Furniture – Page 2

DIY Custom Built-ins from Bookshelves

Today I finally get to show you my completed DIY custom built-ins we made using the 5 Shelf Bookcases from the Sauder website Four of the bookshelves cost less than $250, so we ended up getting four more to fill our space! These are perfect for the built-in project we had in mind, and we love the result!

Here are the assembled bookshelves.

I showed you these a few months ago, before we customized them to look like built-ins here: Stylish Craft Storage with Sauder Bookcases. They looked great then, but we wanted to add trim where they meet, and wrap the tops with crown molding and bottom with the room’s baseboard to tie them into the room.

We removed the room’s baseboard on the walls where we would be putting the bookshelves.

There were several things we ran into during this project. The first was we notices the baseboard was higher than the bottom shelf, so we added a new bottom shelf with 1×12 wood to be flush with the top of the baseboard. We attached the shelves with pocket holes using the Kreg jig.

Where the bookshelves meet, we had 1.75 inches to cover, and we found the perfect trim at our local hardware store. On the edges where there was just one bookshelf wall, we put 1×12 wood as shown so the 1.75 inch trim as flush on both sides.

We started with the baseboards and used construction adhesive along with the nailer.

Luckily we found baseboard to match what was already in the room!

We found this molding at our local big box hardware store and I was elated. We didn’t have to figure out any complex angles since the molding was solid to a right angle!! Phew. You can read about our first experience cutting crown molding here: DIY Kitchen Cabinet Upgrade.

For the molding, baseboard and trim, we used construction adhesive and our cordless nailer to attach. We started with the baseboard and molding, then added the trim to cover the seams.

We found corner trim that was perfect for the corners at the hardware store. We used an unfinished cabinet door we scored for free on Craigslist as a desk in between shelves!

Above the desk we placed three 1×6 shelves, attaching them to the wall stud and bookshelves on both sides using pocket holes.

To see how I made the shelves on the left check out this tutorial: DIY Pallet Wood Paint Storage Shelves.

We primed and painted the trim and added wood and that was that!

These bookshelves are great as they come. With just a few supplies and a day’s time, you can customize them for designer built-in style!

Visit Sauder for more than 30 distinct, affordable furniture collections in a full
line of ready to assemble furnishings for your home, including entertainment, home office, bedroom, kitchen and storage!

Visit my Woodworking Pinterest Board for more home decor and furniture ideas!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Sauder. The opinions and text are all mine.

DIY Wood Pallet Coat Rack

by Johnnie Collier

My sweet friend Jordan came over to learn how to build, and we started with this simple DIY Coat Rack from Shanty 2 Chic. I love when people have an interest in learning how to work with power tools, especially women. It is so much easier than most would think, and there is not much more fulfilling than creating your own beautiful pieces from a pile of wood. We followed Ashley’s steps, substituting pallet wood everywhere except for the 4×4 and the furniture foot on top of the coat rack. That made this project super cheap, and Jordan mastered the Kreg Jig, compound mitre saw, drill and air nailer! I think she is addicted, just like I was after My First Woodworking Build.

Here are the pallet wood legs that attach perpendicular to the bottom of the 4×4.

I was so glad the Shanty 2 Chic instructions suggested to make a line around the bottom of the 4×4 using the width of 1×3 scraps attached to the underside of the legs. This made attaching the legs to the 4×4 super simple. Jordan used the Ryobi Air Strike cordless nailer to attach the pallet scrap “feet” to the underside of the legs. This tool makes building way faster and easier!

Jordan attached the legs to the 4×4 using pocket holes she created with the Kreg jig, just like Ashley did in the Shanty 2 Chic tutorial. To attach the angled supports, she used the Ryobi Nailer again.

To finish up, I cut a square from pallet wood and drilled a hole in the middle of it, using a bit just smaller than the diameter of the rebar on the furniture foot I picked up at Lowes. (Jordan had to take off for an appointment, so I finished up the project that took just a couple of hours start to finish).

