This thing is so cool! It’s a great hide-away bar, but also perfect for storage around the house. Let me show you how I made it.

Let’s Build a Liquor Cabinet

Liquor Cabinet Plans

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I’ve created a set of liquor cabinet build plans to help you get through the process of building this liquor cabinet.

Materials I Used to Build the Liquor Cabinet

• Wood
• Doweling Jig
• Mallets
• Clamps
• Drill
• Screws
• Liquor Cabinet Plans
• Wood Finish

Step 1: Preparing to Make the Moving Portion of the Liquor Cabinet

I made a set of liquor cabinet build plans with a cut list for the liquor cabinet build so I started by cutting the parts needed and milling them to their final dimensions. I labeled all my parts as I made them with a piece of tape so I could pull whichever part was needed as I was moving through the steps.

I’m going to start the assembly by making the shelf portion that will raise and lower with the bottles on it. I grabbed the four solid wood parts needed for the body of this shelf and laid them out. Paying attention to which areas would be seen in the final product and being intentional about the direction it faces.

For joinery on almost this entire build I’m using a simple doweling jig that Rockler makes. After lining up joining boards and drawing pencil marks across the seam, the jig can be clamped into place so that I can drill a hole to the depth needed. You based the depth of the hole off the length of dowels you’re using. There is a collar on the bit that allows you to adjust the depth easily.

This jig works well for boards that are flush with an end but it doesn’t work for boards spaced off the end. For those I used a home made jig and a second collar to make sure I don’t go all the way through the material. You could always do these free hand if you don’t feel like whipping together a jig.

Step 2: Assembling the Moving Shelf

With the holes drilled, now I can assemble it. Remember that you only have a few mins, around 3-5, to get things set in clamps. So I have everything ready; the dowels, a mallet, clamps, and all the parts. When using dowels I always place a small amount of glue in the hole then tap in the dowel. Make sure to not over hit it and distort it’s shape. Then I place glue in the mating part before setting it on the dowel.

If you move things to the ground like me, make sure to lay something down for it to rest on to not mar the surface. Once things were seated all the way, I set a few clamps on it until the glue was dry. Checking for square before walking away from it.

Step 3: Setting the Back of the Shelf in Place

While it sets up, I start drilling in the pocket holes for the plywood panel that will be the back of the shelf. Again, I looked at both sides before drilling any so that I could choose which side would be the final seen face of the final product. I don’t worry about using pocket holes here because it will never been seen. After drilling them all around the perimeter, I set it in place and use screws to attach it.

Then before calling this shelf finished, I add in one more piece of wood. This will later be what rests on the lift so I not only screwed it in place but also used glue. And that is the first big assembly of the build done. I set it aside and started working on the liquor cabinet body.

Step 4: Assembling the Liquor Cabinet Legs

I grabbed what will be the legs and cut in a small taper at the base to create a foot. I like to place an X on the two sides before making any cuts just to make sure my backwards brain doesn’t mix things up. Then I use the Rockler Tapering Jig which easily allows me to chop away the material not needed on two sides.

Ok, that’s the only part that needs something special before building the side assembly, so I grabbed my other parts and started assembling.

Glue Notes:

I always do a dry fit before applying glue. When I do apply glue, I do just a dab. To save on time in the end I actually sand all my parts before assembling them so I do my best to prevent glue squeeze out. A bottle is great for accurately getting glue into the holes but I use a chip brush to get glue on the edges. I also like to have a rubber mallet around to switch over to when things need more force to seat all the way.

If you only have a wooden one, use a scrap piece of wood on your board to prevent it from getting marred. Last thing to think about: you can drastically simplify this project by using pocket holes as the joinery method instead of dowels.

After I made the first, I repeated by making a second side the same way, then also put together the assembly that the lift will later rest on.

Step 5: Joining the Sides of the Shelf

Once dry, I continued building the liquor cabinet body of the cabinet by joining the sides. It is very easy to get things mixed up (it’s a lot of square parts), after I did a dry fit I set out all the parts in their given position and orientation. This way as soon as I started applying the glue I could just run through it.

The first step is pretty easy, applying glue inside each dowel location then tapping in the dowels. The second step is also pretty easy, apply a little glue to the ends of each part and tap it into place. The third step is tricky. There are 14 dowels to get aligned all at the same time and this needs to happen quickly before the glue starts drying. Honestly, it went pretty dang smooth. It’s always a good feeling when things seem to be working. I turned it sideways, complimented it, but then set it in clamps for a few hours to dry.

Step 6: Preparing the Panels for the Other Sections of the Liquor Cabinet

While the body is drying, you can stay busy by cutting all the plywood panels that will go in the different sections. I have all of these on the cut list in my liquor cabinet plans but I cut all of them oversized to start so that I could wait until the body was done and get an exact measurement on what each one needed to be. I again considered the final look I wanted on each panel so I could cut it just so.

To secure these in place, I drilled a few pocket holes on the inside face. Something I do when going into hardwood like the legs here is predrill through the pocket hole to prevent splitting once I run in the screw. It adds time, but nobody wants to split a component at this point.

Step 7: Installing the Center Panel

After getting both side panels in, I repeated with the center panel. This one is slightly tricky because there is no lip for it to rest on. So I grabbed some scrap wood that was the correct height so that I could set the big panel in place while I secured it around the perimeter. I flipped the unit over in order to have better access to the underside to secure the next two panels in place.

Clamping Tip: Clamp a scrap board to the underside of the rails so you do have a flush surface to rest the panel on while securing it.

For the middle shelf, not only is it a slight puzzle to get in…first the shelf, then the clamp can go on, but then I also had to switch to a right angle attachment because of the tight squeeze….but hey! It all worked in the end.

Alrighty, lets flip this liquor cabinet back over and see the progress. My gosh this thing is heavy. Hickory isn’t messing around!

Step 8: Splitting the Top Cubby and Prepping Door Hardware

Up top I put in a few boards that will later give me a surface to attach some door hardware, then I also split the top cubby into two by adding in a center divider. With that in, it’s time for me to work on adding in the rising/lower shelf portion of this build.

I moved back to the shelf assembly I started this build off with and first added in some threaded inserts into the back panel. I did this by counterboring some holes the size of the inserts, then using an Allen to screw them in until flush. The placement of these inserts go with my exact lift, which is a unit made by Progressive Automations. It’s actually marketed as a tv lift so if you wanted to sub this liquor shelf for a TV, you can easily use the plans for a completely different function.

The lift is easily secured down into the support members of the body, then I placed the final back panel in so that I could go to the inside and trace the hole locations with a pencil. After punching through with a drill bit, I could set it back in place then secure it to the lift with bolts. Then go around the boarder and screw in all the pocket holes, making sure the panel was flush.

Step 9: Testing and Adjusting the Moving Pieces

This is the first moving part to test out to make sure things look like they are working and I was very impressed with how quiet it is. What I did was extend the lift all the way up right now, I’ll set the limit later. This way I could grab the shelf and set it on top, using that lip I created earlier, to rest it in place while I secured it with bolts through the threaded inserts I place in the shelf. Then I did the second moving test, which was muuuch more suspenseful. Haha, did I do everything correctly for this shelf to fit inside the body? Lets see.

That front corner rubs slightly but that’s an easy fix. Let me show you the unit from the front as this is where it gets even more exciting. With the body and the shelf working well together, now I need to add on the top but in order for the back to raise and lower independently, I need to have two sections for a top. I start by being selective on wood and grain to come out with the look I will love for the top pieces, and cut it down to size at the table saw. This front section will be fixed in placed, however this back section will be floating and have a small space between the two.

Step 10: Fixing the Front of the Liquor Cabinet

Lets work on fixing the front of the liquor cabinet first. I put an even reveal on all three sides so I used a combination square to make sure it was uniformed, you can see I used a clamp to pin that corner once it was good while I work on adjusting the other side but then I could pin it in place from the underside with pocket holes I drilled in the stretchers before building the frame of the body.

Once that was fixed, I worked on the floating one. This was an experiment, wasn’t sure if it would actually work. What I did was set a collar on a drill bit then counterbore into the body. Here the depth doesn’t really matter, but straightness does. Next, I thread in some screws. I picked screws that had a decent amount of threads but then an unthreaded portion near the top so that after I threaded in the body, I could lop the heads off. I used a grinder for this.

My intention is to create four pins sticking out of the body. I transferred these pin locations to the underside of the floating top section and counterbored more holes. These are just slightly larger than the pins I just placed. The goal is to be able to set the top in place and it not struggle to go on. That’s success one, but success two will be if it goes down without interfering with the fixed front, lets push buttons.

All the successes! Everything works and it feels great. This lift is not only quiet but it’s so stable and smooth on the launch and the landing in both directions. I do have a 5% discount code on the lift columns if you’re needing a lift for an upcoming project. I set the upper limit so that the bottom of the shelf will land flush to the top of the top.

Step 11: Mounting the Liquor Cabinet Doors

I was so happy with how the project worked at this point but I had one more big section to tackle before I was in the clear and that my friends is mounting the doors.

When planning this liquor cabinet project, I wanted a piece of wood that had a ton of contrast, character and visual BAM for these drawer fronts. As you can see, I found the board for me. I waited until this point to cut them so they would be exact to my openings and so I could make it have continuous grain from left to right.

I started by using the Rockler jig again to put a few dowels in that center partition so that I could glue on the portion of solid wood that would cover up the edge. Next I could start attaching the hardware. The right cubby will be a drop down door so I placed two non mortise hinges on the bottom and a catch on the left.

Step 12: Opening the Drawers with a Push

For the catch! I installed something I think is super cool. It’s two parts, here is the body, then here is ball that fits into it’s jaws. When pressed, the jaws close around it. When pressed again, the jaws release it…I took that and turned it horizontal and installed it on the underside of the drawer opening. The tricky part here is getting the depth correct so the door comes out flush to the reveal you’re aiming for. Which in my case is flush to the center partition. I’m dyslexic so any time I get math correct on the first go, I’m super proud and want everybody to see.

I love this mechanism because it means I don’t need to clutter the front with a drawer pull, just a simple push of a finger will open or close the door.

I could have done another drop door on the left however for fun, lets change it to two swing doors. These hinges are mounted on the sides instead of the bottom, then more math to get the hungry hippo openings mounted properly.

Ah. I showed you when I won math, so I’ll show you when I lose. No problem, the hardware is very simple to adjust. Since the left was correct I used a combination square to get the right one set to the same depth. Now lets try that again. That’s more like it!

Step 13: Finishing Touches! Coating the Liquor Cabinet with Wood Finish

Whew, how incredibly satisfying guys! I’ve had this idea for about two years now but I can add things to my list way faster than I can build them, so to see this cabinet complete and working so fabulously, I was on cloud nine. Remember I have a set of plans with all my dimensions, a cut list and even a material shopping list if you’d like to build your own.

Alright, the liquor cabinet build is complete at this point so lastly lets wrap this up with a coat of finish to make it pop and protect it. I am going with one of my favorites which is Gleam by Total Boat. I’m going to go with a three part mash up, where I first apply a coat of Gleams wood sealer. This layer fills the grain, seals wood fibers, and levels the surface to make for an ultra smooth finish.

After I let that dry for two hours, I move on to step two which is Gleam 2.0. I actually want a satin finish as my final look but if you want either a satin or matte final you need to use a Gloss to build up a few layers first. So I laid down three coats of the gloss, waiting an hour in between coats. This stuff dries very fast and evenly so it’s easy to knock out multiple coats in a single day.

Once I got to coat four, I switched over to the Satin. If you’re curious, if you use matte or satin to build up the layers then it can sometimes create a cloudiness. So always use gloss for the build up then use whatever sheen you want as your top layer.

Liquor Cabinet Build Conclusion

When the finish was dry, I moved the liquor cabinet into the house and put everything back together. And wow! What a difference! The table I had here before, was actually one of the first things I ever built but my biggest complaint is I think having all the exposed bottles and mixers on top is just messy looking. I much prefer the prohibition style where it’s sneaky and hidden until you want it exposed.

The Progressive lift comes with a remote on a wire that I velcro to the right side so it’s hidden. With a simple push of a button, the bottles can be raised up. As you can see the lift is so smooth and stable that there is no problem with things moving around and getting broken. I can even place nit nacks on top. In the cubbies I have storage for mixers, accessories, glasses, or even a nice decanter. I love the opening and closing hardware of these doors. Very fun.

I really hope you enjoyed this liquor cabinet build. Don’t forget I have a set of plans, not only for this project but for many others, over on my website. I’ll see you on whatever I’m tackling next.

Things I Used in This Liquor Cabinet Project:

• ISOtunes Ear Protection
• Armor Tool Mobile Workbench
• Wilker Do’s Mobile Workbench Upgrade Plans
• Bessey Clamps
• Triton SuperJaws
• Rockler Jig

Trying to figure out how to build your own DIY wood countertops that are inexpensive? Check out this project where I used 2x4s to build my own!

This week I am building some simple countertops for my laundry room!

Earlier this year I demo’d a shop building. And in that process, I ended up with a ton of scrap material that I de-nailed and threw into a pile. You can definitely do this project with any material, but I’m going with 2×4’s and 2×6’s since I have an abundance of them.

Check out the video above to see how I built them!

Things I Used in This DIY Wood Countertops Project:

• Total Boat Wood Sealer & Gleam 2.0 (use code TBAprilW for 10% off)
• DAP Weldwood Original Glue
• Triton 4″ Belt Sander
• ISOtunes Hearing Protection (use code APRIL for 10% off)

If you haven’t already, don’t forget to sign up at the top of this page for my newsletter so you don’t miss new projects!

(Most of the links listed above are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for supporting me in this way.)

Thinking about upgrading with new DIY laundry room cabinets for cheap? Check out this DIY project where I completely upgraded my laundry room!

This week, I am transforming my laundry room by taking it from a simple room that just holds a washer and dryer, to a functioning room with lots of storage.

I’m doing a laundry room. But regardless of the room, here is a tip for building cabinets: Buy stock cabinets from any home center… and then upgrade them! Let me explain the video above.

Simple Cabinet DIY Plans (with CNC File)

Simple Cabinet Plans (with CNC file!)

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Also, you can check out my related How to Paint MDF Video!

Things I Used in This DIY Laundry Room Cabinets Project:

• Wagner Paintstick EZ Roller
• Front + Center – Doors and Refacing Supplies (use code aprilpaint for 20% off!)
• Triton TMNRTR 1.2HP Trim Router with Plunge Base
• ISOtunes Hearing Protection (use code APRIL for 10% off)

If you haven’t already, don’t forget to sign up at the top of this page for my newsletter so you don’t miss new projects!

(Most of the links listed above are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for supporting me in this way.)

MDF is great. It is cheaper, more machinable and cheaper than wood, which makes it perfect for painted cabinets or trim. But, if you’re painting MDF, you encounter one problem. Anytime you cut an edge, it leaves a fuzzyness. Check out the video above to see what you can do to ensure a smooth finish on MDF.

Things I Used in This Painting MDF Cabinets Project:

• Front + Center – Doors and Refacing Supplies (use code aprilpaint for 20% off!)
• Wagner FLEXiO 3500
• ISOtunes Hearing Protection (use code APRIL for 10% off)

Primers For MDF:

• Zinsser’s BIN is my favorite because it dries fastest and sands easiest.
• But I also like Kilz Original and Zinsser Cover Stain. All of these are solvent-based, so cleanup is a pain.
• Both Zinsser and Kilz have a few versions of water-based stain-blocking primers. They clog sandpaper more than solvent-based products. But I still use them when I want easy cleanup.
• Instead of primer, some people use water-based polyurethane (such as Minwax Polycrylic) to seal MDF. It dries fast and sands very well. But it’s not really a primer and paint may not adhere to it as well.

If you haven’t already, don’t forget to sign up at the top of this page for my newsletter so you don’t miss new projects!

Looking to build your own DIY folding chair? In this DIY project I’ll show you how to build your own portable chair that’s easy great for storage!

Check out the video above to see how I built it!

Things I Used in This DIY Folding Chair Project:

• Western Red Cedar
• ISOtunes Hearing Protection (use code APRIL for 10% off)
• Triton Oscillating Spindle & Belt Sander
• Crescent EX6 2-in-1 Extendable Layout Tool

Portable Chair Plans & Templates

If you haven’t already, don’t forget to sign up at the top of this page for my newsletter so you don’t miss new projects!

Looking to build or design your own DIY cabinets for your kitchen, garage, or bathroom? Look no further because in this project I’ll walk you through it!

In this video I’m going to be showing you how to make super simple shop cabinets! They are quick and easy, but also strong and durable. If you are needing basic cabinets for a shop or laundry room (or anywhere) check out this process in the video above.

Simple Cabinet Plans (with CNC file!)

$14.99

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Get My DIY Cabinet Plans Here!

Things I Used in This DIY Cabinet Project:

• Roseburg Armorite Exterior MDF
• Armorite Prime/Paint/Finish Guidelines
• Simpson Finish Trim Screws
• Simpson Wafer Head Construction Screw
• DAP Weldwood Instant Wood Adhesive
• DAP Weldwood Original Wood Glue
• Shop Sabre
• ISOtunes Hearing Protection (use code APRIL for 10% off)

If you haven’t already, don’t forget to sign up at the top of this page for my newsletter so you don’t miss new projects!

(Most of the links listed above are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for supporting me in this way.)

This video is all about how I built a record stand out of a live edge slab! I picked a slab that has plenty of character in it, but also has a built in cubby for my vinyls, speakers, room for the record player, and even an album display. Check out the video above to see how I built it.

Introduction to DIY Record Player Stands

A record player stand is a great way to keep your record player stable and secure while listening to your favorite tunes. But why buy an expensive record player stand when you can build your own? Building your own DIY record player stand is a great way to customize it to fit your specific needs and add a personal touch to your music listening experience.

In this blog post, we’ll walk you through the process of building your own DIY record player stand with built-in storage. We’ll discuss the benefits of building your own record player stand, the design considerations you should keep in mind, the materials and tools you’ll need, step-by-step instructions for building your record player stand, and additional tips for making the most of your DIY record player stand.

Benefits of Building Your Own DIY Record Player Stand

Building your own record player stand is a great way to customize it to fit your specific needs and add a personal touch to your music listening experience. There are several benefits to building your own DIY record player stand, including:

• Cost Savings – Buying a ready-made record player stand can be expensive, but building your own DIY record player stand is much more affordable. You can save money by using materials you already have on hand or sourcing them from local stores.
• Quality Control – When you build your own record player stand, you have complete control over the quality of materials used and the overall design of the stand. This means you can ensure that your record player stand is sturdy and stable, which is essential for keeping your record player secure.
• Personalization – Building your own DIY record player stand is a great way to add a personal touch to your music listening experience. You can customize the design to fit your specific needs and style preferences.

Things I Used in This DIY Record Table Project:

• ISOtunes Hearing Protection (use code APRIL for 10% off)
• Triton Tools Website
• Triton Tools on YouTube
• Triton Tools on Instagram

Design Considerations for Your DIY Record Player Stand

When building a DIY record player stand, there are several design considerations you should keep in mind. These include:

• Size – You want to make sure your DIY record player stand is large enough to accommodate your record player and any additional storage you may want to add.
• Sturdiness – Your record player stand needs to be sturdy enough to keep your record player secure. Consider using sturdy materials, such as wood or metal, for your stand.
• Style – You want your DIY record player stand to match your style preferences. Consider the colors, textures, and materials you use for your stand to ensure it fits in with your existing décor.
• Storage – If you’re looking to add extra storage to your record player stand, consider adding shelves, drawers, or cabinets for additional organization.

Step-By-Step Instructions for Building Your DIY Record Player Stand

Now that you have the materials and tools needed for building your DIY record player stand, it’s time to get started. Here’s a step-by-step guide to building your own record player stand:

1. Measure your record player – Before you start building your record player stand, you want to make sure it’s the right size. Measure your record player and make sure to leave a few inches of extra space on all sides.
2. Cut the wood – Using your measurements, cut the wood to the appropriate size for your record player stand.
3. Assemble the frame – Once you’ve cut the wood, use screws and nails to attach the frame of your record player stand together.
4. Finish the frame – Once the frame is assembled, use sandpaper to smooth out any rough edges. Then, apply paint or stain to give your record player stand a finished look.
5. Add legs – To add stability to your record player stand, attach legs to the bottom of the frame.
6. Attach the record player – Once the stand is finished, attach your record player to the top of the stand. Make sure to secure it firmly in place.

How to Add Built-In Storage to Your DIY Record Player Stand

If you want to add extra storage to your record player stand, you can easily do so. Here are a few options for adding built-in storage to your DIY record player stand:

• Shelves – You can add shelves to your record player stand for additional storage. This is a great way to store your vinyl records, CDs, speakers, and other music-related items.
• Drawers – If you want to keep your items out of sight, you can add drawers to your record player stand for easy access to your music-related items.
• Cabinets – You can also add cabinets to your record player stand for additional storage. This is a great way to store larger items such as turntables or amplifiers.

Finishing Touches for Your DIY Record Player Stand

Once you’ve finished building your DIY record player stand, it’s time to add the finishing touches. Here are a few ideas for adding the perfect finishing touches to your record player stand:

• Paint – If you want to add a personal touch to your record player stand, consider painting it with a custom design.
• Stencils – If you’re looking for a more subtle approach, consider using stencils to add decorative touches to your stand.
• Decorative Pieces – You can also add decorative pieces, such as knobs, handles, or even antique pieces, to your record player stand for a unique look.

Creative Ideas for Your DIY Record Player Stand

Building your own DIY record player stand is a great way to add a personal touch to your music listening experience. Here are a few creative ideas for your record player stand:

• Multi-Purpose Stand – Consider creating a multi-purpose stand that can also be used as a media stand for your TV or a buffet for entertaining guests.
• Floating Stand – Create a floating record player stand by mounting your record player to the wall. This is a great way to save space in your home.
• Industrial Stand – If you want to add an industrial touch to your record player stand, consider using metal pipes and brackets to create a unique and eye-catching design.

Additional Tips for Building Your DIY Record Player Stand

Building your own DIY record player stand is a great way to customize it to fit your specific needs and add a personal touch to your music listening experience. Here are a few additional tips for building your record player stand:

• Plan Ahead – Before you start building your record player stand, it’s important to plan ahead. Consider the size, style, and materials you’ll need and make sure to have all the materials and tools ready before you begin.
• Take Your Time – Building your own record player stand can be a time-consuming process, so it’s important to take your time and be patient. Take the time to measure, cut, and assemble your stand correctly to ensure it’s sturdy and secure.
• Ask for Help – If you’re feeling overwhelmed or confused, don’t hesitate to ask for help. There are plenty of online tutorials and guides that can help you build your own record player stand.

Conclusion

Building your own DIY record player stand is a great way to customize it to fit your specific needs and add a personal touch to your music listening experience. With a few simple materials and tools, you can quickly and easily construct your own DIY record player stand with built-in storage to really bring your music listening experience to the next level.

So what are you waiting for? Gather your materials, tools, and supplies, and get started on building your own DIY record player stand today!

Thinking about building your own DIY Standing Desk? Thinking about building one out of scrap wood? Check out this project where I used tree cookies!

In this video I’m going to be building a sitting/standing desk. One desk that can raise up or lower to suit whatever mood I’m feeling. I’m using a Progressive Desk base, but I’m made my own top using a fallen tree limb. This one was a lot of fun and I’m really happy with the way that it turned out. Check it out above!

Things I Used in This DIY Standing Desk Project:

• Stihl MSA 220 Chain Saw
• Progressive Desk Solo Ryzer Frame (Use code APRIL for 10% off entire Progressive Store)
• Progressive Desk RT-11 Remote
• Total Boat Thick Set Epoxy (Use code TBAprilW for 10% off)
• ISOtunes Hearing Protection (use code APRIL for 10% off)

If you haven’t already, don’t forget to sign up at the top of this page for my newsletter so you don’t miss new projects!

(Most of the links listed above are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for supporting me in this way.)

Looking to build your own DIY nightstand or end table? Check out this project where I show you how to building you own, plus the DIY plans!

Today I’m showing you how I built an end table that has two built in hidden storage compartments!

Check out the video above to see how I did it.

End Table or Night Stand with Secret Storage Plans

$9.99

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Also, find the End Table or Night Stand with Secret Storage Plans here!

Things I Used in This DIY Nightstand Project:

• ISOtunes Hearing Protection (use code APRIL for 10% off)
• Stealth Mask Respirator (use code APRIL for 10% off)
• DAP Weldwood Glue
• DAP Weldwood Instant Wood Adhesive

(Most of the links listed above are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for supporting me in this way.)

Thinking about building your own live edge coffee table DIY? Check out this project where I took a wood slab cookie and made a live edge coffee table!

Check out my latest video where I show you how I took a large live edge slice of a tree, also called a cookie, and turning it into a gorgeous coffee table. I experimented with filling the deep cracks, before finishing them and filling them with a dark epoxy.

Things I Used in This Live Edge Coffee Table DIY Project:

• ISOtunes Hearing Protection (use code APRIL for 10% off)
• Stealth Mask Respirator (use code APRIL for 10% off)
• Total Boat Table Top Epoxy (APRILW for 15% off)

If you haven’t already, don’t forget to sign up at the top of this page for my newsletter so you don’t miss new projects!

(Most of the links listed above are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for supporting me in this way.)

DIY Adirondack Rocking Chair: An easy way to build your own!

Looking to build a DIY Adirondack Rocking Chair to make your porch more inviting? Follow along with me as I show you how to build one in less than a day!

The DIY templates I use to build this Adirondack Rocking Chair allowed me to build this entire chair in just an afternoon, totally stress free!

This article will teach you how to follow along with April Wilkerson as she teaches you how to build a DIY Adirondack Rocking Chair in just one day!

Following along?
If you want to follow along with me then take a look at getting the templates I used to make this DIY Adirondack Rocking Chair! The templates make the build super easy to follow and completely eliminates the guess work.

Rocking Adirondack Chair Templates

$9.99 – $19.99

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Materials for the DIY Adirondack Rocking Chair

To Build the DIY Adirondack Rocking Chair, you are going to need a few things from either The Home Depot or your local home improvement store. These Include the following:

1. Pressure treated 1x lumber
2. Exterior wood glue (Titebond 3 works best)
3. Optional Finish (Stain, Paint or Top Coat)
4. And of Course – Digital Plans and Templates!
5. Fasteners

Step 1: Trace out your templates onto your stock pieces for your DIY Adirondack Rocking Chair

The first step in creating your DIY Adirondack Rocking Chair is to trace out your templates onto your 1x lumber. You may be using 1x4s 1x6s ect. so it is best to trace out as many pieces onto one piece of lumber as you can. The goal here is to map out exactly what we need to cut out in order to assemble it all later.

