A retired leaf rake already has the beginnings of a face: a broad fan for hair, a narrow neck, and plenty of room for a pair of oversized eyes. Add a simple backing board, a few lightweight features, and a color scheme, and it can become a cheerful garden character. An orange Pumpkintown Pumpkin and a forest-green Table Rock Hiker are two ways to give the project a local personality.
Start with a sound rake and a simple design
Choose a metal fan-style leaf rake with an intact head and securely joined tines. Set aside heads with broken points, severe corrosion, or loose joints. This is a decorating project, not a way to make failing metal sound again. A usable rake can remain a garden tool; the best candidate is a retired one whose head is still sturdy enough to display.
For a first character, use a small exterior-rated wooden backing board behind the fan. Attach the board to a sound post or other suitable support, then secure the rake head to that board. The board gives you somewhere to fasten the face without drilling the thin spring-steel tines or expecting them to carry a collection of heavy tools. Keep the first version to two eyes, a lightweight nose, a painted smile, and one removable accessory.
Project pace: lay out the character and dry-fit its parts in one work session, then allow separate time for preparation, paint, and any adhesive to cure. A surface that feels dry is not necessarily ready for assembly or outdoor exposure. The product labels set those waiting periods.
Gather the parts before buying decorations
- One intact metal leaf-rake head; remove the handle only if its existing attachment allows this without damaging the head.
- A pre-cut exterior-rated backing board and a sound mounting post or support. Size the board so it reaches behind both eyes without projecting beyond the fan.
- Exterior-rated screws, washers, and suitable metal straps or brackets for the rake and mounting support. Choose lengths that will not protrude through the back.
- Use two large washers for eyes, with smaller washers or painted wooden circles for pupils; use lightweight pieces with existing holes when possible.
- A small pre-cut wooden triangle or other lightweight piece for the nose; a real trowel or funnel is optional only if separately supported.
- Primer matched to the metal and its condition, compatible exterior topcoat, and exterior wood finish for the board and sign.
- Cleaning materials, a brush or abrasive appropriate to the surface, screwdriver, clamps, pliers, and the tools required by your chosen fasteners.
- Work gloves for handling old metal, eye protection, and any protection required by the paint or adhesive label.
- Optional fabric bow, small wooden sign, hat, or other lightweight removable decoration.
Shop for a useful shape rather than a complete matching set. Two different washers can create a better expression than two identical ones. Our Pickens Flea Market guide and Needful Things guide offer places to browse for secondhand inspiration. Specific tools and hardware will depend on what is available; inspect each piece before planning it into the character.
1. Lay out the face and plan every attachment
Place the rake flat on a protected workbench with its tines pointing upward. Slip the backing board underneath and move the eyes until the face has an expression you like. Slight differences in eye height can look playful; crowding every gap with an accessory usually makes the face harder to read. Take a photograph when the arrangement works.
Mark where the board will attach to its support and where the rake’s solid neck or crosspiece can be held by straps or brackets. Plan the face fasteners through open gaps in the rake into the wood. Each decoration should have a real attachment point, not simply balance between tines. If the intended mounting location is narrow, reduce the character’s size or choose another location before painting anything.
2. Clean, prepare, and prime the metal
Remove dirt and grease, rinse as appropriate, and let the head dry. Prepare the surface according to the coating instructions. Rust-Oleum’s primer instructions call for removing loose paint and rust and distinguish heavily rusted metal from lightly rusted, bare, or previously painted surfaces. Sound metal beneath a coating is essential; paint is not a substitute for intact tines.
Check the metal type before choosing a primer. That Rust-Oleum rusty-metal product is not for galvanized steel. The company separately lists Universal Bonding Primer for difficult surfaces, including galvanized steel. This distinction matters more than choosing a can solely because it says “metal.” If you don’t know what the old coating is, choose a different, unpainted candidate rather than casually grinding or sanding it off.
3. Paint the rake and finish the wood
Orange suits the pumpkin character; forest green gives the hiker a quieter look. Finish the backing board in a color that recedes behind the face, or make it an intentional part of the design. Coat the board’s faces and edges with a suitable exterior wood finish, following its instructions, and leave planned bonding areas prepared as required by any adhesive you intend to use.
