How to Cut Place Card Holders from Branches
Add a bit of rustic nature to any tablescape with this simple tutorial on how to cut place card holders from tree branches. If you have a pile of wood lying around as I did, even better!
Step #1 Pick Your Wood By It’s Thickness
The very first step to making place card holders from branches is you need to take is to actually get yourself a few tree branches. I had a pile laying around from when I trimmed my willow tree earlier last spring. I intended to burn it all, but this works too.
Maybe you have a pile of wood or a tree that needs to be trimmed? Get to work! At the very least you could probably ask in a local Facebook Group for some tree branches.
Wherever you’re getting it from you need to decide on the thickness you want. I chose a piece on the thicker side. This is about 2″ thick in diameter.
Step #2 Decide the Height & Number of Pieces
The height and number of pieces will determine how long of a branch you need to use, or how many branches you will need. Or you could let the number of place card holders dictate this. For example, you need 6 place card holders and you have a branch that’s 2 feet long. Therefore, you would get roughly 4″ pieces.
I chose 3″ pieces. I didn’t use any logic when deciding this, it just looked about the right height. But I did choose to make a few taller ones. I had considered making them into candlesticks (still may do this), but I chose to make them just taller versions. These would coincidentally also make great menu holders for the center of the table!
Step #3 Making Your Initial Cuts
Whatever saw you have on hand or have available to you will work. But the easiest one to use by far, in my opinion, is the miter saw. This was the one I chose to use, but you could use a hand saw and a miter box, or even a circular saw if you feel comfortable and have a long enough branch.
The first cut you will make will be to even the bottom of the first piece. Take a slice off just to flatten it so it will sit flat on the table.
Then you will measure and mark your next cut, I chose 3″ so I measured from the bottom up and marked the 3″ mark. Lined it up with my blade and cut.
I want to caution you, tree branches are not symmetrical so be sure to have a very firm grasp on the piece and have it secured so it doesn’t move when the blade starts to go through it. Keep your hands as far away from the blade as possible as a general rule, but especially now.
I forgot to secure mine on my miter saw and had a piece fly off, which was scary and dumb. Learn from my mistake!
In hindsight, if you had a table clamp and a hand saw this would have been way simpler. But since I’m working without a workshop, I made what I had work. You can, too. Just keep safety at the forefront.
Step #4 Create The Top Cut Card Groove
Now comes the tricky part. I sat there contemplating how I was supposed to get a clean cut wide enough to stick a card in it at the top of this 3″ piece of wood. And all without chopping my fingers off. At first, I tried using a handsaw, though admittedly without the miter box which would have actually worked. Without the miter box, it most definitely did not work.
Back to the drawing board. How can I cut the top of this small piece of wood without chopping my fingers off?! I thought about all the different saw options I had, but no options seemed like good options. Jigsaw? No. Circular saw? Definitely not. Table saw? Hmmm. I sat for a moment thinking about how in the world I would do that safely and not cut the entire piece in half.
Ultimately I decided to create arms to hold this 3″ piece of wood upright on my miter saw. So, I put a scrap piece of wood behind it and a scrap piece of wood in front of it. I squeezed it firmly at the very end as if it was a pair of chopsticks. Heh, get it? Chop Sticks? Pun 100% intended.
So, firmly grasping the very end of the board gave it stability, kept it in place, and also ensured my hands were nowhere near the wood if it became unlodged.
Step #5 Cutting the Groove Evenly And Deep Enough To Hold A Card
The first one I cut I noticed I was not getting the groove evenly on both ends. One end was more shallow than the other. So, I went back and discovered if I moved the blade back and forth through the whole top it created an even groove. Maintain the same depth if you can while you move it back and forth, otherwise, you will end up with a slope.
There was also the issue of making sure I made it deep enough that a 4″ tall card would sit upright. Therefore, I needed to make my cuts at least 1/2″ deep. Though some lean closer to 3/4″ because I was not sitting there measuring each one, I eyeballed it admittedly.
It really is as simple as that. Unless your wood is dirty and you feel the need to brush it off. Mine really wasn’t bad as far as dirt and it was quite nicely dried, but not brittle.
Free Poetry Cards & Menus
If you really like this project and would love to have those poetry cards go ahead and visit this post and download them for free! But I’m going to offer you yet another option with some free menus!
These two different options fit on a single 8.5″x11″ piece of paper. Simply print and cut in half to have either option, 4.25″x5.5″. And if you choose to make a taller wooden place card holder, then you have the perfect menu holder for your table center!
How to Cut Place Card Holders From Tree Branches
If you would love to add a rustic nature element to a tablescape this is the tutorial for you!