Step 2: Cutting out your pieces for your DIY Adirondack Rocking Chair

Once you have completed tracing out all your pieces using your templates it comes time to cut out your parts.

We are first going to cut the pieces to length on the Miter Saw so that way they are more manageable on the Band saw. I use my miter saw on the DIY Miter Saw Stand I built here in my shop.

Cut your tracing just out side the line and make an organized pile of your pieces to the side. If you don’t own a miter saw, then you can always use a circular saw too.

Next you are going to want to cut your templates out on your band saw. If you don’t have a band saw then no worries at all, you can use a jig saw for this portion.

Be sure to stay about 1/8″ – 1/4″ outside the line when cutting out your pieces. (Unless you are utilizing the paper templates or plastic templates – then cut right on the line and go slow!)

The reason we are cutting outside the line is because we are then going to use the MDF Template as a guide to flush cut the piece perfectly to size on the router table.

We cut away all the material we do not need with the band saw because the router is only able to take off so much material safely. If you were to try to skip the band saw step and move right over to the router table you would increase your risk of major injury, and completely dull out your router bit.

Step 3: Flush Trimming the Pieces of your DIY Adirondack Rocking Chair

Now it is time to flush trim the stock pieces with a flush trim up-cut bit. The benefit to using an MDF Template is that you can tape the template to your stock piece with double sided sticky tape and then run the template against the bearing of the flush trim bit in your router table.

The bearing will block the bit from cutting any deeper than what the bearing is placed against. So in our case the bearing is placed against the MDF Template and will allow us to trim the stock piece to the EXACT form of the MDF Template.

If you do not have a router table, then don’t worry, a hand held router will work just as well. Just go slo and be sure to clamp your stock piece & MDF firmly to a work station so it does not spin out of control.
If you are using a hand held router, then you can use either a bottom bearing or a top bearing flush trim bit and just orient your template and stock accordingly.

Go ahead and trim all your stock pieces now.

Step 3: (Paper and Plastic Templates) Cutting Out your Pieces.

If you are not using the MDF Templates, but are using the Printable Paper Templates or Plastic Templates then this Version of Step 3 is for you!

Once you carefully cut out the stock pieces from your trace lines, you will then want to clean up the edges with a sander. Make sure to remove all the blade marks that were left from your Jig saw or bandsaw. Once you get all those blade marks up, make sure each piece aligns the best it can with the original template.

Step 4: Round over your stock pieces for your DIY Adirondack Rocking Chair

Before assembly, I be sure to round-over all my pieces over at the router table. I went ahead and added a round over bit in my router and just went to town. This round over profile will ensure that there are no sharp corners that could catch on clothing, or give you a splinter later on. It also adds to the overall aesthetic of the Adirondack rocking chair.

Again, if you do not own a router table, a hand held router will do just fine here.

Step 5: Assembling the Seat for your DIY Adirondack Rocking Chair

Now it comes time for assembly! Assembly is always the best part of any build as you finally get to see your piece come together.

I first laid out the two bottom supports and glued and screwed the front most slats! I recommend pre-drilling your holes here to prevent splitting. Pre-drilling is just drilling out a small (usually 1/8″) hole into the pieces you are screwing together. This allows the screw to spin into place without the wood splitting or cracking around it.

Next I went ahead and added the back most slat and made sure it was square using a speed square. This provides the seat with a little more structure for me to glue and screw in the rest of the slats.

Next, I fill in the space with all the slats in between. You can use a spacer between each slat to make sure that the space between the slats is even, or you could just eyeball it like me.

The back spacer allows us to make sure the entire piece is square, so we don’t have to worry about checking for square as we attach each slat.

Step 6: Assembling the back of your DIY Adirondack Rocking Chair

Now let’s move onto the assembling the back of the chair for your Adirondack Rocking Chair. Start by grabbing your lower and upper supports and lay them on edge.

Find the center of both of your supports and mark it with a pencil. I find it easier to start in the middle and then work out from there. You’ll want to layout your center most slat and then glue and screw it into the bottom support.

Make sure your supports are in line with one another. You can do this by using a loose slat and a speed square to ensure they are square and in line. Then you can attach your center slat to your top support.

Now just work your way out, spacing each slat equidistant from the previous slat. Glueing and screwing as you go. Make sure you pre-drill your holes for your screws again to reduce the chance of splitting the wood.

Congratulations! You now have a back to your chair.

Step 7: Attach the Back to the Seat of your DIY Adirondack Rocking Chair

It is now time to attach the back of your Adirondack Rocking chair to the seat. First let’s make sure the back fits into place.

Perfect fit! Then we are going to permanently attach it with glue and screws right into that seat support. This will be a perfect fit if you are following along with the plans and templates that I provide in my store.

Now let’s let the seat and back assembly hang out on our workbench while we start to assemble the rocker assembly.

Step 8: Assembling the Rocker assembly for you DIY Adirondack Rocking Chair

I am putting together the rocker assembly with one of my favorite methods: using a half lap. A half-lap is putting together two layers of 1x material instead of cutting a recess in 2x material. Everything is intertwined to create strength, but it is very simple and quick to assemble.

I always first lay out my parts to make sure everything fits together, but then after that it is as simple as gluing and nailing it all together. If you do not have a brad nailer then you can always screw these pieces together as well.

It is important here to make sure that the bottom rocker is really flat and smooth to ensure that you end up with a clean rock in the finished product. If you are using paper or plastic templates, the you can always come back and sand away any discrepancies.

Your rocker assembly should look like this. Then all you have to do is rinse and repeat for the second side, making sure you assemble the pieces in the inverse of your first side.

Make sure that you mirror the second side so it can be attached to the seat and back correctly.

Step 9: Attaching the main body of your DIY Adirondack Rocking Chair to the Rockers

Now bring in your main body from your workbench and place it roughly in position of your rockers so you can see how it is going to be assembled.

I then put the body on its side and temporarily held it in place by throwing in a few brad nails

Again if you do not have a brad nailer you can always screw this in place.

Instead of trying to flip the whole unit 180 degrees to attach the other side, all you have to is slide it over on top of the second rocker assembly.

Now it’s time to flip the rocker up right and put in some carriage bolts. I put in a 1/4″ drill bit and drilled through from the outside of the leg through the seat stretcher. I drilled two holes to ensure it is secure. I then slid in the carriage bolts and bolted them in place. Then just rinse and repeat on the other side of the rocker.

Step 10: Attaching the arms to your DIY Adirondack Rocking Chair

Now if you are following along in the plans you’ll notice that the plans are different from the video. Originally I had a more complex way of attaching the arms, but I decided to make it simpler rather than over complicate things. These changes are reflected in the plans.

So if you’re following along with the video, I ended up detaching the chair back upper support and gluing and screwing the arms square to the support.

After I glued and screwed the arms in place I move the arm assembly back over to the chair and body to securely attach it to the rest of the chair.

It is as simple as screwing in the arms to the legs and the support back into the slats. Now, your chair is finally starting to come together!

And with that we are done! You can now move on to testing out and enjoying the fruits of your labor!

If you would like to make this project a breeze then it would certainly be worth checking out the plans I have available by clicking here!

Congratulations! You are finally done.

Bonus Tip

Now that your DIY Adirondack Rocking Chair is complete, you can do whatever you’d like to finish it. However, if you did build your chair with treated lumber or even cedar, then it will hold up well outside and resist rot.

But if you’d like you are welcome to paint your chair your favorite color or even finish it with a stain to make it match your home.

More Projects Like This DIY Adirondack Rocking Chair

If you are just getting started with building then you are obviously going to need a workbench!

Check out my DIY Workbench for your Garage

Other DIY Projects you may be interested in

• Folding Adirondack Chair
• Garage Work Bench Plans
• Porch Swing Plans
• Chicken Coop Plans
• Converting Picnic Table Plans

Things I Used In This DIY Adirondack Rocking Chair Project

• ISOtunes Hearing Protection (use code APRIL for 10% off)
• I Stealth Mask Respirator (use code APRIL for 10% off)
• Crescent Extendable Speed Square
• Triton Multitool
• ToughBuilt Kneepads
• Reelcraft Cord Reel
• DAP Weldwood Wood Glue

Rocking Adirondack Chair Templates

$9.99 – $19.99

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Thinking about putting in your very own DIY sliding door, barn style? Check out this updated project where I built my own barn door that slides!

New project! I have an interior doorway that needs upgrading, and I think a sliding barn style door is the perfect solution. In this video, I’m showing you how I built and installed a sliding barn door with a nice design from plywood and solid wood. Be sure to check out the video above to see the whole process.

You can also watch my other Barn Door video here.

Video on how to use a router to create line patterns!

Things I Used in This DIY Sliding Door Project:

• ISOtunes Ear Protection
• Stealth Mask Respirator (use code APRIL for 10% off)
• DAP Platinum Patch
• ShopSabre CNC
• DAP Weldwood Wood Glue
• Triton Tracksaw
• DAP Plastic Wood-X All Purpose Wood Filler with DryDex Dry Time
• DAP Tank Bond Removable Thread Locker
• Door Hanging Hardware

If you haven’t already, don’t forget to sign up at the top of this page for my newsletter so you don’t miss new projects!

(Most of the links listed above are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for supporting me in this way.)

Thinking about building your own DIY Kitchen Table? Why not use a DOOR? Check out this cool project where I used a door to build my own kitchen table!

Ya’ll ready for a one day build? I now have a video out on how I built a DIY modern dining table, starting with a cheap hollow core door. This design would also make a great desk. It’s an easy build that takes just a day. I chose to laminate this table with zebra wood veneer, but you could choose any wood veneer you like. I used some steel X Frame Table legs and this table was together in no time at all.

Things I Used in This DIY Kitchen Table Project:

• ISOtunes Ear Protection
• Stealth Mask Respirator (use code APRIL for 10% off)
• Triton Track Saw
• Triton Plunge Router
• Triton Belt Sander
• DAP Weldwood Glue
• Stealth Mask Respirator
• X Frame Table Legs
• Veneer
• Rubber Roller
• Total Boat Table Top Epoxy

If you haven’t already, don’t forget to sign up at the top of this page for my newsletter so you don’t miss new projects!

(Most of the links listed above are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for supporting me in this way.)

Thinking about building your own DIY Glider Bench? Check out this project where I take you through my build step-by-step! + DIY plans to help you!

It is finally spring time and that means it is perfect weather for some front porch sittin’! This week, I made myself an outdoor glider bench so I have a smooth and comfortable seating option on these beautiful mornings and evenings.

Bench Glider Plans

$9.99

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Bench Glider Templates

$9.99 – $19.99

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Materials I Used to Build This Outdoor Glider Bench:

• Wood
• Outdoor Bench Glider Plan
• Outdoor Bench Glider Template
• Bolts
• Nuts
• Wood Glue
• Brad Nailer
• Band Saw
• Table Saw
• Clamps
• Finish

Step 1: Cutting out the Glider Bench Pieces

The first thing I did was take my wood materials to my table saw to cut out pieces. I put together a cut list before getting started on this project so I was able to cut everything at one time. I did all my straight pieces first and then move to the curved pieces. For this I used a set of templates that I put on top of my board then trace.

Step 2: Detail Work! Rounding Out the Edges of the Cut Outs

Form there I took the part to the band saw and cut it out. I used my Triton Oscillating Belt Sander to round out the ends. You can also use a flush trim bit at the router table to get the same shape. I took all my parts to my router table. Using a router bit I soften out all the edges. This is a subtle detail but it really makes a difference in the end.

Step 3: Assembling the Base

I started by grabbing the footer and two vertical upright parts and attached them together. I’m using a spoil board under my piece so that I can drill directly through my two pieces without drilling into my bench. It also prevents tear out on the back side.

After drilling the first hole I placed a carriage bolt to keep the holes aligned. I also used a speed squarer to square up the two components. I repeated the same process when attaching the back parts to the seat parts.  Each set requires two bolts and while you can drill both in the same time its best practice to drill a hole then place a bolt, then drill the second hole and place the second bolt. This keeps things from becoming misaligned.

Tip: Galvanized vs. Non-Galvanized

I’m using galvanized everything to prevent any of the nuts and bolts from rusting out since this will be used outside. However I couldn’t find galvanized lock nuts. I like these because they have a layer inside to keep the nut from backing out over time. With this project being in motion you definitely want something to lock. To make sure the pieces don’t back out over time, I’m using a thread locker made by DAPP. Use a bit of gel on the thread of the bolt before tightening down to keep it from moving.

Step 4: Joining the Back Piece With the Seat Piece

I can join these parts together to make up the bones of the glider bench. I spaced the bench back assembly out evenly across the footer and started attaching. I attached each one it’s two exterior grade screws checking with a speed squarer as I went along to make sure things were nice and square before attaching.

I also pre-drilled here as I’m going into the end grate. Pre-drilling helps prevent the wood from splitting.

Step 5: Attaching the Slats for the Glider Bench Seat

Next was to attach the slats. To make sure the front was square as I was building, I started with the back most slat. I used a measuring tape to make sure the parts spaced the same amount as they were in the front. I then worked my way to the front, not having to worry about squareness because everything is already locked into place.

To make attaching these slats quick I’m using two spacer and a Brad Nailer instead of screws. Screws work great, they are just more time consuming. If you go with them then be sure to predrill to prevent splitting the back piece. If you go with nails then just be sure to use galvanized nails. If you don’t, the nails will rust out very quickly.

Step 6: Giving the Glider Bench Arms

Something to pay attention to here is getting the arms attached level to the body. First, I throw in two screws to attach the front of the arms to the vertical upright piece. Now I can place a level on the arm to see the angle it will need to be attached to on the back. That completes the top portion of the glider bench!

Step 7: Building the Base

After cutting my pieces to their needed length, I rounded over the bottom edge of each leg. I traced a curve from something round, in this case a roll of duct tape, then cut it out over at the band saw. I cleaned up the cut wit my Triton Oscillating Belt Sander. To attach it, I first applied some outdoor wood glue to the front side, then clamped it in place. Here, you’ll see me use a level to make sure the piece was plumb before attaching it with screws.

I repeated this with the back leg. However this isn’t plumb so I made sure the angle on the top was seated flush with the underside of the arm. After having one side complete, I sit the glider bench across my armor table so that I can access the other side and repeat the process. These four legs are what will span down to the base so that it glides.

Step 8: Assembling the Framework for the Legs

Next, I got to building the frame work that will attach to the legs. I started with the bottom of the base. Since this will be in contact with the ground, I drew a cutout portion to create two feet for it. I used the bandsaw to cut it out, then headed over to my Triton Spindle Sander to clean up the corners.

Sanding tip: Spindle Sander vs. Oscillating Sander

The oscillating sander can be turned into a spindle sander, however I keep them separate so each is dedicated to their own task.

Step 9: Creating the Glider Bench Base Using a Mortise and Tenon Method!

The assembly for the base will be very simple. It’s just four parts, essentially making a box. There are plenty of ways to join these parts together to make them strong and supportive, but I’m going to be using a Mortise and Tenon method called “bead lock” from Rockler.

When I laid out my parts, I used a speed square to draw a line from one part to the next. This way I can take one part at a time and clamp it in my Trition Superjaws. This device will hold down the piece so that I can line up it’s centerline to my pencil line. Once I clamped it down I’m ready to drill in the three holes at the top using the guides.

After that’s done I can unlock two knobs on the front and slide the guide over to position b. This halfway closes one of the holes and allows me to drill in the far left two. After I remove it from the jig you can see I’m left with the receiving mortise.

Once I repeated the process on all my remaining parts, I was able to apply wood glue into the mortise and hammer in a Rockler provided Tenon. Now, the parts will fit together like a puzzle piece.

Tip: Mortise and Tenon method

Rockler makes the jig I used that attaches to your wood and allows you to drill in a series of holes. They also make a tenon that fits into these holes and gives you the connection between two parts.

Step 10: Assembling the Base of the Glider Bench

Finishing off some details for the glider bench base, I rounded over the edges to soften the look then I marked off the location of a kneaded front stretcher. For strength I decided to dado this in. I marked the location off with the speed square then used a straight bit in my router to cut it in. I have marked this location in the plans in case you want to build your own.

I used more wood glue to attach this stretcher. Using a brad nail on each side to pin the stretcher in place so that I can have both hands free to pre-drill and drive in a few screws to attach it. With that in place I flipped the unit on it’s back to make attaching the back stretcher a little easier. After applying the glue I again used a few screws. Next I drilled in holes for the glider hardware.

Step 11: Adding the Gliding Feature to the Glider Bench

My mom decided to drop off some lunch and helped me out with the last few steps of assembling the glider bench. Hi Mom!

The hardware used to turn this into a glider is specific glider hardware that can be found at Rockler. You drill four holes then attach with a bolt. I again used dap’s thread locker then a ratchet wrench to tighten down on the nut and washer. Now we get to join the glider bench base and the seat assembly together.

Step 12: Joining the Glider Bench Base and the Glider Bench Seat Assembly

I set the base on the floor of my shop, then slowly lowered the glider bench base on top. In order for the bench hardware to work, all four bolts need to be attached into the corresponding holes in the legs. After pushing the bolts into the holes, I secured them with a nut and washer. Voila! We’ve finished our outdoor bench that glides! I put a stain over mine, but this is optional. Feel free to personalize it however you’d like!

Things I Used in This DIY Glider Bench Project:

• ISOtunes Ear Protection
• Wilker Do’s DIY Plywood Workbench Plans
• Triton Planer
• Triton Oscillating Belt Sander
• Triton Spindle Sander
• Triton Superjaws
• StealthMask Respirator
• Armor Mobile Workbench
• Armor Dog Peg Clamps
• DAP Thread Locker
• Brad Nailer
• Rockler Beadlock Kit
• Rockler Glider Hardware
• Total Boat Halycon Finish

Bench Glider Plans

$9.99

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Bench Glider Templates

$9.99 – $19.99

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If you haven’t already, don’t forget to sign up at the top of this page for my newsletter so you don’t miss new projects!

(Most of the links listed above are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for supporting me in this way.)

Thinking about building your own custom modern end tables? Check out this project where I used faux marble with wood and built my end tables!

I am excited about this one! I’ve been wanting to replace the end tables in my living room so that was the inspiration for this build. The base is made from solid walnut while the inside is a square pyramid that looks like a solid piece of marble. But it’s actually wood with epoxy making it look like marble.

Check out all of MicroJig’s smarter woodworking tools here! And check out the MicroJig products I used to make this build possible below.

Things I Used in This Custom Modern End Table Project:

• ISOtunes Ear Protection
• MicroJig Relief Router Bit
• MicroJig Dovetail Router Bit
• MicroJig Zeroplay Miter Bars
• MicroJig Dovetail Clamps
• MicroJig Grr-Rip Pushblock
• Total Boat Marble Epoxy Kit (use code AprilW for 15% off!)
• StealthMask Respirator
• DAP Weldwood Wood Glue
• Armor Mobile Workbench
• Armor Self-Adjusting Clamps
• Wilker Do’s DIY Miter Saw Stand Plans
• Triton SuperJaws
• Triton Router
• Triton Palm Sander
• Triton MultiTool
• Wilker Do’s Mallet

If you haven’t already, don’t forget to sign up at the top of this page for my newsletter so you don’t miss new projects!

(Most of the links listed above are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for supporting me in this way.)

Thinking about building your own DIY Golf Bag Organizer? Check out this project where I built my own golf gear organizer! [+ DIY Plans]!

Have I told you I’ve gotten into golf?

The last thing i need is another hobby. But I found golf and now it’s got me. It’s just fine but I found that I end up having golf stuff strewn all over the house. Sleeves of golf balls… shoes, etc. You never know where they’re going to end up.

To fix that, I have built myself a golf bag holder to house my bag and organize my golf stuff. I’ve also built in some shelves to store anything else golf related so that everything has a home within my home to keep things looking nice. And more importantly, findable.

Check out the video above to see how I built it! And if you’d like to build one of your own, I have Golf Bag Holder Plans available here.

Golf Bag Holder Plans

$9.99

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You can also check out my video where I built a 2-Bag Golf Stand here.

Things I Used in This DIY Golf Bag Organizer Project:

• ISOtunes Ear Protection
• StealthMask Respirator
• Crescent Shockforce Tape
• Crescent Knives
• Crescent Z2 Pliers 3-Set
• Crescent Shop Shears
• Armor Workbench
• Armor Pocket Jig
• Wilker Do’s Plywood Workbench
• Triton TrackSaw
• Triton Jigsaw
• Triton SuperJaws
• Triton Palm Sander
• DAP Weldwood Wood Glue

Golf Bag Holder Plans

$9.99

Shop now

If you haven’t already, don’t forget to sign up at the top of this page for my newsletter so you don’t miss new projects!

(Most of the links listed above are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for supporting me in this way.)

Thinking about building your own live edge river table? Check out this project where I show you exactly how to build your own, and walk you through each step 1-by-1!

I met Brandy Aube a few years ago at a Makers conference and checking out her work, it just blew me away so when I was asked by Make48 to pick a partner to collaborate on a project with, she instantly came to mind.

Watch HERE for a great video covering Brandy and her work if you want to hear more about her story. 

We started this adventure by three of us moving out the 500 lb slab that I’ll use to make the top of the table. It’s a piece of Tulip wood brought all the way from Missouri and I’ll tell ya this, it was one stunning piece of wood. 

If you’re going to be picking a slab to make your own table, then one thing I would recommend is checking it’s moisture content first. If the slab is not properly dried or all the way dried, then it’s going to move on you and create problems.

I personally use a Wagner Pinless meter. A lot of meters have pins that stick slightly into the surface of the wood but this can be misleading. Pinless is not only non damaging but it gives you a reading that measured moisture IN the wood and not ON the wood. This particular meter, the Orion 950, will also calculate if a slab is at the critical threshold where it has reached its equilibrium with the environment and will no longer gain or lose moisture. I say slab, but you can also use this on wood flooring or any other wooden projects. You can also connect it to your phone using Bluetooth and get all sort of data. 

Thankfully, this slab was donated and driven down by Millers Rustic Sawmill for this charity build, and was not only dried perfectly but Bucky also flattened it for me so I could hop straight into work on it.

An organization called Make48 set up this entire build.

The primise is Makers have 48 hours to complete a project, then that project typically gets donated to an organization or charity.

The receiving organization in this project is the River Kelly Fund. A family very unfortunately lost their 3 year old son to a drowning accident. His name was River so I’ll be making his family a river table as a tribute to his life. 

The tricky part here is river tables take a very long time because of how long it takes to cure the epoxy used. To meet within the timeframe, I thought instead of cutting the slab and having 3” of epoxy to pour for the river, what about just engraving my own river? Then I would be able to dictate not only it’s placement and flow, but also it’s depth. 

It’s easy to place a square object on a CNC and cut whatever intricate pattern you want, because you have references to tell the machine exactly where to start and stop. HOwever, you don’t have that on a live edge slab. So the first challenge to figure out was how to get an accurate cut on an organic piece of material.

Well thankfully, ShopBot CNC also came to Texas for the build to assist and the expert suggested taking a photo of the slab so that it could be imported into the computer then I could draw directly on the image to create the river I wanted. 

The Tulip slab had so many beautiful colors and voids over on one side so I drew the heaviest part of the river on the opposite side in order to try and balance it out. I let the natural grain of the wood dictate the flow and mostly the width of the river so that the added feature looked also naturally intergrated. If that makes sense. The CNC then got to work on the river by cutting out the channel. 

Now before removing the slab, we need to somehow mark it’s exact (or as exact as we can get it) location because the family wanted scripture along the river bank but hadn’t yet decided which ones. If we weren’t on a time crunch, I would have let it sit but a way to keep moving but still be able to come back to it’s placement is to screw blocks down to the spoil board and mark where each one aligns with the slab. And how this works might make more sense later on when we place it back on the CNC. 

For now though, I had to get started on epoxy or there was no way I would make the 48 hour deadline. So bring out the TotalBoat! TotalBoat wasn’t sure exactly what I was doing when they agreed to be a part of this build so they sent a little bit of everything. Thankfully, they have such a broad range in everything epoxy and also agreed to also come to Texas in order to provide their expertise in the challenge. 

We first started by experimenting with colors for the river and also the voids. We were aiming for a grayish tone to the river…I didn’t want it to be clear but I also didn’t want it to be black. Once the mixture was figured out then TotalBoat worked on the black which I did want for the voids. 

The voids were a huge tricky point. The slab is 3” thick and when pouring epoxy, you should only pour about 1/4” at a time so if I filled the voids completely we would be looking at around 18-20 hours of just pouring.

To get around this, I’m going to cut out a pocket on the underside, larger than all of these voids and make a bottom that goes halfway the depth of the void. That way I only have about an 1.5″ pour, rather than a few inches.

Before trying out the idea, Brandy and I got together to chat through her design of the base and make sure the dimension she had in her design would work with the live edge slab and also the placement of the organic features like the voids. 

Once I got the go ahead from her, we let the CNC do it’s thing by cutting a pocket larger than each one of the voids. The only way to get this done in the timeframe was to reduce the depth….and the only way I could see to do that, was to create a bottom.

Now for a choice on material for this plug or faux bottom, I went with plywood. If I had extra Tulip around, then I would have chosen that but I didn’t and I didn’t want to go with a different species because of looks but also since different woods expand and contract at different rates.

As ShopBot cut plugs, I got to work on sealing the slab with TotalBoat. 

We first needed to clean everything up really well, we used compressed air and a shop vac for this. Then we started sealing. 

The CNC cut this negative. And then these two pieces of plywood glued together are the positive to make this plug. I’m test fitting it here and it feels good. So not we are going to seal the inside.

This was actually new information for me and something I was very excited to learn. If you seal all the areas you’ll be using epoxy then it won’t be able to constantly release gas and cause those pesky air bubbles. This step is quick and you only need to let it sit for 15-20 minutes.

Then to stick the plugs into the hole, we used Total Boat’s Thixo, which is a fast setting epoxy which comes in a syringe. I made a pass around to seal the corners then set the plugs in place. I temporarily glued handles on the top to make setting them in place easier. 

