Birch poles sliced into disks and glued to plywood panels create a graphic wall mosaic. Strategically placed longer pieces can be used as hooks for bags and artwork.

Purchase crosscut birch rounds at a garden center, or have poles cut into disks at a lumberyard. Ours range in depth from 3/4 to 1 1/2 inches to give the wall some texture. To create hooks for hanging coats or bags, you will also need a few longer pieces (4 to 8 inches). The disks are applied to plywood panels; create several panels (no greater than 4 by 5 feet) rather than a single large one so that the boards don’t buckle or pull away from the wall. Before you begin, make sure the disks are dry; otherwise, the construction adhesive will not hold. Because of the weight of the panels, you will need 2 people to install them. Allow 2 to 3 days to complete the wall.

Materials

  • Sanding block and sandpaper in medium or fine grade
  • Precut birch disks or birch poles sliced into 3/4- to 1 1/2-inch disks, plus birch pieces for hooks if desired
  • Paintbrush
  • Clear matte polyurethane
  • 3/4-inch-thick plywood panels
  • Construction adhesive
  • Drill
  • Pliers
  • Screw-in hanger bolts
  • 2 1/2-inch wall screws

Steps

Step 1

Lightly sand one side of each disk. With paintbrush, apply a single coat of polyurethane to the sanded side only. Let dry.

Step 2

Lay the plywood on a flat surface. Arrange the disks, including the longer pieces for hooks, sanded side up, on the plywood. You may need to cut several disks in half to fill the edges of the panel.
   
Step 3

Remove the pieces that will be used as hooks; you will add these to the panel later.

Step 4

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With construction adhesive, secure the disks to the plywood panel, leaving off one at each corner and one midway down each of the long sides (6 spaces total), so you can drill through to the wall to mount the panel. Once the panel has been mounted, you will cover the screws with the remaining disks.

   
Step 5

Use a pencil to mark the placement of the hooks on the panel. Predrill the panel at these marks. Then predrill a hole in the base of each reserved hook piece. With the pliers, screw a hanger bolt halfway into the base of each. Then screw the piece of wood into the wall panel.
   
Step 6

To attach the panel to the wall, drill through the corners and at each space on the long sides of the panel, and screw panel into wall studs.
   
Step 7

With construction adhesive, apply the remaining 6 disks to the panel, covering the screws.

via  marthastewart