How to Make Your Own Runes: Wood, Stone and Clay
How to make runes at home: choose 24 (or 25) even pieces of wood, stone or clay, draw each Elder Futhark rune in pencil first, then burn, carve, paint or press it in, seal the set and spend time with each rune before your first reading.
In short: Wood slices from a dry branch are the easiest material: cut 24 discs about 2–3 cm across, sand them, draw the runes in pencil, then burn or carve them and seal with beeswax. For stones, use flat pebbles of similar size and paint or engrave the symbols. For clay, roll and cut tiles, press the runes in and dry or bake them. Check every shape against a rune chart before you make it permanent.
What you need to make runes
Making your own set is one of the best ways to learn the runes: you look at each shape closely, draw it several times and think about its meaning while you work. You do not need a workshop. Choose one material and gather a few tools.
Materials
Wood: a dry branch about 2–3 cm (0.8–1.2 in) thick, or ready-made wooden discs from a craft store. Birch, beech, ash, oak, maple and fruit woods are all good.
Stones: 24–25 flat, smooth pebbles of similar size, such as beach or river stones. Dark and light stones both work if you match the paint color.
Clay: air-dry clay or polymer clay, about 250–500 g (half a pound to a pound) for a full set.
Tools
A pencil and an Elder Futhark chart for reference
For wood: a fine-tooth saw, sandpaper (120, then 240 grit), and a wood-burning (pyrography) pen or a small carving knife
For stones: paint markers or acrylic paint with a fine brush, or a rotary tool with an engraving bit
For clay: a rolling pin, a round cutter or a knife, and a toothpick, skewer or clay tool
Finishing: beeswax, food-safe oil or clear varnish, and a soft cloth
A cloth bag for the finished set
Before you start, decide whether you want 24 runes or 25 with a blank one. Make one or two spare pieces in case a piece cracks or a symbol goes wrong.
Carving a rune is the best moment to learn it. The 24 Runes Guide (PDF) gives you each rune's meaning, how it shows up in daily life and a 7-day practice, so every piece you make comes with real understanding. $20.
How to make wooden runes step by step
Choose the wood. Use a fallen branch or one cut from a tree you have permission to use. Many people thank the tree; it is a nice way to begin with intention.
Dry it. Fresh wood shrinks and cracks. Leave the branch in a dry, shaded place for several weeks, or buy dry craft discs.
Cut the discs. Saw 25–26 slices of the same thickness, about 5–8 mm (a quarter inch). Keep the bark on for a rustic look or remove it for a clean edge.
Sand. Sand both faces and the edges, first with coarse then with fine paper, until the surface is smooth.
Draw in pencil. Draw each rune lightly in pencil, in alphabet order from Fehu to Othala. Check it against the chart before going further.
Burn or carve. With a pyrography pen, trace the pencil lines with steady, even pressure. With a knife, cut a shallow V-groove along each stroke, always moving the blade away from your hand.
Color (optional). Rub red ochre, red paint or ink into the lines and wipe off the surface. This echoes the old practice of "staining" runes.
Seal. Rub in beeswax or oil, let it soak, and buff with a soft cloth.
Safety notes: a pyrography pen gets very hot, so use its stand and work on a heat-proof surface. Yew is a classic rune wood but toxic; sand it outdoors with a mask. Rags soaked in linseed oil can self-heat and catch fire, so lay them flat outside to dry or put them in water.
How to make rune stones
Collect the stones. Choose 25–26 flat stones of similar size and shape. Wash them with soap and water and let them dry completely.
Plan the symbols. Draw each rune in pencil or with a washable marker. On dark stones use white, gold or light paint; on light stones use black, dark red or brown.
Paint. Use a paint marker or a fine brush with acrylic paint. Two thin coats look cleaner than one thick one.
Or engrave. A rotary tool with a diamond or carbide bit cuts permanent lines. Keep the stone wet to reduce dust, and wear safety glasses and a dust mask, since stone dust is harmful to breathe.
Seal. Protect painted symbols with two thin coats of clear matte or gloss varnish.
Painted stones look beautiful but wear over time with handling; engraved stones last for decades.
How to make clay runes
Roll the clay to an even thickness of about 6–8 mm (a quarter inch).
Cut the tiles with a round cutter, a bottle cap or a knife. Smooth the edges with a damp finger.
Press the runes in with a toothpick, skewer or the edge of a ruler. Straight tools give straighter lines than freehand drawing.
Dry or bake. Air-dry clay needs one to three days; turn the tiles so they do not warp. Bake polymer clay exactly as the packaging says, and keep tools you use for clay separate from food tools.
Finish. Paint the grooves if you like, then seal with varnish. Air-dry clay should always be sealed because it absorbs moisture.
How to draw the 24 runes correctly
The most common problem with homemade sets is not the material but the shapes. Take your time with this step.
Basic rules of rune shapes
Runes are made of straight lines. They were designed to be cut with a knife, so there are no true curves. Even Sowilo and Ingwaz are made of straight strokes.
There are almost no horizontal lines. Strokes are vertical or diagonal, which is often explained by carving across wood grain, where a horizontal cut would be lost along the grain.
