If you are looking for the perfect gift for your children, nephews or grandchildren, do not miss this video tutorial on how to make a wooden elephant rocker. In addition, you will learn how to protect and decorate wood with ecological and harmless products for the health of your children.
Wooden toys add a special charm to any children’s room. If they are also handmade, they will become the favorite toys of the little ones in the house because they are unique and different from the rest.
On the other hand, a seesaw is ideal for children between 1 and 3 years old as it helps them develop motor skills and balance while they have a great time swinging.
With this video tutorial you will learn how to build a wooden swing in the shape of an elephant, as well as how to protect and decorate the wood with an ecological lasur such as CEDRIA Nature. This lasur is the most ecological on the market and has no harmful effects or poses a risk to the health of our children.
How to make a wooden seesaw
to build this wooden seesaw You will need the following tools and materials:
- 200 cm x 50 cm wooden board and a rod 18 cm long and 18 mm in diameter
- keyhole saw
- sander
- Driver drill
- carpenter’s glue
- Angle brackets and wood screws
On the other hand, to give it the shape of an elephant, the following template has been followed that you can download to print in real size from this link:
You can see the step by step in more detail in the video tutorial, but it is summarized in:
- Trace the pieces on the wooden board.
- Cut them with the jigsaw.
- Drill the body and ears with an 18 mm spade bit to be able to insert the rod.
- Sand both sides of the piece, as well as the edges.
- Protect and decorate the wood with lasur.
- Trace the eyes on adhesive vinyl and stick them.
- Glue the pieces and reinforce the joints with angle brackets.
How to paint wooden toys
at the time of paint wooden toys we need a product that protects and provides color to this material, but is also safe for children. In this sense, CEDRIA NATURE is a water-based stain formulated with renewable natural components of plant origin not derived from petroleum. In addition, it meets the ecological criteria of the European Union (Ecolabel label) and is free of VOC emissions (Volatile Organic Compounds or Volatile Organic Compounds).
VOCs are chemicals potentially harmful to health that are released in the form of vapors when certain solvents, paints, cleaning products, etc. are used. Their reduction or elimination contributes to better air quality and to creating a healthier habitat, reducing the risk of diseases related to the inhalation of these components that are harmful to health. In fact, the CEDRIA Nature range has the A+ air quality certification.
On the other hand, being a lasur protects wood both indoors and outdoors since its open pore structure allows a correct balance of its interior humidity. In this way, it respects the contractions and expansions typical of this material and prevents the finish from cracking or cracking over time. Also, being translucent, it highlights the grain of the wood, but without totally hiding it. In this way, toys can be decorated but without losing the charm of wood.
The lasur must be applied on wood without painting or varnishing and free of dust and dirt. It is advisable to sand previously with a medium grain sandpaper to open the pore and apply it with a brush to facilitate the penetration of the product, although it can also be done with a roller or spray gun.
Specifically, to protect and decorate this wooden rocker in the shape of an elephant, the following steps have been followed:
- apply lasur CEDRIA Nature white color on ears, hooves, saddle, crossbars and rocker legs. It must be taken into account that two coats of lasur from the CEDRIA NATURE range must be applied, although I have applied a third to intensify the white tone of the wood. On the other hand, the drying time between layers is one hour.
- Apply a layer of silver gray CEDRIA Lasur Pacífico on the body of the elephant. The range of lasures CEDRIA Pacific They have the particularity that it is only necessary to apply a single layer to protect and decorate the wood.
- Assemble the rocker arm once the parts have dried and apply a layer of CEDRIA Nature colorless satin. In this way, sun protection against UV rays is intensified.
After all these steps, the seesaw will be finished and ready for the little ones in the house to share many hours of laughter and games with this little elephant. Furthermore, with the peace of mind that a ecological and harmless lasur for your health.
With the lasur it will be protected and decorated, but without losing the elegance of the wood by revealing its grain.
In addition, as it is a protection for indoors and outdoors, it will be a toy that you can enjoy both in your room, as well as on a terrace or garden.
What did you think of this DIY project on how to make a wooden elephant rocker? If you liked it and you are a handyman, you can also see these other toy ideas that you can make for your little ones. In addition, you will find more guides and inspiration for your home