Then I caulked around the edges with a fast setting epoxy so that we can flip it over and start the epoxy pour.

Even though we sealed the perimeter, we still applied a layer of painters tape just incase the liquid some how made it’s way out. Leaking epoxy during a pour is not fun. 

Ok lets flip it over and start on the face! First step is the same as the back, to seal any surfaces coming in contact with the epoxy. We’re moving quickly because epoxy has a limited open time before it starts kicking and is no longer spreadable. 

With things sealed, next was to pour the Total Boat epoxy. Since I went with plywood for the voids, I wanted this epoxy tinted to be black so it would hide the look of the plugs completely from the top of the table. Black might seem like an odd choice but it was chosen because of the natural coloring in the slab already. 

After pouring about 1/4” in the voids, I poured the grayish tinted river the same depth and then started the waiting game. 

All the while, Brandy had been over on a metal table in my shop, knocking out the base. So since I’m waiting on epoxy, let me catch you up on her process. 

Brandy started by marking out her steel according to her cut list. Then, she started cutting all of her material square, with the intention of coming back to add the angles.

Brandy designed an absolutely stunning base for this project and knocked it out of the park on the execution, even though she wasn’t in her shop or around her tools.

For the epoxy, I always thought you needed to let each layer cure all the way before pouring the next, but TotalBoat taught me that you only need to let it reach it’s peak of reaction then when it’s over that peak and going down, you can start the next pour. 

How you gauge the status of it’s reaction is by taking it’s temperature. As epoxy is reacting it gets hotter and hotter, so if you use a termal reader on the epoxy you can watch it’s progress and know when it’s climbing, at it’s peak, and then when it finally starts to cool down.

This pour’s process was about an hour and 15 mins to 1.5 hours to go through this climb and decent. Each time it started cooling down, TotalBoat would tint another batch for another 1/4” pour then we waited and watched again. Using a heat gun after each pour to get those bubbles from the pouring action, out. Even with my shortcuts to kill some of the time, it was still a time consuming process.

Thankfully, Make48 not only comes stocked with a trailer full of tools and material but also a kitchen and a great cook named Amy! Amy is also a cofounder of Make48, the other founder is her Husband Tom. Amy made everybody on site three meals a day and used my floating deck to set up a beautiful dining area so that we could eat as one big happy family under a string of lights and the big bright stars of Texas. 

The night didn’t end there though. We all stayed another few hours as I had to make sure all the pours got poured that day or I wouldn’t be able to start sanding the next day.

As I was pouring and waiting, Brandy continued pushing along on the base as well. She took my Triton Superjaws one room over and began started beveling the edges of her parts to prep them for welding the next day.

It was such a relief to walk in the next morning and see the epoxy had set up perfectly and was rock solid, meaning I could carry on with the rest of the plans.

By this time, the family who will receive the table picked out two scriptures they wanted engraved on the table, so the slab went back to the CNC. I used the blocks I screwed into the spoil board to get it aligned exactly as it was before, then Gordon from ShopBot tool-pathed the file and let it fly. 

While that was going on, Brandy was on the other side making sparks and joining pieces together. 

I can’t even tell you how many times this slab got moved around….and it is not light. But it made life so easy by setting the height of my Armor Mobile Workbench to just below the height of the CNC. Allowing me to slide it on and off then move the slab anywhere I needed to work on it.

The flattening step was outside. Brandy wanted to grind her parts and I needed to get the epoxy flush, so we both put on our hearing protection and respirators and got to work. 

I started off using my Triton electric planer to get down the bulk of over poured epoxy.

This was the first time Brandy and I really got to physically work side by side and it’s hard to grasp through footage alone but there was so much positive energy about how things were looking, and also intensity as the clock was ticking. 

I ran into an issue when I started to sand…my paper was clogging up so incredibly quickly. I ended up moving an air compressor out with me and would use a nozzle to blow out my paper while my sander was moving, and sure enough….this worked great!

Although, I was still worried about getting it done in time. Thankfully Kristin who is with TotalBoat offered to hop in and give me a hand. She took my Large ROS Sander while I went through with my 4” Belt Sander. I would knock down the highest points with the belt, then she would fine tune it with the ROS. This went on for hours….not just a few, but more like 6 or 7. Brandy was determined to complete her base so we both worked past sunset and into the dark of night. 

The following morning, it was go time. We only had until noon if we were going to meet the 48 hour timeline so we started off hustling.

Brandy wanted to set the base in place on the slab to figure out the position. Things not being a square or rectangle, makes things a little trickier you know. So we stood all over the shop looking at it, but once the position looked perfect with the shape of the slab, she went straight into completing her final welds.

With it now all together, Brandy gave it a through cleaning then used a blackening chemical gel to finish off her portion of the project with a stunning outcome. 

While she applied her finish to the base, I was applying mine to the top. At this point, all of us were starting to breath easy.

We were doing good on time, we overcame sooo many challenges and had a blast doing it as a team. After letting both the base and the top dry for a bit, we finally put the two pieces together and got a look at the completed outcome for the first time. 

It looked incredible.

And if you can’t tell from my retelling of the event, the process was also incredible. This was a big build to take on with the limited amount of time but by pulling together as a team, we were able to get it done.

Big thank you to Millers Rustic Sawmill, TotalBoat, ShopBot, Make48, Workbench Con, and of course Brandy Aube. I feel so proud of the table we built. 

Things I Used in This Project:

• ISOtunes Ear Protection
• Wagner Orion 950 Moisture Meter
• Armor Mobile Workbench
• Total Boat Thixo Fast Cure
• Total Boat ThickSet Epoxy
• Total Boat Slow Hardener
• Total Boat High Performance Epoxy Resin
• Triton SuperJaws
• Triton 7″ Planer
• Triton Large ROS

Brandy Aubé’s Website

Brandy on Instagram

If you haven’t already, don’t forget to sign up at the top of this page for my newsletter so you don’t miss new projects!

(Most of the links listed above are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for supporting me in this way.)

Thinking about building your own transforming coffee table? Check out this project where I walk you through building a coffee table that transforms into a dining table!

This week I tackled a coffee table. Well, not only a coffee table, but a table that can go from the height of a coffee table to a dining table. Oh, and because I struggle with designing something that doesn’t have storage….I incorporated a sneaky storage spot to put away electronics but keep them within reach.

The way this design works is the table can be used at two different heights. To achieve this, there is a set of tall lets and a set of short lets. Both work independently of each other on a hinge.

Be sure to check out the video to see how I made it!

2 in 1 Coffee Table Templates and Plans

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Also, I have 2 in 1 coffee table plans and templates here for this project. And not only this project but plenty of other ones as well.

Also leave me a comment down below and let me know your thoughts on my table. I’ll see you soon. 

Things I Used In This Project:

• ISOtunes Ear Protection
• Triton Track Saw
• DAP Weldwood Glue
• Armor Workbench
• Armor Dog Clamps
• DAP Rapid Fuse
• Triton SuperJaws
• Triton Sander

Thinking about building your own king platform bed with storage? Check out this project where I show you how I built my own with lots of storage!

I’ve been wanting to build a platform bed with storage for a while, so that’s what I decided to tackle this week. In my design I made it not only modular so it’s easy to assembly and take a part when I want to move the platform bed frame, but it also has lots of storage.

Four drawers along the front, and six open shelves along the sides. Then on the inside are two drawers for long term storage items such as winter clothes during the summer or visa versa. Let me show you the process on how I built it. 

Getting Started Building The Platform Bed with Storage

I designed the bed so that a King could be built from five sheets of plywood. I used my Armor workbench to move the first sheet onto my workbench then got started with breaking it down with my Triton tracksaw. I’ll go ahead and warn you now that it’s a lot of pieces but I have a set of Platform Bed with Storage DIY Plans with a full cut-list which drastically speeds up the process. 

Platform Bed with Storage Plans

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After breaking down my first sheet, I decided to paint my remaining sheets before cutting the rest. This also sped up the process since it’s quicker to paint an entire sheet than lots and lots of small parts.

After reducing the size with my track saw, I used my table saw and Rockler crosscut sled to break them down even further….really utilizing the stop block built into the sled to make the many repeatable cuts. 

Before getting to assembly, let me show you my game plan so you understand the direction I’m going. The bed is built in three main sections. The two sides are identical but mirrored with open shelving. Then the front spans across to connect those two and has drawers. I’m starting with building the two sides sections, which is just a big ole box with 90 degree connections. 

I used a few of the Rockler corner clamps to align my parts. This is a jig that has a square in the center and easily clamps two boards together at a perfect 90 so that once you align them flush, you don’t have to worry about them moving as you’re driving in screws.

I first attached the two end pieces then moved the jig down to repeat on the center dividers. You can see I’m using a scrap as a spacer. I use a quick bandy clamp to hold it down, then set my next board in the corner clamp, then just have to butt the top up against my spacer to set it in place.

Once I have them clamped in place, I flipped the unit down to make driving in the screws easier. 

With those in, I could flip the unit over and attach the top. BTW: Even though wood glue isn’t as strong when applied to a painted surface, I still applied glue to every joint before backing up the connection with screws. After attaching the top, I flipped the unit over once again then repeated to attach the back. Utilizing a Rockler bar clamp to bring in any edges that weren’t perfectly flush. 

One down! Lets get it out of the way and repeat to build a second. I intentionally set the height of my Armor workbench so I can slide items on and off my main workbench easily. 

Now onto making the front sections.

Building this box is just as simple, the only difference is the dividers are spaced differently. Oh, also there isn’t a solid back. In order to not remove the mattress any time I want to get into the long term storage drawers in the center, I designed it so that I can remove the two center drawers completed, then pull the storage drawers through the same openings.

With that, everything is covered on this box except the two openings. 

Ok, lets put it on the ground and see how it looks. The front lines up to one of the side sections, then the second side can be easily lined up after that. 

Looks good to me! Lets build some drawers next. 

These are just smaller boxes. After cutting up my parts, I once again used the corner clamp it jigs to help assembly along. On my personal bed, I liked the idea of opening shelving on the side but if you wanted more drawer storage instead, this same process could be used to make them all drawers. 

To attach the face of the drawer, I used a few spacers to create the needed offsets, then applied glue and screws. Since these screws are on the show face of the drawer, I will later fill them with wood putty and paint over it when I do the touch up paint to the rest of the bed. 

So that’s one drawer…..and two drawers. Next was the same process but on a slightly smaller scale to create drawer three and then drawer four. 

Now I’m actually going to be putting those on sliders but I ordered them late and was still waiting on them, so I paused that step and moved onto building out the center section. 

The first thing I did here was create a railing all the way around the inside of the three sections. This lip will later hold the pieces to cover up the center section and hold up the mattress.

I applied glue then set the rail into place with screws. You can see I’m again using a spacer to line it up correctly. You want to set the depth of this rail so that the final board will be flush all the way across in the end. 

After repeating that on the other two sections, I grabbed the pieces from my cutlist to start building a center support for the mattress. This member is made up of a top and bottom with some 2x4s in between.

If it were important to get the spacing correct, I would have used a spacer to align them but since it won’t be seen, I just eye balled the placement then used glue and screws to attach everything together. Easy enough….now this can be placed here….perfect. 

When looking at the bed at this point, on the ground, I decided to add some feet to the bottom of each section to raise it all up just slightly. I like the idea of it looking like it’s floating, so I ripped some boards down at the table saw then glued two strips together. Using a brad nailer here to hold things together while the glue set up.

Then I could flip the three compartments on their top and attach these rails to the bottom to create a stand off. I set these back just slightly so they won’t be seen from the sides or face. 

I must apologize here, I had a camera malfunction it looks like (I forgot to hit the record button) and don’t have the footage of assembling the inside drawers meant for long term storage. However! Building the drawer is the same as the other drawers.

The intention here is to utilize some of the wasted space in this center section. To access the drawers, I just have to remove the two center drawers then pull them out through the same openings. It’s worth noting that I only made these half as deep as the depth. If you wanted more space, you could make them twice as long ooor you could even make two for each side. 

Once I placed my center drawers on casters, I next set the two final plywood sheets in place to create the rest of the platform. While I could have left it as is, I didn’t like how I had to move to the back of the bed to slide them off so I decided to quickly cut in some held holds. Just a place big enough for my fingers to slip in and push the top back, should I need to.

I used a random radius in my shop to trace roughly around center of this piece then cut it out using my Triton jig saw.

To clean up this edge, I used a new tool to my shop which is the Triton portable oscillating spindle sander. It was perfect in this application as this part was too large to take to the table.

However, it is worth noting that Rockler makes a table for mounting this sander. So should you have a small part that is easier to take to a table, such as the drawer faces with the same curved cut in them, then this is available. 

Ok and that’s almost the bed done! The last thing I needed to do was mount my drawers on the slides to make the front section functional. To make this go quick and easy, I use a Drawer Slide jig from Rockler. You can set the slider into place then hold onto it by sliding the lock down to wedge it in. Now you can position the jig on the side board.

With the front built in stops, it will align the drawer slides at the same distance on all the cubbies. It’s worth mentioning that if you wanted to reference off the top of a cabinet instead of the bottom like I’m doing, there is a built in positioning rod that’s adjustable so again, all the slides come out at the same position. 

Then the way I install drawers is I keep the entire slide together when attaching it to the cubby. Then to not have to figure out where the second part of the slide goes to be perfectly aligned, I place a small spacer on the bottom to set the drawer on top of.

Then still keeping the two parts together, I pull out the second part and attach it to the drawer. There we go. Easy peasy. 

Ok, and that’s a wrap with the build portion of the bed. Now all the sections can easily be moved inside and put together. After arranging the two side sections with the front, they could be screwed together from the inside of the small drawers. Then the rest of the parts could be added.

I plan to store off-season clothes in the long term storage drawers in the center, folded clothes or linens in the front drawers, then the sides I’ll use for shoes or baskets of items. 

All in all this build has a lot of pieces but it’s very easy to put together, so if you’re needing a bed then check out the plans with a cutlist and material list here in these DIY Platform Bed with Storage build Plans. I have this design in Queen and King sizes.

Platform Bed with Storage Plans

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I hope you enjoyed it!

Things I Used in This King Platform Bed with Storage Project:

• ISOtunes Ear Protection
• Wilker Do’s Plywood Workbench
• Armor Mobile Workbench
• Triton Track Saw
• Rockler Cord Reel
• Rockler Crosscut Sled
• Rockler Clamp It Jigs
• Rockler Bandy Clamps
• Rockler Bar Clamps
• Rockler Glue Brush
• Rockler Drawer Slides
• Triton JIgsaw
• Triton Oscillating Spindle Sander
• Rockler Sander Table
• Rockler Drawer Slide Jig

If you haven’t already, don’t forget to sign up at the top of this page for my newsletter so you don’t miss new projects!

(Most of the links listed above are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for supporting me in this way.)

Thinking about trying to build your own DIY folding bench? Check out this DIY project where I show you I built my own bench that folds into a table!

Hey watch this….is it a bench, or….is it a table?….or is it a picnic table? I saw one of these convertible benches and just had to make one. I love the concept of having two seating options that can quickly turn into a table. It’s perfect for outdoor spaces like porches. Let me show you how to make this one. 

Things I Used In This DIY Folding Bench Project:

• ISOtunes Ear Protection
• Armor Workbench
• Triton Thickness Planer
• Wilker Do’s DIY Miter Saw Stand
• Clamps
• Triton SuperJaws
• Armor Pocket Hole Jig

I have Converting Picnic Table DIY Plans for this project here!

Converting Picnic Table Plans

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For this project I’m actually using the left over cedar 2x4s I have on hand from building a fence. So I started by off loading them onto my Armor Tools mobile workbench to get them ready for building.

Personally, when I work with cedar, I always run the boards through my thickness planer first to remove the roughness and save on sanding time later on. 

Then I moved all my boards over to the miter saw to start cutting up into the needed pieces. If you’re interested in a full cut list and material for this project, I have plans linked for you down below. Since I was going off my cut list within my plans, I was able to process all my boards at the same time.

Just a tip for you, I always move my workbench in line with my miter saw stand so I can pull material directly off and into position.

Ok lets start assembling! This bench will be for kiddos so it’s lower to the ground, but know that you can very easily raise it up higher for adults. I grabbed what will be the two legs and the stretcher that connects them and started putting them together. You can see I used a scrap near the bottom to make setting the legs in place, easier.

I applied some outdoor wood glue then once the top was flush all the way across, I used a countersink first then drove in two screws per leg. After attaching the first, I repeated on the second. Then I made another assembly identical to it for the other side. If you’re making both benches at the same time, then you would make four total. 

I set those aside and got started on making the bench seat. For this I laid out four 2x4s on my workbench and lined up the ends flush to each other. I first found center of the bottom board then started attaching a center support member. Again using a counter sink first then driving in screws.

After attaching it to the bottom board, I moved to the top board and repeated. Note, use a speed square to ensure you’re attaching this board on at a 90. Now that I had the top and bottom attached, I cut a spacer to make spacing out the remaining boards equal. Then I went back to the center and attached the center support to these middle two boards as well. 

Now lets attach the two! The ends won’t want to stand up on their own so I grabbed some clamps to increase their footprint and this worked like a champ. At least well enough for me to grab the bottom and set it into place. 

Next was to attached them together. I first applied wood glue then used screws in all the boards to go into the leg assembly. Note: I recommend using a square to ensure the leg is not only square to the bench’s seat but also vertically from the ground.

After checking both planes, I drove in the screws on both sides. Again using my spacer to make sure everything was nice and even. 

Alrighty, now lets add the left and right supports that will join the bottom’s boards together and stiffen up the seat.

Easy enough, moving on to making the top!

Converting Picnic Table Plans

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This is almost the same as the seat except it has more supports in the center of it. So I first laid out my marks according to my Converting Picnic Table DIY Plans then set my boards in place. Once I confirmed that it all looked equal I attached them in place. 

Ok almost done. Now on to the arm assembly.

I first cut the two pieces that make up the bottom and the front of the arm then used my Triton Superjaws to join them together. It’s worth noting that I first only used wood glue and screws here but later came back and added some dowels to reinforce the joint some.

Once that was put together, I added a strap hinge. This is the part that will allow the bench to convert into the table by folding up.

After getting it attached to the bottom of the assembly I moved to the top and added on what will be the back. This is also the part that will allow me to attach this entire unit to the back itself. I set it in place, then used a clamp to secure everything down while I drove in screws. 

Lets set this in place now and figure out where it needs to be set in order to fold forward and work properly….

There isn’t an easy way to set it in place to mark the needed screw locations without it moving. So I ended up cutting a scrap to length so that I could flip the top forward and it hold it in place for me.

This worked beautifully. Once it was forward I was able to use a countersink and screws to attach the hinge in the needed location. 

It isn’t completely done yet but lets try it out! Ha, that’s pretty neat huh? 

Ok, last part that’s needed is the arm! Simple enough. I grabbed a roll of tape off my workbench and used it’s curve to trace a round shape on my 2×4 then cut it out over at the bandsaw.

Now this arm can be attached to the entire assembly.

If you build this, definitely follow my Converting Picnic Table DIY Plans and not what I did here. Remember that I’m building things for the first time when I make videos. So as I build, if I see something that can be refined, I make the change in my plans for the people who want to replicate the project.

So anyways, it would be much better to attach the arm in place before the entire arm assembly gets attached but I made it work by using my Armor Tool pocket hole jig and connecting it that way from underneath. 

Ok lets see how that works. So it’s a bench that can be tucked on a porch but then easily converted into an eating station in just a few seconds. Then if you go through all the steps to build an identical second, they can be move together and turned into a larger seating area that could go back to two benches after all the festivities are done. 

I personally don’t think these will get moved together very often, but the fact it’s another option is pretty cool. Remember if you want to build your own then I have a set of plans over on my website to download. Also if you’re interested in outdoor furniture then check out my Plans section here on my website where I have plans and templates for tons of other projects such as a Folding Adirondack Chair, Rocking Chair, and Porch Swing! 

Converting Picnic Table Plans

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Don’t forget to check out my Converting Picnic Table DIY Plans for this build here!

I really hope you’ve enjoyed this video! I’ll see you on whatever I’m building next.

Thinking about building your own Live Edge Bench? Check out this DIY Project where I show you how to make your own DIY live edge bench!

This week I took the very first slab I ever milled up on my bandsaw mill and turned it into these two pieces of furniture. One is a little end table for my friend and videographer, Justin, and the other is a small bench for myself.

That’s a great thing about this project is one great length of slab can make multiple items. Or If you have a short spare piece that’s too beautiful or sentimental to throw away, then this is something easy but functional to use it for.

Let me show you the process. 

I had traveled to Nashville to help my friend Greg Pennington with a porch project. And while I was loading down the vehicle with tools, I threw in a slab of mesquite since Greg mentioned he had never seen it before. I figured if he was going to be working on something after hours, I’ll pack myself a slab to work along with him. For me, I have been holding onto the very first slab to ever come off my giant bandsaw mill, which is a piece of pecan. 

Now I already knew what I wanted to make with it, because since first going to Greg’s on my first chair making course, I fell in love with these cute live edge benches used all around his shop. I wanted one of those benches, so I started by first picking the section of slab to make my seat from and also Justin’s top from then cutting it to length.

Next was to plane the faces down. Justin’s went pretty typical where the majority of marks were removed on both faces.

However on mine, after removing most of the marks on one face Greg suggested we stop or it would make the board too thin. So in the center I have marks remaining but I don’t mind as it’s the first marks I ever made with my bandsaw mill. Then on the bottom it’s completely left rough. 

Moving into the workshop area, I had my two pieces where I started laying out the leg position (three legs on Justin’s end table and four on my bench), Greg also was laying his four legs out on the piece of mesquite. 

To give you a little back story, I went to Nashville to help Greg build a porch but the first day was nothing but rain, so we were keeping ourselves busy with this project. He went through the process to build a mesquite bench, and I followed along but with my Pecan. 

First step is to drill the holes which is at a compound angle I used Greg’s very savvy but simple, two part laser set up to get these angles drill in correctly, and look at how hard this pecan is….there was so much heat and smoke! Makes for some pretty shots and I thought some really nice smells. 

Once the holes were drilled, now I could perfect them to their actual size and correct taper with a remming tool. See the drill bit make a nice even and straight hole but the goal is to have the leg’s tenon fit snugly into this hole and the tenon on the leg has a small taper. This remming tool cuts in that taper on the seat, perfectly. You just need to have your legs to test fit or in this case, since Greg is a chair maker and has lots of spindles around, a sample spindle to test fit. As long as the tenon is correct, then that’s all you need. You’re looking for it to punch out through the bottom, or actually what will be the top. 

Next we started working on cleaning up some of the edges and profiles. I decided to leave the live edge bark on mine. It will eventually fall off, but I’ll apply some epoxy to it when I get back to Texas to preserve it as long as possible. Greg scrapped his off.

So he had all four edges to refine and shape but I only had my two exposed ends and I just wanted something that would feel nicer than a sharp 90 when I sit down and put my hands on it. So I tackled it at first with a mallet and chisel and just tried knocking the top off.

It didn’t work all that well because pecan is so hard….so next I switched to a drawknife and created an easy chamfer on both the top and bottom. To do that, pick a dimension (I just eyeballed it) then use your finger as a fence against the edge of your wood and drag it along to make a mark on two perpendicular faces. Now you have a visual reference to use a drawknife or any other wood removing tool of your choice, to take that material away and come out with an even and nice looking bevel.

Now since I have bandsaw marks on the center of my slab, I moved to cleaning those up a little bit. The goal here wasn’t to take them away because I love them, but to soften the feel of them slightly as they were quite rough. I did this with a travisher. After it was all said and done, I think the marks blend in so nicely with the bark inclusions and natural knots in the slab. And I love the story they tell. 

Ok leg turning time. Well not just legs, stretchers too.

For mine, I have four legs and three stretchers then for Justin’s he needs three legs and two two stretchers. I am not an experienced turner. I can do it, but I’m very slow and often my pieces come out looking like newborn baby chubby arms. But still, I of course wanted to tackle my parts but Greg volunteered to do Justin’s. It’s worth noting he got both his set, Justin’s set, and cleaned his entire shop, in the time it took me to make mine. But hey, it’s not a race, it’s about having fun making sawdust.

For my parts, Greg already had a lot of dried maple blanks so that’s what I pulled from. The reason you want to use something dried is so you can assemble it and it not move drastically in size on you. If you used something wet, then as it dried it would shrink and your joints would become lose. 

I went for a simple shape, something called a cigar leg, while Greg got a little fancy for Justin’s and did what’s called a double bobin leg. Annnd he also made his from Cherry, which turned out looking stunning.

After test fitting the legs into place, we got out the log drill bit and started punching some holes. These holes will receive the stretchers and make a rock solid base once things are connected. 

After the holes in the legs are punched then a hole needs to be drilled in the short or short(s) stretcher. This step always fascinates me. The hole needs to be drilled perfectly perpendicular to the stretcher and to achieve that chair makers use a mirror technique where they will set up a mirror to face them.

They will also have a 90 degree square in sight so that in the mirror as a person drilling, you can set the square where it can be used as an indicator on how straight your drill bit is. If this is where the square is, and this is your drill bit, and you start leaning one way or the other, you’ll be able to very easily tell that you’re tilting.

Alright, and now it was assembly time.

If you’re building a piece of furniture then hide glue is a great choice. It not only has a long open time but it’s also reversible should you ever need to replace a part or refinish the entire thing. It’s at this point where it starts coming together very quickly, one piece at a time.

Now don’t freak out if you flip it over and a leg isn’t touching the bench….the legs are left a little long at the start so that there is room to level them up after they are wedged into place. 

For wedges you can go with just about any choice of wood but I wanted walnut so that they would contrast with my light body and base.

These also go in with hide glue, but if you ever wedge something then only apply glue to one face and not both. Then if you use a ball pin hammer, it won’t provide as much bounce back when you drive these home. 

Ok now we can take care of that let that is higher than the others. There is a very simple tool that, holds a pencil, will reference the top of a workbench and can be set to any set amount. So once you figure out how much height needs to be removed from the bench to drop it to the height desired, then you can set this tool and mark all the legs so you know where to chop them off.

After making all four marks, I used a pull saw to slice and dice, which made my bench sit nice and flat. 

Last thing to do while at Greg’s at least, was to move to the top and use a small flush trim saw to cut off the excess leg tenon and the wedges.

