to help cut a straight line, but you can freehand it if you’ve got a steady hand.
Handan made a little table extension from some scrap wood to help with the smaller cuts. These cuts had to be done freehand.
Of course, if you have a table saw, it is much quicker and easier to use that, but I want to show that all the cuts for this project can be done with a jigsaw.
Once I had all of my pieces cut out, it was time to glue them together to form the two candle holders. If your cuts were clean, you can make little hearts from the cutouts.
Oh my god! How cute is that?? Don’t you just love it? They are just SO ADORBS!!
See, ladies? Not only can I walk the walk, but I can talk the talk!
Now, if you’ll excuse me a moment, I have to bleach my fingertips after typing that sentence…
Speaking of adorable, check out the monkey in the apron!
Okay, back to work!
I spread a very thin layer of glue on the pieces to be glued. If you put the glue on too thick, the pieces tend to slide around.
I stuck them together, lined them up and clamped them.
I let the glue dry for about an hour, and then I unclamped the two heart candle holders and marked the center of each top.
I used a center punch to put a little divot in the middle.
I drilled the tea light hole 5/8 inch deep using a drill press, but it can also be done by hand. I recommend clamping the candle holder before drilling, as the 1 1/2 inch Forstner bit can grab the piece right out of your hands if you’re not careful.
Note that IKEA tea lights will not fit in a 1 1/2 inch hole. For those you’d need a 1 9/16 inch Forstner bit. But all standard American tea lights, like the ones sold at Michaels fit a 1 1/2 inch hole.
Next, I sanded all of the faces on a flat sheet of 220 grit sandpaper.
I then rounded all of the corners and sharp edges.
I love the look of plywood, so instead of painting or staining, I finished my DIY heart candle holders with wipe-on polyurethane with a satin finish. Three or four coats is enough.
After the last coat of poly dried, my heart candle holders were ready for action.
Now I just need a dozen overpriced roses and some crappy candy in a heart-shaped box…
Nah, I just kidding! Thank god Handan doesn’t go in for that sort of thing!
A shot of vodka, a dry martini, a grilled steak and Netflix – that’s how we roll on V-Day!
These two are still thinking about it…not ready to commit yet.
These two are having a fight. Hmph!
Awwww, they made up!
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Barb says
I hate to say it but your candle holders are sweet. Looks great made with plywood and a clear finish. Like you, we are not into Valentines Day too much. Far as I’m concerned ordering in a pizza works just fine. Like I tell my husband, it’s not what we eat, it’s that I don’t cook that’s important. And steak and Netflix sounds perfect!
Greg says
Thank you, Barb! Yeah, we’re not big on manufactured holidays around here. Besides, being married to me is like Valentine’s Day EVERY day, LOLOLOL! (Right, Handan???)
Linda C Johnston says
I didn’t realize how great plywood looks when a clear finish is applied. I’m going to do a lot of this finish! Candle holder is cute, but the heart motif takes me back to the 70’s and 80’s. I think that’s when everything known to man and woman had a heart or goose on it! lol Great job, as usual.
Greg says
Thanks, Linda! I don’t remember the goose thing back in the 80s – what was that all about, lol?
Karen says
How stinkin’ cute are those!? Definitely going on my to make list…. but probably only after the spring thaw…..
K
Greg says
I’m waiting on that thaw right there with you! 🙂
Susan the Farm Quilter says
Love the narrative that went with the final show-off!! This are cute. As you were placing the templates to cut, I was thinking that I could cut all the half-hearts in the area you chose to do one…of course, I was thinking you were going to use the positive, not the negative side!! Now you need to make double/triple/quad heart candle holders…ones that hold tapers or pillars, right?!!
Greg says
Susan, the possibilities are endless! However, my patience for Valentine’s Day is not, so any more cutesy woodworking will have to wait until next year, LOL! 😀
marvin shelley - Master Sawdust Maker says
Hey, You – The monkey in the apron – When I saw the heart candle holders I knew instantly that I would make TWELVE of them for the girsl/women in the family: 2 y/o to 72 y/o. Thanks to Handan for getting on your butt. Beside shop time beats sitting around watching soap operas. Get back to the shop and create some new stuff to keep me off the streets.
Greg says
LOL, thank you, Marvin! We’re working for ya! 🙂
marvin shelley - Master Sawdust Maker says
Monkey – I will use some left over striped cutting board scrap to make mine. Ply is pretty, but different colors of cutting board, I like a little better.
