Castle Doorstop

‘An Englishman’s home is his castle’ – or at least the doorstop is.

1. Choose a selection of different woods, in a variety of thicknesses, to build up a solid block. Take into consideration the order to look aesthetically pleasing. The wood must be prepared so the surfaces are flat and will meet tightly. Cut all pieces to a uniform size of 200 x 70mm, then glue and clamp together using PVA glue

2. Clean up the solid wooden block to remove any excess glue and smooth the sides on a disk sander. Draw, cut out and overlay a paper template of the castle onto one side and draw around it with a pencil to mark where to cut

3. The majority of the design can be cut out on a bandsaw. A fretsaw is suitable to get into tight angles but consider the thickness of the block, which will be tough to cut. Chisels are perhaps the most preferable tools for carving out the turrets

4. Sand all details with abrasive paper for a smooth and clean look. Most importantly, smooth the outside edges so there are no dangerous sharp edges. Work first with a coarse abrasive paper and then finish off with a fine grade. Abrasive paper wrapped around a block will help keep the shape neat

5. Tape a paper template onto the doorstop to use as a stencil for painting in the windows. With a natural fibre brush paint over the window spaces with gouache paint. It is applied in the same manner as standard watercolour paints, however it is more transparent, so the wood grain will still be visible through the colour. Once dry, do the other side so the exact same image may be viewed from both sides

6. There is a high chance that over time it will become scuffed by feet walking past, so it is better to use a tough finish that won’t chip off easily. My doorstop was finished in Osmo Oil that could be easily applied with a brush, then rubbed into the grain with a cloth. Several coats may be required to produce a desirable appearance