Materials
- Tree Branches
- Ribbon *Optional
- Place Cards or Menus (Free to download)
- 80 lb Cardstock
Tools
- Miter Saw
- Two Supporting Pieces of Wood to Brace or
- Hand Saw
- Miter Box
- Vice Grip
Instructions
STEP #1 PICK YOUR WOOD BY ITS THICKNESS
- Get yourself a few tree branches.
- Decide on the thickness you want. I chose a piece on the thicker side. It was about 2" thick in diameter.
STEP #2 DECIDE THE HEIGHT & NUMBER OF PIECES
- The height and number of pieces will determine how long of a branch you need to use, or how many branches you will need. Or you could let the number of place card holders dictate this. For example, you need 6 place card holders and you have a branch that's 2 feet long. Therefore, you would get roughly 4" pieces.
- I chose 3" pieces. I didn't use any logic when deciding this, it just looked about the right height. But I did choose to make a few taller ones. I had considered making them into candlesticks (still may do this), but I chose to make them just taller versions. These would coincidentally also make great menu holders for the center of the table!
STEP #3 MAKING YOUR INITIAL CUTS
- The best saw to use in this project is a miter saw. I wouldn't recommend any other powered saw to do this project for safety reasons.
- The first cut you will make will be to even the bottom of the first piece. Take a slice off just to flatten it so it will sit flat on the table.
- Then you will measure and mark your next cut, I chose 3" so I measured from the bottom up and marked the 3" mark. Lined it up with my blade and cut.
STEP #4 CREATE THE TOP CUT CARD GROOVE
- Now comes the tricky part. At first, I tried using a handsaw, though admittedly without the miter box which would have actually worked. Without the miter box, it most definitely did not work.
- If you have the use of a table vice grip this would be the easiest and safest option.
- I chose to put the piece of wood upright on my miter saw. And I put a scrap piece of wood behind it and a scrap piece of wood in front of it. I squeezed it firmly at the very end as if it was a pair of chopsticks.
- Firmly grasping the very end of the board to give it stability, kept it in place, and also ensured my hands were nowhere near the wood if it became unlodged.
STEP #5 CUTTING THE GROOVE EVENLY AND DEEP ENOUGH TO HOLD A CARD
- Move the blade back and forth through the whole top to create an even groove. Maintain the same depth if you can while you move it back and forth, otherwise, you will end up with a slope.
- Make sure to cut it deep enough that a card will sit upright. Make your cuts at least ½" deep.
Notes
Disclaimer: I want to caution you, tree branches are not symmetrical so be sure to have a very firm grasp on the piece and have it secured so it doesn't move when the blade starts to go through it. Keep your hands as far away from the blade as possible as a general rule, but especially now.
I forgot to secure mine on my miter saw and had a piece fly off, which was scary and dumb. Learn from my mistake!
In hindsight, if you had a table clamp and a hand saw this would have been way simpler. But since I'm working without a workshop, I made what I had work. You can, too. Just keep safety at the forefront.
If you do not feel comfortable doing what I did, don't. I am simply telling you how I did it.
Questions & Answers
How Do You Make Place Cards Stand Up?
The best way to make a place card stand upright is to have a place card holder of some sort. But there are other ways to ensure your place card stands up.
If you are using card stock it would work to secure both the front and the back from the inside of the card in some way. Perhaps a ribbon could be used with double-sided tape. Or you could punch a hole through it on both sides, string it through, and tie a knot it at both ends
The easiest way to ensure your pace cards are standing upright is to use a product that is more rigid. If that option isn’t available, I would definitely recommend a DIY Place Card Holder like the Place Card Holders from Tree Branches I taught in this tutorial.
But if you decide you would rather not DIY them there are options similar to these on amazon here.
How Do You Cut Place Cards?
You can cut place cards out by hand with a sharp pair of scissors if you are very steady. But my preferred way of cutting out place cards is with a paper cutter guillotine trimmer, like this one from Swingline. I can measure each one out so that it comes out precisely the right size and know each cut I make is going to be symmetrical and clean. This is the single best way to cut out place cards, especially if you’re cutting a large quantity.
What Kind of Paper Do You Use For Place Cards?
My paper of choice for uses such as this is always card stock. I would not use anything thicker than 80 lb if you are printing in a traditional home printer, the paper could easily get stuck.
Why do I choose card stock? You will have much fewer problems with it standing upright with a thick paper choice. There will be no flopping.
These are super cute! I love this idea.
Thank you! I really like how they turned out as well.
These are so cute!!! I love the floral menus
Thank you!