How to Make Bent Willow Furniture

Gather several long, straight willow branches of various diameter. These branches should be taken from live trees and cut the day you plan to make the table. Remove the smaller shoots and leaves from the branches as cleanly as possible, leaving only small nubs.

Choose four straight, evenly-sized large branches for the table legs and cut to the height you want the table. Cut four additional pieces for the cross members, and bevel the ends of the cross member pieces with a whittling knife.

Cut and trim four more pieces of willow to make the frame for the bottom shelf. Use an electric drill and bit and carefully drill holes into the ends of the four frame pieces. Place the pieces together to make a square and use short, galvanized wood screws to secure the corners together. Fill in shelf with additional branches and willow twigs.

Build the top of the table the same way as the lower shelf and bore holes into the frame so the branches can be secured inside the square with screws.

Position the bottom shelf at the desired height against the table legs. Attach each leg to the outside corners of the bottom shelf. Bore holes through each leg into the shelf and secure with screws.

Attach the table top to the legs in the same way, then add the cross member pieces. Place the cross sections so they extend across each side, near the bottom of each leg and screw them to the legs. The more cross sections that are used, the sturdier the table will be.

Decorate the table with pieces of tree branches. Bend the green branches into decorative shapes and secure to the furniture with screws.

Finish the bent willow twig furniture with a good quality waterproofing finish. Reapply waterproofing each year to the twig furniture as needed to protect the wood.