I applied Minwax Wood Conditioner, followed by Rustoleum Wood Stain in Mineral Green. Since I used wood that was different to start (the purchased, unfinished 4×4 and the weathered pallet wood), the stain took differently. To unify the piece, I went over the stain in aging wax by Plaid.

Once that dried, I placed the furniture foot in place on top, and added 4 hooks purchased from Lowes.

The piece stayed at my home for a few days before I took it to Jordan. I got attached. That is why I am no building my own! It is a perk of creating with others… this isn’t a piece I would have thought of for my space, and now I must have it. Thanks Jordan!

50+ DIY Home Decor Projects to Make with a Jigsaw

by Johnnie Collier

The jigsaw is a super versatile tool, and a great place to start the power tool journey. It is handheld, can be fairly inexpensive (like this Corded : Skil Saw. Variable Speed 4290-02), and cuts shapes in a variety of materials, with the appropriate blade. I did a number of projects with a the above linked Skil Saw I scored at a garage sale for, and only recently splurged on a new one because of a gift card I received. The new one is fancy pants and cordless, but it doesn’t do anything the bare bones version can’t. You can build the same projects with a basic jigsaw and a little practice. That is great news, since as you will see below, you can make some seriously stylish and functional pieces for your home with this tool. Enjoy!

DIY Shipping Pallet Dog Bed

by Johnnie Collier

What kind of DIY blogger am I, with my dogs sleeping on a pillow tossed on the floor? I know. That is why I thought a striped doggie bunk bed made from shipping pallets would be perfect for the “Get It, Got It, Go” Summer Blog Hop hosted by ScotchBlue™ Painter’s Tape and The Home Depot! This project is a wonderful upcycle that can be color customized to fit any decor, and requires beginner woodworking skills to achieve.

MATERIALS USED

ScotchBlue™ Painter’s Tape Multi-Surface with Advanced Edge-Lock™ Paint Line Protector 2093EL

Behr Marquee™ Paint in Costal Storm #MQ6-20, Recycled Glass #MQ6-18 and Aquifier #MQ6-8 colors

Wooster® Shortcut 2 in. Nylon/Polyester Angle Sash Brush

Shipping pallets

1/2 inch plywood sheets

Reciprocating saw with blade for cutting metal

Kreg® jig

1 1/4 inch Kreg® screws

2 inch wood screws

drop cloth or plastic painters tarp

Wood Glue

jig saw

Drill

Hammer

Crow bar

Table saw or circular saw

TUTORIAL

The first step in this, and any pallet wood project, is breaking down the pallets. My favorite method for this is cutting through the nails holding the wooden slats to the support beams with a reciprocating saw. Sometimes it is necessary to use the crow bar and hammer to create enough space for the reciprocating saw blade, then you just cut through the nails and free one board at a time.

Here is a quick video showing the pallet breakdown process:

To build the bottom bed, I cut two 35 inch pieces and two 28 inch pieces from the pallet wood for the sides. I picked these measurements based on the dimensions of the pillow I already had on hand. Using my Kreg® pocket hole system (I showed you how to use a Kreg® jig HERE), I attached the four sides together with 1 1/4 inch screws and wood glue. For the top “bunk”, I followed the same process, cutting two sides 20 inches and two sides 18 inches long.

To create floors for the beds, I placed the bed frames on a large piece of 1/2 inch plywood and used a marker to outline the inner edges of the frame onto the plywood. I cut along these lines using my table saw, for a floor that fit right inside each frame.

To attach the floors, I placed pocket holes every 5-6 inches around all four sides and screwed the floor into the frame with 1 1/4 inch pocket hole screws/wood glue.

After building the individual beds, it was time to join them. For this, I created three 2×2 poles by ripping a 2×4 with my table saw. Two of the poles I cut to 19.5 inches and one to 15 inches in length.

