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Plans
This project is a repost from my guest post over at My Repurposed Life! Just in case you missed it… This adorable and simple bookshelf is Inspired by the PB Teen Stuff your Stuff bookshelf and is a continuation of a collection by the same name that I have been working on this past week. If you would like to view the other plans completed in this collection so far, click here to browse the Stuff your Stuff Collection! Here is the beauty we will be focusing on today. She’s got beauty and brains with easy accommodations for electronics and storage galore!
Showcase: Built From These PlansI am so honored each and every time one of you fine friends builds from these very plans! If you have built this piece, please take a moment and showcase your build! We are dying to see your fabulous hard work!
Tools
- Tape Measure
- Sander
- Drill
- Kreg Jig (pocket hole system)
- Finish Nail Gun – optional and can use screws or finish nail set and hammer
Lumber
- 2 – 2×2 at 8’
- 2 – 1×2 at 8’
- 1 – 1×3 at 6’ OR at 8’ if an 8’ furring strip is less expensive (they usually are)
- 1 – 1×12 at 6’
- 1 – 1×12 at 8’
- 1 – 3/4” Square Dowel at 3’
- 1/2 sheet of 1/4” Ply at 4’x4’
Materials
- 1 1/4” Pocket Hole Screws
- 1 1/4” Finish Nails
- Wood Glue
- Wood Filler
- Sanding Supplies
- Finishing Supplies
Cut List
- 4 – 1×2 at 11 1/4” Side Trim – Cut to exact width of your 1×12 as these may vary by region
- 3 – 1×2 at 28” Shelf Trim and Back Side Cleats
- 1 – 1×2 at 31” Top
- 1 – 1×3 at 31” Top
- 2 – 1×12 at 27” Side Panels – can be plywood or mdf also
- 2 – 1×12 at 28” Shelves
- 1 – 1×12 at 31” Top
- 1 – 3/4” Square Dowel at 31”
- 1 – 1/4” Ply at 28” x 28 3/4” Back Panel
Instructions
Before beginning to build, always check in on my site to make sure you have the most up to date set of plans, I occasionally update and change the plans to make the building process easier or to allow for less expensive purchasing of materials! Read through the entire set of instructions and all comments before beginning this project. If you print out or save plans, be sure to check in on my site to be sure you have the most up to date set of plans, as I occasionally update things for ease of building or buying. If you are new to building, read through the GETTING STARTED section and other articles found under the BUILD tab in the menu on my site, it has valuable information about how to get started, tools and techniques. If you are unfamiliar with the finishing process, visit my Finishing school for some tips and tricks for painting like a pro and for special finishing practices. Use glue to secure your joints and Consider Painting or Staining individual sections prior to assembling. This makes the paint application virtually flawless. Coat with a spray on Poly or Wipe on Poly to protect your finish and your piece and it will last for ages. Adhere to all safety standards and guidelines, and be sure you follow safety protocol throughout your build. If you are unsure about whether you are building safely, run a quick online search for the tool or technique you are using, or contact me via email or post to the forum before you move ahead. My contact info can be found in the menu of my site.
Step 1
Build the Side Panels: Measure the actual width of your 1×12’s prior to cutting the length of your trim as the dimensions can vary considerably by region. Cut your 1×2’s to the exact width of your 1×12 and then you will use of your Kreg Jig set for 3/4” stock and your 1 1/4” pocket hole screws and glue to fasten the 1×12 Panels to the Legs. Then Fasten your Trim in place using 1 1/4” Finish Nails and Glue or if you prefer you can use your Kreg Jig to secure the Trim in place first, set for 3/4” Stock and your 1 1/4” pocket hole screws and glue, and then proceed to fasten the panels in place after that. Both methods will work, this should be decided based on the tools and materials you have at your disposal.
Step 2
Fasten the Shelves in Place: You will use your Kreg Jig set for 3/4” stock and your 1 1/4” pocket hole screws and glue to secure the shelves in place, then fasten the trim in place using 1 1/4” finish nails and glue.
