![]() For whatever grief choosing a paint color causes for my decision paralysis, choosing the perfect exterior wood stain color is INFINITELY worse! What’s up with that? BUT after days of indecision, I finally found the absolute best deck stain color of all time! We have been living in our house for exactly 6 years, and other than pressure washing, we have never once stained or sealed our back porch wood floors. I know; that’s really bad. ![]() How Often Should You Stain a Wood Deck?At the very least, you should reapply wood sealer every three years. In many cases, you really should seal a deck once per year in instances of heavy foot traffic and sun exposure. Without staining and sealing regularly, decking can experience wood rot and break down faster. So it’s an expensive fix to replace, if you don’t protect a wood deck every couple of years. And we definitely didn’t want to replace anything, if we could help it. How Much Did It Cost to Refinish the Deck?Refinishing these wood boards was way overdue, and we really got lucky thanks to patching a few damaged wood boards with Bondo Rotted Wood Restorer. We rented an orbital floor sander machine (from Sunbelt Rentals) for $67 for the day to speed up the process by giving us a clean, new surface and had our entire back porch covered with its first coat of wood stain and sealer within 4 hours. In all, for equipment rental, wood patch, stain & sealer, and supplies, it cost us $307. Related: The Best Haint Blue Paint Color for Porch Ceilings ![]() Our Favorite Neutral Driftwood Deck Stain ColorI guess your definition of the best and my definition of the best might be two different colors. But this deck stain is the perfect light neutral driftwood shade that eliminates yellow in the wood without any weird blue undertones. See how pretty it is?! ![]() It’s called Behr Taupe semi-transparent waterproofing stain and sealer. The taupe solid stain version would work well on an older deck that has significant stains you need to cover them. We used this same Behr deck stain in a different color on other backyard projects 2 years ago, and it has held up incredibly well in the harsh weather. If I had known about this driftwood stain color, I would have been using it all along. ![]() Here is how the Behr stain color in Taupe looked as I brushed around the edges of our deck. ![]() Driftwood Stain Color in Different LightingSee how the stain looks around the perimeter on top of our yellowish wood deck? I haven’t edited these photos below so you can get a sense of how it looks in person. The lighting does looks slightly blue in this first photo below in more direct sunlight, but it’s still a very neutral driftwood stain. I didn’t notice any blue or purple tint in person. ![]() Why You Should Always Test Stain Colors FirstHere is how the Behr Taupe semi-transparent waterproofing exterior stain looks along the brick wall of our porch. It drives me crazy when I brush stain on a piece of wood thinking it will be a great neutral light brown and it ends up being a dark reddish or yellowy color. So these are some things to think about as you sample stain colors to make sure it will work well on your own deck. Wood SpeciesWood species does play a major roll in how stain colors appear, so it’s always important to test your wood stain on a scrap piece of wood or in an inconspicuous area on your deck. Wood AgeBefore applying stain, be sure the wood is clean as dirt and grime can affect the color’s appearance. The age of your wood plays a significant role in stain color. Older wood tends to appear darker than new wood after stain is applied. Lighting ConditionsKeep in mind that the look of stain colors will change depending on your lighting conditions too. So if you’re really concerned, look at the stain color sample at different times of the day before starting your project. The color might look completely different on an overcast day versus a rainy day or sunny day. Related: How to Choose Paint Colors for Your Home Interior Like a Pro ![]() Recommended Stain ApplicationWe tried this Behr Taupe color on our pine porch floor as well our pressure treated wood deck steps. Unfortunately, we did make the mistake of rolling the stain on the large area of porch flooring, and it left a slightly less transparent finish. The stairs that we hand brushed looked so much better with a semi-transparent look, so in hindsight, it would have been worth it to spray or brush the entire space to see more of the wood grain. ![]() Finished Deck in Behr Taupe StainStill we absolutely love the end result of our refinished porch wood flooring, and this taupe stain color is now officially my go-to from now on! If you love the look of Serena & Lily, it would be beautiful to use wood patio furniture to create that similar light, airy, coastal style with the neutral driftwood tone. Related: DIY Faux Driftwood Outdoor Dining Table Makeover ![]() We’re not totally sure how old this wood decking is, but it’s definitely been here for well over a decade. It really turned out beautifully considering its age. (By the way, can you picture a fireplace in place of that faux mantel? I just ordered the materials to start that project and cannot wait! Eek!) Related: 35 DIY Backyard Ideas on a Budget ![]() Wood Deck Before RefinishingQuite an improvement from just a day before, right? Cleaning the wood deck with a pressure washer and degreaser detergent and sanding was absolutely a necessity to make it the color of my dreams. I didn’t even know it was the deck color of my dreams until now. You learn something new every day, I guess. ![]() So now the back porch is all dressed up and ready for summer! Now that it’s been 2 years since we bought our Walmart patio furniture, I plan to share an update about it soon. Related: Our Back Porch Refresh ![]() We’re still working on refinishing the side deck connected to this back porch, updating the no longer working outdoor speakers, and giving everything a fresh coat of paint. (That haint blue ceiling still has my heart.) Backyards, decks, and porches really are a pain in the maintenance department, but it’s a good thing they’re so rewarding. More things will be happening out here soon! More Back Porch / Back Deck Ideas
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Today we’re going to be running power to an outdoor shed. I’ve done quite a few electrical videos, so if you need any other tips, check out my website! Table of ContentsStep 1: Locate the Breaker Box and Drill a Hole for an LBThis process could be use for anything in your yard that you want to get power to whether it be a pool, or an outdoor kitchen, or even a yard feature like a pond. Just consider if you have enough space in your breaker box and of course all your local codes. I’m comfortable tackling this project on my own, but if you’re not then there is never in any shame in hiring a professional. Lets go ahead and get started. The first thing I need to do is locate the breaker box so that I can figure out a path to get to the outside of the building I am wiring. Quick change of scenery here but this is the outside of the wall I was just referencing. I’m using a hole saw bit the size for an LB fitting to go through. ![]() Step 2: Placing the ConduitTo get to the inside, the piece isn’t even all the way through the wall. So, you can just cut a piece of conduit to get you all the way through. Know that they do make a different cement for electrical conduit instead of the regular PVC one that you’re used to. I’m going to be adding in an outlet so I’m going to be adding a straight piece of conduit and then put my outlet up high so that it’s easy to access. Then from the outlet I’m going to be going into another straight piece of conduit that will go down into the ground from the outlet, then go into a 90 degree fitting. According to code, the sharp edge on the conduit is still too sharp. To get around that, you need to put on a male fitting to protect the wiring. After gluing the joints together, I secured the outlet box to the building, then also placed a strap near the bottom. A great thing about conduit is the flex it has so I used my boot to push it into the building as I was securing it. The purpose of an LB is so