Ooh, I love it. I love the pecan coloring. I love the character these specific pieces have it in them. I love making something with my first slab. And I love the day full of so much relaxing fun building it with two close friends.

It’s always a special time in Greg’s shop because he has a magical place there. I’ve left you links down below to the other projects I’ve had the pleasure of building in Greg’s shop as well as his current class schedule if you’re interested in joining in on some of the fun. 

As for their final homes, my bench lives in my living room and serves as a place for me to sit and put on my shoes.

Justin uses his as an end table on his balcony and he says it does a fabulous job at holding whiskey. 

I hope you enjoyed this video and maybe even learned something. If you have a live edge piece of wood then I certainly recommend tackling this project. I know I plan to again in the future, I mean the sizes of these benches are just too perfect. I’ll see you on my next project. 

• Find Greg Pennington here.
• Greg’s Class Schedule here.

Other projects with Greg:

• Three Legged Shop Stool
• Democratic Chair
• Painting Furniture with Real Milk Paint Video

If you haven’t already, don’t forget to sign up at the top of this page for my newsletter so you don’t miss new projects!

Looking to build your own DIY Folding Adirondack Chair? Why not make a Adirondack Chair that FOLDS to make it more portable and easier to store?

It is officially summer time and I’m needing some outdoor chairs. It’s crazy how expensive Adirondack Chairs are. So in this video, I am going to show you how you can make your own DIY Adirondack Chair with a special feature!

Let’s Build your DIY Folding Adirondack Chair

What I really love about this design is that it has a folding feature to make it low profile when stowing it away during the winter time.

Folding Adirondack Chair Templates

$9.99 – $19.99

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I’ve created a set of folding DIY adirondack chair plans to make building this one (or multiples) quick and easy!

Materials I used to build a Folding Adirondack Chair:

• Wood
• Drill
• Screws
• Clamps
• Nut and bolts
• Finish
• Paint
• Stain
• DIY Folding Adirondack Chair templates

Step 1: Use Folding Adirondack Chair Templates to create the right sized pieces

The first step to making a Folding Adirondack Chair is to grab our templates needed in order to build out the bottom of the chair. Place the templates over your 1x lumber and secure with standard scotch tape. The goal is to map out what is needed now so that all we have to do is assemble it later.

Step 2: Cut out your pieces for your DIY Folding Adirondack Chair

Head over to your Miter Saw to cut the longer boards into smaller sections. This helps to make cutting out the parts at the Band Saw more manageable. Here you can either do a rough cut at the Band Saw then use a Router with a flush trim bit to get the part perfect or you can take your time at the Band Saw to get the cut as close to the template trace lines as possible.

Step 3: Soften the edges

Use a Router Table to cut a quarter inch round over on all the exposed edges. If you do not have a Router Table, then a hand held router with a round over bit will work just as well! Remember to go slow and safe, let the tool do the work. Tip: If you are building with pine or another softwood you do not need your router speed turned all the way up – half speed will work just fine.

Step 4: Assemble the DIY Folding Adirondack Chair seat

First, lay out the two main legs and attach the front seat slat. It’s helpful to have something to push up against so that once the slat is positioned in place you can drive it in with a screw while avoiding any shifting of the Adirondack chair legs. I recommend moving to attach the last slat on the seat after this to square up the structure.

Step 5: Measure the angle of the legs of the DIY Folding Adirondack Chair

Use a square to make sure that your legs are standing at a 90 degree angle in reference to a flat work bench or surface. Additionally, check to make sure the distance in between the back is the same as the distance in between the front of the legs.

Step 6: Attach the DIY Folding Adirondack Chair slats

Now, attach the remaining slats in between your front and back slats. You can use a spacer, but you can also eyeball the distance as well.

Step 7: Attach the DIY Folding Adirondack Chair legs

The seat is done! Next we will prop it up by attaching the Folding Adirondack Chair’s front legs. On the templates, I have marked where all the hardware needs to be placed. I would use an ald to transfer the hole location before using a quarter inch drill bit to push the holes through. This helps when it comes to lining up the bolt with the holes in the main legs. Repeat the process on the other side.

Step 8: Attach the DIY Folding Adirondack Chair front support

Use two clamps to attach the Adirondack Chairs front support right under the seat slats. This piece also serves as a grabbing point to allow you to easily carry the Folding Adirondack Chair when it is in it’s folded position.

Step 9: Building the DIY Folding Adirondack Chair back assembly.

Pull the templates needed to trace out all the back slats. Head over to your Band Saw to cut them out and round out the exposed edges. The templates have holes pre-marked where the two back arches need to be placed on the back slats. I found it easiest to lay the back arches down on a workbench and then lay the slats on top of them.

Tip: DIY Folding Adirondack Chair Centering

To make sure the slats are centered first find center on the arches and work your way out. I used a counter sink before driving each slat in with a screw to the top and bottom arches. Since this is a folding Adirondack chair the back won’t be attached to the seat right now. However, it will need to be set into place. Use some clamps to hold it into place while you move on to the next step: the arms!

Step 10: Create the DIY Folding Adirondack Chair arm assembly.

This step consists of the Folding Adirondack Chair arm as well as a small vertical support. Set it into place on the chair. I recommend using a clamp to hold the front vertical support into place and up against the front leg to keep it from moving while you drill it into place. The hole locations are marked on the templates to make it easy to place. Once the hole is punched through, use a nut and bolt to secure the arm to the chair.

Material Tip:

I recommend using a nylon locking nut for the hardware on this build. There is a nylon ring inside the nut that won’t allow it to slip back off over time.

Step 11: Attach the back of the DIY Folding Adirondack Chair arm to the upper arch on the back assembly

Grab a level to get the arm perfectly flat. I also pre-drilled a hole and drilled in a screw. This part is fairly simple, but make sure the surface your Folding Adirondack Chair is on is level as well, otherwise you can accidentally end up with an off-level product.

Step 12: Make it a foldable Adirondack Chair

To make this a Folding Adirondack Chair, place a small block that attaches to the back lower arch of the back assembly near the main leg. This is a small part! Make sure to pre-drill it so that it doesn’t spilt. Make sure the part is fully seated, but don’t over tighten. These blocks do need to pivot in order to give you the folding action.

Conclusion

You’re done! You can absolutely leave the wood raw, but you can also stain or paint the Folding Adirondack Chair to personalize them. The DIY Folding Adirondack Chair is an affordable and easy project. You can find all the materials you need at your local hardware store, and you can usually get them at a discounted price. Plus, you won’t have to pay for labor or shipping fees, so you can get a great deal on your new chair.

Things I Used in This DIY Folding Adirondack Chair Project:

• ISOtunes Ear Protection
• Armor Tool Mobile Workbench
• Wilker Do’s Mobile Workbench Upgrade Plans
• Bessey Clamps
• Triton SuperJaws

Folding Adirondack Chair Templates

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Easiest way to get started on your DIY Adirondack Chair is to grab my plans and watch the video above!

Tips For Painting or Staining Your DIY Adirondack Chair

When it comes to painting or staining your Adirondack chair, there are a few things to keep in mind.

1. First, make sure to use oil-based paint or stain for the best results. Water-based products may not provide adequate protection from the elements.
2. Second, make sure to apply multiple coats for the best coverage. Applying multiple thin coats is better than one thick coat.
3. Third, make sure to let the chair dry completely before using it. This will ensure that the paint or stain has had enough time to cure and is fully protected from the elements.

Extra Design Ideas For DIY Adirondack Chairs

Making your own Adirondack chair is a great way to add a touch of style and personality to your outdoor space. Here are a few extra design ideas to get you started:

• For a rustic look, try using reclaimed wood for the frame and slats.
• For a modern look, try using painted wood or metal for the frame and slats.
• For a classic look, try using natural wood for the frame and slats.
• For a coastal look, try using white-washed wood or blue-painted wood for the frame and slats.
• For an eclectic look, try using a mix of different materials for the frame and slats.

With a bit of creativity, you can make an Adirondack chair that’s truly unique and one-of-a-kind.

Folding Adirondack Chair Templates

$9.99 – $19.99

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You should buy the templates and definitely check out the video for this DIY Adirondack Chair project for all of the details and the tutorial.

Conclusion and Finished Product!

I also think a set of these chairs would make a great present for anyone on pretty much any occasion.

If you are interested in outdoor furniture, I also have templates for a porch swing and as well as templates for a rocking chair.

I hope you have a blast making your own outdoor furniture! I’ll see you on my next project.

If you haven’t already, don’t forget to sign up at the top of this page for my newsletter so you don’t miss new projects!

(Most of the links listed above are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for supporting me in this way.)

Thought I should learn about building my first chair! Check out this DIY project where Greg and I built a democratic chair from start to finish!

Last fall I was fortunate enough to get to take a two day lesson with Greg Pennington and make this awesome perch. While there I fell in love with a chair called the Democratic chair and couldn’t wait to come back and try making it myself. So when I was back in Nashville to visit my best friend Anne Briggs, we asked Greg if we could squeeze in making a one. Let me show you the process, which is pretty fascinating. 

A portion of the chair I made literally came straight from this log.

I started the first day off by using a wedge and sledge to split the log into a useable section that I then used a fro and a mallet to get rectangle pieces of wood that will eventually be turned into my chair’s back spindles.

It’s amazing how easy it is to get a semi square piece of wood when you understand how to spit the wood properly. Greg says the fro is the old woodworkers table saw.

Once I got five spindles out of the log, we moved inside to Greg’s shop and sat at the shave horse to cut them down to size with the drawknife. This process consisted of getting one side flat (almost like what a jointer would accomplish) then flipping it over and getting the opposite face flat to it, much like a thickness planer. 

While making the five spindles, we also shaped what will be the curved back piece. This was my first time steam bending anything and it was enthralling.

Our piece of wood can be placed in the steam box for about 45 mins where it fills with moisture, making the green wood malleable.

But only temporarily so we had to move quickly. Greg had the jig with the exact curve and the clamps at the ready. We already marked the center of the piece so that once it was lined up to the center of the jig, I could squeeze on the clamps and start pulling it into the needed curve. 

Now that back curve needed to sit up in clamps for 24 hours, I put my sized back spindles in the kiln to get their moisture content down. Then I started turning the spindles needed to make up the four legs, three stretchers, and two back posts.

These are made from already dried out maple that Greg had. I’m not a fabulous turner, but the great thing about the democratic chair is that all these parts get facets added to them later so my imperfect shapes turn out looking just fine! Or so I think so. 

Once all the parts were turned on the lathe, I went back to the shave horse to start cutting in those facets I mentioned. This is done with a spokeshave and the process is to set the spindle in to make one side flat, then rotate it 180 and get another side flat.

Turn it 90 and flatten that side, then 180 to flatten the opposite side. If you watched me make the perch, you’ll remember that I did those legs with these facets. It’s a subtile thing that gives the finished piece a striking look. 

The next step was to cut in the tendon on each spindle so that they could be poked in the kiln to ensure the moisture content was low enough for when we assembled the chair in a few days.

Another thing I really like about this chair is that a mix of material is what the democratic chair is all about.

A gentleman named Curtis Bucannon designed it to be a chair built out of whatever you have on hand. So far I made the spindles from oak, the legs and stretchers from maple and up next was to start making the seat which is made from a huge block of pine. 

I started off by tracing our the seat template on the block of pine. This not only gives me the outline shape of the seat but also all the spindle and leg hole locations plus their angles, and also all the facet starting and stopping points around the perimeter of the seat.

Once everything was marked I could start drilling the holes. This is another part of the process I think is interesting. These holes for the legs are drilled at a compound angle and use to be done using two different mirrors. However, Greg invented a system of using two lasers instead.

After setting the proper angle and direction of the lasers, both can be set up in line with the hole and as long as you keep the cross heirs he’s placed on the back of the drill, the hole will come out at the needed angle. 

The drill bit is like a pre drill that gets the hole mostly to the size needed. But the next step, which is to rim the hole, gets it to its true size to match the tenon on each one of the legs.

Remember the pencil sharpener step? It’s important to get these two to mate up nicely to each other to have a rock steady chair at the end. This step uses those same lasers to make sure I don’t get off the compound angle that’s needed. I would have the spindle on hand to test fit every few passes until it was down to the correct depth. After getting one correct, I would repeat on the next then the next until all were fitted properly. 

Next I got a very special treat! Of using a hand plane of Greg’s that my good friend Jenny’s Bowers custom engraved all by hand. Whew, that thing is stunning!

I quickly went over the back of my pine block to remove any pencil markings, and get it nice and flat. So that I could flip it over and start my favorite part of the process, which is carving in the seat.

This is a  fascinating process for so many reason. One, the tools feel so cool when they are cutting and taking out scoops. This tool here is called a scorp and it’s purpose is to remove the bulk of wood on the seat of a chair. You can see the drastic gouge marks it leaves behind. This is just fine because the next step is to use a more refined cutting tool called a potato.

This will still remove wood but just not as quickly. It’s also great at cleaning up the unevenness from the scorp cutting and feathering in the different curves and dips in the seat. 

There will be more refining of the seat later on, but after getting it mostly scooped out, I could then take it to the bandsaw and cut out the profile so I could start on the perimeter profiles.

Sticking the seat blank vertically in a bench vise, I first made pencil marks along the top and bottom of the different edges so that I could use a drawknife to cut a champer in between.

I wish you guys could feel how cool this felt. This is end grain on this section and watch just how smoothly and cleanly this cuts. Besides feeling, it also has this amazing sound to it as it shaves off a cut. Extremely different than power tools.

Isn’t that incredible? I know time can get lost in videos but it was a days worth of work for me to make this seat and I just think it’s magical. I think it’s funny it hits me this way since I make stuff all the time but it’s another level of magic to use only hand tools

Ok, next step was to drill some holes in the legs to add in the stretchers.

This is a pretty nerve wracking step. But one great thing about taking a class with Greg is he is there every step of the way with you to make sure you feel comfortable and are having a good time. 

Now of course after I built my chair, I would have to fly back home so the goal was to only glue up the bottom of the chair so that it could be boxed up and shipped back on the plane. Then go ahead and assemble the top while in Greg’s shop but only do a dry fit so that it could be disassembled and left loose in the box. Sooo next we assembled!

On most furniture, craftsmen use hide glue instead of regular yellow wood glue, and that’s because hide glue is reversible. This is useful should a part on a chair ever break and need to be replaced. Or if the piece ever needs to be refinished, it’s much easier to take the whole thing a part to sand than to try and do it as a whole. It also has a decent open time to give you time to put all your parts together and also cleans up nicely with water.

We worked piece by piece to assemble the base as a whole, then once that was complete, we applied glue to the seat holes and attached the base to the seat itself.

And then voila…..wow. Tell me that’s not just the neatest. 

But we aren’t done, so lets continue. Next I added in some wedges to each one of the legs in order to keep them locked into their holes. 

Then I cut each leg to length so that it would sit flat.

Ok and that is the seat and lower portion done. Noooow it was onto assembling the top half which in my case will just be dry fitted into place for the mean time. 

We started off by grabbing all my parts I made on day 1 (we were now on day 3) and putting the two back posts and curved back into place so that we could mark off the location the spindles needed to be placed.

Ok focus April…..I first had to drill some holes in the posts then whittle on the curved back so that 1) it was faceted and matched the rest of the chair, but also 2) had tenons that would fit into the holes I just drilled. This was done over at the shave horse with the drawknife, then fitted into place. 

Next was to drill the holes through this curved piece so that next the spindles could start being added.

I am normally really adimanent about doing everything myself. But I was so nervous about breaking this precious part so I asked Greg to please drill the holes for me. Which of course he was happy to and did a fabulous job.  

The very last thing I had to do to complete the chair was to fit in the spindles one by one then take a seat in the very first chair I’ve made. Which, if you can imagine, is a pretty rewarding feeling.

The next morning Anne helped me package up my chair so I could tote it home as a checked bag on the plane. I wasted no time when I got home and started assembling it the very next day.

I was in a rush on the last day to get finished so before I started putting together the top half I first went over each one of the spindles on my own shave horse and fine tuned things a bit more. This is the first time I’ve gotten to use my own shave horse and spoke shave!

Then I followed the instructions Greg sent me home with to do the final assembly which started off with me gluing in the two back posts.

Next I cut the curved back to length outside of the posts….used a chisel to pop in a kerf then also wedged it into place. 

Ok and now the spindles. I placed each one into its slot then applied some hide glue to the top side of each one. This way as I popped it down into place, glue would be applied to their hole. 

Once each one was seated properly I did general clean up with water on a brush and a paper towel. Then I went to the top of each one individually and popped in a kerf with a chisel then drove in a wedge. After it was firmly in place, I cut each wedge to length then repeated on the rest. 

And that’s it! You know, I never thought I’d be into chair making. And I truly, I think my enjoyment of it is credited to Greg’s teaching style and environment. So if you are interested in taking one of his classes, I highly recommend it!

I have since painted the chair. I thought about including that in this video, but it is such an interesting video that I’ve made it its own stand alone future video. Look for that soon.

I hope you enjoyed coming along as I built my first chair! I’ll see you on the next project.

• Check out Greg’s Classes Here
• Find Jenny’s Custom Engraving Here
• Need something to build? Find lots of templates for DIY projects here!

If you haven’t already, don’t forget to sign up at the top of this page for my newsletter so you don’t miss new projects!

Thinking about building a bunk bed? Why not add a climbing wall? Check out this DIY project where I built a rock climbing wall bunk bed for my brother!

I traveled to Florida to visit my brother and his family. And while there, I built my nephews a set of bunk beds. The bunk beds include a rock climbing wall, individual shelves for both bunks, and plenty of drawer storage along the bottom.

Bunk Bed Plans

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I did the design for the bed on the plane ride over so that as soon as my boots hit the ground, we could jump in and start building. If you have the time, it is a tremdious time saver to paint all your boards before you start building.

I was limited to two days so after one side got two coats and was dry enough to touch, I started cutting.

I do have a set of DIY Bunk Bed Plans here if you’re interested, which comes with not only a material shopping list but also a full cut list!

Bunk Bed Plans

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This also saves a great amount of time as I could make all the cuts needed, at the same time, for the boards that make up two main bed frames, and the two side assemblies that connect the beds. 

We had a full family operation going on. After I made the cuts needed, I pulled out my Amor Tool self adjusting jig and showed my dad how to drill in pocket holes in the needed boards.

While he continue to drill pocket holes, I continued working down my cutlist to get boards to their needed length. My brother would gather up the finished boards that needed to be hauled inside, and my mom would be feeding me new boards that needed cuts. 

I do recommend doing all the assembly in the final location the bed will go. I did design so that portions can be taken a part and moved easily, but it will save time and effort if you build it in the bedroom. 

I know you guys are used to seeing me in my shop where I have things pretty set up. But remember that the key to being a Maker or builder is to be resourceful when not having all the things.

Before going in to start assembling I wanted to cut all the 20 something slats needed for the beds and a stop block on the miter saw is the way to make this go quick, so I improvised. I used a Bessey quick clamp to attach a board to the underside of the welding table I was using as a stand, so that I could then clamp another board to the topside right where I needed my stop block to be placed. And now I’ll be able to lay my new board down, slide it down until it runs into this stop, and then make my cut without measuring.

We once again got into a cute family groove where dad would feed me new boards and my mom would take the cut ones while my brother moved in the piles. 

Ok lets move in and start assembling. Let me introduce you to the most adorable apprentice I’ve come across. I’m starting with the frame for the bunk beds and since Noah was so interested in being apart of anything I was doing, I tried to include him. He loved just sitting and watching but he also loved being tasked with things like getting the screws or pushing on the drill.

By the way, if a whole box of screws go missing, be sure to check the kid’s dump trucks near you.

Before setting that aside, I glued and then screwed on a ledge that the slats will later rest on top of. Since this is an inside project, I used Titebond Original for the majority of connections.

Alright, setting that aside so that we can build the two side assemblies. This was going to require multiple hands so I brought in some sawhorses so my folks wouldn’t have to be on the ground.

We first attached some blocks that will act as ledges for the bed frame to rest on, later on. Just a tip for you when building, put a clamp on things you’re about to join so that when you drive in a screw it won’t be able to push the parts apart.

Then moving up to the top of the sides, we also attached what will later be the header and footer of the top bunk frame. Another tip is to use a countersink before driving in the screws. This not only creates a pilot hole to prevent cracking but also creates a divot in the wood for the head to sit below the surface. While my mom helped hold things, my dad would countersink, then I would follow him with the screws. 

After repeating to make another side, I was ready to start attaching things together. If you have two people to hold the sides, then it’s as simple as placing the bottom bunk right on top of the ledge blocks, put into place earlier. 

So putting the bed frame together, I used wood glue but when attaching the frame to the sides, I’m only using screws, and this is so it can be disassembled and moved in the future.

Once it was attached on the four legs, we dropped in the slats, spacing them just by eye, and while my brother went through to countersink, I drove in screws.

Next we moved to the top and attached the two remaining members to complete that bed frame then dropped in the slats up there as well.

Then the last thing we were able to do that night was attach the second portion of the four legs. We could set these in place, make sure they were flush, hold them using Bessey clamps, then attach them using screws. 

Bunk Bed Plans

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It was so cute how all Noah wanted to do was go look at his new bed. He was so insistent that we went ahead and put the mattress on so he could sleep on it. It’s easy to get an early start when you have a three year old telling you it’s wake up time and he will love you if you build his bed. 

The next morning I started off by building the ladder which is made up of simple 2x4s. After cutting the pieces to length, each one got a few pocket holes so they could be attached to the main board.

Since these steps will be in contact with little feet, I would recommend using a router and round over to soften the top edges. Or, if you’re like me and didn’t have one, then use a sander to do the same.

I used wood glue on all the ends of the pieces before attaching with screws and a good way to think about when to use glue and when not….is the components that make up a larger assembly typically get glue….such as the rung to the ladder, but I would skip the glue when attaching the ladder to the bed frame so that in the future it can be removed if needed. 

Ok we’re making some progress and ready to move on to making and attaching the shelves for both the lower and upper bunks.

So I first moved the entire bed up against the wall as these shelves attach directly the wall in between the two sides. These are definitely an add on so they are easily left off but I like them because they bring a ton of function to the otherwise, unused space. I started off by drilling a few pocket holes in the bottom of each long shelf. Next I started attaching the vertical boards to make three individual areas of the shelving unit. 

Before adding the shelves though I decided to add in some of the railing needed on the top bunk. While mattresses have a standard length and width you can get off line, the height of mattresses do vary so I recommend getting that dimension before you place your railings. You want them to be high enough over the mattress to capture a rolling child of course. 

Now if you put in the second mattress you’ll have a comfy platform to sit and on while installing them. I first went through and marked off the stud locations, then attached the slats. After placing one screw, I would use a level to make sure it was going on straight, then attach the rest in the same manner. 

After getting the backer boards attached now the shelving unit we built before can be added. These are simple to be attached since all the pocket holes are already drilled and the unit can be lined up to the back boards.

And of course the shelf sizes can easily be changed I just thought this arrangement looked nice.

Ok a little touch up paint, then to the top bunk to repeat. 

I still had about half a day before having to catch a plane so I decided to add in a few additions to increase the function for the parents, but also the fun for the kids. 

When I think of little kids and beds, I think of books so I made sure to incorporate a built in bookshelf to utilize some otherwise dead space.

I started off by cutting to size and attaching some little standoffs to the front portion of the bed. I couldn’t use screws to attach these so instead I used a really powerful adhesive. I applied some to the back of all the blocks then held it in place with clamps for a few mins to dry while I went outside and ripped a few more needed boards to length and width.

Two boards can be added to the standoffs to create railings that will later prevent the books from being able to fall forward. Easy enough huh? It doesn’t hold as much as a bookshelf but you can at least place the children’s favorites within reach. 

I’m going to go ahead and apologize now for the poor lighting, this was a really difficult shot to get with my tripod. But you’ll still see how next I built a really fun rock wall on the side of the bed.

I original thought to add a solid sheet of plywood and paint a cool design on it, but I didn’t like the idea of cutting off visibility completely to the bottom bunk for my brother and sister in law. So I added some slats instead.

This still gives me plenty of surface area to next attach the hand and foot holds that will make up the climbing wall. It will also leaves some visibility for them to peak in from the door and put eyes on their boy.

And it shouldn’t be any surprise that this was Noah’s favorite feature. Once he realized what this was, all he did was go up the rock wall then down the ladder just to go up the rock wall again. 

Then the last feature I tried to include was adding drawers to the bottom of the bunk bed. There is so much wasted space here that drawers are perfect. I’m thinking of them being used for toy storage where the children can pull out a drawer, play with the toys inside of it, then push it back when they are done. However, I suppose they could also be used for clothing or other nurersy items.

After breaking down two large sheets of plywood, I did some simple drawer assembly using Quick and Thick and a brad nailer.

Since my brother has carpet in this room, the drawers don’t have casters but rather will be slide on top of the carpet. If you have tile or hardwood, then shortening the drawers is a simply adjustment so that you can add casters. 

I was really pushing my limits on time and getting to the airport, so I wasn’t able to put handles in the drawers. I also needed to touch up some paint, but my brother can handle that.

All in all, not bad for two days worth of work! Not only that, but I love how involved the entire family was. Especially Noah. I had no idea a three year old could be so involved in such a build.

If a bunk bed is on your to-do list, then I really hope this video will help you out. It’s a big build, but really a simple one. I love how much use the kids will get out of it for years.

If you would like a set of DIY Bunk Ben Plans, I’ve got those for you here! They come with a material list, a cut list and all of the dimensions I used.

Bunk Bed Plans

$9.99

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If you haven’t already, don’t forget to sign up at the top of this page for my newsletter so you don’t miss new projects!

Hope you enjoyed this build and I’ll see you on the next one!

(Most of the links listed above are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases)

Thinking about building your own DIY rocking chair? Check out this project where I make it easy for you to follow along step-by-step!

Rocking Chair Templates

$19.99

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You know it’s funny how many seating options I’ve made since moving to the country. If you can’t tell, I like to be outside and love having options. So lets add a rocking chair to the mix, shall we?

In this video I’m showing you how I made this one. This is a very simple design, but also super sturdy.

Step 1: Outline seat bottom and seat back

I started by tracing out the templates to the seat bottom and the seat back onto my cedar board. Since cedar comes with only one side smooth and the other really fuzzy, I use the Miter Saw to cut the parts to rough length first but then run each part through the Thickness Planer before moving on. This will drastically reduce your sanding time later on. Since I made my stand for the planer mobile, I always move it out to my shop porch to keep the mess down.

