🔧 How to Build Your DIY Kit

Your complete guide to creating stunning tee art — grab a cuppa and let's get building!

Estimated Build Time

A 50×50 tee board (2,500 tees) typically takes 4-8 hours to complete. Many people enjoy spreading this out over a weekend or several evenings — it's a brilliant project to do solo or with friends and family! Put on some music, a podcast, or even a film in the background and enjoy the process.

📦 What's In Your Kit

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Pre-drilled MDF board – A perfect square with 50×50 holes ready for your tees
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Bamboo golf tees – Sorted and bagged by colour with numbered labels
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Printed blueprint – Your numbered guide showing where each colour goes

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Colour key – Reference chart matching numbers to tee colours
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Spare tees – Extras of each colour (you'll see why below!)
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Frame hanging clips – Ready to mount your masterpiece

🌿 A Note About Natural Materials

Your kit is made from natural bamboo and real wood — that's part of what makes it special! But it also means every tee is unique. Here's what to expect:

Tees vary slightly in thickness — The paint colours can add different amounts of thickness too, so some tees will feel snugger than others. This is completely normal!
Some tees might be a bit loose, others a bit tight — The drilled holes and natural wood both have tiny variations. Don't worry — the vast majority will fit just right.
You might spot the odd wonky one — Occasionally a tee might have a slight deformity on the top, be a bit shorter, or look a bit rough. Feel free to pop these aside and use a spare instead.

🎯 That's why we include spare tees! If any tee feels too tight or too loose, just set it aside and grab another. Most tees will slot in perfectly — we promise!

🎯 Before You Start

1
Find a good workspace – Choose a flat, stable surface with good lighting. A table or desk works perfectly. Bonus points if you can leave it set up between sessions!
2
Organise your tees – Lay out all your colour bags where you can easily reach them. Keep the numbered labels visible — it makes life so much easier!
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Keep the blueprint handy – Position it where you can easily reference it while working on the board.
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Check your orientation – Since your board is a perfect square, it can be rotated any way! Make sure you know which way is "up" on both the board and blueprint before you place your first tee.

📋 Step-by-Step Instructions

Understand the Blueprint

Your blueprint is a grid showing your image as numbered circles. Each number corresponds to a specific tee colour listed in your colour key. Think of it like a paint-by-numbers, but with tees!

The blueprint shows rows (horizontal) and columns (vertical)
Row 1 is at the top of your image
Column 1 is on the left side
Your board is a perfect 50×50 square — so double-check your orientation before you start. Once you've placed a few rows, it's easier to stay on track!

Position Your Board

Lay your board flat on your work surface. Decide which corner will be your starting point — we recommend starting from the top-left corner (Row 1, Column 1).

💡 Pro Tip: Some people prefer to work upside down (starting from the bottom) so they can see the image emerge as they work. Choose whatever feels natural — there's no wrong way!

Work Row by Row

We strongly recommend completing one row at a time from left to right:

Look at the first position on your blueprint
Note the number in that circle
Find the matching colour from your numbered tee bags
Push the tee firmly into the hole on your board
Move to the next position and repeat

⚠️ A word of warning: You might be tempted to place all tees of one colour at once to save time. While it's technically possible, it makes mistakes much easier to make and harder to spot. Trust us — row by row is the way to go! 🐢

Insert Tees Correctly

Push each tee pointed end first into the hole until it sits snugly. The coloured head should be facing up, ready to show off!

Most tees will fit perfectly — just push them in with gentle, firm pressure
If a tee feels too tight: Don't force it! Set it aside for now and try another. Forcing tees can damage them or the board.
If a tee feels too loose: Pop it aside and try another. You can come back to those tricky spots at the end with your spare tees.
Got a stubborn one? A small rubber-ended mallet can help tap tight-fitting tees into place. But be careful — tight-fitting tees are harder to remove if you make a mistake, so double-check the position first!
Need to remove a tee? Pull directly upwards with a gentle wiggle. For really snug tees, a large pair of pliers can help. Be careful not to snap them!
All tees should sit at roughly the same height — if one sticks up, give it a gentle push

🌳 Remember: These are natural bamboo tees with real wood boards — small variations are part of the charm! Use your spare tees freely for any that don't quite fit right.

Check Your Progress

Every few rows, step back and look at your work from a distance. This is the fun part! It helps you:

Spot any mistakes before you've gone too far
See the image starting to take shape (this is genuinely exciting!)
Check that tees are sitting at an even height
Stay motivated by seeing your progress! 🎉

Final Touches

You're nearly there! Once all tees are in place:

Give the board a final inspection for any misplaced tees
Gently press down on any tees that stick up too high
Go back to any tricky spots and try your spare tees
Stand back and admire your masterpiece! 🎉 You did it!

💡 Tips & Troubleshooting

✅ Helpful Tips

Take breaks — Don't try to finish in one sitting. Fresh eyes help spot mistakes (and prevent sore thumbs!)
Good lighting — Work in bright, natural light to better distinguish colours. Some of them can look similar!
Use a pointer — A pencil or chopstick helps track your position on the blueprint
Keep tees organised — Close bags after use to prevent colours getting mixed up
Make it social — Get a friend or family member involved! One person can read the blueprint while the other places tees

🔧 Troubleshooting

Tee won't go in? — Try rotating it slightly, or try another tee. Remember, natural variations mean some just won't fit — that's okay!
Tee too loose? — Try another first. If you're out of spares, a tiny dab of wood glue can help secure it.
Wrong colour placed? — Pull directly upwards with a gentle wiggle (pliers help for tight ones), then replace.
Lost your place? — Count rows/columns from a known reference point. That's why row-by-row is best!
Ran out of a colour? — Get in touch and we'll send replacements. 💚

🖼️ Displaying Your Artwork

Your finished tee art is ready to hang and enjoy! Here's how to display and care for your new masterpiece:

Hanging: We've included frame hanging clips in your kit — attach these to the back of your board and you're ready to mount!
Important: When hanging, keep the board upright or tilted slightly backwards. Tilting forward can cause loose tees to escape from your masterpiece! 😱
Location: Display away from direct sunlight to prevent colour fading over time.
Cleaning: Gently dust with a soft brush or compressed air. Avoid water or liquid cleaners.
Handling: Carry from the edges to avoid dislodging tees.

📸 Share Your Creation!

We'd absolutely love to see your finished artwork! Tag us on social media or send us a photo — your creation might be featured on our website! Nothing makes us happier than seeing your tee art come to life. 🥰