that you can go around a tight corner in two steps rather than one, meaning you can take off the back, pull through your entire amount of Romex and then feed it back down. You can make this tight corner really easily. Step 3: Trenching to CodeOkay lets talk about material you’re going to need for going in the ground and the depth of your trench. It all correlates to one another. In my case I am using a PVC conduit but if I were to use metal conduit I can get away with (by code) only going 6 inches into the ground. I didn’t want to deal with bending or anything like that so I went with PVC conduit meaning that I have to go at least 12 inches into the ground. The minimum depth of my trench has to be 12 inches with the stipulation that a GFCI needs to be on the circuit somewhere. That is the reason I am adding an outlet. Not only is it handy to have outlets anywhere you’re going to be doing electrical work but it also means I can go the 12 inches whereas if i didn’t add a GFCI the minimum I would be required for my trench is 18 inches. Just be aware that there are stipulations on how deep you have to go with your trench depending on what you’re using. Step 4: Feeding the Power Line into the TrenchThis line coming out is my Romex that’s coming in from the breaker box but now I’ll be feeding in my direct power line which is rated to be buried directly in this trench. I’m trying to feed it in with my right hand and pull it through with my left and I’m using my boot to keep the pipe down. I fed through enough power line to go down the trench then whatever length to get me to where I would install my first outlet. Now that I have my wiring over here it’s the same song and dance. You need some sort of hole to now get you through to the inside for a LB to fit, again stubbing through to go all the way to the inside. From here, you have a straight piece of conduit and this will all be glued. Down here I’m going to have another 90 with that fitting in order to make sure that it meet code. Once you glue it up then you can feed it in. Step 5: Securing the Power Wire and Closing up the TrenchA little prebend goes a long way. Also note they make lubricant for chasing wires and it really does make it easier. Again, taking off the back of the LB to make chasing this wire up and in quick and easy. I attached another clamp to the bottom of the conduit then buttoned up the back and called this project done. Well, other than filling in the trench, which is the easy part. There. Like it never happened except it did. I hope that you enjoyed watching this project, I’ll leave you a link in the description to the many other electrical videos I’ve done incase any of those are useful for what you’re doing. Things I Used During the Power Projectvia Wilker Do's https://wilkerdos.com/how-to-run-power-to-a-shed-in-4-quick-easy-steps/ 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. Table of ContentsLet’s Build a Liquor Cabinet![]() 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
Step 1: Preparing to Make the Moving Portion of the Liquor CabinetI 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 ShelfWith 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 PlaceWhile 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 LegsI 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 ShelfOnce 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 CabinetWhile 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 PanelAfter 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 HardwareUp 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 PiecesThis 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 CabinetLets 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 DoorsI 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 PushFor 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 FinishWhew, 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:
via Wilker Do's https://wilkerdos.com/how-to-build-an-adjustable-liquor-cabinet-in-14-steps/ Table of ContentsLet’s Build a Laundry Drawer!![]() Materials I Used to Build the Laundry Drawer
Step 1: Cutting Pieces for the DrawerIt takes 7 parts to make the body. So not many. If you would like a set laundry drawer plans with dimensions then I have that available, it also comes with a CNC cut file if you have a CNC. I personally painted my cabinets so I just used whatever 3/4” sheet material I had scraps of which is MDF in this case. I start by laying the side pieces on their back and attaching what will be the bottom. When joining things together, it will be the same process on everything, I used DAPs weldwood wood glue then predrill and run in a screw ![]() Step 2: Preparing the Toe Kick Plate and Attaching Laundry Drawer SidesThis ledge here will be where the toe kick plate goes in, which is this board here. I’m using it as a spacer to make sure the bottom is attached square. After using it to align the board from the inside, I also used it as a spacer to guide me on where to pre drill and run in a screw. Double checking that it worked; it did, so I continue attaching. I used this trick again when I needed to run in the center hole. As long as the board is flush to the front, it will indicate where the 3/4 material starts for the pre drill hole. After attaching the first side, I attached the second side the same way. However since the toe kick now can’t fit inside to check for square, I just used a tape. I measured the top, then made sure the bottom matched before driving in my screws to attach it. ![]() Step 3: Attaching the Toe Kick PlateNext is to attach the toe kick, which should line up perfectly flush to both of the side pieces and the front and the back. Same with the back board that will make up the back of the platform once this cabinet is stood up right. Perfect, that is the bottom done so now lets flip this around, but still leave it on it’s back, and start working on the top boards. This board here will join the sides out on the back edge while also giving me a place to screw it into the wall later on when installing it in the space. When joining something flush like this, I like to move my work piece to the edge of my workbench if possible. This way my drill has room to go in straight instead of at an angle where I could blow out a screw. ![]() Step 4: Attaching the Last BoardThe last piece to attach here is a similar board as the last but this one joins the front edge of the sides. Since I can’t use my workbench to rest it against, what I like to do is use a clamp to act as a third hand. These squeeze clamps are great to hold them in the general area while I get one side at a time perfectly placed and attached. This board will give me something to screw up into a countertop later when it gets installed. ![]() Step 5: Adding the Back to the Laundry DrawerOk, with that attached, now let me spin this around, tilt it up, and just like that we have a cabinet. Oh, I forgot the back. Hold on, that’s a quick add. Lets just lay this thing back down, but this time laying it on it’s face. I made the back from 1/4” mdf as it doesn’t need to be super thick. 