Wagon Wheel Ceiling Decor

4 Materials
5 Hours
Easy
We were contacted by homeowners in search of a farmhouse living room redesign. We had so much fun finding charming lighting, cozy furniture, and unique and rustic decor to round out the space. The only thing was, their living room didn't have any overhead lighting and it wasn't in their budget to get an electrician to add any. It was this giant white space that needed something! We could have done a number of things, but as soon as I came across pictures of people using old wagon wheels on their walls as decor, I pictured somehow putting them on this ceiling. But one wouldn't be enough to fill the space. I wanted a conversation piece, but something that wouldn't break the bank. So, I sourced 3 different sized wagon wheels, cleaned them up, suspended‎ them from the ceiling with chain found at our local hardware store, and had a unique ceiling fixture that will delight our clients for years to come.
This giant blank ceiling was screaming for attention!


SUPPLIES:


Wagon Wheels


Wire Brush


Clear Coat Spray Paint


3 heavy duty hooks


Chain


Quick Links


Bull Cutters
STEP 1: Find wagon wheels


We just got back from shopping The World's Longest Yard Sale and found wagon wheels at almost every stop! They're also easy to find on Craigslist, Ebay, or Etsy. We wanted ones that were different sizes to achieve visual interest.
STEP 2: Clean wheels


Scrub these babies down! You'll want to make sure you remove any loose rust, dirt, or other debris. We love the rustic look, but didn't want anything falling from the ceiling onto our client's coffee table.
STEP 3: Add a finish


Just to give them a cleaner look, we sprayed the clean wheels with a Satin Finish Spray.
STEP 4: Plan your chain lengths


This is the most important step and the one that takes the longest to figure out. We knew we wanted them to all be at different heights, so we had to count chain links for each wheel to be suspended from so they would rest at different heights. Cutting the chain with bull cutters was super easy.
STEP 5: Spray paint your chains


I couldn't find black chain at our Home Depot so I primed and spray painted mine rubbed oil bronze. This kept it in line with the rest of the living room design. Quick links would help us avoid drilling holes in the wheels to attach the chain. We simply would wrap the wheels in the chain and connect the chain to itself with the quick links.
STEP 6: Attach chains to the wheels


Figure out the best way to get the chain on your wheels. We decided just wrapping the wheels with the chain would lend to the cozy rustic look we were trying to achieve.
STEP 7: Hang your hook


Find a stud! Make sure the hook you find is rated for heavy weight. Drill a pilot hole and then secure the hook to the ceiling.
STEP 8: Add your wagon wheels


Start hanging! Once the first one was up it helped us determine where the second one would go. We also were able to adjust the height a little bit.
STEP 9: Make sure to hang them from studs


Continue to make sure you're installing into a stud. We moved the chain around on the actual wheel to make sure they hung level.
Take a step back and enjoy! Easy, cheap, rustic, and fun!
This was a quick project with ultimate impact.
Suggested materials:
  • Chain   (Home Depot)
  • Quick Links   (Home Depoit)
  • Spray Paint   (Home Depot)
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2 of 37 comments
  • Joanie Joanie on Jun 09, 2019

    I seen these wagon wheels before and I still have to tell you I really like the look. You just need a seat or buggy for your living room.....or two horses.   You aren't a Dutchmen are you? Great job

  • Sylvia Laura Ranyak Sylvia Laura Ranyak on May 05, 2021

    Great idea! Place in a room of your choice, mine would be the kitchen, so I can hang pots & pans or hang herbs to dry, so many choices.

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