Step 3
Fasten the Back Side Cleats in Place: Secure with your Kreg Jig set for 3/4” stock and your 1 1/4” pocket hole screws and glue. The top cleat will sit flush with the top of the legs, and both cleats will sit flush with the inside edges of the back legs, leaving a 3/4” inset space on the backside where you will attach your back panel in the next step.
Step 4
Tack on the Back Panel: Cut a hole for these cords 4” from the bottom of the back panel. This hole can be 1 1/2” or 2” in diameter and can be cut out using a jig saw, or hole saw bit (or a drill savvy person could get crazy drilling pilot holes until the opening is large enough, if that person didn’t have a hole saw bit or jig saw). Use your 1 1/4” Finish Nails and Glue to secure the back panel to the Cleats. The back panel is inset between the legs, and will fasten directly to the cleats leaving about 1/2” of space remaining on the back side to allow for your electrical cords to run through and out the back.
Step 5
Fasten the Top in Place: The Top will be comprised of a series of 3 boards adjacent to one another. Glue and Nail each on in place using your 1 1/4” finish nails and beginning at the back with the 1×2 which will sit flush with the legs, then tack on the next board which is a 1×12 and then finish the top with a 1×3 at the front which will hang over the front edge of the legs a bit. Once you have all 3 of those pieces glued and secured, you can nail on the trim piece (3/4” square dowel) to the front of the unit using 1 1/4” finish nails and glue. It will sit just under the 1×3.
Finishing Instructions
Fill any Screw, Nail or Pocket Holes, Sand and Finish as Desired. For Finishing Tips and Tricks visit my Finishing School
**Disclaimer: Some rights reserved. Private use only. Feel Free to link to any of my plans so long as you provide an adequate link back to the appropriate post! Plans from this page are not to be used for commercial purposes or republished without the express written consent of Rayan Turner, The Design Confidential I hope to provide accurate plans, however, I cannot guarantee each plan for accuracy. Not every plan that I post has been built and tested, so you are building at your own risk. It is recommended that you have a clear understanding of how the project works before beginning any project. Please contact me if you find an error or inaccuracy so that I might fix it.
Plans
This piece is a must if you plan on having an outdoor room with any of the fabulous other pieces in our Chesapeake Collection and will be constructed just like the rest of the collection so this should be a pretty snappy and very inexpensive build! Perfect between loungers or next to outdoor seating for keeping you cool while it’s toasty roasty hot outside, and offers the perfect spot to set your drinks and maybe a book or 2!
Tools
Tape Measure
Sander
Drill and a hole saw or spade bit
Kreg Jigs® (pocket hole system)– optional and you can secure using wood screws and a countersink bit or Finish Nails
Lumber
6 – 1×2 at 8’
4 – 1×3 at 8’
1 – 1×4 at 8’
Materials
1 1/4” Pocket Hole Screws
1 1/4” Wood Screws or 1 1/4” Nails – **Galvanized four outdoor use
Wood Glue
Wood Filler
Sanding Supplies
Finishing Supplies
Cut List
4 – 1×2 at 19” Side Legs
28 – 1×2 at 11 1/2” Vertical Panel Boards
8 – 1×2 at 15” Top
4 – 1×3 at 19” Front/Back Legs
8 – 1×3 at 12 1/2” Rails
4 – 1×3 at 16” Umbrella Holders
4 – 1×3 at 2” Umbrella Holders
2 – 1×3 at 19 1/4” Top
2 – 1×3 at 15” Top
2 – 1×4 at 19” Base Trim
2 – 1×4 at 17” Base Trim
Instructions
** You can make alterations to this piece to accommodate an existing umbrella stand base which I will explain further in the steps below (so be sure to read all the way through before you go cutting and buying) if your umbrella is unusually heavy or exceptionally wide and has fun tilting capabilities and you think you need a little extra staying action. If you live in an area like mine, you might be prone to the occasional umbrella fly away days with windy situations. An umbrella base encased in this stand/side table would give you a little more staying power for certain. In these parts it isn’t unusual to have to search for your umbrellas or to fish them out of your pools for instance. But in my current casa, it would more than likely land in my neighbors yard and that wouldn’t be good!