1/4” material will do a great job at holding it square and keeping it from racking. You’ll see that my back is in two pieces. That’s because I’m using scraps and don’t care about the back, which will be on the inside and never seen, has a seem. If it does bother you though, you can always make it from one solid piece Alrighty, and now that’s a completed body. So for now, lets just slide this on over to make room for me to bring in the parts to build out the inside drawer that will hold the hampers. ![]() Step 6: Securing the Fit and Attaching the SidesAll of these parts are also included on the plans and cutlist but I grab for what will be the bottom first. I personally always like to make sure it fits within the body before attaching things just because I have been known to grab the wrong part before but once I made sure it fit, I attached the two sides which look like wings. These have dados cut into them for the bottom to slip right into. This bottom will be locked in once the front and back are attached, but I went ahead and threw in a few screws. I went to the back and attached the specialty designed back. These slots and these predrilled through holes are needed for the under mount drawer slides that I’ll be using. If you use my exact dimensions then you can not only use the exact hampers that fit in this laundry drawer but also the exact drawer slides. However, know that if you want to change dimensions then you’ll probably have to get different drawer slides and change the design of this back part. Another option is to change the dimensions to what you want, but then use side mount drawer slides and not worry about the under mount ones. Lots of options. ![]() Step 7: Completing the Front AssemblyGoing to the front of this assembly, I attach the large front panel. This might seem big and boring right now but you’ll see why the scale is needed. For now, let me go ahead and put it inside the body to make sure it all looks good……annnnd it does. It’s as simple as that, now everything here on out are finishing details. ![]() Step 8: Making the Laundry Drawer Slide!I could attach the under mount drawer slides to the bottom side of the cabinet. Looks like this here. Then go to the inside of the cabinet and attach the rails with screws. To connect the two, I could carry the inside portion over to the body, set it on the rails, then push it in until the two components clicked together. It’s so satisfying. Then since I’m making mine look like two doors and a top drawer, I crawled inside and attached these pieces to the outside by screwing them in on the inside while Jacob held them to the correcting spacing. ![]() Conclusion: The Finished ProductIt’s kinda hard to get a good angle of this cabinet because the space is really tight but without the counter top in place you can see how it works. Two hampers fit perfectly on the drawer so that you can pull it out and toss in your clothes, then hide them away again by pushing it in. Soft closed of course. Even with the countertop on, I have plenty of room to take the hampers in and out or simply toss in clothes then reshut it. I love how it looks like three components. Where as the unit on the left really is a top drawer and two doors on the bottom. I have a four part series of videos where I cover how to properly paint MDF, how to build custom cabinets, how to upgrade store bought cabinets, and also how to build a countertop from scrap 2x4s! So basically if you want to see how I built out the entire room you’re looking at, then check the links in the description. If you can imagine it, you can build it and I hope I’m an inspiration or guide to help you get started. I’ll see you on my next project. ![]() Additional Things I Used to Build This Laundry Drawer
via Wilker Do's https://wilkerdos.com/how-to-build-a-laundry-drawer-in-10-easy-steps/ In this video I’m going to show you how I built this shelf. It might look simple, but it was actually full of little tricky things to figure out. But! It was worth it, as I had this very generic store bought shelf in my home before, and was finally able to replace it with something I’ve made instead. Table of ContentsLet’s Build a Modern Wall Shelf!![]() Materials I Used to Build this Modern Wall Shelf
Step 1: Cutting the Wood for the Modern Wall ShelfI had walnut and maple in my shop already so I made mine from that. I started by cutting to length all the parts to make up the center hexagon that’s made from walnut. I cut all these boards just slightly longer than really needed. So that in the next step, when I cut in all the angles, I could have some wiggle room to get them all perfect. I first cut in the miter cut on one end of each board needed. Then when cutting the second side, I set up a stop block so I could make sure they all turned out the same. You can test the accuracy by placing them back to back to each other. ![]() Step 2: Fit Test for the Hexagon Part of the ShelfNext I did a test fit just to make sure things were looking correct. They were, so next I prepped to start applying glue. When doing miters it’s a good trick to lay down a piece of tape on the inside face first because there will be glue squeeze out and the inside face is always a little time consuming to clean up but a piece of tape lining the miter, solves that. Another tape trick to help with gluing up miters is to lay out a length of tape long enough for all the pieces. My arms are just barley long enough, and I actually laid down two because of the depth of my pieces. This is so I can lay all my parts, perfectly end to end, on top of the tape. Then I apply the glue. I’m not going overboard on the glue, I’m just making sure the entire face of each miter is covered. Now I can start on one end, and roll things together. Using that tape to help each each miter in it’s place as I make the roll. The tape can also act as a clamp, giving me a way to hold the hexagon together as the glue has time to set up. However, since I have a 23 gauge nailer, I went ahead and shot a few pin nails into each joint so I wouldn’t have to wait for the glue to dry. If you don’t have a pin nailer, then give it an hour before removing the tape. ![]() Step 3: Cutting the Straight ShelvesThere’s actually two more walnut pieces to this unit but they are just straight shelves with no explanations needed so lets move on to the maple triangles that accompany the walnut hex. These can absolutely be cut the same way as the walnut mitered pieces at the miter saw however I wanted to show you a different method that is typically more accurate and that is with a sled at the table saw. If you have a table saw then I do recommend doing all the pieces this way. What I did was tilt the blade of my saw then use a sled to move my piece through the blade to cut one end on all the pieces. Then I set up a stop block to cut all the board’s second end, also cutting the board to length with this cut. Any time you’re making a geometric shape like these, the final product will look the best if all the pieces are as identical as possible which is where using a more accurate tool will pay off but know that it can still be made regardless on which tool you have. ![]() Step 4: Piecing the Triangle Shelves TogetherUnlike the hex, the triangle will actually have an exposed miter cut on all three sides so I did a dry fit to first align things…..there we are. This way I could make sure I was applying glue to the correct portion of the board. The roll up tape trick doesn’t work on a connection like this so instead I threw in a few pin nails on each side. However, if you don’t have a pin nailer remember that tape is a great clamp while glue sets up! Since my design has two triangles, I repeated the process to make a second. ![]() Step 5: Joining the Hex and TrianglesNow, the tricky part folks. Joining things together. In the end product, these triangles will slip right over the horizontal portion of the hexagon shelf. I would actually prefer to make these cuts at the table saw but the blade on it will only go to 3” and I needed 4”. So instead I used the miter saw. After making all my marks indicating where the cuts needed to be, I set the depth on my miter saw so it could go 4” deep. I cut the outline lines of my marks, actually going slightly inside them because you can always take away more but it’s hard to put back. My intention was to take away the remaining inside one cut at a time, but the first cut was enough to break it out of there. With that done, I just had to get the bottom flat which I did by lowering the saw to it’s full depth of 4” then slowly moving my board left and right until the blade hit the side walls of my cut. I kept my shelf piece handy so I could test fit things and make adjustments. It was too small to start, so I took a little bit more away until the shelf could easily slip into place. The thing I like about the miter saw for the triangles is I was able to cut both slots at the same time but on the shelf I took a different approach to show you an alternative method should you want to build these For the shelf I used the bandsaw. The thing with the bandsaw is the deck will tilt but only one way, and I’m going to show you that cut first even though I made it second in real life. This cut is easy, tilt the deck, line up the blade, make both outside cuts first, then chop away the inners until you have a nice