I attached the three poles to the bottom bed, using the top bed to guide placement. The shorter pole goes in the back right corner of the bottom bed, and the top bed rests on top of it (which will become clear in the next step). The two longer poles will go through the floor of the top bed, nestling up against the right front corner and back left corner of it. Once they were placed in the correct location on the bottom bed to fit where they needed to on the top one, I used wood glue and 2 inch wood screws to secure them in place. I placed clamps to hold everything in place until the glue was dry.

Once that dried, it was time to secure the top bunk in place. I needed to create holes in the floor at the right front and back left corners for the poles.

To do this, I took a scrap 2×2 and traced it where I wanted the holes to be.

I drilled a hole in the middle of the square I just traced, for the jigsaw blade.

Using the jigsaw, I cut out the square for the pole.

To finish the assembly, I just placed the top bed with the poles extending up from the bottom bed in their corresponding corners. The back right corner was secured in place with a 2 inch wood screw going through the floor of the top bed, into the top of the back right pole. The other two corners where the poles extended up through the floor were secured with 2 inch wood screws though the side of the top bed, into the poles.

Finishing

Once the bed was built, I decided to paint randomly patterned stripes.

I placed the ScotchBlue™ Painter’s Tape and began painting with the first color. The paint coverage was great! I wanted a distressed look, so I used the dry brush technique with Wooster® Shortcut Brush.

Once the first color was dry, I taped again and repeated for the 2nd and 3rd colors. It was no problem to tape over the paint, but keep in mind that Delicate Tape is the recommended tape to use on freshly painted surfaces (24hrs).The lines were perfect, and the tape didn’t remove the paint when I taped over the stripes I had already added. There was no pattern in the colors, I just painted randomly.

For the top bunk, I dry brushed the entire bed in Aquifier.

I love it, and so do my boys! Way better than the pillow on the floor, right?!

I am proud to be a 3M, Behr®, and Wooster® – sponsored blogger, and, as part of my responsibilities, I get the opportunity to evaluate products. Opinions are my own and additional product used in the project were selected by me.

Find the products used for this project, and tons more inspiration at the following links:

Wooster® Brushes Behr® Paint

The Home Depot

The Home Depot Consumer Program

ScotchBlue™ Painter’s Tape Facebook

ScotchBlue™ Painter’s Tape Twitter

ScotchBlue™ Painter’s Tape Pinterest

The Home Depot Facebook

The Home Depot Twitter

The Home Depot Pinterest

320 Sycamore: Front Porch Project

Simply Designing: DIY Board & Batten

Brooklyn Limestone: Farmer’s Market Display Stand

Fave Crafts: DIY Aztec Planters

Domestic Imperfection: Rusty Metal Shed Makeover

Studio Pebbles: Faux Frame Modern Art

Whipperberry: BBQ Tool Storage

Dukes & Duchesses: Color Block Umbrella Table

HoneyBear Lane: Patriotic Lanterns

Uncommon Designs: Striped Workbench

Better After: Geometric State Art

I Heart Nap Time: Striped Hall & Gallery Wall

The Pinning Mama: Oversized Painted Wall Frame

Love of Family & Home: Grain Sack Table

The Girl Creative: DIY Lemonade Stand

At The Picket Fence: Over-sized Outdoor Checker Board

Wood Pallet Planter DIY

by Johnnie Collier

I picked up some mums recently and decided they needed a planter. Using Ana White’s Cedar Planter For Less than $20 Free Plan, I made just a few adjustments and built this planter using pallet wood and 2×4 scraps I had on hand.

I just grabbed the cut list from Ana’s plan and hit my scrap wood pile to see if I could make things work without having to buy any wood. I happened to have 5 1/2 inch pallet wood to use in place of the 5 1/2 inch cedar planks. Perfect!