For outdoor use, choosing a wood specie that holds up well to moisture and is rot resistant is always advisable. Those option might include Cedar, Redwood, and Teak, perhaps also Eucalyptus but I am unsure how easy that might be to purchase or find at a typical lumber supply store. Also consider sealing your wood with something suitable for outdoor use such as a water seal type product.
Read through the entire set of instructions and all comments before beginning this project. If you print out or save plans, be sure to check in on my site to be sure you have the most up to date set of plans, as I occasionally update things for ease of building or buying. If you are new to building, read through the GETTING STARTED section and other articles found under the BUILD tab in the menu on my site, it has valuable information about how to get started, tools and techniques. If you are unfamiliar with the finishing process, visit my Finishing school for some tips and tricks for painting like a pro and for special finishing practices.
Use glue to secure your joints and Consider Painting or Staining individual sections prior to assembling. This makes the paint application virtually flawless. Coat with a spray on Poly or Wipe on Poly to protect your finish and your piece and it will last for ages. Adhere to all safety standards and guidelines, and be sure you follow safety protocol throughout your build. If you are unsure about whether you are building safely, run a quick online search for the tool or technique you are using, or contact me via email or post to the forum before you move ahead. My contact info can be found on the main page of my site.
Step 1
Build the Front and Back Panels: Each Vertical section will have 7 – 1×2’s as shown below unless you need to alter the size of this to accommodate an existing umbrella stand. To determine the exact number you will need, simply calculate the width of your stand, then subtract 5” for the outside legs measurements and then the remaining space needs to be wide enough to accommodate a whole number of 1×2’s with 1/4” spaces between. This may take a bit of finger counting…if you get stuck, please feel free to contact me.
To fasten the panels together, use your Kreg Jigs® set for 3/4” stock and your 1 1/4” pocket hole screws and glue to fasten the vertical boards (yellow) to the rails (blue) and the rails to the legs. The yellow boards (vertical boards) will be space 1/4” apart to allow for water runoff and other interesting outdoor conditions. This spacing will include the space between the legs and the first boards, and continue between each vertical board thereafter.
Step 2
Build the Side Panels: If you need to alter the size as in the step above, you may need to add an extra vertical board for this step to count for the lack of width here since we are using 1×2’s for the legs also. This is purely for aesthetic purposes so the corner where the legs live don’t look extra bulky. To construct, use your Kreg Jig® set for 3/4” stock and your 1 1/4” pocket hole screws and glue, and create additional pocket holes down the legs on the side panels if you would like to fasten to the front and back panels in this manner. Otherwise you will use a countersink bit and 2” wood screws when you get to that step.
Step 3
Add the Umbrella Holders: Construct the Shape using 1×3’s and your 2” Wood Screws. Then fasten to the Side Panels using your Kreg Jig®set for 3/4” stock and your 1 1/4” pocket hole screws and glue, fasten the raisl on the Side Panels with your pocket holes on the outside of the yellow boards for ease of fastening. The opening will be 2” and having 2 of these should steady your umbrella. If you plan to use an existing base with the umbrella stand side table, you can skip the bottom umbrella holder and simply add the top umbrella holder in the manner shown below.
Step 4
Fasten the Sides with the Holders to the Front and Back Panels: This might be a bit of a tight squeeze to get inside here depending on your drill, but if you created pocket holes in the step above, Use your Kreg Jigs®set for 3/4” stock and your 1 1/4” pocket hole screws and glue to fasten the unit together. If you prefer to use a countersink bit and 2” wood screws, predrill and fasten in that manner. You may want to consider this as a possible plan b anyhow if you have a large bulky drill like I do!
Step 5
Add the Base Trim: Use your 1 1/4” Finish Nails or Galvanized Nails and glue to attach or your 1 1/4” galvanized wood screws, just be sure to countersink and predrill for the most professional appearance.