Step 2: Cut out pieces for the Rocking Chair

Moving back inside, I could now use the bandsaw to cut the parts out. On these, you only need two of each part so you’ll end up with four total parts. Once all four parts were cut out I started joining things together using wood glue and screws. I flushed up the two angles on the parts, clamped them down using my self tensioning Armor tool clamps followed by using a countersink to create a flush placement for my screws. I repeated the steps to make up a second side piece. Make sure to make it mirror the first and not identical.

Material Tip:

When making furniture that will be used outdoors, make sure to use waterproof wood glue in order to offer some protection from the elements. Titebond III is my go to choice for any projects ending up outside.

Step 3: Create Rocking Chair Slats for Back Support

Ok, lets make some slats to span across those two supports! Using my miter saw stand I chopped all my boards to length. Then I took them to the table saw to cut into strips. 

I keep the remote to my ClearVue DC on the drop down to my saw, so when I walk over to use the saw, I can switch it on

Coupon Alert!

Remember that I have a running 5% off coupon code (“Wilkerdos”) you can use on any ClearVue dust collection item

Step 4: Soften the Edges

Next was to round over all the edge for a softer look and also feel. I loaded all my slats up on my mobile workbench and wheeled them to my router table where I used a 1/2” Infinity round over bit on both of the long edges.

Step 5: Attach Pieces for Rocking Chair Seat Assemblies 

The first step in making the Rocking Chair sear is placing a small dab of waterproof wood glue on the underside of each slat. It’s a small surface area but with every one having glue at both connection points, it really adds a lot of stiffness to the seat once it’s put together.

I started by connecting the very back most slat on the base, then jumped to the very front and worked my way back from there. I cut a spacer to make lining these up go quick and also create even spacing between each slat.

For some extra reinforcement, I put screws on the ends of each board. I predrilled using a countersink before I drove in the screws. This will prevent splitting as well as make sure the screw head is seated below the surface. Make sure to use exterior grade screws here. Perfect, the seat is done!

Rocking Chair Templates

$19.99

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Step 6: Making the Rocking Chair legs

First I ripped my boards to width at the table saw, then used the Miter Saw to cut the end angles and also the length of the boards. As I put together this leg, I have my long stretcher, then a short one. I position a leg flush to the end to line up where the short one goes. I used a Brad Nailer to act a clamp while that glue set up, trying to remove as much as the glue squeeze out as possible once I was done attaching things. 

Next I cut to length the second piece of the legs. I’ll call these the short legs, because I’m making another set of cheat style half laps here. You’ll see in this shot here where I’m gluing them to the existing long legs. I laid down wood glue, then attached the short legs to the long legs, making sure everything was lined up flush. Now I have a half lap at both bottoms that will later join to the rockers. 

Tip:

Now the joinery on this chair is half laps, but it’s kind of a faux half lap. What I did was use two boards, cut to different lengths then glued together to create the half lap. Whereas if I was using thicker material then I would have carved away half of it to create this joint.

Step 7: Cleaning up the details!

Before moving on, lets do some clean up work. If you don’t like the brad nail holes, keep in mind you can always use clamps. What I do in cases like these is use a dab of Titebond’s fast setting wood glue called Thick and Quick. I shove a small amount in the nail hole, then rub some saw dust into it. You can use your finger but a scrap also works. Now you can hit it with a sander and the holes all but disappear. 

Then while I was sanding, I gave all the parts up to this point a good run over, just hitting it with 180 grit right now. Then I took the frame to the router table and rounded over the edges on both sides with the same 1/2” bit. 

Step 8: Making the first Rocking Chair Rocker

To be completely honest, when I decided to tackle a rocking chair I had no idea how complicated it was. And this bottom rocker portion is the reason it’s a difficult piece of furniture, the length, the slope, the placement in relation to the legs….it all factors into if and how well the chair works.

In order to make sure I get this perfect, I grabbed a piece of cardboard then traced a rocker that I knew I like the feel of to create a template for myself. I used the band saw to cut it out and when I knew I liked the shape I traced it onto my cedar board. When I cut this part at the bandsaw I cut as close on my line as possible then used my belt sander turned upside down and clamped to my workbench, to smooth it out.

Rocker Tip:

This part holds a lot of weight so when you are tracing this, tilt the template as much as you can to get as much straight grain running the length of the rocker. It’s really important to get the bottom curve to not have any hitches in it. My rocking chair templates can help you there! Once you have a template, you can use a flush trim bit to make the remaining three. Remember to turn down the router speed if you get into a larger diameter bit.

Step 9: Testing the Rocking Capability of the Rocking Chair

I wanted this rocker to fit into the half lap of the legs seamlessly which means I needed these short legs to match the curve of the top of the rocker. On the Rocking Chair Templates the short leg template will have this curve for you. But since I was doing this part as I went, I would set the part in place, saw where the high spots were, then used my palm belt sander to knock them down.

I wanted to do a dry fit and test it out before I did the joinery in the rockers. What I did was clamp one rocker to the chair legs, clamped the seat to the legs, and then tested it out.

Since it worked, lets make the second rocker. On the first rocker I held it in position then cut around the long leg. This gave me the half lap position that I could use a bandsaw or jigsaw to cut out. When gluing the rockers together it’s really important they are lined up properly so you have a smooth rock. Just the same, it’s important to get all the glue squeeze out cleaned up afterwards as well.

After repeating to make a second, it was time to attach them to the body. I found the best way to do this was to lay it on it’s side to attach the first one.

Step 10: Putting all the pieces together

I applied more Titebond III then set it in clamps for a few hours before standing it up and repeating on the second side. Using the help of my multi stand to prop up the front while the back end rested on my workbench. 

After the glue was dried on both sides, I reinforced these connections with some oak dowels. To do this, I grabbed a forester bit and drove about 1/2” through the leg. I placed two dowels at each connection, so four total per side. 

Step 11: Adding Arms to the Rocking Chair

There is still one last component….arms! To make way for the arms to extend past the slats, I used my multi tool to nip off the ends of the same slat. I used my template to trace out, then cut, then round over each one of the arms, before I positioned it on top of the legs and attached it.

I originally thought to do some blind dowels to pin this to the legs, but since the screws are exposed on the seat, I figured these would blend in as well. I used a countersink here as well to seat them under the surface and give it a nice smooth feel. On the back, I punched a hole through and attached it using a carriage bolt. 

Conclusion

You’ve completed the Rocking Chair! This is such a great piece to have around whenever you’re looking to relax. At this point you can put some finish on it or paint it to make it more personal.  This design can be made alone or in bulk with the help of my rocking chair templates, I have them available here! Happy DIY-ing!

Rocking Chair Templates

$19.99

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If you would like DIY rocking chair templates, I have them available here!

Rocking Chair Templates

$19.99

Shop now

Every Rocking Chair Template purchase comes with a set of plans and of course a YouTube video. : )

Leave me your comments down below and I’ll see you on whatever I’m building next! 

Things Used In This DIY Rocking Chair Project:

ISOtunes Bluetooth Hearing Protection
Armor Mobile Workbench
Armor Hold Down Clamps
Triton Circular Saw
Triton Jigsaw
Miter Saw
Wilker Do’s Miter Saw Stand
Wilker Do’s Ultimate Workbench
Armor Pocket Hole Jig
Bessey Quick Clamps
Triton Large ROS
Triton Router
Infinity Round Over Bit
Wilker Do’s DIY Drill Press Stand
Titebond II
Titebond Instant Bond
Titebond Quick and Thick
Router Table
Wilker Do’s DIY Plywood Workbench Modifications
Infinity Mega Flush Trim Bits
Bessey Clamps
Bessey KlikClamps
Cross Cut Sled
Trim Router
Track Saw
Plug Cutter

If you haven’t already, don’t forget to sign up at the top of this page for my newsletter so you don’t miss new projects!

(Most of the links listed above are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases)

Thinking about building your own plywood lounge chair? Check out this DIY project where I built my own lounge chair out of plywood!

I recently got into playing guitar, which is awesome, but it kinda comes with a lot of stuff which has been just hanging out in the living room. After building this TV stand in a spare room, I decided to convert this space into a guitar playing/video game playing/general hang out room.

This thought up this project of designing and building a chair that would allow me to go from playing guitar to gaming or watching TV. It’s low to the ground so my feet can remain flat footed while playing. The low arm design means I won’t be bumping my guitar into the arms, but they are still somewhat there for aesthetics. Then, when I’m done playing, I can ditch the guitar and kick back some to game or watch a show.

Things I Used in This Project:

ISOtunes Bluetooth Hearing Protection
Armor Mobile Workbench
Armor Hold Down Clamps
Triton Circular Saw
Triton Jigsaw
Miter Saw
Wilker Do’s Miter Saw Stand
Wilker Do’s Ultimate Workbench
Armor Pocket Hole Jig
Bessey Quick Clamps
Triton Large ROS
Triton Router
Infinity Round Over Bit
Wilker Do’s DIY Drill Press Stand
Titebond II
Titebond Instant Bond
Titebond Quick and Thick
Router Table
Wilker Do’s DIY Plywood Workbench Modifications
Infinity Mega Flush Trim Bits
Bessey Clamps
Bessey KlikClamps
Cross Cut Sled
Trim Router
Track Saw
Plug Cutter

Alright, let me start at the beginning and show you how I got here. 

On most of my projects I do a 3D model on the computer to get the design down and a cut list. Then I immediately start building. But with this one I took the time to build a prototype from pine plywood to see/feel it in real life before committing to breaking into the Walnut.

The first prototype was a high arm chair that I loved the look of the most but after I put it together I found out I couldn’t play guitar in it.

Then the second design was the one with the lower arms and after sitting in it with my guitar I could clearly see it was the winner of the two. 

With a direction figured out and a few modifications I made thanks to the prototype, I started building it from Walnut plywood, getting both chairs from just a single sheet of 3/4” ply. To make it more stocky and sturdy a lot of the parts are two sheets laminated together.

It’s much easier to glue together two square pieces but this part creates a lot of waste so instead of applying glue to the entire thing, I first traced my template out on my wood then only applied glue inside this trace.

This will allow the unglued portions to be separated once the shape is cut and used for something else since they are a decent size. I made sure to use my trace lines as reference to apply pressure in the correct location (where there is glue) when clamping these parts together as well. 

While those were setting up to dry, I started making what will be the seat slats. I made templates for this project so I started by using the slat template to set the fence of my table saw and ripping the needed amount.

Next was to use a flush trim bit at the router table to make them identical to my template. To speed this job up, I’m taping a few of the slats together so I can cut multiples at the same time.

How many slats you can cut will be determined on how tall your bit is. I’m using a really tall flush trim bit from Infinity that made cutting three at a time possible. I temporarily attached my template to the top of this stack using masking tape and CA glue then used the router to quickly cut the parts to be the same.

By this time the arm/leg part was done drying so I unclamped it and did a rough cut over at the bandsaw. Remember I already used my template to trace on the shape, so I at this point I cut just right outside of my line.

To get the exact shape, I took the part to my armor tool mobile workbench and once again used the masking tape and CA glue trick to attach my template to the top. For this, I’m using the Instant Bond made from Titebond. You just need a small bead down the center of the tape then apply pressure for about 30 seconds.

For larger parts like this, I use the help of my Armor Tool Clamps in the workbench since they are so easy to deploy, adjust, and release. 

With the template secured on top I once again went to the router table to cut my parts perfect. Still using a flush trim bit from Infinity but switching to their Mega flush trim bit which has a compression cutting design that leaves a beautiful finish on both the top and bottom surface, which was important to me since I’m using ply and it has that veneer. 

I set those parts aside and started creating the stretchers that would span between the front and back legs. I once again used the template for this part to set the fence on my table saw to rip the needed pieces to width, then the miter saw to angle the ends.

These parts have a dado in them which will later receive the seat slats. So on my template, I cut a marker to indicate the back line position of each dado.

After marking the back line from the template, I used my seat slat to mark the front line, then took them over to my table saw to cut them out.

Since two are needed per chair, I taped my set together to cut both at the same time. You can see I used my cross cut sled and while it does go quickly, I took my time to creep up on my lines to make sure I got a nice snug fit.

You want to be able to press the part in by hand and it stay. I would test fit each dado as I completed it before moving on to the next one. 

So this stretcher assembly is also made up of two parts to make it 1 1/2” thick, and I made it complicated to get a look I think looks nicer.

The inside has a dado going all the way through, but the outside has a stop dado which only goes halfway through.

This way when the two are glued together and the seat slat is inserted, it’s a strong joint but looks seamless from the outside.

I just made the inside part so now to make this outside part….

I used the other part to trace the dado start and stop lines then transferred them to the inside edge with a square. This way I could come through with a trim router and a straight bit to carve out in between my lines. I used the router to hog away the majority of the material then used a chisel to hit the corners and make them square instead of round. 

Then part A and part B can be glued together in order to make up the needed assembly.

With those made I started working on cutting in the dados for these parts to fit into to connect them to the leg/arm parts. I used the stop dado stretcher to mark the location of my needed cut.

Then I brought out my track saw and lined up the track in order to make my first cut. Either way, the depth needs to be set so it only cuts a portion of the way through.

I made multiple cuts with my saw then smooth it all out with a chisel. 

Alright, and before assembling these parts all together, I paused and edge banded them all. This is the process to cover up the end grain which is the exposed plywood layers and place a matching veneer over it. It’s slightly time consuming but very easy to do.

I purchased 1 1/2” wide walnut veneer and used an iron to roam over it while pressing down until the glue on the back was heated up enough to stick to the wood below. Then I used a chisel to trim off the excess on either side of my part which made the veneer nice and flush. I edge banded all the parts I currently made.

When banding the stretchers with all the dados in them, I would band right over the top then use a chisel to carve out the dado slot afterwards.

I test fitted a slat when doing this to make sure I wouldn’t have any issues later on during the actual assembly, but things looked really promising. 

Ok lets put some parts together! I already did a dry test fit to make sure things would work before applying glue so now it was time for the real thing. I applied some Titebond wood glue (I used II because it was what I had on my bench). Then I popped things into place.

I didn’t want a ton of squeeze out and clean up on this joint so I smeared just enough wood glue to evenly coat the dado’s bottom and sidewalls. I also moved quickly but took my time popping things in. It’s a little tricky with the slant of the part and the two angles of the ends but once it’s in place, it fits just like a glove. Once in, I quickly set a few clamps in place to secure it and apply pressure while it dried. I’m using a few of these 6” Bessey F style clamps which apply a tremendous amount of pressure very easily. 

After letting that sit for about 5 mins I used a chisel to scrap off any glue squeeze out from this joint but then I let it set up in clamps over night. 

And oh my goodness, I was cussing those stop dados while making them but man do I love the smooth look they give the stretcher and this entire assembly. 

Ok back to edge banding. Before, I edge banded the inside of the leg/arm parts because I knew I wouldn’t be able to access it after glueing in the stretcher. However, I saved the outside until now so that I could hide the half lap joinery of the stretcher going into the leg/arm, making it too look seamless. And just a tip for you on making these tight corners with the veneer…I would use the iron to apply heat to the area I wanted to bend, while slowly bending it. This makes it malleable so it doesn’t just snap.

Alright, and now to assemble some more! Now it was time to glue in the seat slats and join the two leg/arm assemblies.

I always find glue ups to be pretty nerve wracking but this one wasn’t too bad actually. I decided to tackle this job by glueing in one side of the slats into one of the leg/arm parts first. I would apply glue into each one of the dados, again not going overboard on the glue here but just applying enough to coat the bottom and the side walls. Then wiggling in the slat until it seated all the way down and back. It’s easy to tell when it’s where it should be because it’s flush on top and no gaps around it.

Once in place, I clamped it down using a Bessey Klikclamp. If there was any squeeze out on these joints, I used a chisel to scrap it clean before moving on to the other side and repeating. 

This side was a little trickery because I couldn’t move the part around as freely to wiggle it in. It is also too tight of an area to get a mallet into place. I was kind of worried I screwed up but then realized I could use the ratcheting feature of the Bessey Klikclamps to asset me.

I used the clamps to seat the slats all the way, then a few bar clamps to seat the slats in the other direction as well. 

And that’s the base done. Now lets make the back. I started off by making what will be the top and bottom rail of the back. These are identical with a few dados cut in to receive the vertical back slats later on so I once again used my cross cut sled to cut in these dados.

After I made all the dados, I ripped it down the center to divide it into the two rails needed. Doing it this way ensures they are in fact identical. 

After cutting out the vertical slats using my template and a flush trim bit, I quickly edge banded the sides that would be exposed then joined them to the top and bottom rail. I switched over to using Titebond’s Thick and Quick for these easier glue ups because while it has the same holding strength as their other glue, it has an incredibly quick dry time and therefore reduced the amount of time I had to wait before moving on. 

On the back, I waited until the vertical slats were attached to edge band both the top and bottom. Again, just so the joinery would be hidden and it would look seamless.

After I veneered the those edges I attached the last parts to make up the completed back. These end pieces are another part where I used my template to cut out. They are also another part that I thicken up by lamenting two parts together.

After edge banding the sides I applied some more Thick and Quick to the dado on the top and bottom rail then slid it into place and clamped it down to dry.

I let that set up, making sure to clean up the glue squeeze out before it dry completely, then moved on to attaching the completed back to the completed base. This is, not really a hard glue up but it does take some time so I switched back to using Titebond II since it has a longer open time than Thick and Quick, which gave me more time to move things around and get the back positioned perfectly before the glue started curing.

You can see I had clamps on the ready so that as soon as I got one side in it’s position I could quickly clamp onto it and move to the other side. I also am using a bevel gauge to make sure the angle of one side matches the other side. 

After letting that dry in clamps over night I decided to reinforce the joint with a few screws and cover them up with walnut plugs. I first predrilled the four locations to pin the back to the base, then used a forstner bit to counterbore each one for roughly a 1/4” deep plug to be inserted in.

After driving in a screw to each hole I went to the drill press and used a plug cutter to make a few plugs. I cut these from solid walnut instead of the plywood so that I could leave some overhanging out of the hole to cut and sand flush.

I applied some Thick and Quick to each hole to attach the plugs, oh and I made sure to pay attention to grain orientation here so that the grain of the plugs ran with the arm/leg part and would blend better. After the glue was dry, I used a pull saw to cut them flush then some light sanding to finish them off. 

Then since I was sanding, I went over the entire chair. Since this is plywood, I started off with 220 and made sure not to eat through the veneer but I did want to roam over all the surfaces to get them nice and smooth before finish. 

Which was the next step. Ah, it’s always exciting to get to this point in the project. I’m personally going with a wipe on urethane finish and while you can use a foam or bristle brush, I typically just grab an old t-shirt and cut off a bit to use as my wipe on rag. I evenly coated all the surface then let it sit for a few hours before applying a second coat. 

And that’s it. My goodness that was a pretty intimidating build. I’ve been putting off building a chair for a long time but I’m extremely pleased with how this chair came out looking and feeling.

Now I will have a dedicated place to not only sit and play but to also store all the stuff that goes with it. 

I hope that you enjoyed this project and I’ll see you on my next build! 

If you haven’t already, don’t forget to sign up at the top of this page for my newsletter so you don’t miss new projects!

(Most of the links listed above are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases)

Thinking about building your own DIY entertainment center? Check out this project where I built my own entertainment center tv stand! Looks awesome in my living room!

In this week’s project video, I’ll show you how I made this Entertainment Center that has plenty of shelf room to store TV equipment, but also has two side compartments that can be used for miscellaneous items (or even be utilized as a dresser). Let me show you how I did it! 

Modern TV Stand with Storage Plans

$6.99

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Things I Used In This DIY Entertainment Center Project:

ISOtunes Bluetooth Hearing Protection
Armor Tool Workbench
Triton Track Saw
RZ Mask
Palm ROS
Right Angle Clamp It Jigs
Titebond Original
Edge Banding
Super Jaws
Armor Tool Pocket Hole Jig
Cabinet Hinges
Titebond Thick and Quick
Brad Nailer

This entire project is made up from 3 sheets of plywood.

If you build it, you can play around with color schemes but I wanted my two end compartments to be painted white and the center shelves and internal shelving to be walnut.

I first started by breaking down my sheets of plywood on my workbench using my tracksaw.

I made up a set of plans for this project so if you’re interested in a material list and a cultist to work off of, you can find that here.

After getting the pieces down to a manageable size, I took them over to my table saw and cut them down even further. Utilizing the sliding table portion of my new saw for the first time! A built in cross cut sled??? Cooooool. 

Now, since I want most of this build to be painted, I went ahead and laid out all the parts that will end up white and prepped them to get a coat of paint. This meant running my palm ROS over all the edges and getting them nice and smooth then dusting them off and rolling on the white. 

When it came to assembling, I pulled out two of my right angle clamp it jigs and grabbed the side to attach to the top.

Since this project will be indoors, I used Titebond Original wood glue then predrilled and attached with screws. 

Next was to attach the shelves.

Personally, I thought it would look really pretty to have the shelves be made from the walnut ply instead of painted white. Since the front edge of these will be exposed I purchased some iron on walnut veneer edge banding to wrap the edges in, or at least the front and back edges. 

I started by placing the shelf in my super jaws, tearing off a strip of banding a little bit longer than the side, and ironing it on. Some people see my power tool wall and think the iron is placed there as a joke, but it’s kept in my shop just for this task.

Rockler makes a very handy edge banding trimming tool and I even have one…I just couldn’t locate it. So I used a chisel to clean up the edges instead. If you use a chisel you just need to keep it nice and flat so it doesn’t drift into the veneer of the face and gouge it. A wider chisel makes this task a lot easier as well.

I repeated the process on all the shelves for the compartments as well as the longer shelves that will be spanning between the two ends. I used my armor tool mobile workbench as not only a side workstation but also placed a stop to keep my veneer from unwinding as I was pulling off strips. 

Then when that task was done and it was time to drill a few pocket holes to attach the shelves, I cleared off the space and clamped my auto adjusting Armor Tool Pocket Hole jig in place using two scrap 2x4s as side supports. I then drilled a few pocket holes into each side of the shelves. 

Now to actually attach them.

I flipped the unit I made earlier so the open end was facing up. This will be the bottom once we’re done so I made sure to not only place the edge banded side of the shelf facing the front, but also that the pocket holes were facing the bottom.

You can see I cut four scraps to size to act as stand offs and make attaching the shelves a lot quicker and easier.  

After the shelves were in, then I attached what will be the bottom piece. By doing it this way, you won’t have to work in a tight little nook to attach the shelves.

Next I repeated with the second compartment. This one I wanted to add one more shelf to the center so there would be three total. I used the same spacers but cut them down to the needed size. The important thing on this step is to make sure the shelf is flush with the front and back so it doesn’t interfere with the door or back piece that will later be added.

Modern TV Stand with Storage Plans

$6.99

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To cover up the screws on the top side, I made sure to countersink the heads past the surface then I just dabbed in a little bit of joint compound on top.

I also used this to fill in any small voids in the edges of the plywood. Once dry, I sanded it down and gave all the edges a coat of paint. It would of course be easier on yourself if you remember to paint the edges at the same time as everything else : ) 

Whew, I didn’t know how I would like the walnut shelves, but I think that looks really snazzy.

Ok, lets get it up to a workable height and throw a back on it. This is just screwed directly onto the back. 

The doors are also simple, but need the hinges attached first. I’m using some concealed hinges and they come with a template to counterbore a large hole to sink the hinge cup into. I measured to make sure these hinges would be spaced equally from each other (and also made sure they wouldn’t be in the way of a shelf).

Then I used a forester bit to make the counterbore. You know you’ve gone deep enough when the hinge sits in it flush. Then I used the screws that came with the hinges to attach them.

To make sure I was attaching portion B in line with portion A on the door, I first cut a piece of scrap to the same height as my door and marked off exactly where the center of the hinges fell on it.

This way I could hold the measuring scrap up to my cabinet and transfer the marks to the inside.

This gives me an exact center line to now use the provided guide to predrill the two holes needed to attached portion B. 

Ok if I did everything right then this should attached and close easily…….success! 

After repeating to the same steps to hang the second door and get it fully adjusted, I removed both doors from their body to add a handle. If you remember the final look, this handle isn’t a standard door pull, it’s a big rectangle made from the walnut ply that certainly serves as a way to open the doors but also as an accent piece to break up the big white space of the boxes.

Since paint doesn’t bond as well to a painted surface I first marked off where these handles would need to be placed then used my palm ROS to remove the majority of the paint in that area.

To attached them, I used a quick setting wood glue by Titebond called Thick and Quick. This cuts the wait time down to about 15 mins. However it’s worth noting that Thick and Quick is unaffected by finishes so maybe removing the paint was unnecessary.

To avoid using nails that would be seen, I weighted both handles down with a few heavyish items in my shop. 

Alright and next was to move things inside the house and get things set up! Currently this room has carpet in it, but I will be ripping it up and laying down a hardwood floor. I’m leading with that because the carpet prevents the doors from easily opening and closing but I’m not worried about it right now. 

So three shelves will span in between the two units to connect them. To hang these shelves I rotated the units on their side and attached three ledges for the shelves to sit on.

Once again using Thick and Quick but also since this is an area people won’t see, I used a few brad nails to clamp them in place while it set up. You can see I’m using a square to make sure these are going on straight.

Once all six were placed, I could move the outside units roughly to their position then slide the three shelves on.

Two of these I made walnut ply, but the center one I made from a sheet of glass I picked up from a local glass supplier. The shelves can be secured from the underside, using screws to go into the ledges they are resting on. 

And that’s the unit done!

Modern TV Stand with Storage Plans

$6.99

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I can’t believe how simple it was and I absolutely love how great it looks. If you are needing an entertainment center, or even a dresser or additional storage, I can’t recommend this build enough.

Don’t forget I have a set of DIY modern TV stand with storage plans here if you are interested in building one of your own.

Modern TV Stand with Storage Plans

$6.99

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I hope you enjoyed this one. I’ll see you on whatever I am building next!

I built a DIY murphy bed! I built it using a complete Murphy Bed Kit produced by Rockler. Everything you need to build the bed, except for the plywood, comes included in this kit.