To make the 2×2 posts for the four legs, I ripped 2×4 scrap wood into 2×2 pieces. For the 1×2 horizontal supports, I had a few scraps of 1×2 on hand and ripped pallet wood for the rest.

The biggest change from Ana’s plan is that I cut the 2×2 legs to 23 inches instead of 23 3/3. I attached the legs flush with the top of each panel, and added a “frame” to the top of the planter with 1×3 scrap wood that I mitered to fit.

As for the finish, I am just going to leave as is and seal with Polyurethane. I love the various raw wood pieces.

What do you think? What are you building from pallets these days?

Stylish Craft Storage with Sauder Bookcases

by Johnnie Collier

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Do you love the look of custom built-ins, but not the hefty price tag that comes with them? If you have unlimited funds at your disposal to do with whatever you like, this is not the post for you. This is for those who want the designer look on a tight budget, like us. As you may know from our recent new home tour, we are remodeling and decorating pretty much every room. Today I am sharing a peak into the studio. See how I am using affordable bookshelves from Sauder to help organize the space in style!

The ultimate plan here is to add trim and crown molding to make these bookshelves look like custom built-ins. I ordered four 5 Shelf Bookcases from the Sauder website for under $250. There is a ton of furniture to select from on the site, which is well organized and easy to navigate. The product was on my doorstep in no time!

Assembly was a cinch with easy to follow directions, taking about 30 minutes per bookshelf. If I could change anything, I would add marks where the nails should go in the backing. It was hard to know if I was on the wood or not, but I got better at it as I went along, and was a pro by the fourth bookshelf!

If you are keenly observant you may have noticed that the bottom shelf in the first image I showed you is raised compared to the initially assembled shelves. That is a part of the custom built-in plan. These bookshelves are perfect for such a project, but I needed the bottom shelf to be a few inches higher to be flush with the baseboard we will be adding for the built-in look. I cut a 1×12 to fit and attached it to the assembled piece with pocket holes. You can see the added shelf is perfeclty flush with my baseboard! More on that project to come.

If you aren’t up for tackling the custom built-in project, these bookcases are still a great solution for stylish storage! I love the white, and they are the perfect size for inexpensive storage bins to keep you organized.

Stay tuned for the built-in transformation!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Sauder. The opinions and text are all mine.

DIY Farmhouse Table and Bench Using Free Plans from Ana White

by Johnnie Collier

I have wanted to build a farmhouse table since I first started building a couple of years ago. Our new house I showed you in the recent Home Tour has just the spot for one, so we got busy woodworking and today I am sharing the fruit of our labor. Using free plans from Ana White, we built a lovely table and matching benches. I have seen similar sets going for around $1200. Ours cost under $200! Building saves so much money, and is super gratifying. If you are intimidated by power tools, I am here to tell you that you can overcome the fear, just like I did!

I built my table using Ana White’s free DIY Farmhouse Table Updated Pocket Hole Plan, and the benches using her Farmhouse Bench Plan. As always her plans are amazing, and free! This site is my go to for all things woodworking. It is where I went to begin this journey, and as you can see in my Woodworking Project Gallery, I have built several of her lovely pieces! Our house is becoming a hand-built home, one plan at a time.

We decided to stain the top and paint the base white. Finishing each before attaching them together made things easier. We did this for the benches too.

I used Minwax Pre Stain Wood Conditioner on the table tops before staining. This evens out the surface of the wood and makes the stain take more evenly. I kinda feel like a pro when I stain after conditioning! The conditioner is easy to apply and one can is enough for several projects. You just apply with a lint free cloth, let it soak in for about 5 minutes and wipe away any excess conditioner. After 30 minutes, apply stain.

I used Minwax Gel Stain in Aged Oak. This is my first time using it, and it is gorgeous!

This is my first time using the Gel Stain. I applied it with Minwax’s Staining Brush. It is definitely less drippy/runny than the regular stain, but not as mess free as the Wood Finishing Cloths. Those are still my favorite, and if I didn’t want to try the Aged Oak so badly, I would have used the cloths! I am hooked and you will be too. Find out why they are so magical here: DIY Reclaimed Wood Headboard.

