She Cut a 4×4 Into These Shapes for Her Fall Decor
One 4×4 cut into three different lengths became the starting point for a set of fall decorations that keep the square profile of construction lumber. Orange paint, exposed wood patterns, scrap stems, and green twine turn the plain blocks into pumpkins without cutting a single curved pumpkin shape.
Homedit DIY creator Emily Burmeister made the three pieces 12, 10, and 8 inches tall. Instead of giving each block the same finish, she used round stickers and painter’s tape to create three patterns before covering the wood with orange paint.
Once the tape and stickers came off, bare wood appeared beneath the orange. Small pieces of scrap wood added to the tops provide the final clue, transforming the tall rectangular blocks into a set of square pumpkins.
One 4×4 Became Three Different Heights
Emily started with a 4×4 and cut three sections measuring 12, 10, and 8 inches tall. Keeping the pieces at different heights allows all three to remain visible when they are grouped together.
The lumber stayed rectangular rather than being cut into traditional pumpkin silhouettes. She sanded the edges enough to soften the corners while keeping the thick square shape of each block.
Stickers and Tape Created Three Different Patterns
Round stickers went across the tallest block in a scattered arrangement. Painter’s tape created diagonal stripes on the middle piece and a wide vertical band on the shortest one.
At this stage, the stickers and blue tape mark the areas that will remain bare wood. Each block uses the same material and paint color, but the different masking patterns keep the finished set from becoming three copies of the same pumpkin.
Orange Paint Covered the Exposed Surfaces
Bright orange paint went over the wood, stickers, and tape. Emily brushed with the direction of the grain and used one coat, leaving some of the wood texture visible beneath the color.
Paint also wrapped around the sides and ends, so the patterns continue beyond the front faces instead of stopping at their edges.
Peeling the Stickers Revealed Wood Polka Dots
Once the paint dried, the round stickers peeled away from the tallest block. Each one left a bare circle surrounded by orange, turning the sticker arrangement into a wood-grain polka-dot pattern.
Painter’s tape worked the same way on the other two blocks. Removing it exposed straight sections of unfinished wood beneath the painted surfaces.
Scrap Wood Became the Pumpkin Stems
Small scrap wood pieces gave the rectangular blocks their pumpkin stems. Rather than shaping detailed stems, Emily kept these pieces rough and simple before attaching one to the top of each block with hot glue.
Leaving the stems unpainted also repeats the exposed wood found in the stripes, dots, and vertical band below.
Green Twine Added Curled Vines
Green twine wrapped around each stem adds another pumpkin detail. Emily curled the twine around her fingers before arranging it near the top, creating loose coils beside the scrap wood.
Orange paint now supplies the pumpkin color, while the wood stem and green twine make the reference clear without changing the original rectangular form.
The Three Blocks Became Square Pumpkins
With the masking removed and stems attached, each piece has its own finish. One carries scattered wood dots, another has diagonal stripes, and the shortest leaves a wide vertical strip of grain exposed.
The 12-, 10-, and 8-inch heights create a staggered group, while the repeated orange paint and matching stems connect all three pieces.
One 4×4 Made the Whole Fall Display
Finished pumpkins can stand without bases because the original 4×4 gives each piece a wide, flat bottom. Grouped near a fireplace, their different heights and patterns make the set read as three separate decorations made from the same piece of lumber.
What started as three plain sections of a 4×4 now looks far removed from the stacked lumber at the beginning. Would you have recognized these as pieces of construction lumber after seeing the finished fall display?