I first started by unpacking everything from the box. I also grabbed the instructions and started reading. This build takes five sheets of plywood (or at least mine did as I’m building a queen-size). They also make a kit for the Full and Twin, so those will probably use less.

I utilized my Armor Tool Workbench on casters to get all of my sheets over to my workbench to start cutting.

To cut the plywood to size, I’m using my Triton track saw. While it takes a lot of sheets to make up the parts needed, there are only eight components so don’t be overwhelmed or intimidated by this project just because of its size. As I cut down my pieces from the cutlist, I made sure to label them so that later on I can keep them straight without having to remeasure them.

Now that all 8 of the pieces are cut, I can now start on the assembly. First step is to lay out some mounting brackets. I used the plans to lay out the holes that I would need to drill out. Then, after getting everything marked, I set my bracket in place just to make sure things lined up. You can see I used a square to make sure I was going to be mounting it squared to the edge.

After repeating on the other side I started drilling. To prevent going all the way through the material, I used a piece of tape to make a flag for my bit and use this as a visual marker on the depth.

I drilled all 16 holes then used an Allen wrench to screw in some threaded inserts. I think these are such a neat piece of hardware. It’s almost like tapping metal. You can put threads anywhere and therefore a bolt anywhere. You do want to get these flush with the surface and make sure you don’t over tighten them and strip them out.

I got all 16 of those threaded and then placed the brackets over them. I used the bolts that came in the hardware packets from the kit to attach them.

Moving over to yet another work surface, I started assembling what will be the big shell that the mattress portion will fold up into. I’m using the Rockler Clamp-It jigs to get the top and upper headboard joined together at a perfect 90. Now, with the boards temporarily together, I can mark where I’ll need to drill for dowels in the next step.

Since you’ll be able to see the inside and outside of this cabinet, dowels are a great choice because they can’t be seen and provide some extra strengths for the joint. This is the Rockler Doweling Jig. I lined up the center mark on the jig to my pencil mark clean the jig in place then drilled the designated holes. I could then run a bead of glue along the edge drop the dowels in their holes then clamp the two sides together.

Since this is an indoor project I’m sticking with Tightbond Original for this entire build. I used the dowel locations to get the pieces lined up, a mallet to gently get it started, then clamps to get them seated the entire way.

After placing a good amount of clamps along its length I used a square to check the inside and make sure that I was in fact clamping these down at a true 90.

Next I repeated this same process to the two boards that make up the bottom and the bottom headboard.

Then, while letting both of those big assemblies dry, I started on sanding all of the pieces down with my Palm ROS. Even though the plywood comes pre sanded I still like to go over all of the surfaces with 220 and then the edges with something like 120.

Once the big glue ups were done drying I started attaching them to form a giant box, making sure the bracket on the side panel was facing inside and towards the bottom. Then, I also moved the bottom assembly into place. I once again used wood glue and dowels to secure this side to the top and bottom. I also put it in a few screws so I wouldn’t have to let it set up in clamps and wait for it to dry.

I shifted the entire thing over on my workbench so that I could repeat the process on the other side and get the fourth panel in place to complete the box.

I will be painting my unit so next I went over the entire thing with joint compound to fill in all of the screw heads and any voids and the edges of the plywood.

Before I started painting, I decided to add a simple design to the front just to keep it from looking like a big boring box. I came up with something simple which was just a few arrows. But I decided that instead of just painting them on, I’d build out the design with wood and give it a little bit of texture.

Wood glue works best on unpainted surfaces so I took the time to mark out my design on the panels so I could avoid painting the surfaces that I would later glue wood to. Once I had those lined out, I could then get on to painting.

I’m going with Milk Paint in the color of driftwood by General Finishes. I love the low luster sheen of milk paint. but the general finishes brand is a premium mixture that is also so durable on its own so it doesn’t require a top coat. And not having to apply an additional coat or two on this large project was definitely a plus for me.

After getting the door panels painted I also painted the outside and the inside of the body. Total, I applied three coats of paint but this paint dries so quickly I never had to set my roller down.

I left that alone while I started working on making the thin panels needed for the accents on those panels. For this, I could have used something like masonite. But I had so much plywood leftover I decided to use it by planing it down to the thickness needed.

I moved my thickness planer on my mobile workbench out to my porch and ran my boards through until they were about 3/16 of an inch thick. And man, having a mobile workbench is a great addition to my shop especially one as versatile as this armor tools workbench.

After getting those thinned down, i quickly threw a coat of paint on all of the strips and then let them dry. for these I went with a slightly darker general finishes gray, still in the milk paint so that they would have the same sheen.

Then, when they were dry, I laid down a good amount of glue and stuck them in place. If you’ll be staining your unit, then you could also set something heavy on top while they’re drying. But since I’m painting mine, I used a brad nailer to hold them down while they were drying. Then afterwards I filled in the nail holes so I could paint right over them.

When moving to repeat the process on the second door, I lined up the edges of the doors first. Then again I used my square to align this first section to the existing points. And man I just absolutely love the way this design makes these doors pop!

I came back with a flush trim saw to knock down all of the pieces flush with the edges then enlisted some help to get everything moved out to the shed. This thing is big, but it’s very easy to move with two people.

Next up was assembling the frame that the mattress will go on. This is all very straightforward and quick to do as the hardware and instructions all come with the kit.

These slots fit into some little plastic sleeves that then attach to the frame. You can see that I skipped some. This was intentional because the open slots will be helpful in the next few steps when installing the frame to the wall.

With the frame on the ground, I attached the two air cylinders on either side. Now I could move the frame into the body of the unit and slip the frame into the mounting brackets that I attached earlier to the side panels.

The next step was to attach the other side of the cylinder and put it under tension.

This means that the frame will now want to remained in the stowed away position and I’ll need it to be persuaded to go down and stay down. The kit actually comes with some styrofoam blocks that you can use to push out the frame while installing the feet. But I accidentally threw mine away not knowing that they were useful. So I used my mallet instead.

Now the foot, or what I’m calling the foot, will flip in whenever it’s stowed away. And then flip out to rest on the floor to keep the mattress off of the ground when it’s in use.

Now it’s time to install a stop block which will prevent the frame from going way too far into the cabinet when you want to stow it away. This was pretty difficult to do by myself, so I asked my mom to give me a hand. She could read the level for me while I made small adjustments and then screwed in the stop block.

I could then center the unit on my wall and locate the studs and attach the unit securely. Of course with the frame under tension, it made this part of the process pretty comical. You know, I always thought the bits in the movies where people would get folded into the unit was staged! But now I know it can actually happen! Note that you can definitely weight down the end of the frame to keep it from popping up on you while you’re working

And then last part was to install the door panels. Since they are directional, I position them first to make sure I wasn’t installing them incorrectly.

Then I flipped them around to start attaching the brackets to the backside. There are six for each panel and these hooks catch the metal framing assembly. After getting the first one on, I used a mallet to center it up slightly. Then repeated by attaching the second.

Once both were hung, and centered I moved back to the inside and secured both the screws in several pre designated locations. Then attached the slats I left out earlier, attached to mattress supports and then did all of the touch-up paint so that it looked as fresh as possible.

I still have a handle to figure out but I think I want it to be something in the center.

And there it is! I am beyond pleased with how this turned out and I’m so glad to finally be moving to the shed and adding some function to it.

Next we’ll be adding some floating shelves, some nightstands and a few other things so stay tuned if you’re interested! And of course I would love to hear your comments and what you think about the project down below.

I’ll see you soon on whatever I am building next!

Things I Used In This DIY Murphy Bed Project:

ISOtunes Bluetooth Hearing Protection
General Finishes Milk Paint
Armor Tool Workbench
Ultimate Plywood Workbench
Track Saw
Rockler Corner Clamp It
Rockler Dowling Jig
Titebond Original
Plywood Mallet
Rockler Clamps
12″ Woodpeckers Square
Palm ROS
Triton Thickness Planer
Brad Nailer

(Most of the links listed above are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)

Thinking about building your own DIY live edge side table? Check out this cool DIY project where I took scrap wood and added metal legs to make a side table or nightstand!

A few months ago a viewer sent me this amazing piece of wood. This is a piece of Horse Chestnut that was from a tree in the front yard of Susan B Anthony’s home! She was an active feminist that did amazing work towards women’s equality and making sure women could get the right to vote. I’m so pleased that a viewer sent me this wood so I want to make something wonderful and useful with it. I’m thinking an end table with a metal base.

Let’s start with a closer look at this beautiful piece of wood. This is my first time working with Horse chestnut and I was not only surprised at how pretty it is with all the spalting but also how lightweight it is.

I loved the slab so much as it is that I picked out a project where I wouldn’t have to change the shape or cut it down too much so that’s how I landed on building this small end table. It’s something I’ll use on a daily basis and the base is designed so that it can easily slip right under my couch to get it closer to me as I’m sitting and working. 

I first prepared the slab for pouring epoxy in all the holes and voids. There is a really cool knot that I’ll be turning into a cup holder later on, but the center of the knot was mostly falling out already so I used my finger to chip out whatever bits were loose and falling out anyways.

I decided which side was going to be the top and the bottom then making sure I was working on the bottom of the slab, I taped off all the holes I could see. For this I’m using painters tape but I’m told that Tyvek house wrap tape is a much better tape for this application, if you have any on hand. 

While I did have a few holes, this slab was pretty clean and didn’t need much epoxy so I grabbed a small container and mixed together my two part epoxy. I’m using the TotalBoat 2:1 High Performance crystal clear epoxy that’s ideal for filling voids, knots, and cracks. Also it’s no VOCs so I didn’t have to move it outside. If you are needing epoxy, Total Boat was kind enough to give me a coupon code for you guys. Use APRILW at checkout for 20% off annnd that also gets you free shipping! Code is good until the end of 2019. 

Once the holes stopped taking epoxy I gave them a spritz with the lighter to pop the air bubbles then started working on designing the base while that set up. 

As I already mentioned, I really didn’t want to modify the slab if I didn’t have to, so I took some measurements and designed a base to fit under the length and width that it was currently at.

It will be used as a simple end table that won’t be supporting much weight at all so I decided to build the frame from some 3/4” tubing I had left over from this gate build last year.

Now that I had a model to work off of, I started cutting all the pieces I needed to length over in my metal shop. There aren’t many parts to this one so it was really quick to cut everything.

Next, I stuck each joint in my SuperJaws really quick to put a slight bevel on each side. If you watched the bandsaw mill video you’ll see that I’m implementing a trick I saw one of the build team members teach me (JD). And that is instead of locking the super jaws for these quick parts, I’m leaving them in the unlock position but holding down the lever with my foot. This makes rotating and grinding go much quicker. 

Ok bevels are done, lets start sticking things together. I moved the parts over to my weld tables and started by laying out what will be the top attached to the underside of the slab. I used a few 90 degree Bessey magnets to hold the corners together while I tacked things in place.

I moved the magnets up to the top corners once I had the bottom two done. I checked for square before tacking these two corners down.

Then I flipped it over and tacked the backside. Once I made sure it was all still square and flat, I welded all the seams shut. 

After knocking that one out quickly, I repeated the same process for the rectangle base that will be sitting on the floor. You can see these self adjusting Armor Tool clamps coming in handy for quickly flipping it around to gain access to the other side. And also holding it securely while I worked on it.

For grinding the welds, I always throw in a 40 grit flap disc to make quick work of this task. I love these Diablo quick change disk because unlike traditional disks, these don’t require any tools or hardware for taking off or putting on. You simply grab the grit you need, and thread it on or off with a gloved hand. Using the arbor lock to tighten it down or loosen it. 

After I got all the sides and corners and everything else looking nice and smooth, I marked off where the verticals needed to be placed. These will be the joints that connect the bottom to the top. And the only thing important here is that they are centered on both rectangles, which are not the same size. I stuck the first one in place with a few tacks, then measured and positioned the other.

After verifying they were on at a 90 and in the right location, I finished welding the seams. I stuck the top in place with a few magnets and lined up the first vertical to my mark and tacked it in place. Then, to get the second one to its mark, I used a clamp to spread it apart and hold it in place while I tacked it down.  

Alright, and the base is just about done. The last thing I did before painting was grind down smooth all of the joints I just completed. I moved a box over to my table in order to get some additional height on the project, I didn’t just suddenly grown 18”….if you were wondering. ; ) 

Next I moved the unit outside and gave it a few coats of black paint.

Then while that was drying, I moved back to the slab because it was now done drying from the first epoxy pour. However, there was a slight crack right in the live edge that I also wanted to stabilize with epoxy. But since I needed to turn it up on its side to do it, I had to wait for those other pours to dry enough to not move. With it being right on the edge, I ended up damming up around the crack with the tape. Then I left it to sit over night. So the by the next morning it was all cured and ready for me to take off the tape and start sanding things down. 

I moved my dust collection cart over to my workbench and started with my large ROS with an 80 grit pad on it to quickly remove the built up epoxy. Once I had it flush, I switched over to a 120 pad to clean up the entire flat surface of the slab. And man alive is this wood pretty! I love all the coloring in it.

When it came to cleaning up the epoxy on the live edge portion, I first used a chisel then switched over to my Palm ROS which I used to finish sanding the entire edge.

Alright, time for this really cool knot. I wanted to position the cup holder as close to center on it as possible. I used a water bottle I had in the shop to get a gauge on how big of a circle I needed, then used a compass to draw on a circle in pencil.

Next, I put a bit in my router and started cutting out the holder. Now I’m pretty good at taking my time and doing freehand router work like this so I didn’t take the time to set up any additional jig, but you could use a jig to make sure you get a feature like this spot on. The Triton Router I’m using can be either a fixed based or plunge base, so I started with the bit above the wood but then plunged it down for the first pass. I went down a total of about 3/4” so I made a total of two passes.

Also for this I’m using a high quality Infinity spiral bit which leaves an incredibly smooth finish where very little sanding in this awkward space was needed. 

Now to the best part, applying the finish! This will be an end table which will see a large  assortment of uses from drinks to plates, to computer work stuff so I wanted something that would highlight the grain without making it look like plastic but also give it some protection. So I went with General Finishes Arm R Seal. This is a dead easy finish to apply, as you can see I’m using a simple rag and wiping it on. I set it on some bench cookies to raise it off the workbench so I could also apply finish to the edges at the same time.

After getting one side coated, I flipped it over and did the same to the other side. I let that sit for about 4 hours then gave it a light sanding with some 220 grit paper and gave it a second coat. 

After it dried, it was time to mount it to the base. I first drilled four over sized holes in the top of the base. I made these oversized so that the screws would have room to shift a bit when the wood wants to expand or contract over time. I could then sit the slab on top of the base and screw it down. Since the holes in the base are oversized, these screws do have a washer on them. 

Oh and hi to the Triton Tool guys! Two members of the Triton team were visiting my shop that week and produced some fun content that’s over on their channel. If you would like, you can check out one of their videos from that week here. You can also see I tore into my wall. No, I’m not rebuilding already. That’s actually another project I started while they were visiting and you’ll see what that is in a future video : ) 

And that’s it. Really simple project but it will be very functional!

Let’s test it out. This is my chaise lounge where I do 90% of my computer work if I’m at my house. With the base designed the way it is, the bottom can slip under the couch so that the top can be moved in closer to me.

Oh, and it looks like the dogs approve of it as well. They actually probably only care that I’m sitting down and can climb on me but we’ll pretend that they are thrilled at the table ; ) 

Big thank you to my amazing viewer who was thoughtful enough to send me this piece of wood with such amazing history attached to it. I’ll see you on the next one! 

You can watch Triton Tool’s version of this video here.

Things I Used In This DIY Live Edge Side Table Project:

• ISOtunes Bluetooth Hearing Protection
• Large ROS
• Palm ROS
• Triton Router
• Infinity Spiral Bit
• Ultimate Workbench Plans
• Total Boat 2:1 Epoxy
• Auto Adjust Armor Clamps
• Diablo Quick Change Disc
• 12″ Woodpeckers Square
• Woodpeckers Speed Square
• Titebond Thick and Quick
• General Finishes Arm-R-Seal
• Bessey Magnets
• Woodpeckers Straight Ruler
• Metal Saw
• Cermet Saw Blade
• Triton Superjaws
• Lincoln Power Mig 260
• Welding Hood
• Welding & Grinding Hood
• Welding Jacket
• Welding Gloves
• Cordless Grinder

(Most of the links listed above are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you!)

Thinking about building your own live edge waterfall coffee table? Check out this DIY project where I built a really cool live edge coffee table!

Things I Used In This Live Edge Waterfall Coffee Table Project:

• ISOtunes Bluetooth Hearing Protection
• Triton Sander
• Ultimate Workbench Plans
• Total Boat 2:1 Epoxy
• Triton Track Saw
• 12″ Woodpeckers Square
• Small Hose Port Kit
• Woodpeckers Speed Square
• Triton Duo Doweling Jig
• Titebond Thick and Quick
• Palm ROS
• Rockler Bench Cookies
• Minwax Wipe On Poly
• Woodpeckers Straight Ruler
• Cutoff Saw
• Lincoln Power Mig 260
• Welding Hood
• Welding & Grinding Hood
• Welding Jacket
• Welding Gloves
• Cordless Grinder
• Metal Marking Pencil
• Rust-Oleum Black Spray Paint

It will be at least a year before the slabs I recently milled will be dry enough to use, so I purchased a few slabs from an Austin based Sawmill called Greenwood Milling and made a Live Edge Waterfall Coffee Table.

It’s called a Waterfall Coffee Table because you cut a portion off and that turns into a leg. But you do it on a Miter so the grain is continuous from the top onto the leg.

First step in the process being to fill in the many cracks the slab has, with epoxy. I first flipped the slab over, using Painter’s Tape to tape off all the cracks and holes I could see. This is so as I start pouring in epoxy it won’t of course just fall through the other side. I got a lot of recommendations from Instagram viewers that Tyvek Tape actually works better for this job. It apparently removes easier, so you may keep that in mind if you do this project.

Next was to flip it back over and start filling in cracks and crevices. For this I’m going with a Two-To-One Epoxy made by Total Boat. The Two To One number means that it’s Two Part Resin to One Part Hardener in each mixture. However, something I really like about the Total Boat System is their pumps are designed to make this a lot easier for you. They simplify it to one pump, to one part, and the pump dispenses the two to one ratio for you. After following directions on the stir time, I started pouring the Total Boat epoxy in the cracks. Also on the end crack, I again used painter’s tape so the epoxy would have a stopping point.

There are a lot of epoxy choices from which to choose but the Total Boat System is very good at self-leveling plus it’s extremely clear. On that note you could tint the epoxy if you prefer it not clear.

I’d pour it into the cracks until they had an overflowing amount of epoxy on top, then move onto a different area as that settled, coming back with a Heat Gun to rid the epoxy of any air bubbles. Once it had settled a bit more, I’d fill it up again, continuing this step until the crack stopped taking epoxy.

If you are needing epoxy, go to TotalBoat.com and be sure to use Coupon Code April W to get 20 % off your purchase. On top of the 20% off, it ships FREE within the US, AND this Coupon Code is valid until December of 2019 so you have an entire year to utilize it.

Now, onto flattening the slab out. I started off with my large Triton random orbital sander. On this Triton Sander there are two settings, a more aggressive setting and also a more gentle one. As I have a lot of epoxy to remove, I started with the more aggressive setting. This made quick work of leveling it out, switching then to the more gentle setting, to run along the entire live edge.

Next, I cut in the miter that will drop off the portion of the table that will become the leg. Using my Track Saw I got a Square Cut on the end of my slab. Not having a true reference to be square, I eye-balled it by using a square against my Track, lining it up to what looked like a straight line down the center. This will at least get me close to where I can pull two tape references off this cut, setting up my track to cut the 45 degree angle.

I tilted my Track Saw over to use. As a note, the Triton Track Saw has a foot you can move over into the track, to keep it from falling off the track as  you are cutting at a bevel. Instead of trying to do it all in a single pass, I cut  three different passes. I’d make a pass, set the depth a little bit deeper, make another pass, then repeat.

With the hardest part done, I started joining these two pieces together. Using the Triton Duo Doweller, I removed one of the router bits to make it a Single Doweller. My join is at a 45 degree angle so I set my fence depth and also the plunge depth to match.  Beware, you are going in at an angle and you do not want to plunge through your entire work piece.

After setting the tool up, I put together my slab, marking off where I wanted the four dowel placements to be cut in. Although a simple tool to use, I still took my time ensuring 1) seating the work piece properly at the 45 degree angle and 2) making sure both the fences were flush against the work piece that was actually plunging in the bit.

Before laying down any glue I attached what’s called Glue Up Cauls. These Cauls are made of plywood and used solely to make clamping down this joint much easier. Grabbing a piece of scrap plywood, I cut it down the middle to a 45 degree angle. Next I took these and glued them to my work piece with the 45 degree angle, away from the joint. Not having a lot of time to wait on glue to dry I used the Titebond Quick and Thick as it has a very quick set time. I left that to set up for a few minutes and started working on the dowels.

Anytime I’m using a dowel for a joint I put in a spiral cut in order to give the glue some place to go whenever you put the dowel in the hole, so it doesn’t seize up. There are a few different methods but I used the Band Saw with my Miter Gauge set to a 45 degree angle, very gently rolling it as I pushed it through the blade at the same time.

Once the Cauls were dry I flipped the slab over and applied Painter’s Tape right up to both these 45’s. This prevents a lot of hard clean up work once these slabs are actually joined. I personally went with Titebond II and first placed a liberal amount of glue inside each one of the dowel locations. I then hammered the dowels in, covering the rest of the joint in Titebond II,  then started putting things together.

The Caul’s outside cut of 45 degree matches the miter joint which gives me two parallel surfaces to get a good clamp set, using the clamp strength in order to fully seat and tighten this joint. I absolutely love this trick.

After allowing he glue to set up overnight, I removed the clamps and started the clean up by first removing the tape from inside the 90 degree angle. Clamping down the workpiece I removed the plywood Cauls. One reason to use plywood is you can shear down the layers. I found it best to use two chisels to work down the length of the plywood until the entire piece pops off. However, it was suggested after doing the glue up that many people lay down Construction Paper, Parchment Paper, or even Painter’s Tape, in between the caul and slab to make removal the caul even more of a cinch.

After removing the majority of the caul, I used a chisel to get rid of the bulk waste then used my Sander to completely clean it up. Since I was sanding I went ahead and sanded the entire piece to prepare to Finish. I started with about 80 grit to remove the plywood then went down to 120 and then finally 220 grit. Cleaning it to get all the fine dust off, I set things up to start begin Finishing the table.

As I will be Finishing both sides, I set the slab on top four Bench Cookies with the pointer’s tip. I first Finished the inside of the table.

After the underside was coated, I flipped it around, using a 2 x 6 to prop it up then repeated the steps for the top surface. I personally am using Minwax Wipe On Poly. I love this finish as I find it the easiest one to use and not mess up. It’s very good at self-leveling and doesn’t leave a high glossy, plastic look to your piece after it’s done. It is very quick to dry but also very durable. I just pour it directly on my work piece, using two paper towels to smear it around nice and even.

The bark of my piece is a bit rough so I switched to a brush to get into all the nooks and crannies of the bark area. You need to wait about two – three hours before re-applying another coat of finish, so I started working on the other leg for the table.

I originally was going to go with a wooden, mesquite trapezoid. The trapezoid is normally the go-to leg for this style of table but after thinking about it, I decided to go with a Bow Tie shaped leg instead. Not a solid Bow Tie but just the outline of one. As the Mesquite piece I milled last week will not be dry for another year, I decided to make this leg from some ¾” Square Tubing I had.

I first drew this leg to its exact size on a piece of Construction Paper, then took it to my metal working side of my shop, cutting the ¾” tubing to the size needed on my metal cut off saw.

I cheated by simply placing the ¾” Tubing down on the drawing and used a Square to mark off where it needed to be cut and at what angle. This not only worked great but also very quickly.

After cutting all six pieces needed, I first tacked them together, coming back to weld each joint closed. I welded them closed not so much for strength but as I wanted to paint the leg, I did not want to be able to see through an open joint. I also wanted it nice and smooth so I next grabbed a grinder, grinding down each seam so it appears the bow tie was made of one solid piece of metal.

Just a tip, if you end up doing this you can see that the top and bottom horizontal pieces are the top of those vertical pieces. For this method I cut some pieces and capped off the end. However, if you switch the orientation and make the vertical pieces extend past the top and bottom, you can avoid this step.

Last thing step to this leg welding wise, I cut some very thin Flat Stock, mitered the ends just to give it little bit nicer look, then tacked and welded it into place as well.  This creates a wider footprint on the underside of the table. After sticking that into place, I used a scrap piece of wood on my workbench, drilling three holes across the entire length.

By now the first coat of the Minwax Wipe On Poly was dry on the table so I sanded it all down, using 320 grit Sandpaper, prepping it for the second coat.

Not being able to resist attaching the leg before doing it, just to see how it looked. I used the three hole locations in the bottom of the Flat Iron in order to attach it to the bottom side of the slab. I then continued on with Finishing of the slab, all total doing three coats of finish for this table.

Although I made this small coffee table for my chaise Lounge, keep in mind you can do the same process for any table, whether an Entry Way Table, a Desk, End Table – there are simply no limits. Although a relatively quick project, it is certainly a fun one.

I hope you enjoyed this project. I will see you soon.

Thinking about how to build a filing cabinet for your desk? Check out this project where I show you exactly how to easily build your own!

Last week I shared a metal and wooden desk project with you which has been working perfectly in its new space; feel free to find it here. This week I’m sharing the basics on how to compliment the desk with a nice filing cabinet made from Oak material. It’s a simple additive that really goes well with the look and the function of this new work surface. The video of the filing cabinet build can be found down below. Oh yeah! Definitely check out the plans I just posted as well. They are comprehensive desk with filing cabinet build plans which walk you through all the steps necessary to re-create this entire project.

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Things I Used For This Build A Filing Cabinet Project:

Triton Track saw
ISOtunes Bluetooth Hearing Protection
Jobsite Saw
Infinity Table Saw Blade
Edge Banding
Triton SuperJaws
Ultimiate Workbench Plans
Triton Palm ROS
Rockler Bench Cookies
Blue Bar Clamps
Titebond Original Wood Glue
Triton Drills
18 Gauge Brad Nailer
Fuji HVLP Sprayer
Fuji Hose Whip
Stain
Cross-Linking Top Coat

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(Some of the links above are affiliate. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you!)