After the stain dried overnight, it was time to seal. I used Minwax Polyurethane in Clear Satin. I applied two coats, drying 4 hours between and sanding with 220 grit paper between coats as well.

For the legs, I primed and painted with white glossy latex paint we had leftover from painting out trim. It took 2 coats.

I am completely in love with this set. It took a couple of weeks to build all three pieces and finish them, but I was busy with several other projects at the same time. If you were determined, you could do this in a weekend.

Have you braved power tools? If not, I hope you are a little closer to taking the leap now. It is so worth it!!

DIY Wine Bottle Craft Coat Rack

by Johnnie Collier

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Scrap Wood Shelf With Wine Bottle Hooks

This project involves building a simple shelf from scrap wood and adding cut wine bottle tops to act as “hooks”. It is perfect for the entryway or mudroom, as the ultimate upcycle and conversation piece.

MATERIALS

– Scrap wood in lengths and widths you want for your shelf

-One of the following; Table Saw, chop saw, miter saw, circular saw

-Jig saw

-Hammer

-Pencil

-Tape Measurer

-Wood Glue

-1 ½ inch finishing nails

-Medium grit sandpaper

-Glass Cutting Supplies (see techniques page )

-Rubbing Alcohol

-Lint Free Cloth

-3 Wine Bottles

-E6000

-2 Sawtooth hangers

-Chalky finish paint or paint of your choice

-Sealant such as wax or polyurethane

DIRECTIONS

This was a project I made up as I went along, based on the scrap wood I had on hand. You can adjust the plan according to your materials. For most of the cuts I used a table mount chop saw but a handheld circular saw would be fine to.

The only cut that isn’t a straight cut is the one used to cut the shelf brackets. For this I used a scroll saw: I drew a shelf bracket shape sized to fit my shelf onto a piece of wood, cut out the bracket and traced it onto another piece of wood as a template for cutting out the second bracket. This is covered in step 2.

1. Cut board for shelf surface. For this I used an old piece of barn wood I had that measured 1 X 6.5 by 55 inches. I cut it to one 46 inch long piece and one 9 inch long piece. The 46 inch piece will be for the top and the 9 inch piece will later be used to cut the two shelf brackets.

2. Cut shelf rails. There are three of them (see pic). They are 1 x 3 inch boards cut to 40 inches in length.

3. Cut shelf brackets. Taking the 9 inch long piece of the old barn wood from above ( 1 X 6.5 X 9 inch ) I free handed a pattern onto the board that looked somewhat decorative but had fairly simple curves. I included the drawing I used as a template. Using the scroll saw I cut out the two identical shelf bracket pieces. Tracing one line for two pieces was easier than trying to make two identical individual pieces.

Sand all rough edges. Medium grit sanding by hand or with an orbital sander will do.

*Clamping the two shelf brackets together while sanding them ensures that they will remain identical to one another.

5. Using wood glue and 1 ½ inch finishing nails attach the shelf rails to the shelf bracket on the inside face (see pic). This made the over-all length of the shelf support unit 42 inches. (40 inch rails plus the thickness of the two 1 inch brackets).

6. Mount the shelf support unit on the 46 inch top board, centering it along the length dimension ( 4 inch overhang on each end) and flush at the back edge of the top board. Use 1.5 inch wood screws and wood glue to attach the top to the support rails. Make sure to square the support unit as best you can before you attach to the top( a quick check to make sure the long diagonal measurements are equal will tell you).

