If a Christmas nativity scene is part of your holiday decor, this DIY wooden manger is a project that is easy, quick, and will add a rustic touch to your existing nativity figures.  Best of all, you can build it with wood scraps!

If a Christmas nativity scene is part of you holiday decor, this DIY wooden manger is a project that is easy, quick, and will add a rustic touch to your existing nativity. Grab your scrap wood and click for a free step by step tutorial.

 I’ve had this nativity for  years and I’ve always displayed it without a stable. Every year I tell myself I need to buy a stable but I’d shop and didn’t love the prices. The same thing would happen the next year.

This year, rather than shop, I decided to grab my scraps and come up with a DIY wooden manger design that would complement my cute wooden nativity scene. I’m pretty happy with the way it turned out, and even happier that I spent ZERO dollars.

DIY Wooden Manger

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    Materials Needed

  • Scrap Wood boards that  are 1″ thick or less. I used 1×3’s, 1×4’s and a craft board piece for the base.
  • Miter Saw
  • Wood Glue
  • Nail Gun
  • Finish of Choice – I used this stain

 


DIY Woden Manger- Tutorial

Step 1- 

I used 1×3’s for this piece and attached with wood glue and brad nails. My battery operated nail gun made it quick and easy!

Make sure the height of the vertical pieces are an inch or two taller than the tallest figure in your nativity. In mine, Joseph is 5″ tall.

If a Christmas nativity scene is part of you holiday decor, this DIY wooden manger is a project that is easy, quick, and will add a rustic touch to your existing nativity. Grab your scrap wood and click for a free step by step tutorial.

 

Step 2-

After the main frame was made, I attached it to a 6″ wide piece of craft board I had on hand. I trimmed it to 12″ and attached it with wood glue and shot nails from the bottom and into the 1×3″.

If a Christmas nativity scene is part of you holiday decor, this DIY wooden manger is a project that is easy, quick, and will add a rustic touch to your existing nativity. Grab your scrap wood and click for a free step by step tutorial.

 

Step 3-

For the A-frame, I cut two 1×4′ pieces at 10″, and beveled one end  at 45 degrees using my miter sawJoin the angled ends with  glue and brad nails. Make sure you shoot in short nails so they don’t come out the other side.

If you’re not a fan of angled cuts, check out my other tutorial for a nativity stable without angles.

If a Christmas nativity scene is part of you holiday decor, this DIY wooden manger is a project that is easy, quick, and will add a rustic touch to your existing nativity. Grab your scrap wood and click for a free step by step tutorial.

 

TIP to get the angles right the first time: Stack the two 1×4’s and cut the beveled angle on both of them at the same time. Then stack them again with the pointy angled ends facing each other, mark the desired length and cut to size.

Step 4-

Set the A frame on the main piece and measure the distance for your small angled pieces. For me, the two pieces were 2.5″.

If a Christmas nativity scene is part of you holiday decor, this DIY wooden manger is a project that is easy, quick, and will add a rustic touch to your existing nativity. Grab your scrap wood and click for a free step by step tutorial.

 

Again, cut the 45 degree angles first, then cut the other end of the boards for length (see step 5). Stacking the two boards and cutting the angles at the same time will make it quicker!

Step 5-

Once your two pieces are cut, mark the placements before you attach. Just set them in place, with the frame on top, make sure all looks square and straight, then mark with a pencil.

If a Christmas nativity scene is part of you holiday decor, this DIY wooden manger is a project that is easy, quick, and will add a rustic touch to your existing nativity.

 

Step 6-

Glue the two pieces on your marks and secure with brad nails.

If a Christmas nativity scene is part of you holiday decor, this DIY wooden manger is a project that is easy, quick, and will add a rustic touch to your existing nativity.

 

Step 7-

Now you’re ready to place the A frame. Use glue and brad nails to keep it in place. And you’re done!!

If a Christmas nativity scene is part of you holiday decor, this DIY wooden manger is a project that is easy, quick, and will add a rustic touch to your existing nativity.

 

Now it’s just a matter of finishing it to your liking! I opted to stain it with  dark stain to add contrast. I sanded the edges and made sure everything was smooth before I applied the stain.

Here are some photos of the finished project!

If a Christmas nativity scene is part of your holiday decor, this DIY wooden manger is a project that is easy, quick, and will add a rustic touch to your existing nativity.  Best of all, you can build it with wood scraps!

 

If a Christmas nativity scene is part of your holiday decor, this DIY wooden manger is a project that is easy, quick, and will add a rustic touch to your existing nativity.  Best of all, you can build it with wood scraps!If you like this tutorial, be sure to subscribe to my email list for free access to my resource library.

And be sure to pin this and share!

If a Christmas nativity scene is part of your holiday decor, this DIY wooden manger is a project that is easy, quick, and will add a rustic touch to your existing nativity.  Best of all, you can build it with wood scraps!

 

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Janice| Sawdust Sisters

Novice woodworker and serial Popcorn eater, Janice Thomas writes detailed tutorials that motivate others to "dare to try". Originally from Puerto Rico, Janice is fluent in Spanish and dreams of owning a beach house on the island someday! Janice currently lives in Utah with her husband and children, where she works as a university professor.

This Post Has 9 Comments

  1. Beverly Hayes

    Love it. Great job, sis! How do you have time to do it all?

  2. Kat

    This is so cute and simple. Thanks for sharing!

  3. Donna Houghtelling

    Found a Nativity set at an estate sale. Thought it needed this and it is just perfect. Mine needed to be taller, but that is all I changed. Thanks for the idea!

  4. Charles

    Hey man, Iam absolutely liking articles on your site. They are organized clearly, easy to read and memorize, regardless of English being my third language. All the best.

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