Greg says
Ohhh, that is a fantastic idea, Marvin! I have tons of those, too. I was just saying that I’m done with Valentine’s day until 2020, but I may have to make another set…
Kathy A says
Great project, as usual! Love the layers of plywood. Surprise Handan and do something mushy; it’ll earn you some “Attaboy points” to cancel out the occasional “Oh, sh–!” At my house, it sometimes takes a lot of points to cancel out an Oh, Sh–!
Handan says
Hahaha – I’m not really a rose & chocolate girl, but if he took me to Ikea I guess that would earn him some attaboy points. Thinking about it, no bitching and complaining about how long my shopping takes in Ikea could even cancel out an “Oh, sh-!”. But if he actually showed some interest while I’m shopping in there, oh my, then he certainly would start with a clean slate! LOL
Greg says
We’ll see, woman. We’ll see…
Suzanne says
Greg! how can you call those over-priced roses, the ones totally lacking in any sort of smell, the ones that never open and die within a couple of days, oh, and you only get 10 of, even though they say a dozen “crappy”?
Must leave the instructions on my husband’s workbench.
Suzanne (Australia)
Greg says
I know, right? Have you ever tried to book a table for 2 on V-Day! Hah! What a ripoff!
Catherine Williams says
Very clever, i may have to try this with my hoarded scraps of ply, If my wonky joints are to using my power tools or maybe i can instruct Toolbox Tony if he doesn’t pass out at the thought of cutting a shape out of ply ha ha.
Greg says
I think this is a perfect project for TT! 🙂
franki says
Well, this brought tears to “my eyes”…. Really luv these…” natural plywood” is “hot” these days!! Very happy…oh, you know!! franki
Greg says
Thank you, Franki! 🙂
Arlie says
Babes, adorbs!!
Arlie
Greg says
LOLOL, thanks, Arlie! 😀
marvin shelley - Master Sawdust Maker says
Hi Handan and the monkey.
Wanna know where you can get free pine lumber in your area and maybe other free stuff? It’s waiting on you. Go pick it up.
I will use some in the cutting board -style countertops I’ll make today for my grandson’s and wifey’s kitchen.
Greg says
Marvin, don’t leave us hanging! Of course we want to know! 🙂
marvin shelley - Master Sawdust Maker says
Free pine lumber! At the big box stores and probably a small lumber yard, they get plywood sheets and lumber in huge bundles held together with steel banding. At the bottom and top of those bundles are cauls or stickers that keep the metal straps from damaging the edges of the product. Those cauls are trash to the store and if someone does not get them, the store will have to get rid of them. Go to the inside or outside back wall behind the lumber. My Lowes lays them back there in a garbage can. Take all you want.
It’s green and full of moisture. Put inside your shop and let them dry out for 3-6 month. I use them for all kinds of things. Some days – Thursday – there will be 25-50 of them. I probabyt have a 100 or so. Today, I will use one to see what the plywood candle holders will look like. And pine has
some awesome grain patterns. I will try to post a photo of the candle holders made with the free pine. I really like your blog and wish I found it months ago.
Greg says
This is a great tip, Marvin! I will have a peek behind our Home Depot to see what i can find. You can email me pictures of your projects [email protected]
Gail says
Wow! This candle holder is so cool! You’ve struck gold with this design, Greg! While I hear what you both say about Valentines, and I do agree about the day, I want you to know that I think you two are the most romantic couple around! I love your vibes!
Greg says
Awwwww, thank you, Gail! 😀
Kathy says
Golly I wish I had power tool skills. He was just explaining the cordless drill to me the other day and I finally said, “We should go build something, then maybe I would understand.” Yes, I know how eye-rolling that sounds. Put me in the kitchen, I’m all that. In the shop, I stand in fear.
I do think these are adorbs though. They will be an idea I pack away and probably never use, but I definitely will enjoy remembering the idea every so often. I’m a sucker for hearts and yes, I LIKE Valentine’s Day, even though I try to live it out more than once a year.
Oh, and I have some ceramic geese packed away somewhere. They will make an appearance some day soon, whenever the sorting of boxes in storage begins. We were married in the late 80’s and my aunts gave them to me as a shower gift. They lived on the top of the fridge for many years, quite happily.
Greg says
LOL, more geese! I had no idea about that aspect of the 80s! I guess as a kid, all those design and style elements weren’t really on my radar. I mostly remember the music 🙂