7. The last addition to the unit is for the back board. I used 1/8 inch hard board that has one side grooved. You can purchase a 4 x 4 ft piece that will be much easier to handle than a full 4 x 8. I laid the shelf unit onto the board and traced the outline. I positioned the unit on the board so that the grooves run vertically. Cut the back out using a jig saw, table saw or circular saw. The cut is hidden so just be sure to cut a little inside the line so that you don’t have any over-lap and you don’t see the back hanging over the edges. I attached using 1/2 brads and wood glue. Make another quick check of the diagonals to verify the square of the unit before you attach the back.

8. Allow the glue to set for 24 hours and then caulk all the seams using standard white caulk.

9. Sand any rough spots and paint. I went with chalk paint in antique white for the entire shelf except for the top surface board. I like the weathered wood with the chalk finish.

10. Seal with Wax or desired sealant. I applied clear wax with a lint free cloth. Let cure per instructions before handling.

11. Measure your shelf and mark with a pencil where your bottles will go so that they are evenly spaced.

12. Attach cut wine bottles tops (see How to Cut Wine Bottles) by placing a generous amount of industrial strength glue such as E6000 around the cut rim where it will contact the shelf

13. Attach a sawtooth hanger on the back with hammer, a couple of inches in from the edge of the shelf top.

EXTRA TIPS

￮ Power tools can be intimidating. They don’t need to be though! I started at ana-white.com and found everything I needed to know to be successful and safe. You can too!

Check out craigslist for used tools, or see if your town has a makerspace where you can pay a small membership fee and have access to the tools you want to try.

Chalk Paint Map Decoupaged Table Revamp

by Johnnie Collier

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Today I am sharing another furniture flip! We will be taking a retro 50’s side table to a chalk painted, old map bearing, stylish addition to the master bedroom. A little decoupaging and glitter blast add a special touch. Let’s do it!

SUPPLIES:

Old table

Mod Podge Satin Finish

Decoupage Map Paper from Martha Stewart or actual old maps

Foam Paint Brush

Pen or pencil

Scissors

Chalky Finish Paint in desired color

Americana Clear Creme Wax

Krylon Gold Glitter Blast

Krylon Glitter Blast Clear Sealer

TUTORIAL:

I lightly painted 2 coats of Americana Chalky Finish in Timeless, allowing 20 minutes to dry between each coat.

I removed the doors/hardware and outlined them onto my decoupage paper, then cut out the paper to size.

Next I added a layer of Mod Podge to the door surface with a foam brush.

I smoothed wrinkles out from the center with the palm of my hands. A brayer would work too. Then I added a uniform layer of Mod Podge to the top of the map paper to seal everything.

I sprayed the pulls on the door, and the shoes on the table legs with Krylon Gold Glitter Blast.

I applied a coat of Americana Decor Creme Wax in clear to the whole piece and replaced the glittery hardware once everything dried.

I love our new side table. Just the perfect colors and style for our decor.

I hope you are inspired to get chalky and decoupagey!

Side Table Flip Distressed With Chalk Paint

by Johnnie Collier

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My mom gave me an outdated oak table that she was ready to let go. I saw curves that would look fantastic with some chalk paint distressing, so that is what I did. See how some paint, crackle medium, antiquing medium and a change in hardware went into this fun furniture flip. As an aside, mom wants her table back now. Should I charge her?!

I removed the hardware and painted a layer of Chalky Finish in “Vintage” as the base layer.

Once that dried, I painted a thick layer of crackle medium from the Chalky Finish line. When that dried I painted a layer of Chalky Finish “Treasure”..

I rubbed away the top layer of paint on the edges in random places to show the base layer in a chippy paint kinda way. For the drawer, I followed the same steps, using the Treasure as my base paint and Vintage as the top paint layer.

I sealed the entire piece by brushing on Clear Creme Wax, followed by Aging wax.

I am loving the transformation! What do you think? Have you used this paint?

DIY Custom Built-ins from Bookshelves

DIY Wood Pallet Coat Rack

50+ DIY Home Decor Projects to Make with a Jigsaw

DIY Shipping Pallet Dog Bed

MATERIALS USED