How to Make Wood Candle Holders from Old Finials

Learn how to repurpose those neglected finials into beautiful wood candle holders that will add warmth and character to any room in your home.

Ray and I had a weekend in Temecula a few weeks ago and went antique shopping in old town.  I ran across these beautiful candle sticks and immediately knew what to create for our next thrift store post!

 Many years ago I found these old finials at a thrift store and sprayed them with spray paint.  I’ve been wanting to turn them into something else for a few years now but couldn’t come up with anything, until now.  Thank goodness I didn’t drop them off at good will, last week!

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Materials you’ll need:

Old finials thrift stores are a great place to look for them
Sandpaper
Saw 
Wood base, either circle or square you can find them at Home Depot or amazon sells them here.
I used the old lids of a candle holder
Strong Adhesive I used gorilla glue

If you are painting this is what I used

Retique It Liquid Wood- Light
Retiuqe It Gel Stain -Pecan
Sponge
 Angular Trim Paint Brush

 

Directions

Depending on how your finial is shaped you may need to cut off the top of the finial.  Since these were metal we used a grinder to cut.  If it’s wood you could simply use a hand saw.

Begin by giving them a good cleaning to remove any dirt or debris. If they have rough edges, lightly sand them to create a smooth surface for the wood base to adhere to. 

Depending on the look you are after, you may want to paint or stain the finial to match your decor.
 I used the same method as my nightstands using the Retique IT products. The only difference is I used 1 coat of tan spray paint and 1 coat of Retique IT.  Since I am going to be painting a large table soon I wanted to make sure I had enough of the product for the table.

To my surprise, the finial had a large metal screw down the middle, which made it easy for me to take apart and paint. 

I applied 1 coat of the Retique It liquid wood to the entire surface using a paintbrush.  If you did not spray paint it first, you will most likely need 2 coats. Your brush strokes should go in the direction you want the grain to go.  Allow each coat to dry completely.  Drying time will depend on the weather and humidity, I found it to be completely dry within 30 minutes but it can take up to 2 hours. 

Apply Retique It Gel Stain

Once the base coat is dry, apply the gel stain. You can wipe, brush, or use a sponge to apply.  You want long even strokes. You can allow it to set in if you are happy with how it looks or you can wipe off any excess.
Keep adding as many coats until you get your desired color, allowing for it to dry in between coats which can take up to an hour.  I used 1 coat of gel stain.

 Attach the wood base:

Apply a generous amount of adhesive to the bottom of each base, then firmly press them onto the top of the finials. Be sure to center them to ensure stability. Allow the adhesive to dry completely according to the manufacturer’s instructions before moving on to the next step.

 

Once your candlestick holder is dry, add your favorite pillar candles, tealight candle, or plants. Whether you are setting the mood for a cozy dinner party or creating a little vignette these are the perfect way to add a little charm to your decor.

Other items you can use to make wooden candle holders

I love how every finial is so different and they all come in different shapes!

Legs of a coffee table
Chair leg
Old spindles from a bed

I added the faux Ikea plants on top and I just wasn’t feeling it.

Repurposing old finials into candle holders is a fun and creative way to breathe new life into forgotten treasures. Let’s see what all the ladies made over this month!

Thank you so much for stopping in today, wishing you a beautiful week ahead!