For spray coatings, work in the ventilation and temperature conditions on the label, protect the surrounding area, and use light coats rather than flooding the narrow tines. The Rust-Oleum spray-primer directions specify multiple light coats and a particular recoat window. Follow the exact primer and topcoat you have selected; another paint’s drying schedule may differ. Add a clear coat only if the coating system specifically allows it.
4. Attach the eyes, nose, and smile
Once the finishes are ready for assembly, fasten the backing board to its support and secure the rake’s solid frame with the planned brackets or straps. Position a large washer over an open gap, then pass a screw through its hole into the backing wood. Add a smaller washer beneath the screw head if needed to retain the larger eye. Paint the pupil around the center or attach a lightweight pupil piece separately.
Fasten the wooden nose through an existing gap into the backing board, with a pilot hole appropriate to the wood and screw. Paint the smile on the visible backing board, or use a light, blunt-ended decorative piece mechanically secured at both ends. Keep wire ends and screw points out of reach. Leave the rake’s thin tines as the character’s outline, rather than bending them to create attachment points.
Use adhesive only where the chosen product suits the materials and exposure. For example, J-B Weld Original’s instructions require cleaning away paint and other contamination from the bond area, roughening it, and mixing equal parts. Its published set time is 4–6 hours, while full cure is 15–24 hours. Those times belong to that product, not every epoxy. A bond to loose paint is only as dependable as that paint’s attachment.
For this design, use mechanical fasteners for the rake, support, and heavier features. Adhesive can help with small, compatible decorations, but it doesn’t replace a planned mounting system. Do not hang a real trowel, loaded backpack, or other heavy object from flexible tines simply because it appears in the illustration.
5. Give the character its Pumpkintown personality
For the Pumpkintown Pumpkin, combine the orange fan with a simple bow, a small wooden pumpkin shape, and a short sign. “Pumpkintown Pumpkin” or “Welcome to the Garden” is enough. Tie the bow where it can be removed for cleaning or replacement, and keep it clear of the fasteners so you can inspect them.
For the Table Rock Hiker, use a green fan, a light bandana, and a small trail-themed sign. A hat works best when it’s securely attached and doesn’t block the eyes. Suggest a backpack with a flat wooden silhouette instead of a real pack full of gear; it gives the same visual cue with much less weight and fabric to maintain.
For an accurate trail sign, use “Table Rock Trail — 3.6 miles one way,” “7.2 miles out and back,” or simply “Table Rock Hiker.” The official park trail page lists the trail at 3.6 miles one way and very strenuous. A decorative sign should not be placed where visitors could mistake it for official trail directions.
If the hiker inspires a real outing, read what beginners underestimate about hiking Table Rock before making plans. For a different kind of outdoor creativity, Big Bear Chainsaw Carvings offers another local-art subject to explore.
6. Mount it where you can enjoy and maintain it
Use a sturdy support with fasteners suited to the material, and check that the finished character cannot rotate, lean, or pull free with a gentle hand check. This does not certify it for wind loads; bring a freestanding or removable decoration indoors when severe weather is expected. Keep projecting tines away from paths, play areas, and places where someone could fall against them.
A sheltered spot near a porch or garden bed makes it easier to inspect the finish and change accessories. Keep the sign and fabric from trapping water against the metal, and position the display so sprinklers do not repeatedly soak it. A large decorative hat or sign can catch the wind, so a smaller accessory is often more practical.
Keep the charm; replace the worn parts
Check the character periodically and after strong wind. Tighten loose hardware, remove brittle decorations, and repair damaged finishes using the coating manufacturer’s preparation and recoat instructions. Let wet fabric dry before reinstalling it. Expect bows, hats, and small signs to need attention sooner than the main frame.
If you like this mix of useful old objects and handmade detail, our rustic cabin decorating guide carries that approach indoors. Start with a face that reads clearly from a few steps away, then add only the details that improve it. The rake supplies much of the personality already.
