DIY Giant Nutcrackers

Add a playful touch to your front yard this holiday season by transforming concrete tube forms into colorful, larger-than-life nutcrackers.

By: Brian Patrick Flynn

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Shop This Look

Larger Than Life

If you never thought you could use concrete tube forms for anything other than concrete column applications, then think again. This year, building supplies are being transformed into colorful and playful Christmas yard decor.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Tools + Materials

Here's what you'll need for each nutcracker: 1 concrete tube form; drop cloth; painter's tape; three colors of spray paint (hat/legs, torso, face); newspaper; utility knife; marker; measuring tape; acrylic craft paint (to fill in chest and face templates); detail paintbrush; 2-3 wood landscape stakes; face shape template; chest template.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Mark Each Section

To create the look of a nutcracker, paint will need to be applied as four different sections: legs, torso, face and hat. Use a measuring tape and painter's tape to mark off each area. Tip: The torso should be the largest section, then the legs; and the face should be slightly smaller in size than the hat.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Spray-Paint Hat

Turn the concrete form upside down so the hat section is on the ground. With the ground protected by a drop cloth, create the hat by applying spray paint approximately 8 inches from the surface of the form, moving back and forth in controlled spurts.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Spray-Paint Legs

For proper balance, it's wise to keep the hat and legs the same color. As the hat section dries, apply spray paint to the opposite end to create the legs.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Cover Hat + Legs

Before the torso area can be painted, you'll need to protect the hat and legs from overspray. Do this by wrapping the painted areas with newspaper, then securing the paper around the form using painter's tape. Next, apply spray paint to the taped-off section designated as the torso.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Cover Torso + Hat

With the hat section still masked by newspaper, mask the face section by protecting the torso section with newspaper and painter's tape (once the torso has dried). Apply spray paint to the taped-off section designated as the face.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Use Templates

Print the face template and the chest template, then use a utility knife to cute out the shapes from both.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Trace Shapes

Hold the face shapes up to their intended spot, then trace them using a marker. Repeat this step for the chest.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Add Acrylic Paint

Once all shapes have been traced with a marker, fill in accordingly using acrylic craft paint and a detail brush. Repeat this step for the chest.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Add Stakes

Add wood landscape stakes to the ground where the concrete tube form(s) will sit.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Place Form Over Stakes

With the stakes secure in the ground, slip the concrete form nutcracker over them until it's securely in place.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Standing Guard

Create two sonotube nutcrackers, allowing them to guard your holiday entryway all season long.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

DIY Giant Nutcrackers

Related To:

Shop This Look

Larger Than Life

Tools + Materials

Mark Each Section

Spray-Paint Hat

Spray-Paint Legs

Cover Hat + Legs

Cover Torso + Hat

Use Templates

Trace Shapes

Add Acrylic Paint

Add Stakes

Place Form Over Stakes

Standing Guard

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