Thinking about building your own DIY computer desk? Check out this DIY project where I show you exactly how to build your own!

With a little bit of elbow grease and a few good cuts of red oak the wood and metal computer desk came together perfectly! We’ve had a small run-of-the-mill desk for computer work for over a year now and I’ve been really looking forward to building a metal framed wood top desk to replace it. I was surprised with how well the finished oak came out with the help of some grain filler. I’ve never used that product before and it did wonders at providing an ultra smooth surface finish after I sprayed the top with some water based urethane. If you haven’t already, check out the video below to learn a bit more on how it all came together. As always, thanks for dropping by.

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Cheers – April

Things I Used For This DIY Computer Desk Project:

ISOtunes Bluetooth Hearing Protection
Miter Saw Stand
Miter Saw
Infinity Miter Saw Blade
Ultimiate Workbench Plans
Triton Biscuit Jointer
Blue Bar Clamps
Titebond Original Wood Glue
Lincoln Mig 210 MP
Welding Hood

Welding Jacket
Welding Gloves
Triton 4″ Belt Sander
Triton ROS
Triton Palm ROS
Triton Track saw
Rockler Clamp It Jig
Rockler Z Clips
Triton SuperJaws
Glue Brush

 Triton Drills
18 Gauge Brad Nailer
Rockler Bandy Clamps
Rockler Bench Cookies
Fuji HVLP Sprayer
Fuji Hose Whip
Aqua Coat Stain
Aqua Coat Grain Filler
Aqua Coat Cross-Linking Top Coat
Titebond Instant Bond

Wood and Metal Desk (+ Filing Cabinet) Plans

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(Some of the links above are affiliate. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you!)

Build your own farm house kitchen table using these steps. Complete plans for building a farm house table. Tools and material list provided.

Finally! This table is complete! I’ve had a lot of fun building this table and I am super happy with the results. Check out the video below to see how I made all this come together.

Although I made my top out of Walnut, you could easily choose any material you’d like. If you’re interested in building your own, I have a set of DIY dining table plans available found here. The plans are packed with all the information you’d need to complete the table on your own – material list, shopping list, and a fully dimensioned cut list. The plans are available in either imperial or metric units.

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Things I Used To Build This Kitchen Table:

Bluetooth Hearing Protection
SuperJaws
Multi Stand
Track Saw
Folding Outfeed Table
Push Blocks
Shims
Hot Glue Gun
Thickness Planer

Soapstone
Biscuit Jointer
Blue Clamps
Glue Bottle
Glue Brush
Framing Square
Painters Tape
Two Part Epoxy
Random Orbital Sander

Marking Gauge
Router
Drill
Forstner Bit
Belt Sander
Pull Saw
Palm Belt Sander
Wipe on Poly
Rockler Table Top Fasteners

*Disclosure: Some links in this post are affiliate links meaning, I may get a commission if you make a purchase. Thanks for your support in this way!

Complete tutorial for building a kitchen table base out of 2×4 boards. Read this comprehensive walk through on how to build a kitchen table!

Well this is one of those projects that has been on my list of things to do for a very long time now. Finally, after completing multiple CAD designs I finally have settled on a design I’m really satisfied with. Lets get into it.

This week’s post will only cover the construction of the base. This is a farm house design table with a contemporary twist. The base is made from 2×4 pine and the top will be made from walnut. Feel free to check out the plans DIY farmhouse dining table plans here if you’d like to build your own farm house table. If you haven’t already, check out the build video down below:

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After developing a cutlist from the plans, I took to the store and bought up all my 2x4s for the glue up. Some of the base pieces are afraid why some multiple boards will have to be glued together. The glue up requires a lot of clamps. If you are short on clamps, then you can stack multiple glue up assemblies. You would just need to be mindful and not glue up the stacks accidentally : ) ….ask me how I know not to do this lol

Things I Used In This Kitchen Table Build:

Bluetooth Hearing Protection
Miter Saw Stand
Miter Saw
Blue Bar Clamps
Glue Bottle
Glue applicator
F-Style Clamps
Glue Scraper
Thickness Planer

Planer Stand
Brass Gauge Bars
Crosscut Sled
Bandsaw
Spindle Sander
Marking Gauge
Super Jaws
Palm Belt Sander
12v Drills

Duo Doweller
Palm Sander
Sealing Knot Primer
Dust Right DC
Floetrol
Fuji Sprayer
Spray Shelter
Minwax Polycrylic

After the glue ups were dry I removed all the clamps and scraped off all of the dried glue from the edges.I used a miter saw to square up both ends of the glue up then focused on milling the boards down to the correct thickness.

I used the thickness planer to square up the glue-up assemblies. On the thicker assemblies like what I’m working with, the table saw is not the optimal tool because the blade does not reach out high enough to cut through the stock but it can be done with a bit finess.

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With all of my material squared up I could now start shaping it to my liking. As you can see the ends consist of 2 curved pieces, one center column, and 2 horizontals. The center column is joined to the two horizontals using a bridle joint and the curved pieces are secured using dowels in the sides and screws in the top and bottom. As usual, I referenced my CAD model to lay out all of the cut lines on the bridle joint.

I first laid out the lower horizontal and cut the tenon of the bridle joint using the table saw and cross cut sled. Bridle joints rely heavily on precision of the two adjoining members. I like to use these gage blocks to accurately position the blade at the exact height needed for my bridle joints.To help with repeatability, I used a stop block setup on the cross cut sled during this step to keep the blade returning to the same reference point. I would start by cutting the near side of the tenon, then the far side, then make multiple cuts between the two remove all of the intermediate material.

Rather than leave the ends of the horizontals square, I cut in a small arch on the ends to give them a bit of flare. I laid the arches out on the board using a protractor and then cut them out at the band saw. Once the arches were cut, I cleaned up the edges using the spindle sander and called it good.

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Of course the three remaining horizontals got the same treatment until I had all 4 horizontals complete. The vertical columns make up the other half of the bridle joint with a corresponding mortise. The mortises got cut using the band saw. I used one of these clever little marking wheels to lay out the mortise. If you don’t have one already, I really encourage you to get one since they’re so easy to use and are very accurate.

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This part was pretty straight forward and only required a couple of cuts on the band saw while using a stop block to stop the depth of the cut. You can see I used the same method as I did at the table saw; multiple passes to hog away the waste material. After the bulk material was removed, I cleaned it up with some sand paper then gave it a quick test fit on the horizontal member. Success! The last thing with the verticals was to mark and cut out the mortises which will be used for the stretcher. The stretcher is the horizontally placed material that “stretches” from one side of the table to the other at the base. It basically ties the two sides of the table together at the base of the table frame.

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After marking the location for the mortise, I used a frostner bit to remove the majority of the material, chucked it up in the SuperJaws, then used a chisel to fine tune the hole to the shape needed. As you guessed it, these steps were repeated until both verticals were complete with an upper and lower mortise as well as a through motise for the stretcher. Time for another glue up! I joined the verticals to each horizontal member very slowly and very carefully since the fitment was pretty tight. I took my time during this step since it so important to get right the first time.

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Each surface got a coat of wood glue, and once they were all seated and square, everything got clamped for an overnight glue up. The following day I unclamped the side assemblies and focused on making the remaining 4 pieces for the sides. The large vertical arch pieces that attach to the end sections were laid out using a flexible steel yard stick. There are a couple of different ways to create a large radius arch (large as in around 3 feet or so).

Rather than use the string and pencil approach, I used the long flexible yard stick approach to create the arches before drilling the dowel hole and cutting them at the band saw. Word to the wise: it’s best to cut these to the exact length at this point while the material is good and square before cutting them at the band saw……and a triple check before committing to my cut : )

To fit the arches to the vertical pieces I chose a dowel jointer. After carefully laying out the location for each hole, I used a single dowel drill for the dowel. By the way, I’m a firm believer in the spiral dowels. They do a better job at providing the glue something to “grip” onto. Now that the dowels are all located and drilled I can finally cut these large arches on the band saw. Not much to it at this point other than taking my time and following the line. Lastly, everything got a good sanding before fitting the arches.

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Once the curved piece gets doweled in place, I attached the top and bottom using screws. Since the material was so thick, I chose to counter bore a hole into the horizontals to recess the screw head well into the material.

Finally, I could focus on making the last major piece for the base: the stretcher. I started by cutting the tenon on both ends of the stretcher that fit into the verticals. These will be through tenons held in place with a wedge on the outside of the table. I used the table saw to first cut the tenon to shape and then switched to a forstner bit and chisel to create the precise mortise hole for the wedge. The stretcher features a curved contour on both the top and bottom side for a little aesthetics. To create the curve I used the same method as before with the flexible piece of trim (the steel ruler was too short).The stretcher could then be inserted into both sides of the table base. I really took my time on this step since the pieces are so large and heavy. Although it was a tight fit with the through tenons, both sides were slowly driven into place using a large mallet.

Time to start prepping the surface. After loads and loads of sanding, I was able to start sealing parts of the wood. Like I mentioned before the base is made from pine which can weep sap from the knots of the wood even after it is painted. Consequently, I sealed the knots (and dense grain areas) of the wood using a spray on product by Zinsser. This will help to ensure the sap does not seep through the wood. Once all the trouble areas of the wood were sealed I fired up the new Fuji sprayer and shot a coat of semi-gloss latex paint over the entire structure. The Fuji unit is an HVLP sprayer and runs on a 120v outlet only (no air compressor required). So far, I am loving this compact little machine.

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Quick note about this Fuji sprayer. Other than what I’ve learned during this spray job, I know very little about using an HVLP spray unit. Fuji has totally got the end user covered on this however with a great startup guide that is full of well written instructions in addition to old timer wisdoms to help out new end users like myself. If you’re considering an HVLP, definitely look into this brand.

After shooting a little paint on a test piece, I started with a light base coat on the table structure. Following the base coat, I applied somewhere around 5-6 coats of latex paint before moving on to polycrylic. Once again I used the Fuji sprayer to apply the coats of clear.The clear polycrylic is made by Minwax and and is water based which makes it nice and easy to clean up. This product will help to not only make finish look nice and glossy but it also helps to make the finish very durable and tough.  Since it dries fast, it’s easy to apply multiple coats in a short amount of time.

The last and final step to this entire evolution was cutting the wedges to the through mortise. I nearly forgot all about them! Lol. It was pretty straight forward though – I basically cut diagonally through a square piece of ¾ material using the band saw and made 2 wedges for each side. These wedges went into the tenon of the stretcher and fed in from opposites sides. As I pounded them in with the mallet, they wedged their way into the mortise securing the stretcher in place and the excess got trimmed off with a Japanese pull saw.

And that’s all folks! This portion was a super fun part of the build and required A LOT of work.  I appreciate you stopping by to learn more about the process and invite you to browse around the site for other interesting tutorials, products, or building plans.

Cheers – April

Here is a step by step tutorial on how to build a coffee table with a hinged lid so you can also store blankets inside. + DIY plans!

I loooove me some blankets so in my living room. I have plenty of them however, I don’t have any place to store them so they are scattered everywhere. This week I’m fixing that by building a coffee table that has storage inside. I was thinking about building one of those tables where the top actually lifts up and turns into a surface to eat on (while sitting on the couch) but we actually never eat in the living room so I figured I would stick with a more traditional style of having a hinged lid that opens. For the hardware I used special hinges called torsion hinges and even though these are kinda pricy I picked them because they hold their position when opened and won’t allow the lid to slam shut….so saving any fingers from getting smashed. If you are interested in building a coffee table just like mine then I do have a set of DIY coffee table plans where I provide you with a cut list and a material list then walk you though how to build it.

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Ok lets get started! For materials I’m using PureBond Plywood, which can be found at Home Depot. It’s made in the USA and is formaldehyde free! I went with oak for the plywood so for the trim I used solid oak to match it.

Things I Used In This Coffee Table Project:

• Router
• Moulding Bit
• Torsion Hinges
• Torsion Hinge Jig
• Workcentre
• Router Table Attachment
• Stain and Clear Coat
• Multi Stand
• Right angle fences
• Mini Blue Clamps
• Pocket Hole Jig
• Glue Bottle
• 45 Degree Sled
• Wood Filler
• Edge Banding
• Edge Banding Trimmer
• 1/2″ Straight Bit
• Drill
• Self centering drill bit
• Shop Stool
• Push Pads
• Shop Vac Hose Attachment

The first thing I did was cut the four boards that will make up the body of the box then took the two sides boards and drilled in a few pocket holes. Since I plan on adding trim to the outside of the box I drilled my pocket holes on the outside of the plywood, because I knew I would be covering them up.

Next I join things together by using glue and screws. Tip: When joining things together with pocket holes the boards have a tendency to move around and not come out flush (and I hate that) so this time I used two right angle fences clamped to my boards and it held the boards in place so that when I drove in the screws, the boards didn’t move.

Join the two short sides onto the long sides then flip it around and attach the other long side.

Wilker Don’t: I realized after I put the box together that that top edge is going to be visible when the lid is open, so I ended up adding edge banding to all the top surfaces. This isn’t hard, but it is a little more difficult than if I were to edge band my boards before joining them together. So learn from me and edge band the top edges before joining.

With the box made I cut a bottom for it. I was originally planning on joining the bottom with pocket holes but the problem with that is I didn’t want any holes seen from the inside….I could have placed them on the outside, but I didn’t want to change the design I had in mind for the trim. So instead, I just glued and screwed it on. I did use a countersink bit first so that the screws would be sunk into the material.

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With the body done I moved on to adding the trim work. After cutting all my pieces I took the time to edge band all the surfaces that would be seen once they were installed. Note: At this point I didn’t know what trim I would be using for the inside of my compartments so I ended up edge banding a lot more then I really needed. So I would suggest picking out your trim first so you know if it will be wide enough to cover your entire edge and this will let you know what edges need to be banded.

If you aren’t familiar with edge banding, it’s pretty much a cheat on how to make plywood look like real wood. It will cover up the end grain of plywood so it looks like a solid wood board. If you are going to be painting your unit then you don’t need to worry about it, but if you want to stain it then this will make the edgesd take a stain very nicely. You will need to purchase some edge banding veneer to match your choice of plywood. I went with oak plywood so I picked up oak edge banding. You apply the edge banding by ironing it on, the banding has dried glue on the back surface so when you place the iron on it, it will melt the glue and give you a chance to stick it to the edge. I move the iron on the surface for a few seconds then use a scrap board to apply pressure then repeat over the entire length of the banding until done.

I apply all the banding first then come back and trim it up. I use to use a chisel to do this however I finally made it to my local Rockler store and purchased a dedicated trimmer tool and this made the task go by much faster and cleaner.

With the trim cut and banded I started attaching it! Keep in mind as you are reading this that if you want to make a coffee table, you can follow these same overall steps but can change up the details to make the table fit your personal space better. Maybe you want it more rustic, or with real drawers, or whatever! At the end of the day, it’s a box and you can very easily change the way it looks by changing up the trim on the outside.

After attaching the trim I went back with wood filler and filled in all my nail holes.

I think if you were to leave it as is right here it would look great! So if you don’t have a router or don’t want to mess with making/adding trim then just skip the next step.

I wanted to add trim to the inside faces of all the compartments I just created and instead of buying trim off the shelf I decided to make my own. I already had a bit from when I built my folks a bathroom vanity and even more, I had some oak boards left over from my last project when I built the pool table light. So I set the bit in my router table and cut several strips of trim from the solid oak boards.

Once I had enough to cover the entire unit I started the task of cutting the miters. I typically do this at the miter saw, but my saw never cuts them perfect and it frustrates me. So this time I used a 45 degree sled I found at Rockler and used my table saw. I was really happy with the results so I’ll probably continue to do this in the future.

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Since I needed multiple pieces the same length I clamped a temporary fence to the sled then used a pencil to mark the location of a piece. This way after I cut one I could move another piece into place and cut it to the same length.

I dry fitted all my pieces before committing. So I went through and cut all my miters and set them in their place then I came back with glue and brad nails to attach everything. Tip: after glueing in these pieces use a damp cloth to wipe off the glue squeeze out. This will make the sanding step go a lot quicker.

Ok now I moved to attaching the lid which could have been a lot easier if I went with different hardware. However, I specifically went with torsion hinges because they are amazing. They keep their position at the angle you open the lid at, so they don’t slam shut and the lid will stay open until you shut it. They are a bit more pricy but since I plan to have this for a long time it was worth it to me. If you would rather go with hardware that won’t need any mortises then I suggest picking up a piano hinge, because it can be mounted directly to the top edge and onto the lid. If you need a guide, here is a video of Marc showing how to install a piano hinge on a different but similar project (skip to 9:37).

The torsion hinges are designed to fit right on 3/4″ material, but since I added trim my outside edge is now 1 1/2″ thick and the hinge will no longer slip on. To fix this I used my router with a `1/2″ straight bit to make a mortise in the back of the unit for the hinge to fit into. I used the guide fence that came with my router as well as two scraps clamped on the left and right to make this go quick and easy.

Then I attached the hinges.

Next I cut a lid and I thought about just attaching the other portion of the hinges to the underside, however this would make the back of the lid stand up taller than the front (just slightly). So since I already had my router out, I cut in another mortise on the lid for the hinge to be nested in. Again I used the guide fence and two scraps clamped to my piece to cut out a nice clean mortise.

Before attaching the lid I used a jig specially made for the torsion hinges to mark the locations of where the screws would be so I could predrill them. This jig is awesome because it gives you the option to either have your hinges flush with the edge of your lid or under flush so they are a little better hidden. Since I was going to have my lid over hanging a bit, I went with the overlay option. I set the jig in place and used a self centering bit to predrill four holes.

With the holes predrilled this meant I could just line those holes up with the hinge holes then screw it down. This lid is pretty large so I used the help of my multi stand to hold it in place while I attached things.

Awesome! Getting close to the end!

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For the top I decided to make a few more moulding strips, using the same profile as before, and attach it around the edge. If you don’t want to make your own moulding here, you could simply use edge banding to hid the plywood end.

Now that everything is attached it was just a matter of getting it ready for a finish and applying a finish.

I started by using wood filler to fill in all the brad nail holes. Once that was dry I gave the entire chest a sanding then dusted it off really good.

For a finish I tried a new brand called ZAR and I went with their Moorish Teak color. I applied one coat of stain then three coats of water based poly. Then that’s it! I moved it inside and filled it full of blankets.

I actually originally planned to add feet to it, but once I got the body and trim finished I loved the way it looked so I left it alone, but keep the option of feet in mind if you are building one! If you would like to build one just like mind, remember I have a set of plans available!

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Since I didn’t have to buy any oak boards this project cost me the two sheets of plywood, the stain, hinges, and the knobs which all amounted to $193.

If you liked this project and want to stay up to date with what I’m building, then be sure to sign up for my email newsletter and you’ll get an email when I post something new. See you soon!

*Disclosure: Some links in this email are affiliate links meaning, I may get a commission if you make a purchase. Thanks for your support in this way!

This article will show you how to build your own DIY queen headboard in just a few hours with materials that are easy to find.

Last month, I showed you how I made a Queen Size bed frame with built-in storage. Today, I am moving back to the guest room and will be making a queen bed frame headboard to go with the bed frame.  This is a very simple headboard that can be done in just a few hours and I also made all the dimensions so it can be cut from one sheet of plywood.

If you are interested in a material list and also a cut list, I do have a set of free queen headboard DIY plans available for download here!

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To make things easier I had my local hardware store rip my sheet of plywood at 29″. This makes hauling it home, unloading it, and moving it around my shop a lot easier. Check out the cut list before you go to the store if you are interested in doing the same.

When getting started, I grabbed the sheet of plywood outlined on the cut list to cut the different strips. I used my table saw to first cut the four boards that will make up the legs. Once I ripped them at the table saw, I used the miter saw (with a stop block set up) to cut all four to length. I glued two pieces together, then also glued the other two pieces together. To save on space, stack the two glue ups on top on each other then either use clamps or something heavy to apply pressure while it’s drying. Let it dry for about an hour. 

While those were drying, I cut the two back panels that will make up the flat portion of the headboard. I wanted both of these panels to have a vertical grain, if you do as well then be sure to cut them like I have them placed on the cut list. I have been wanting to try out a project using my biscuit joiner, so I am using biscuits to make my joints. However, you could also use pocket holes, if you are more comfortable with pocket holes. I brought out my biscuit joiner and laid out my marks then cut in the pockets. I put glue on the edge and inside the pocket then connected the two pieces. I set the boards on top of some bench cookies (so that I wouldn’t glue it to my workbench from the squeeze out) then put it in clamps and let it dry for about an hour.

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While that was drying, I cut the rest of the pieces from the cut list that will make up the trim on the headboard. All of these pieces will need to be edge banded, so that the edges will look nice once the stain is applied. So once all the pieces were cut, I went through with an iron and edge banded the edges that will be exposed. You will also need to edge band the edges of the end boards (the ones you glued together in the first step) so once those are dry, you can apply edge banding to them as well.

Next is to start attaching the trim. I attached all of these boards with glue and 1 1/4″ brad nails. Start by attaching the center board on the seam where the two back panels meet. Tip: I used a speed square to make sure I was nailing these on straight. Then repeat with the two other vertical trim pieces and the horizontal rail piece. To attach the top cap I turn the assembly up right and set it on the floor, then used glue and nails again. Use a tape measure to make sure you are getting the overhang amount right. Now to attach the end post. Cut a few more biscuits (or pocket holes) to attach these.

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Note: If you are using biscuits then be sure to turn the headboard upside down before cutting them in. If you have the headboard facing up then the pockets won’t line up correctly. I don’t have any clamps large enough to clamp these together so instead I applied glue and put the end posts in place then set one end on a 2×4 (so it would sit level) and used the weight of the headboard to apply pressure.

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On the other end I used two clamps going from the face trim piece to the top. If you do the same just be watchful that you aren’t pulling the end post towards you. Look at the back as you are tightening down on these clamps to make sure you aren’t creating a gap. Also be watchful that you aren’t tightening down too much on the face trim where it will pull it off.  That’s it for actually making the queen bed frame headboard, now you can go through and apply whatever stain (or paint) you want. Since I am applying stain, I first going to go through and apply wood filler to my nail holes then sand them smooth. I am personally using the stain color Early American by Varathane.

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Next, I took it headboard to the bed frame and used two screws on each post, to attach it to the bed frame. Make sure these are counter sunk so that you can scoot the headboard up against the wall and it sits flush. I only spent $30 on this headboard and that’s just the cost of one sheet of plywood. Once again, I do have free DIY queen headboard plans available where I walk you through step-by-step with a 3D model, how to build this queen bed frame headboard. It also includes a material list, a cut list, and all the dimensions I used. If you are interested in building the bed frame with drawers then I also have those plans available DIY queen bed frame plans with storage plans!

If you liked this project and want to stay up to date with what I’m building, then be sure to sign up for my email newsletter and you’ll get an email when I post something new. See you soon!

*Disclosure: Some links in this email are affiliate links meaning, I may get a commission if you make a purchase. Thanks for your support in this way!

Looking for a DIY queen bed frame with storage? Look no further than these free plans that include detailed diagrams and instructions.

A few months ago we got rid of our guest bedroom set because it was finally falling apart, so I’ve been needing to build a new queen size bed frame. I want the bed frame to have built in storage (drawers) so that a separate dresser isn’t required, however the room layout requires the bed to be pushed up against one wall so I can only add drawers to one side. Keep in mind, that you can follow my plans to build this bed and just alter them slightly to have drawers on both sides.

If you are interested in purchasing the plans for this queen bed frame you can find them here!

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The first thing I did was use my track saw to break down the different sheets of plywood. I first cut the sides, back, and center walls. I drilled pocket holes in the side pieces and used them to attach the sides to the back. Alternative: if you don’t have a track saw then use a circular saw with a temporary fence.

I grabbed the center walls and used more pocket holes to attach them to the back. I would first screw in the top screw then use a speed square to make sure the wall was square to the back before attaching the rest. I also set the square on the floor to make sure it was square to the floor.

Next I started making the face frame for the side of the frame with drawers. I first cut the top and bottom rails then cut the stiles. It’s important for the stiles to be the same height so I would first cut them to width at the table saw then set up a stop block at the miter saw to cut them to length.

I drilled pocket holes in the ends of all the stiles then started attaching them.

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I would measure and mark the location of the stiles then glue and screw it down. I repeated with the center rails, first measuring up then gluing and screwing them in place. Note: Use a tape measure to make sure the left and right are the same distance.

Once these are in place, I came back with the top rail and used the pocket holes to attach it. Note: I used a speed square to help me keep it plumb while I screwed it down.

With the face frame complete, now I set it in place and attached it to the body with the pocket holes I drilled earlier in the sides and center walls. It’s important to make sure the back and front of these center walls is attached in the same location so I would first measure the back location then move the front to that same dimension. I would also use a square when screwing them down.

Next I started adding the sliders. To make this step easier I first measured where I wanted the slider to sit on the walls then cut a scrap piece of wood to that length. This way I could just set the scrap against the wall then set the slider on top of it and screw it down 

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After the top sliders were attached, I cut the scrap down and repeated the steps for the bottom sliders.

Making The DIY Queen Bed Frame Drawers:

For the drawers I used my table saw to first cut the four different pieces for all eight drawers. The front and back, and also the two sides.

I’m making the drawers so that the sides and front have a dado cut into them, near the bottom, for the bottom of the drawer to slide into. I could just swap out my regular blade for my dado stack, however I didn’t want to go through the hassle so I made multiple passes to make the dado.

I would set my table saw fence and run every side and front piece through once. Then I would move the fence over 1/8” and run them through again. I repeated this a third time to make the dado a 1/4”. At this point I grabbed the backs and ran them through once so that they are now the exact height of the dados on the other pieces. This will allow the bottom to slide in place.

While I was cutting I went ahead and grabbed my 1/4″ plywood and cut all the bottoms. I took all the front and back pieces and drilled a few pocket holes in each end then started attaching the drawers. Note: The front and back are inside the sides of the drawer. Once the four pieces are attach, slide a bottom into place and repeat until all the drawers are made.

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Attaching The DIY Queen Bed Frame Drawers:

Before attaching the drawers to the body I grabbed a scrap piece of wood to use as a spacer. I would set this piece on the lip of the drawer slot then set the back of the drawer on top of it. To make this step easier I also cut a separate scrap to use as a spacer for the front of the drawer. This way the drawer is nice and level while I add the slider to the sides. I would pull the slider out until the front was even with the front of the drawer then go through and attach it with screws. Repeat with all the drawers until they are all attached.

