Can you believe it’s already May? Where is this year going?! I feel like we just entered spring and now the summer months are knocking on our door!

The weather around here thinks it’s already summer, too. May in Texas features one of two types of days: bright and hot or sweltering storms. I’m really not a huge fan of the summer months because heat and I don’t get along too well (please, someone give my husband a job in a 4-seasons state!), but I have to admit I love decorating for summer. Not as much as I love fall and Christmas, but nothing can beat that!

Summer decor is so light and airy and I love that it reminds me of the beach. Today I want to show you how I made some cheap and easy DIY Nautical Wood Buoys that will be perfect for your summer space!

DIY Nautical Wood Buoys

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Supplies:

• deck post (I picked up a deck post at Lowe’s because it was the cheapest option and I am going to use parts of it in two other projects that I will show you in the next couple of weeks!)
• spray paint (I used flat white)
• craft paint in your choice of colors
• printer and paper
• paint pen (I used Sharpie brand)
• jute rope
• miter saw or circular saw
• ruler
• blue painters tape
• sand paper or sander

Instructions:

1. First, cut the top of deck post off about an inch down from the base of the rounded decorative top. I wanted to leave a good base on that piece because I’m going to use it in another project. Set it aside.

2. Then cut about an 8 inch section of wood off the post, leaving about an inch above the turned middle section of the post. This will be your shorter buoy. Set it aside.

3. Cut away the turned section of the post, leaving an inch or two on the bottom of it. This will also be used for another project. Set it aside.

4. You should now have a long section of squared wood with a notch at the bottom. Measure about 12 inches from the top and cut aways the rest (notch included). The 12 inch section of wood will be your taller buoy.

5. On your 12-inch length of wood, measure an inch from the right side and make a mark. Then measure 4 inches from the top and make a mark. Using a flat edge, draw a line connecting your marks. 

6. Using a miter saw or a circular saw, cut away the corner that you just marked.

7. Repeat on the next three right sides of your 12-inch length.

8. Take a drill bit that is slightly larger than the girth of your rope and drill a hole through one side of the top of your buoy. 

9. Repeat steps 5-8 on the 8-inch section of wood, but make the cuts just a little shorter (instead of measuring 4 inches from the top, measure only 3 inches).

10. Now that all your cuts have been made and holes have been drilled, sand the rough edges of your pieces.

11. Spray paint your pieces a base color. I chose this flat white paint. Spray 2-3 thin, even coats. Let dry.

12. Once dry, take a ruler and measure where you want your stripes or color block. Use blue painters tape and tape off your design. I decided to make three 1-inch wide stripes, 1/2-inch apart, on the short buoy and a simple color block on the tall buoy. 

13. Using craft paint in your chosen colors, paint 2-3 even coats and let dry. Once dry, remove the tape.

14. Print whatever numbers or letters you want to paint on your buoys on a regular printer. I chose to put the number “10” on the large buoy because it’s the year I got married (2010) and the letter “B” on the short one–our last initial.

15. Cut out your letters/numbers. Using a pencil, shade the paper on the back of your printed letters/numbers. 

16. Position your letters/numbers on the buoys where you want them. Hold in place (or use a piece of tape) and trace the outer edges of the letter/number with your pencil. Remove the paper–you should have a faint outline of your letter/number on the buoy.

17. Using your paint pen, carefully outline your letter/number. You can fill in your letter/number with the paint pen or your can fill in the larger spaces with a coordinating color of craft paint. Let dry.

18. Sand your buoys. Sand sparingly along the face of the buoys, concentrating more on the edges and corners.

19. Thread a length of rope through each of the buoys, tying them off in a basic knot. You’re done!

It’s not a hard project, but it does have a lot of steps. It’s worth it in the end, though! I love how they turned out. They’re so beach-y and I love the distressed look of them. They’ll go perfectly with the rest of my summer decor!

What are some of your favorite ways to bring a bit of summer into your home decor?

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