rectangle hole. To get a flat bottom, I like to get close to the line with my straight cuts, but then, just like what I did at the miter saw, I move the piece slowly left and right going across the blade to level things out. ![]() Step 6: Making the Second Cut on theFor the second cut, which is opposite of the first, you can’t move the table down so instead I moved the part up by way of a jig. This jig is a scrap of wood that is cut to the proper angle, that is secured to the miter gauge of the bandsaw, then another scrap is attached to the top to give me a fence to hold my part flush up against. This will allow me to hold my part in place and move it into the blade at a 90 but it actually be cutting in at the angle needed to slip right on the other parts. ![]() Step 7: Finishing touches! Staining the Modern Wall ShelfLets see if it worked. On this part I was being very careful because those outside pieces will be fragile and break off if I forced it down too much. So I took my time to wiggle it on nice and square. That was the last complicated bit, now it was just down to finishing. For a hanging method, I attached some simple store bought brackets to the top walnut horizontal shelf. Since everything is attached, it’s the only thing that’s needed. Then I put on a coat of finish. Something I’ve taken to doing is applying some shielding lotion to my hand prior to finishing. This lotion is called Gloves in a Bottle and bonds with the top layer of your skin to prevent things like stains, paint, or any other finishes from penetrating that first layer. It’s such simple protection if you keep a pump bottle in your shop like I do. Oh and don’t worry, it doesn’t leave your hands greesy. After letting the coat of finish dry, the only thing left to do was remove the old boring shelf and install my new custom one. I know it’s a little unconventional but there are enough flat surfaces to hold the items I like to store over here, which include a speaker, glasses, clutches, and keys. I only placed hooks on one side to keep the light switch in the area, clear. ![]() Modern Wall Shelf ConclusionWe did it! You’ve built a modern wall shelf to help spice up your living space. I love how much stuff you can put on these. If you liked this project, check out my website where I have a ton of building plans to help you with another project. Things I Used to Build this Modern Wall Shelfvia Wilker Do's https://wilkerdos.com/modern-wall-shelf-in-7-surprisingly-easy-steps/ In this video I’m tackling a project that will drastically improve the curb appeal of my home. Today I am painting my garage doors. This is a one day project and is very simple so if it’s been on your to do list, then I hope me documenting my process helps you get the confidence and motivation. Lets get into it. Table of ContentsLet’s Repaint the Garage!![]() Things I Used to Upgrade my Garage Door
Step 1: Preparing the Garage Doors to Paint by Removing HardwareFirst let me give you a clear view of my set up. I have two doors and started off by clearing out everything I could in front then using my blower to get all the loose dirt and grass out of there. I don’t want it blowing on the doors when they have wet paint. Next I started removing things that I didn’t want painted….such as the keypad. On most of these you remove the battery door and there is a screw to unthread. Next I started removing the hardware. These guys are just decorative metal straps screwed on. However, after the first one I stopped because the next step is to thoroughly clean the doors and I figured if I left the hardware on, they would get a good scrub at the same time. ![]() Step 2: Cleaning the DoorsOk, don’t judge me for how dirty these doors are. It’s never even crossed my mind to give my garage doors a wash, but it’s been added to the regular to do list now! For this step, I used a bucket with some dawn soap in it. I recommend buying a scrub brush with a handle to make it easier. In fact, this one can connect to a hose which is pretty cool. Although I didn’t use that feature. I made sure to get the weather stripping back to white as well because that will be taking paint but paint won’t stick to anything with dirt on it. After the scrub, I followed it up with a good rinse to get all the soap off before I started taking off all the hardware. Now I had to spot clean behind the hardware when I removed it so you can make the call on if you want to leave it on or not. Be careful if you run bare hands over the holes because some have metal frayed up from punching the hole. Next I dried it off. You can use a blower or a rag, you just want a nice dry surface for tape and paint to stick to. A tip though is to raise the door up to a good working height instead of benching down low when you don’t have to. ![]() Step 3: Protecting the House from PaintOk, now lets protect the house. Although I hate the color of this stone, I don’t want it blue. You can pick up a roll of this awesome clingy plastic that has tape already built in on the top. This way all you have to do is unroll it and stick it where you want it. My plan is to paint the door and the weather stripping all the same color but then paint the trim a different color. I’m masking off starting around the middle of the trim so I don’t have to worry about being precise. This means I will overspray paint onto the trim then paint over it later. For now, I walk this roll all the way around until I get to the bottom. It’s very quick and easy. I cut off the excess, then unfold the drap. Know that this drap length comes in different sizes. You want at least 12” to protect your house. My store only has 18” so that’s why mine is larger. It does a great job at self sticking to things like this stone but you can always use a few pieces of masking tape as well to make sure it doesn’t blow up as you’re painting. While having the tape out I went to the bottom side of the door and masked off the bottom gasket. Again, lifting the door so I can work while standing up instead of crouching down…..I first make sure the gasket is completely dry but then I use some exterior masking tape to stick right up to the starting of the garage door. ![]() Step 4: Protecting the Concrete from PaintAlright we have the house, and the gasket protected, last thing to protect is the concrete. I always keep a large sheet of cardboard in my garage for situations just like this. I grabbed it, then laid it down right up to the lip of the door’s opening. If you don’t have a large sheet like this then taping a few boxes together would work as well. Or laying down another strip of the plastic wrap. Step 5: Starting to Paint the Garage DoorAnd alllll of that leads up to painting. Prep is like 90% of this job but it’s what will determine a good durable finish so don’t skimp on it. I’ll be using my Wagner Control Pro 170 to spray on my paint but know that an HVLP like the 3500 or even a roller like the ez roller would work as well. I quickly set up my gun, which is nice and simple, then placed my one gallon paint container inside a 10 gallon bucket. This is just incase I knock it over, I won’t get paint all over my driveway. Then I started spraying! I chose to go vertical as the panels on my doors have those vertical lines however whichever direction you go, you want to aim for 50% overlap. If you do that, you should only need one coat of paint. It took me less than 3 mins per side with my sprayer. If you’re interested in getting an airless then I definitely recommend checking out this Wagner 170. It features high efficiency airless technology that decreases overspray by up to 55% compared to traditional airless sprayers while delivering softer spray, improving control and providing a more-consistent finish. It’s the perfect addition for the homeowner who wants to save money by doing jobs themselves instead of hiring a contractor. A tip is right after you get done with painting, raise the door up! This way it will dry flat and if you sprayed a little heavy, the paint won’t drip.Oh, I forgot to address which kind of paint. It isn’t anything special. Any exterior latex paint will work great. ![]() Step 6: Painting the Garage Door TrimAfter letting that dry completely, I ripped off the plastic around the doors then started on the final painting step which was painting the trim. It’s at this stage you’ll see me go over all that blue overspray in the previous step. I applied this with a roller and the only thing to really note is I personally left my weather stripping and it’s trim piece, blue but another option is you can raise the garage door when painting the trim and paint it all to match the trim instead. ConclusionLets stand back and admire the change. Man, that stone is even more awful now haha, but doing something with that can be added to the list. I definitely love the blue more than I like the drab beige, and truly what a simple process for such a drastic change. If you have some garage doors that need a makeover then I hope this video inspires you to tackle it come the next nice weathered weekend. I’ll see you on my next project. Check out the plans listed on my website for inspiration for your next project! ![]() ![]() Materials I Used to Upgrade my Garage Door
