How to Make an EMT Conduit Christmas Tree and Ornaments

How to Make an EMT Conduit Christmas Tree & Ornaments

Credit: gardenandhome.co.za

Decorating the Christmas tree with the family is one of our favorite holiday traditions, but recently we have decided to take a more eco-friendly approach to Christmas decorating by avoiding cutting down a beautiful big evergreen to have in our home. Instead, we chose to craft our own Christmas tree using EMT conduit and Maker Pipe structural pipe connectors.

It was a simple build that needed only a few tools and could be enjoyed by the whole family. We even decided to create our own pipe-themed Christmas ornaments to go with our tree. So that you can also enjoy a crafty Christmas, here are our step-by-step instructions on how to make an EMT conduit Christmas tree and matching tree ornaments.

How to Make an EMT Conduit Christmas Tree

Our family loves a giant Christmas tree, so these instructions are for an 8-foot tree. However, if you are short on space,you can customize the lengths of conduit to suit your home.

We also covered ours in festive green shrink wrap to make it look more tree-like, but you can leave your EMT conduit bare for an equally impressive look. You can have the EMT conduit precut at your local hardware store, or measure and cut the pipe yourself with a pipe cutter.

Materials

For the Base:

• 4x 15-inch lengths of EMT conduit
• 1x 4-way structural pipe connector
• End plugs

For the Tree:

• 1x 8-foot length of EMT conduit
• 4x 30-inch lengths EMT conduit
• 4x 28-inch lengths EMT conduit
• 4x 26-inch lengths EMT conduit
• 4x 24-inch lengths EMT conduit
• 4x 22-inch lengths EMT conduit
• 4x 20-inch lengths EMT conduit
• 4x 18-inch lengths EMT conduit
• 4x 16-inch lengths EMT conduit
• 4x 14-inch lengths EMT conduit
• 4x 12-inch lengths EMT conduit
• 4x 10-inch lengths EMT conduit
• 4x 8-inch lengths EMT conduit
• 4x 6-inch lengths EMT conduit
• 26x 90-degree structural pipe connectors
• Green shrinkwrap
• End plugs 

Instructions

1. If you are using shrinkwrap, apply the shrinkwrap with a heat gun before assembling the tree.
    
2. To assemble the base, position the 4 lengths of conduit in the 4-way structural pipe fitting and secure using the hardware provided and a 5 mm hex wrench (Allen key).
   
   
3. To build the tree, begin by assembling all of the “branches.” On each of the 90-degree structural pipe fittings, place two equal lengths of conduit and fasten using the hardware provided. For example, place two of the 30-inch lengths on one of the connectors, then the remaining two on another connector, and repeat with the remaining lengths of conduit.
   
   
4. Starting with the 30-inch set of “branches,” position the connector 4 inches above the bottom of the 8-foot length of conduit and secure. Place the second 30-inch set of branches on top of the first but twist the connector so that the branches face the opposite direction forming a horizontal cross shape. 
   
   
5. Take the 28-inch set of “branches” and position them 4-inches above the 30-inch “branches,” twisting them so that they sit diagonally opposite. Secure them in place. Repeat with the second set of 28-inch branches.
   
   
6. Continue to add the consecutively smaller sets of branches to the tree 4 inches apart from the previous set and facing the diagonally opposite direction to give the impression of branches spiraling around the tree. 
   
   
7. After you have assembled the trunk of the tree, attach the trunk to the base and add end plugs into the open ends of the EMT conduit. 

How to Make Maker Pipe Christmas Tree Ornaments

Tree ornaments made from EMT conduit and structural pipe fittings are the finishing touch we needed for our pipe Christmas tree.

Star Ornament

All you need to make a cute star ornament for your EMT conduit tree is a 4-way structural pipe fitting, end plugs, ribbon, metal primer, and gold spray paint. Choose a spray paint that is specifically formulated for metal surfaces to avoid the paint flaking off. 

Rough up the surface of the connector and wipe dry with a damp cloth. Add the end plugs to open ends of the connector and add a thin layer of primer. After the primer is dry, apply the gold spray paint in an even layer. You may want to add a second coat for added sparkle. Thread a festive ribbon through the center of the connector, and your star ornament is ready to hang. 

Credit: ashbeedesign.com

Snowman Ornament

For a sweet snowman to add to your tree, you will need EMT conduit,white shrinkwrap, ribbon, a hot glue gun, and a pipe cutter. 

Cut ½-inch pieces of conduit and apply the white shrinkwrap using a heat gun. Glue the pieces one on top of the other using hot glue. Once dry, tie a piece of ribbon between the top and middle piece for a scarf and another piece through the top piece to hang the “snowman” on your tree.

The Wrap Up

Christmas DIY projects with EMT conduit and structural pipe fittings from Maker Pipe are a great way to create new holiday traditions and connect with your family. 

To find out more about our range of structural pipe fittings, or for more inspiration for your DIY projects, contact Maker Pipe on (843)-245-9747 to speak with our friendly staff.