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Making And Attaching The DIY Queen Bed Frame Drawer Faces:

At this point I measured each one of the drawer openings to make sure they were all the same. Note: If you’ve made everything square up to this point then they should be. Then I used my table saw to cut the door faces to size. I would first cut them to exactly the dimensions then once I verified that they fit, I would take them back to the table saw and cut off an additional 1/8” on each side (or a 1/4” off two sides). Next I plugged in my hot glue gun and put a dab on either side of the front of the drawer, then quickly placed the faux face in place. I would set it in place then move it around until all the reveals were about equal. You’ll have to move quickly since hot glue dries fast.

Once I had them all temporarily glued on, I moved to the inside of the drawer and used two screws to attach it permanently.

Adding The DIY Queen Bed Frame Slats:

To make the slats, I used 2x4s but I decided to rip them in half first. I drilled two pocket holes on each end then started attaching them. I started off using a scrap temporarily nailed to the side to make attaching them easier, but ditch the scrap because these fit tightly enough to hold themselves up. I made sure they were level with the center walls then screwed them down. With one side attached, I repeated for the other side. For this side though, I grabbed a small scarp to act as a spacer. I would set the spacer on top of the drawer then just make sure the slat was resting on it flush before screwing it down.

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Making The DIY Queen Bed Frame Footer:

Since I don’t have drawers on both sides of my bed, I could have added drawers in the footer to utilize more space. However, Cody and I both like the look of a regular footer without drawers, but keep the alternative in mind that you can very well add more drawers here.

I used my table saw to cut a top and bottom rail, plus a few stiles. I glued and nailed these in place. I also cut a top cap to place on top, I glued and nailed this piece as well.

Finishing Touches:

Before getting to the finish I first used some painters tape and went to every drawer and taped off the body, so that I can stain the edges of the face without getting any on the body.

I’m using the stain Early American for this project.

Last thing I did was cut a piece of plywood to lay on top of the slats. I’m using a mattress that Leesa gave to me to try out. Leesa is a mattress company that sells a mattress that’s comparable to a Tempurpedic but for half the price. If you want $75 off a mattress that is crazy comfortable and ships to your door then go to Leesa. Mattresses like this require a solid bottom, if you do not have a Tempurpedic style mattress then you can don’t have to have a solid platform.

After everything was dry I moved it into the house, or actually had my husband and a friend move it into the house and I grabbed the door. : ) I attached some handles (the store only had 7 in stock so it’s missing one temporarily) then called it done.

Wanna build your own? I have put together a set of queen bed frame with storage plans for this project. It is 15 pages that includes a material list, a cut list, and all the dimensions I used. I walk you through step by step, with a 3D model, on how to build this project. 

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If you liked this project and want to stay up to date with what I’m building, then be sure to sign up for my email newsletter and you’ll get an email when I post something new. See you soon!

*Disclosure: Some links in this email are affiliate links meaning, I may get a commission if you make a purchase. Thanks for your support in this way!

Thinking about building a double sink bathroom vanity instead of buying one? Check out this awesome DIY project where I built my own bathroom vanity!

Alright so this is the third and last part of my bathroom vanity build.

If you missed part one and two of this build, you can check those out here: Part 1 and Part 2

Last time I was able to get this far:

This time I’m going to be adding the feet, applying the finish, and building the countertop! Here we go.

The first thing I took care of was the door problem I was having in the last post. The door wasn’t stopping at 90 degrees, but instead was going inside the cabinet. After getting many (many many) comments explaining that the door needed a door stop, I added one. : )

I picked up these door stops at Rockler which are made by FastCap. I first made a block that came out flush to the face frame and attached a stop with a screw that came with it. Then I screwed the block assembly to the cabinet. These stops rotate so you can get the door exactly flush, so I rotated it around until I was happy with the position of the door then tighten the screw down. Testing it out, the door now shuts at a 90 but the bottom wasn’t supported so I went ahead and added a second stop to the bottom of the door. This way if the door gets kicked it won’t put stress on the hinge.

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Making the Feet

To make the feet I purchased a 1x pine board with no knots in it. I first ripped it down then used my miter saw to cut it into pieces. I cut 12 pieces to make up the four feet. I glued three pieces together four times and left them in a clamp until they dried. Tip: use some salt in your glue up to keep the boards from sliding around. After the blocks were dried I used a template I made to trace the shape of the feet onto two sides. Once they were all marked I took them to the bandsaw to be cut out. I also used a belt sander to refine the shape some and smooth out the sides.

I wanted to add two back braces for support and also to give myself a way to attach the cabinet to the wall when I install it. Earlier in the build I actually made the two center walls short so that these will sit on the inside the cabinet walls.

I cut two boards to length and drilled a few pocket holes in each end. However I didn’t install them yet because I didn’t want to cut off my good access to the inside of the cabinet yet, since I’ll be staining it next. So for the mean time, I just set them aside.

Finishing

To prep the unit for a stain I first went through and applied wood filler in all the nail holes. Once it was dry I came back with sandpaper to smooth it out. Since I didn’t want to stain the inside of the drawers, I taped off all the drawer faces. Note: In the video I left the drawers and doors on the unit as I stained, but I ended up removing them. So I would recommend just taking everything out before starting to stain.

Next I applied two coats of Gel Stain in the color Java. I used a combination of a bristle brush and a foam brush to apply the stain to the different surfaces. Let the stain dry at least 6 hours between coats.

Making the Counter Top

I purchased a sheet of 3/4″ construction grade plywood that had been sanded on one side.

I used my track saw to first cut the counter to size. I also used the track saw to cut some additional strips that I  glued and nailed to the perimeter of the counter so that it will look thicker then it is. I went ahead and attached a piece to the inside as well, where it rests on the inside walls, so that the counter would be supported in the center. Note: Before glueing and nailing these down, I did test that the sinks had enough room to sit. I laid the sinks in place ( I centered them with the faux faces and door openings below them), then traced around them. Once that line was drawn I came back with a tape measure and measured in 3/4″ on several spots of the circle so that I could hand connect them.

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This was a pain, but my sinks didn’t come with templates. To cut it out I first used a drill to make a hole then used a jigsaw to start cutting. I made the fit cut then set the sink in place to test the fit. It didn’t work perfectly the first time, so I looked underneath to see where it was catching then I would cut a little more and test the sink again. I did this until the sink sat flush on all sides. The hardware my mom picked out doesn’t attach to the sinks like most, but instead are separate. So I had to drill holes for them as well. I used a paddle bit to make the hole for the spout and my jigsaw for the handle holes.

I took a roll of laminate my folks purchased and laid it out on the counter top. I positioned it so that I had 2″ hanging over on two sides (the back and the left), then I clamped it down.

The reason for this is because I need to cut out a piece that I will later use to attach to the top surface of the counter. However, I don’t want to cut it perfect yet because it will just make it harder on myself to attach it. When working with laminate and contact cement, it isn’t like other forms of adhesive where you can apply it then shift the thing around until it’s positioned perfectly. Once you stick it, it’s stuck! So leave yourself some extra material. By leaving 2″ on two side, this will give you 1″ of wiggle room on each side when it comes time to apply it.

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I came through with my flush trim bit in a router and trim the right side and the front flush. To make all the strips to apply to the edges I would clamp the laminate in place so that the needed amount of laminate would be hanging over. For example: the backsplash is 5″ so I clamped the material down so that 6″ was hanging over the counter, then I used the router again to make the cut. 

Note: Remember to compensate for the material of the router bit and also give yourself some wiggle room for applying. To apply the laminate you start with the edges. I would first use a brush and apply the contact cement to the wood first then the piece of laminate. Set it aside and let it dry until it’s dry to the touch on both pieces. Once it is start on one side and slowly apply the laminate. After it’s attached use a roller of some sort to apply good pressure, I used a tile roller. I went through and applied all the edges first, even on the backsplash pieces.

Then I used the flush trim bit to cut everything flush. I repeated the steps to do the surfaces of the pieces as well. For the counter, since it’s so large, I first laid down some dowel rods and PVC I had so I could position the laminate before it was stuck. I set the piece on top of the rods then checked to make sure I had material hanging over on all sides. I started on one side of the laminate then as I applied it I would remove the rods. Now to use the flush trim bit once again to make it perfectly flush.

To install the hardware I first needed to reveal these holes so I flipped the counter over and used a drill to drill through. This way when I flipped it back over, I could now stick my router in the holes then the flush trim bit would cut the laminate to the size needed. I did this for the hardware holes as well as the sink hole.

To attach the backsplash I set it in place, predrilled a few holes, then came back with screws. Next I made a bead of silicone along all the seams to seal the cabinet. This is incase water gets on it, it won’t have a way to fall through and get inside.

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I set the counter top in place but I’m not actually going to attach it to the cabinet until I’m installing it at my parents house. I just don’t want to take a chance on something breaking when I’m hauling it to them. So the next time I visit I will record the process on how I attach the sinks, hardware, and install it into place. : )

It was really difficult to get a good photo of this cabinet since the body is so dark and the top is so light. You throw in the fact that I’m awful at taking nice photos anyways, and it’s easy to say that photos really don’t do justice on how nice this looks in person. I know the body looks really dark, but it looks fine in person.

If you liked this project and want to stay up to date with what I’m building, then be sure to sign up for my email newsletter and you’ll get an email when I post something new.

See you soon!

Thinking about building a double sink bathroom vanity instead of buying one? Check out this awesome DIY project where I built my own bathroom vanity!

If you caught my last double sink vanity post, then you’ll know I started building a double sink bathroom vanity for my folks. I was able to get as far as this:

so in this post I will be explaining how to install the drawer slides, make the drawers, and also make and install the faux faces and doors.

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Installing Part A of the Drawer Slides 

When you unpackage your slides you will see that there are two pieces to each one. The part that will be attached to the cabinet (part A) and the other part that will be attached to the drawer (part B). You will need to separate the parts before installing.

Since I made my cabinet with a face frame, I couldn’t just install the slides directly to the inside of the cabinet or they would run into the backside of the face frame and would be blocked from extending. So I cut a runner to attach to the inside where I wanted the slides mounted.

To do this I ripped a few boards as wide as the slides, then cut them to length. I would first tack them into place with a single brad nail in the center of the runner. Then I would measure the front and back to make sure the runner was level. Once it was level I put in three screws to attach it permanently. Note: Put in your screws above or below the center line so that they won’t interfere with the screws you’ll be putting in to attach the actual slides.

Now I took the slide and held it in place using a clamp, then I came back with three screws (that come with the slides) and attached it to the runner. 

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I repeated these steps until all the slides were attached. Once one side was finished I went to the other side and did the same. Note: it’s very important that the left and right slide line up with one another so measure carefully.

I’ll explain later on how to install part B of the slides. For now, just set them aside.

Making Drawers

My drawers are made from 1/2″ plywood with a 1/4″ bottom. So I first bought a sheet of 1/2″ plywood and ripped a few strips. Note: Cabinet grade 1/2″ plywood isn’t going to be found on the shelf at your normal home store. I actually had to go to a local lumber dealer to pick this sheet up.

I took the strips and cut them to the different lengths to make up the front, back, and sides of the drawers.

Note: The front and back pieces are placed inside the side pieces. 

Next I took the front and back and drilled three pocket holes on each end.

Then I took the sides and the front pieces and cut in a 1/4″ dado along the bottom. The bottom piece doesn’t get a dado, but I did take it and cut it down so that it was just under the measurement of the dados.

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This way I could cut a 1/4″ bottom and slide it in.

Installing Part B of the Drawer Slides

To actually install the drawers I cut a thin spacer and set it inside the first drawer spot. This is to lift the drawer while you are installing it so that it doesn’t hit the bottom of the frame when it slides in and out. 

Making the Faux Faces

I took part B of the slides and aligned them with part A then reattached them. I pulled part B out until it was flush with the front of the drawers and used the screws that came with the slides to start attaching them. I first attached a screw in the front then pulled the drawer out a little more and attached it in the middle. To get a screw in the back you will need to disconnect the sliders as if you were going to take out the drawer.

The reason these are not real drawers is because the sinks will be going here so there isn’t enough room for these to be functioning drawers.

I started by measuring the space then cutting a board to size. I would place the board in the hole and see where it was catching then go shave off some material until it would slide into place. I did this for both sides.

Next I repeated the process to make the faux faces for the drawers. However on these, once I had the perfect fit I would then go remove an additional 16th off each side. That way it won’t hit the frame when these drawers are moving in and out.

Once all the faces were made I removed them one by one and added some moulding around the perimeter to fancy it up a bit. I glued and nailed each piece into place. Note: I found this trim on the shelf at the local hardware store.

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 To install the faux drawers, I first drilled a few pocket holes then set the board in place and screwed it down.

For the drawer faces I used my hot glue gun to temporarily hold them in place until I was able to get to the inside and secure it with three screws. 

Making the Doors

Making the doors was the same process: first measuring the space, cutting a board to size, then shaving it until it fit perfect. Once I had a great fit I cut an 16th off each side.

The hinges I purchased are for an inset door but without a face frame. Since my unit has a face frame I added a board to the inside of the cabinet to build up the area so that it is flush with the edge of the opening. I used two screws to attach this into place.

Then on the doors, I used a forstner bit in my drill press to bore two holes for the hinges. I set the hinges in place then used the screws that came with them to attach it to the door. 

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Next I took the doors to the cabinet and fit them into place then screwed them to the unit.

Once I had the doors just right, I took them off using the quick disconnect feature on the hinges and gave it the same trim treatment that I did on the drawers. However, since these are larger I went ahead and added an inside trim route as well.

I stuck the doors back into place and that is as far as I got this week. 

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Lots of learning going on in the shop! This was the first time I installed sliders, made drawers, made faux faces and installed door hinges. : ) Exciting stuff.

Stay tuned for the next installment of my vanity!

If you liked this project and want to stay up to date with what I’m building, then be sure to sign up for my email newsletter and you’ll get an email when I post something new. See you soon!

Thinking about building a double sink bathroom vanity instead of buying one? Check out this awesome DIY project where I built my own bathroom vanity!

My parents have been asking me to build a double sink bathroom vanity for a few months now. I told them I would love to build it, but the project has been pretty intimidating for me so I’ve been taking my time on getting started. However, I decided to stop putting it off and just dive in. So stick with me if you are interested in building your own bathroom vanity. 

I started with a sheet of plywood on my sawhorses and started cutting what will be the sides.

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Then I cut another piece to make the bottom.

I took all three pieces to my table saw and switched out my blade for my dado stack. I cut two dados in the bottom piece and a rabbet on one end of each side piece.To join them together, I first put a good amount of glue in the rabbets and set the sides in place. I clamped them down and let them dry for about an hour. Note: If you don’t have large clamps then set the sides in place and use screw or nails. Next I cut the pieces that will be the inside walls. Once they were cut, I glued and clamped them in place as well. Tip: I used a speed square to try and make these as square as possible before clamping them down fully. I again let these dry for about an hour.Then I cut the pieces to make the face frame. First ripping the strips at the table saw then using the miter saw to cut them to length. I took the stiles and drilled a pocket hole in each end then started attaching them to the rails. 

Note: I used the body as support to make attaching these easier, but I did not use it as a reference for attaching the stiles. I first attached the two end stiles and I made them flush with the end of the rail. Then I used a tape measure to place the two inside stiles. After attaching one side, I placed the top rail and attached it as well. 

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Once the frame was assembled, I put glue all over the front edges and attached the face frame. I first attached the top corners, using a countersink bit then coming back with a screw. Once the corners were tacked on, I put in a few more along the top and bottom rail. I will be adding moulding later that will cover up these screws. However, I used a brad nailer to hold the stiles in place while the glue dried. 

Now I started cutting the pieces that will divide out the drawers. I have no idea what these are call or I would call them by their name. But I cut them to length and then drilled a pocket hole on both ends. I would measure down on the left and right and adjust it so that it was the same measurement then attach it.Before moving forward, I went ahead and applied the edge banding. I went to every edge that is exposed and ironed on the banding, then came back with a chisel and trimmed up the edges. 

I wanted to add some moulding to fancy it up some but I didn’t find any off the shelf that I liked, so I decided to make my own. I ordered some router bits that I liked and used some 2x6s I had. Note: If you don’t want to make your own moulding then you can buy some that you like, or just completely leave it off! It really isn’t needed. It was just an additional detail that I wanted to add. 

I clamped a 2×6 on my workbench and took my router over the edges. Once I had the profile cut, I took the 2×6 to my table saw and cut it to the dimension I wanted.

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I cut a miter on one side then used glue and my nailer to attach it to the bottom rail. Note: I didn’t add moulding to the left side of the vanity because it will be going against a wall. However, if yours isn’t then add moulding to the left and right. 

I repeated this for the center and top moulding as well. 

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And that’s as far as I was able to get for the week. So stay tuned because next time I will be making the doors, drawers, and countertop.

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If you liked this project and want to stay up to date with what I’m building, then be sure to sign up for my email newsletter and you’ll get an email when I post something new. See you soon!

Thinking about building a DIY corner nursery bookshelf? Check out this amazing corner bookshelf DIY project where I built one for my friend!

One of my good friends is setting up her nursery and had a very specific bookshelf she was wanting. She needed it to go into the corner but wanted side compartments to be square so that she wouldn’t need bookends. This creates an area in the front that can either display a book or something else like a stuff animal. If you would like to build on yourself I have an 8 page set of DIY bookshelf plans available for purchase here!

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I started with cutting down a sheet of 3/4″ cabinet grade plywood. I used a temporary fence to cut the two sides as well as the four pieces that will make up the top, bottom, and two shelves.

I grabbed the sides and started making dados and rabbets.  I decided to use them instead of pocket holes because 1) the compartments were going to be small and difficult to work in for pocket holes and 2) I am going to be staining the unit and don’t like the pocket hole plugs. In the below photo, I just set the top and bottom in place to get a visual. 

Next I marked off where I needed the dados on the top and bottom pieces then took them to the table saw to cut them in. On the top and bottom pieces, I only cut in the dados on one side. Then I took a straight edge and connected the left to the right and used my circular saw to cut off the front portion. I started putting the body together, by first taking one of the pieces and facing the dados up. I put glue on all along the joint then set the sides in place.

Once everything was square and the dados aligned then I set a few clamps and let it dry.   While that dried I went to make the sides. These are identical to the top and bottom except the dados are slightly more shallow and are on both sides.

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Once they were both made, I took one and glued it in it’s slot on the sides. Once it was in place, I used a few clamps to keep it in it’s place while I made the inside pieces then glued them in place as well. 

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After I would finish with one layer, I would set a few more clamps and let all the joints dry before repeating on the next layer up. I found that laying the unit on it’s side was helpful. I waited about an hour between each layer, then would continue. 

While letting the top layer dry, I grabbed some scraps and beveled both sides to create inserts for these front compartments. It isn’t necessary but it takes away some of the sharpness.  I had to use a creative clamping method in order to apply pressure to these while they dried..

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To hide the plywood edge on the top, I cut two lengths of board then put a simple curve on one with my jigsaw. Once I was happy with the shape, I traced it on the second piece then cut it to make it a copy. I went ahead and mitered the back ends of these two pieces then glued and clamped them in place.

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Note: I set full gallon paint cans on top of them while they dried.  

I purchased two rolls of edge banding and started going through and applying it to all the faces so that the edges would stain pretty. To apply the banding you first set it in place, then use an iron to iron melt adhesive that is on the back, then you just take something and firmly push it down while it quickly dries.

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Don’t forget that back edge. For a finish, I first put down a coat of pre-stain wood conditioner. Once I let it sit for 5 mins, I wiped off the extra then put on two coats of stain and three coats of poly. Be sure to check out my shop if you are interested in the DIY bookshelf plans!

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Around here, what Momma wants, Momma gets. So when she called me asking if I could “maybe….possibly….in your free time….” build her a porch swing…of course, I said yes.

Take a look at how it turned out then I’ll give you the run down on how I did it. If you are interested in building one of these on your own, you can find a traceable pattern to use as a template. This traceable template allows you the freedom of making as many as you wish for friends and family. : )

When I started asking my mom how she wanted the swing, she made my life easy and said that she wanted it identical to the one I have except she wanted a heart cut in the back and her and my Dad’s name burnt in on either side.

I bought a swing of my own around 5-6 years ago that typically hangs in this spot, so I just took it down and used it as my guide it to make my mom a copy.

Here are the steps if you want to make your own.

1) Since my mom liked my swing, I just took apart one side and traced the different pieces on cedar boards. (I’ve made a complete materials list at the bottom) Mine is actually made from pine, but I don’t suggest going with pine for an outdoor swing.

2) I sanded the crap out of everything. Oh my gosh I swear 80% of this project was just sanding (only a slight exaggeration)…if you choose to work with cedar as well then I suggest also buying a dust mask because cedar is very powdery when you sand it.

3) Once I had everything traced, I cut it all out using a jigsaw.

Tip: In each group, I made sure to cut one as perfect as possible, then just rough cut the remaining and used a flush trim bit to get them identical. Here is a video I put together explaining a flush trim bit.

If you do not have a router, or don’t want to buy a flush trim bit then just take your time cutting out all the different pieces.

Here is a photo of all my pieces cut out and their measurements. I’m looking into learning a software program called Sketchup so I can somehow share these with you guys. I know that if you try and make your own swing just like mine, you will have to freehand all of these curves but I was thinking if you used the measurements below then you can just fill in the curves by connecting lines…..maybe? (Click on the photo to see the dimensions)

• 4 – Bottom Supports
• 4 – Back Supports
• 2 – Cup Holder Bottoms
• 2 – Cup Holder Backs
• 2 – Arm Fronts
• 2 – Arms
• 1 – Footer

I don’t have a photo of what I’m calling a footer, but it’s just a piece that is 43″x 2 3/4″ and attached to the front of the arm fronts to hid the underworkings of the swing.

The arm fronts….again using an extra bit to keep the holes aligned.

6) Before I started assembling everything together, I decided to take a round over bit and hit all the edges (except for the back and bottom supports).

Note: If you aren’t familiar with a round over bit, it’s simply a bit that fits into a router that is used to take away that sharp edge of fresh cut wood. It softens up the looks and also the feel. I would really recommend not skipping this step.

Now I started putting things together….

Putting the Frame Together:

Notes:

• A carriage bolt is distinguishable because it has a build up of material in the shape of a square right under the head but before you get to the threads. So instead of just slipping it into into a hole and the head sitting flush like a regular bolt, you have to grab a hammer and give it a slight tap…just enough to get it started, then when you tighten down on the nut it will finish sucking that square build up into the wood and keep it from rotating when you tighten down on it. <–pretty neat design if you ask me.
• I drilled a pilot hole on almost all of my holes, then also countersunk all my screws.
• I used 1 5/8″ exterior screws throughout the entire build.

I assembled two back supports on the left side of the bottom support, and two on the right (seen in photo below).

2) Then I also grabbed my footer and front arms and attached them the exact same way.

5) Then I moved to the other side and repeated the steps.

6) Next, I screwed the front arm support in place.

8) After repeating the steps and putting together the other arm, I attached the other two support assemblies.

• When you are buying your slats, make sure to check they are straight before buying them. I went through 70% of what was on the shelf to find 10 good ones
• If you don’t want a heart/name board in the middle of your porch swing then you will need 11 boards.
• Each 8′ board will give you 2 slats.

2) I went over each one with my round over bit. I would set up 5 boards at a time to make it go quickly.

3) Then, just because cedar has so much texture and rounding over brought some of it out, I quickly went over them with my palm sander to knock it back down smooth.

Note: Remember I already sanded the other side with the other boards before I even got started. I would suggest doing this even though the ‘fuzzy’ part will go on the bottom because if the swing is ever moved, hands will be all over it and splinters are guaranteed.

4) I started to attach the slats: I borrowed Cody’s drill so that I could keep a small drill bit in one to pilot hole, and a Phillips in the other to drill in the screws. I attached the front two slats first, then moved to the back and attached the very last one.

Note: Before attaching the back, you need to measure the front and see where those bottom supports fall….then move to the back and position them at the same measurement. Once you line them up where everything is the same distance then you screw in your very back slat and you won’t have to worry about them while you are laying the rest of the seat slats.

Note: To make sure all my slats were spaced evenly, I grabbed a piece of 1/2″ scrap and used it as a spacer.

6) Once I got to this part, I grabbed the extra 1×4 and cut it to 40 7/8″.

7) My mom wanted a heart so I grabbed a piece of paper and folded it in half, then drew half of a heart and cut it out.

8) With the board being 40 7/8″ long the center of the heart needed to be at 20 5/16″. I traced it on then cut it out with my jigsaw.

9) Then attached the rest of the slats until I was done.

Finishing Touches:

1) To add the chain. I cut two lengths of 8 links each (each link is two loops) then attached it to the side carriage bolt above the arm.
Note: Before tightening down on the nut be sure the link is slanted like in the below photo.

Note: Don’t forget to cut off the link that was cut to create the length.
Tip: This chain is tough so I used a pair of Klein square nose pliers to make the cuts.

Now you can connect the chains by way of a ‘S’ hook then find a spot to hang it.

3) Since my mom wanted their names put on it, I grabbed my soldering iron and burned in their two names.

4) Last thing is to apply two coats of Thompson Water Sealant then I’ll call it done.

…Yes, I do believe she will love it. Thoughts?

Here is my material list:

• 10 – 1 x 2 x 8
• 3 – 1 x 4 x 8
• 2 – 1 x 6 x 8
• 14 – 1/4″ flat washers
• 14 – 1/4″ lock washers
• 14 – 1/4″ nuts
• 12 – 1/4 x 2 carriage bolts
• 2 – 1/4 x 3 carriage bolts
• 2 – Small S hooks
• 2 – Large S hooks
• 1 – Box of 1 5/8″ exterior screws
• 17′ of chain

This was a very simple simple project. If you are looking for a porch swing and are on the fence about tackling it yourself, I say go for it. Even if you don’t have a router or the two bits I used….you could build a swing with a drill, circular saw, jig saw, and  a 1/4″ wrench. Then you would be sitting on something you yourself built. (<–very cool feeling.

Don’t be shy about contacting me if you have questions! Be safe.

Total Time: 8 hrs

Total Cost: $74

…I just realized…I did not use a single bit of scrap on this project. Hm…I think it’s a first. ; )