via Wilker Do's https://wilkerdos.com/how-to-upgrade-your-garage-door-in-6-easy-steps/ Table of ContentsLet’s Build a Rotating Shelf![]() This rotating shelf is awesome! I love how it helps me keep my shop functional but also saves me some space. I’ve created a set of rotating shelf plans that will help you take on this build. Materials I Used On This Build
Step 1: Prepare the wood by pre-drillingLets start off with a piece of plywood. This will make up the wall that will hold the shelves and rotate around. I have a ton of walnut scraps around so that made my choice but know you can use any 3/4” stuff. Ok next is to drill some holes in what will be the top and bottom framing members. Actually there are a few parts that require a few different holes in it. I took those parts to the drill press and did them all at once. Some counterboring, some through holes. If you would like exact dimensions and specs for this unit, I have a set of plans with all the details over on my website. This is one of my favorite new things in the shop. Instead of having to clamp my bench vise down to the drill press table which is always a pain, this base has four knobs that activate or deactivate magnets. It makes adjusting parts a breeze. A tip for you: this part will end up being on about this long but I left it longer to make it easier to hold onto while drilling for the holes.![]() Step 2: Putting a threaded insert into the left and right parts of the shelfThese three pieces will make up an assembly but first I want to take the left and right part and put in a threaded insert, one of these here. It’s important for it to go in as straight as possible so I thread on a wheel that will later connect to it because on the top is an insert for an Allen wrench. This gives me a way to use a screw driver to start the insert and turn it. I used a speed square to keep an eye on my alignment as I started it. Once it’s grabbed a few threads into the wood, then the speed square can be tossed aside. There still came a point where my strength wasn’t enough to continue turning it so I put a washer into some pliers to finish, turning the plier handles horizontal so I can use leverage to crank it around. With that finished I can finish attaching the rest of the components including a pin that will work as a pivot point and a drawer slide. ![]() Step 3: Creating the sliding piece for the top of the rotating shelfOk now I repeat to make something similar for the top of the rotating shelf. This one has a few less parts but it still needs the pivot point pin, then a drawer slide attached to the backside. Now I have two crawly things that will make sense in just a few mins. For right now, I set them aside and started building a box. This is simple construction with wood glue, a predrill, and a few screws to hold things together. I started by attaching the bottom, then added the first side, then rotated it around to attach the second side. I slide it to the edge of my workbench so it won’t interfere with my drill as I’m pre drilling. ![]() Step 4: Making the top and attaching it to the baseFor now I’m going to leave off the top. I still need to make the top. This is that short piece I drilled holes in earlier and to make sure I got both lined up with my marks, I went ahead and ran in two screws so the point was sticking out. This way I could set them in my predrill spots and know it was lined up straight without having to measure. The center hole can get a threaded insert so that I have a way to attach this aluminum piece that will be a swing arm. I know this is looking a little crazy, but it should make sense in the next step. ![]() With the top made up, I can go ahead and attach it. I first stood up the piece that will hold the shelf and set it on the bottom pivot point. I precariously left it leaning on the box body while I went and grabbed the top. Now I can set this part on the top pivot point. I’m leaving off the wood glue on the part just incase I need to get back in here to make adjustments. ![]() At this point, I’m still not sure if it was going to work or not. So just a few pre drills and screws to set the top in place. However, instead of the final product just spinning freely in a circle, it will actually just flip like this from one side then to the other, then back again. To do that, I tilted the center shelf so that I could crawl inside slightly and attach those swing arms I made earlier. There is one I snaked my arm in to attach at the bottom, then also the same at the top. ![]() Step 5: Hanging the rotating shelf!Now I originally intended to hang the rotating shelf on a few studs up on my wall so that it’s at a comfortable height, but then I saw my plumb toolbox and figured I would use it to set the unit right on top of! But know that hanging it is certainly an option. Ok, now what to store on it?! The great thing about it being a bare center wall is you can custom design any shelving unit to hold whatever it is you personally want to store, whether it be shoes or towels for the house, or hardware and sandpaper for the shop! That’s what I’m going to use mine for. I used the CNCs to cut out some custom shelving that would allow me to take this big pile of mess and instead organize it. Other Thing I Used In This Rotating Shelf Build
![]() via Wilker Do's https://wilkerdos.com/how-to-build-a-rotating-shelf-in-5-super-easy-steps/ Who doesn’t like sitting outside with a good fall breeze and some crisp air? It’s finally time to start getting ready for fall, what better way than building a good fire pit. Grab a set of plans and follow along with this video so I can show you how I made mine. Table of ContentsLet’s Build a Fire Pit![]() I’ve created a set of plans to make building this fire pit super simple and easy to follow. Materials I Used for this Build
Step 1: Building the Fire Pit Frame and AssemblingThe first thing I’m going to do is build a frame from 2x4s. This will be a big box to hide the propane tank needed to feed the fire. I intentionally bought a tank that can safely be laid down on it’s side so I could keep my table lower to the ground. By the way, if you want a cut list and dimensions of this table, I have a set of plans for it over on my website. If this table is too big for you, I also have a smaller version available After using the miter saw to cut down a few 2x4s, I assembled them. I first lay out all my parts to do a dry fit. This way I can make sure it all looks right before sticking things together. Here I’m using exterior rated wood glue and a few screws on each joint. This is designed so that the top boards overlap the joints of the bottom boards. This will create strength but it also makes it quick to put together. ![]() Step 2: Creating the Boxes BodyNext will be to sheath it, to put plywood around the frame to create the box’s body. Since this will be outside, I’m using an exterior plywood that is treated. I also painted the outside faces which you’ll see I’m making sure to attaching pointing towards the outside of the body. This is because I plan to do a slatted design outside of this layer and wanted a dark color to be in between each slat. I’m attaching these sheets by first pre drilling then running in a screw along the bottom. Then also