Keep the same height. Every rune, except the shorter Ingwaz and Kenaz in many styles, should fill the same height on each piece.
Draw from top to bottom and from the main stave outwards. First the vertical line (the stave), then the branches.
Shapes that are often drawn wrong
Kenaz is an angle like "<", not a full "K".
Ingwaz is a small diamond or two crossed angles, not a large rhombus filling the whole piece.
Sowilo is a zigzag of three strokes, often shown like a lightning bolt; check its direction against the chart.
Eihwaz has one branch at the top pointing one way and one at the bottom pointing the other; Perthro looks like a cup lying on its side. They are easy to confuse.
Wunjo and Thurisaz both have a triangle on the stave: Wunjo's is at the top, like a flag; Thurisaz's is in the middle, like a thorn.
Algiz opens upwards like a fork; drawn upside down it looks like the Younger Futhark "yr" rune.
Marking the top of each piece
If you plan to read reversed runes, the fifteen runes that change when turned upside down must show clearly which way is up. Center the symbols carefully, or add a small dot on the back at the top edge. The nine runes that look the same both ways are Gebo, Hagalaz, Nauthiz, Isa, Jera, Eihwaz, Sowilo, Ingwaz and Dagaz. For a deeper look at stroke order and intention, see how to draw runes properly.
How to activate your handmade runes
Activation is modern practice, and every reader does it differently. A simple version:
Make a quiet space: a candle, a cloth, your finished set.
Take each rune in order, say its name aloud and one key word, and trace its lines with your finger.
When all 24 are done, hold the whole set and say what it is for, for example: "These runes are for honest guidance."
Leave the set out overnight, near a window or by your bed, then put it in its bag.
Some people prefer to activate each rune right after making it, which is easy if you make one rune a day. Afterwards, start with a daily one-rune draw; our guide to rune casting for beginners will help with your first readings.
Common mistakes when making runes
Skipping the pencil stage. A burned or engraved mistake is permanent. Draw first, check, then commit.
Using fresh wood. It cracks as it dries, and burned lines can split.
Making pieces of different sizes. Bigger pieces are easier to grab, which skews your draws.
Copying shapes from fonts or tattoos. Many decorative fonts mix runes from different alphabets. Use a reliable Elder Futhark chart.
Mixing alphabets. Keep to one system. If you want a Viking-style set, the 16-rune Younger Futhark is a separate alphabet with its own meanings.
Rushing. Making one rune a day for 24 days is slower, but you will remember every rune.
Did people in the past make their own runes?
Yes, and it was the ordinary way of writing them. Runes were carved by hand on wood, bone, metal and stone. Most everyday runic writing was probably on wood; thanks to the waterlogged layers at Bryggen in Bergen, Norway, hundreds of medieval wooden rune sticks with messages, names and even business notes have survived.
The Old Norse poem Hávamál asks, in one well-known stanza, whether you know how to carve runes, how to read them and how to stain them. In Egil's Saga, Egil cuts runes into a horn and reddens them with his blood, and in another scene he finds that badly carved runes caused harm and replaces them. These are literary sources written down in medieval Iceland, not instructions, but they show how strongly runes were tied to carving and coloring by hand.
What we do not have is evidence of Viking Age sets of 24 rune pieces made for divination. The handmade rune set as we know it, the activation ritual and the blank rune all belong to modern practice. That is a good reason to make your set carefully and personally, without worrying about doing it "the one right way".
Your set is ready. Now make it yours through use. The Runic Reflection Journal gives you 30 days of short prompts for working with one rune at a time and noticing what changes. $17.
FAQ about making your own runes
What is the best wood for making runes?
Any dry, fine-grained hardwood works well: birch, beech, ash, oak, maple, cherry or apple. Birch is popular because it is pale, easy to burn and connected to the rune Berkana. Avoid very soft or resinous woods, and be careful with yew: it is a traditional rune wood, but its dust and sap are toxic, so sand it outdoors with a dust mask.
Do handmade runes work better than bought ones?
Not in any measurable sense. A handmade set often feels more personal, and making it is an excellent way to learn the runes, but a bought set you use regularly works just as well.
Can I use my own blood to activate runes?
Some sagas describe reddening runes with blood, and some modern practitioners do it, but it is not necessary and carries a hygiene risk. Red ochre, red acrylic paint or red ink on the carved lines gives the same traditional look safely.
How big should rune pieces be?
About 2–3 cm (0.8–1.2 in) across is comfortable for most hands and bags. All pieces should be the same size and thickness so none of them is easier to pick.
How long does it take to make a rune set?
Painting stones can take one evening. A wooden set with drying, burning and waxing usually takes a weekend plus drying time; freshly cut branches need several weeks to dry before you start. Many people make one rune a day for 24 days.
Should I add a blank rune to my set?
It is optional. The blank rune is a 20th-century addition and is not part of the historical Elder Futhark. If you want one, make a 25th piece and leave it unmarked.
What can I make runes from besides wood, stone and clay?
Bone, antler, shells, glass beads, leather discs, metal blanks and even cardboard cards all work. Choose something durable that you can mark clearly and that is pleasant to hold.
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Written by Julia, rune reader since 2020. More about me →
