Everywhere I look, stores are promoting a farmhouse Christmas. I see burlap, Buffalo plaid, red barns, wooden signs and these lovely red pick-up trucks.

I was scrolling through facebook the other day and an ad for this Lego set came across my feed.

Lego Pick up Truck

I immediately went online to see if it was available, how big it was and how much it cost. I haven’t been excited about a Lego set in a long time. After seeing the $169.99 price tag, I got to thinking that instead of paying well over $100 for something I would use as a seasonal decoration, I could use scrap wood from our garage and make one pretty much the same size.

I will pre-empt by saying this truck’s wheels will not roll. It is meant as a standing decoration.

Materials

1X4 – 12” (base)

2X4 – 5 3/4” (hood)

2X4 – 2 3/4” (cab)

2 @ 5 5/8 long X 3/8” thick X 1 1/4” high(box sides)

1 @ 3 3/8 long X 3/8” thick X 1 1/4” high (tailgate)

1X4 – 2 X 1/2” (axles)

4 wood slices (wheels) You choose how big

scrap 1/2” thick (wheel bumper)

band saw or chop saw (hand saw would work in a pinch except for the wheel bumpers)

sand paper

wood glue

acrylic paint and brushes

Directions

I started with a 1X4 cutting it to 12”. For the hood I needed a piece of 2X4 @ 5 3/4” long. On top of that was the cab, another piece of 2X4 @ 2 3/4”. I sanded the hood and cab rounding the corners a bit.

To create the sides of the box and tailgate, I used some scrap that was a bit thicker than a paint stick. The sides were 5 5/8” and tailgate 3 3/8”. I placed the hood onto the base 1/4” from the end. I wood glued all these pieces together. Once dry, I added some 1/2 ” slices of 1X4 for the two wheel axles and glued them on.

The wheel bumper was a bit tricky. I traced the top half of the wood slice I was going to use as a wheel then made another curve 1/2” out. I used some scrap 1/2” spruce and cut four of them out with the band saw.

I glued the wheel bumper and wheels on one side letting it dry before adding wheels on the other side. I lined up the bottom of each bumper so it was at the bottom of the 1X4 in hopes that would make the wheels level.

My moment of truth was when I tried to stand the truck right side up. The wheels were not even because the wood slice wheels were not exactly the same. I ended up sanding two of the “wheels” for quite a while to get it balanced and level.

Here is the truck before painting.

I just used acrylic paint, the paint you find at Dollarama or Michaels. Painting is so relaxing.

The truck could be used as fall decor.

It could sit in front of a small Christmas tree loaded with mini presents.

Here it is carrying some pinecone trees I made and a tree made out of jingle bells.

Some small toys could be incorporated as well like these mini Lego trees and plastic gingerbread figures.


I am thinking about toy flowers for spring and mini plastic eggs at Easter.

It brings as smile to my face when I enter the room as see it sitting there.
I am not sure exactly where I will put it to add to my Christmas decor but it will need to be somewhere I pass by often.

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