running in a screw to connect the top of the boards together. When going into thin wood like this 1/2” plywood, I switch over to using trim head screws like these here. Step 3: Framing out the Top and Attaching it to the BodyThe next thing I did was frame out the top side. These members will give me support to secure the top in the next step. They can be tricky to add since there is nothing except the plywood to connect them to the bottom framing so what I did was use a clamp to hold it in place once I got it lined up to the top of the ply. Again using the trim head screws to secure it. I started with the two longer pieces then connected the two shorter sides in between. Alrighty, now lets throw the top on. This is another piece of exterior rated plywood that I painted the top side of. The hole in the center will be where the fire tray gets inserted later. I lined it up to the body then secured it down by first pre drilling around the perimeter then running in some screws. All over I made sure to sink the heads of the screws so that nothing would prevent the slats that will come next, to attaching flush to the body. I’m going to leave that as is for a bit and start making the slats that will cover it. ![]() Step 4: Making the Slats to Cover the BodyFor this part I’m going with western red cedar 1×4 boards. This is what will take this boring box and turn it into something gorgeous to look at. I started by taking my full length boards and ripping them to width at the table saw. I made the slats half the width so two slats could come out of one board. Now I’m going to go with a water fall look so that the top boards will miter over into the side boards. To achieve this, I turned my table saw blade to a 45 and used the miter gauge to cut the boards to length. When setting up my fence, I place a clamp and a scrap board to act as a stop block. Notice how I place this far enough back on the fence so that the board will no longer be touching this scrap once it contacts the blade. If it contacts both at the same time, it creates a pitch zone which causes kickback. This is a fast way to make lots and lots of repetitive cuts. To put the miters together, I use exterior wood glue once again then also reenforce the joint with a few 23 gauge brad nails. Nice and simple. Next I repeated that same process to create a whole bunch of them. Since the pattern is the same in all four quadrants, I could prep all the parts and have them staged on my workbench. This also gave the glue time to set up. ![]() Step 5: Applying the Slats to the Fire Pit BodyWith that done, this next step will fly. Lets start applying the slats to the body. So the sides will have verticals that come up and meet the top slats. With that, I want the top covering the end grain of the verticals so I make sure to hold up a scrap to get the spacing correct. You can see I move it along as I work on securing that first board, but then after that the rest can get laid down with just a spacer. I also move this spacer along to make sure the slat is getting attached parallel the entire length of the board. See me using it on the top but also on the side. My spacer is just a random scrap I found to be the size needed for the gap. When I get to the inside most slat, I hold it in place so that I can go to the inside with a pencil and mark the center hole opening. I think it’s easier to cut this now with a bandsaw but know that you can also attach it and cut it after the fact with a jigsaw or even a flush trim bit in a router. The fire tray with cover it so no need to make it super pretty. ![]() Step 6: Creating the Propane Tank DoorI’m using a few streaks of DAP Dyna grip on each one of these before the brad nails. This is my favorite construction adhesive as it’s incredibly fast setting and works for both interior and exterior projects. You can see next I repeated much of the same process but this time with just straight vertical boards. These are butted up right to the underside of the overhanging top slat and I make sure to use the same spacer so things remain consistent. All these slats hang past the body slightly because I personally wanted casters on mine so that I can make this thing mobile when not in use. The overhanging amount will cover the added height. This big gap here will be a removable panel to allow me to access the inside propane tank. I’m using magnets here and attach them by counterboring into the framing material then screwing in a magnet. Now I can attach a washer on a screw to the door on all four corners to correspond to these magnets. Once the door is in place, I could repeat the process of attaching verticals to make it disappear into the body. ![]() Step 7: Applying Finish to the Fire PitLets go ahead and put a coat of finish on them to really see them pop. In order to get in all the nooks and crannies of the sides of the slats, I’m spraying on my finish but you could absolutely just roll or brush it on instead. I’m using my Wagner HVLP which makes very quick work of this step. For a finish I’m going with the Total Boat Gleam 2.0 as it dries quickly, does a great job at leveling out on it’s own, and what I most like is that it has UV resistors in it so this cedar will hold up even though it will be outside. Step 8: Adding Casters to Make the Fire Pit MobileOops, If forgot to show you when I attached the casters. But back after attaching all the slats, I tiled the box over and screwed on a few casters which is what is allowing me to rotate this thing around to show you all sides. I personally like the idea of it having casters on it because it will only be getting used during the winter months but for the summer months, I like the idea of pushing it out of the way and using this space for something else. Once I picked out where I wanted my fire table to be I started loading in the appliances to make it work. The tray slips right into the center opening and comes with pretty simple instructions on hooking it up to a propane tank. You can’t lay a normal propane tank on it’s side so if you build one of these you either need to redesign it so it can stand upright or buy one that is designed specifically to be laid over. Step 9: Finishing details! Adding Rocks, Chairs, and Drinks!Now I need to fill it with rock, grab my portable chair, and a drink and enjoy. As you can see there is plenty of space for company to join me and also plenty of space to set drinks or a plate of food on the unit itself. However remember that I have plans for this larger unit but also a more compact unit if you’re interested in building one yourself. ![]() ConclusionIf a fire pit has been on your to do list then I hope this video has given you some good inspiration to tackle it this fall. Be sure to check out my website for a set of plans for this build as well as several others. I’ll see you on whatever I’m building next. Additional Things I Used in the Build:
via Wilker Do's https://wilkerdos.com/how-to-build-a-fire-pit-in-9-easy-steps/ If you’re looking for a place to store your firewood that also is super cool to look at, check out this firewood holder DIY. Before, I would just have my different sizes piled up in containers around the hearth, which was really unattractive. So on a whim I threw these together. The three compartments allow me to separate small, from medium, to large pieces of wood. Grab a set of plans and let me show you how I build them. Table of ContentsLet’s Build A Firewood Holder![]() I’ve created a set of plans to make building this firewood holder quick and easy! Materials I Used in this Build:
Step 1: Selecting Material and Cutting to SizeI did design and build these on a whim so when selecting material, I just looked around my shop to see what I had already that would fit the sizes. I found this stack of 3/4” cut off from some shelves I tore a part that I’ll make the body from. Then for the back, I have some 1/2” plywood from who knows what. I started off by ripping the sheets down to width needed. If you want exact dimensions, I have a set of plans available over on my website. I tilted the blade over to then cut in the angles needed to created the pointed miters. Since there are a lot of repeated parts, I set up a stop block so that I could make them all the same. When you do this, you want to make sure to set the stop block back far enough so the board won’t be touching it when it contacts the blade. As this is what can cause kick back. To save from switching the blade back and forth, after cutting one side with the needed angle, I would flip the board and cut the other side since it still had a 90 on one end. This will leave the remaining board with angles on both end, that I can chop up for the mitered parts. I personally like to always do a test first and a dry fit to make sure things are going to work as I have them planned. That looks good though. ![]() Step 2: Banding the Edges of the Firewood HolderNow I just needed 12 of them total so I locked in the new distance for the fence for this part and chopped up the remaining bit into pieces. This project only consist of four different parts. What I’ll call the side, the tops which are slightly longer than anything else, the horizontal shelves, then the mitered points. Keep in mind that it would be simple to add more to subtract the number of cubbies, depending on your spaces needs. Alrighty, now I’ll edge band the edges that will be facing the front. Actually, on second thought, I like the idea of painting them instead. Note: that if you edge band you’ll need to do that before joining the parts together, but if you want to paint, then you can go straight into assembling. ![]() Step 3: Assembling the Firewood Holder CubiclesFor assembling, I started off on top of my workbench and what I did is apply some wood glue, I’m using DAPs weldwood here, to every joint, then pin nailed things together using my 23 gauge nailer. This is a pretty weak joint until the wood glue has time to set up, so I was being careful as I was moving it around to attach the next leg. If I didn’t have a 23 gauge, I would have used a 18 gauge instead. After getting a few attached, I thought it would make things easier to do it on the ground so I could see everything clearly as I was attaching legs. So I moved it down to the floor and continued. I would juke and jive to create the points of the cubbies, then attach the horizontal that will create the separation between. I paused when I got to the very top because the way I have it designed, the top edge will actually be seen. With that, I edge banded both of these parts before adding them on. This is as simple as heating up an iron and warming up the glue on the back of the banding until it sticks to the plywood edge. This will be slightly different than the ply, but it doesn’t bother me. ![]() Step 4: Painting the Firewood Holder CubbiesI left that where it sat to give that glue time to set up and dry. While it was, I grabbed pieces that will make up the back from my 1/2” plywood scraps. I also grabbed the pieces that will make up the sides. I want both of these to be painted the same color as my wall which means I need to give them a few coats before attaching the cubbies. Since I have the paint out, I also wanted to paint that front edge of the cubbies. I first give them both a good sanding to get them smooth. Now when working with plywood, there are typically voids on every single edge. In order to get a smooth looking paint surface, I apply some wood filler on a putty knife. I’m using DAP Premium wood filler. This stuff not only dries fast but is easy to sand and is great to color match if you are staining something. After letting it dry for about 30 mins, I came back with a sanding sponge to knock it down flat so that I could roll on the paint onto the pieces of the firewood holder. With finishing out of the way, let me just push this button here to raise my finishing shelf up and locate the hardware I’ll need to attach the cubbies to the back. Step 5: Shaping the Back to Fit the Firewood Holder CubbiesI started with a back slightly larger than what I needed, then plopped the cubbies down onto it and lined it up so that the bottom cubby was flush to the end of the plywood. I used my pin nailer to just tack things in place to start. The end is easy as it should be flush, but to make sure the rest weren’t crocked, I pulled a tape to get the spacing perfect before tacking the rest. With it not able to fall off now, I tilted the entire unit on it’s face so that I would have access to the underside to throw in screws. Here, I made sure to pre drill to prevent splitting. ![]() Step 6: Securing the Firewood Holder Cubbies to the BackThe top location is easy to locate because you have a visual on where the shelf is located. However, the second one is tricky because it’s in the middle of nowhere. What I do is grab a speed square, this Crescent one has an additional 6” flip out rule so that I can position it in the center of the shelf, go down to the dimension needed, and pre drill. If you don’t have this speed square or another long one, then a level would also do the trick. For the angled portion of the shelves, the speed square wouldn’t work, so I grabbed a scrap and cut in an angle at the tip. This way I could rest it on the shelf and allow me to mark the height. Making sure to keep it in the same location, I moved the scrap to the face closest to me to now drop it down back to the line I made which gives me the location of the angled shelf to pre drill and attach a screw. With the back on, this thing now feels really secure and strong. I flipped it up to take a look. I actually think it looks pretty good with a square back on it and was considering leaving it as is but then I decided to stick to my original plan and make the back flush to the geometric shape. I wasn’t able to locate my palm router, which is actually the ideal tool to trim the back off, so instead I put a flush trim bit in my router table and trim it off that way. The key here is to keep the unit nice and flush on the table as you move it along. I laid the unit over and attached the side. This will help support the horizontal shelves that will actually be supporting the load of the firewood. ![]() Step 7 : Installing the Firewood Holder and Cutting FirewoodLast thing to do was install them. Now I personally wanted mine up off the ground so I wouldn’t block an outlet I have over on the right hand side. Then I also like to use this area for storing my games and puzzles. With that, I propped the units up, found the studs, then drove a few screws into the back of the unit to attach them. Ok lets load it down and see how much it can hold. Now that, is much better than before. Instead of ugly boxes and totes, I now have a nice firewood holder with dedicated space for the wood. This will allow me room to store and separate all different sizes of firewood during winter. Then I personally like the look of wood enough to keep it full year round, but I could also store other kinds of nicknacks during spring and summer should I want to. What do y’all think about them? Remember how easy it is to make larger or smaller. I even think they would look good horizontal, depending on your space. I have a set of plans for this project as well as many other over on my website. In fact, if you want firewood storage ideas, I have a few of them. I’ll see you next time. Material I Used For This Build:
via Wilker Do's https://wilkerdos.com/how-to-build-a-firewood-holder-in-7-quick-easy-steps/ The shingles, windows, solar panel, and the insulation were all designed by 3M to help create solutions for the most pressing climate challenges that impact people’s lives. I’m utilizing these materials on a doghouse to show you where technology is advancing to, but imagine if every new construction site were also using them and we started making our buildings work in better balance of nature. Table of Contents![]() Materials I Used to Build The Dog House
Step 1: Laying out parts and pre-drillingThere are four main components to build: The deck, the front, the back, and the roof. I started off by grabbing all the parts that will make up the deck and laid them out on my workbench so that I could predrill and attach things together with screws. I do have a set of plans for this project if you would like a material list and a cultist to build your own. Next I laid out all the flooring material to attach it to the topside of this framing. I was shocked that the price was a 1/3rd of the cost and I just made sure to put the ugly side down! You’ll want to make sure the frame is square before attaching the decking. I used an 18 gauge nailer to quickly attach things. ![]() Step 2: Attaching the pieces to make up the front of the dog houseOk, first big component down. Now lets set that aside and pull in the pieces that will make up the front. I cut all the parts according to my cut list then did a dry fit first just to make sure there weren’t any obvious problems. Once everything was laid out and things seemed to work, I started attaching things. As you can see I’ve pre-painted mine and that’s because of the color scheme I wanted in the end, it’s much easier to paint the framing beforehand. After getting done, I set it aside and repeated those same steps to frame up what will be the back wall, then set it with the others. ![]() Step 3: Making the dog house roofThe last major component to build is the roof. If you use my plans to build this dog house, I would recommend keeping the pieces separated like this so it makes building time go much quicker. At each stage, I was able to bring in the needed parts for that assembly then quickly arrange them, and screw them together. If you notice me skipping the wood glue it’s because it doesn’t stick very well to painted parts. If you have raw parts, then you could use some on each joint, just make sure it’s exterior. After knocking out the framing for the roof, I applied this tonge and groove material on top. You could absolutely use some sheet material like OSB or Plywood, but I wanted the inside of the roof to match the siding I will add later. Tonge and groove is awesome because it goes together so nicely and connects with the previous board. I’m once again using my 18 gauge nailer here to pin it to the framing. I started on one end, then worked my way down to the other. When I got to the end, I held the board in place, making sure the tonge and groove were facing the correct direction, made a mark on the underside, then cut this board to the needed depth to fill in the remaining space. ![]() Step 4: Attaching all of the assemblies togetherAlrighty, now lets play shuffle and start throwing all the main components together. I’ll set the roof over here, move the front and back, so that I can grab the deck and set it on the workbench again. Now I’ll grab the back to start and if done correctly, it should just slip right onto the deck. I predrilled and threw in a few screws to attach it. Then repeated with the front. Since this dog house is a little bougie, there is a porch so the front is set back a ways to create said porch. Now lets throw the roof on. I found it easiest to climb up on my workbench to do this, but building it on the ground could also work. The framing of the front and back walls have ‘ears’ on them to help locate the roof, but it might need some help to seat the roof all the way down since it’s a tight fit. Something that helped is backing out the top screw in the framing to allow that ‘ear’ to flex out slightly. Once the roof was seated all the way, I could tighten back up on the framing but also attach the framing to the roof to secure it down. ![]() Step 5: Installing the siding of the dog house to close the wallsNext up is siding! This is made up of that same tonge and groove material I made for the roof and it’s just as simple to throw on vertical as it is horizontal. Once cut to length, you just need to make sure the board going on is seated all the way down on the previous board. Again, I’m using my nailer to attach things. Nice and simple. When I get closer to the top, I use my bandsaw to cut in the angles needed. RT audio I’m calling that good. I did the same exact process on the other side. ![]() Step 6: Completing the front and back walls of the dog houseLet’s complete the front and back walls. I’m sure you were wondering why there are so many empty cavities designed in. It’s because I wanted the dog house to have class paneling. I don’t know about your pups, but mine like to be able to see what’s happening in their domain. Instead of one large panel, which you can very well do if you want to simplify things, I decided to break up the space into multiple small ones. This is where our first 3M science product comes in. Not the glass…..but the film applied to the glass. A fun fact: visible light is light you can see and infrared light is what you can feel. 3Ms Sun Control Window Film Prestige Series reflect the suns infrared light significantly reducing the hat coming through windows. In addition to that, they also reject up to 99.9% of damaging UV rays. These films are designed to be applied directly to your existing windows to provide an easy and cost effective upgrade vs replacement. It allows my pups the openness windows provide without letting the heat and UVs in. If you can’t tell, I am loving this thing. ![]() Step 7: Building the Roof of the Dog HouseOk moving on to the roof! Before adding shingles, I went around the edges and added metal drip edge. What I do to install this is I hold it up on the edge, starting with the short side first, then cut it where the corners land. You’ll want to use roofing nails to attach it down. Since one piece won’t wrap all the way around, I let the leftover amount hangout, then used a new piece to finish covering the remaining side. Using a roofing nail to tack through both. With that down it was a simple matter of nailing down the shingles. I figured out the overhang on the left then let the right run wild. I’ll cut it later. The shingles have a yellow zone to use the nails on. While I work my way from the eve to the peak, let me tell you the awesome science of these shingles. 3M is making smog pollutant reducing granules (the tiny particles that make up the shingles) that might sound like a mouth full but it’s fascinating. These granules will absorb and hold onto nitrogen oxide in the air that touches it. Then it will turn it into water soluble ions that not only safely wash away with the rain but then carry the nitrogen to the ground below which helps plants and grass. To put it simply, these granules, the shingles turn a roof into a smog fighting surface where it will take nitrogen from a place we don’t want it, and carry it safely to a place we do. And that my friends, is how you can build your dogs a bougie house, very simple and easy but so stylish. Also remember I have a set of plans available if you want to build your own. ![]() Step 8: Showing off some 3M productsI’m going to go ahead and add more accessories in order to show you two more really cool products 3M has initiated and released to do their part in changing the world. First up is a dog bed. 3M innovated a 100% recycled featherless insulation called Thinsulate. I’m using it as the stuffing material in a dog bed (I just bought one then replaced the stuffing inside with insulation) However, it’s everyday application is actually within performance apparel and outerwear. It’s made from 100% recycled content such as plastic bottles that end up in the landield, meaning it’s helping to address global waste. It’s lightweight as natural down and still performs when wet. Then the last thing to show off is called the Midsummer solar roof panel where 3M’s Ultra Barrier Solar film is incorporated. Due to low material consumption, a unique manufacturing process and production, Midsummer’s solar roofs have a 90% lower carbon footprint compared to traditional solar panels. I’m so proud to be partnering with a company like 3M who isn’t only concerned with their bottom dollar but are setting goals for themselves to be carbon neutral and then investing time, money, and research to innovate products to accomplish it. Every new 3M product has a sustainability value commitment that shows how it contributes to the greater good. The four products in this dog house are just an example I really hope you enjoyed this project. Check out my website for a set of plans not only for this Things I Used in this Build:
via Wilker Do's https://wilkerdos.com/how-to-build-a-dog-house-in-8-easy-steps/ |
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April 2023
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