Construct the Top: Use your Kreg Jigs® set for 3/4” stock and your 1 1/4” pocket hole screws and glue to construct the top. You will place your pocket holes in the blue boards attaching them to the longer outside boards, and you will place them in the shorter outside boards (15”) to fasten them to the longer outside boards (19 1/4”). To fasten the top in place, use galvanized nails or screws. Just be sure to countersink if you are using screws. Once you have the top in place, using a hole saw bit or a large spade bit if you can find one in this size (2” diameter) to create the umbrella hole. It will be easiest to do this while it’s attached. Make sure you center your hole on the top but also that your hole lines up with the umbrella holders below! You wouldn’t want to begin with this piece off kilter!
Finishing Instructions
Fill any Screw Holes, Sand and Finish as Desired! I would absolutely recommend applying a sealer that is suitable for outdoor use! Though PB uses a standard poly over a stain…just so you know!
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**Disclaimer: Some rights reserved. Private use only. Plans from this page are not to be used for commercial purposes or republished without the express consent of Rayan Turner, The Design Confidential. I hope to provide accurate plans, however, I cannot guarantee each plan for accuracy. Not every plan that I post has been built and tested, so you are building at your own risk. It is recommended that you have a clear understanding of how the project works before beginning any project. Please contact me if you find an error or inaccuracy so that I might fix it.
Plans
I realize this piece was at the bottom of our request list, but it’s just such a simple build that I decided to go ahead and tackle it and mark it off the list! This is a project that multiple people have mentioned so the desire to build this is high! This piece is not as inexpensive of a build as I typically prefer for this sort of furniture type…but, the major cost comes from purchasing the pre-fab legs and depending on the style you choose, they might run anywhere from $15-$25 per leg, and there are 8 of them! Still the savings on building this rather than buying it are in the hundreds! This will begin a new collection that we will call the Stacked Collection, because all the pieces regardless of the retailer that sells them, involved legs stacked on bases (that’s right, I have others in mind already…)!
Showcase: Built From These PlansI am so honored each and every time one of you fine friends builds from these very plans! If you have built this piece, please take a moment and showcase your build! We are dying to see your fabulous hard work!
Tools
- Tape Measure
- Sander
- Drill
- Kreg Jig® (pocket hole system)
- Finish Nail Gun – optional and you can use a hammer and finish nail set or screws and a countersink bit, but a nailer is the preferred method!
- Miter Saw or Coping Saw – if you choose to use trim mitered at the corners on the table top surrounds
Lumber
- 8 – 16”-18” x 3 1/2” table legs in a style of your choice. Something like this style would be good!
- 2 – 1×4 at 10’
- 1 – 2×4 at 8’
- 1 – 2×4 at 10’
- 1 Sheet– 3/4” Ply
- 1/2 Sheet 3/4” Ply at 2’ x 8’
- 2 – 1/2”-3/4” trim in style of your choice at 8’
Materials
- 1 1/4” Pocket Hole Screws
- 2 1/2” Pocket Hole Screws
- 2 1/2” or 3” Wood Screws
- 2” Finish Nails
- Wood Glue
- Wood Filler
- Sanding Supplies
- Finishing Supplies
Cut List
- 2 – 2×4 at 58” Base Frame
- 5 – 2×4 at 13 1/2” Base Frame
- 4 – 1×4 at 48” Aprons
- 4 – 1×4 at 6 1/2” Aprons
- 3 – 3/4” Ply at 17” x 58 1/2” Tops
- 6 – 1/2” quarter round trim or another trim of your choice at 59 1/2” Tops Trim – this will change slightly if you use something larger than 1/2”
- 6 – 1/2” quarter round trim or another trim of your choice at 18” Tops Trim – this will change slightly if you use something larger than 1/2”
Instructions
Before beginning to build, always check in on my site to make sure you have the most up to date set of plans, I occasionally update and change the plans to make the building process easier or to allow for less expensive purchasing of materials! Read through the entire set of instructions and all comments before beginning this project. If you print out or save plans, be sure to check in on my site to be sure you have the most up to date set of plans, as I occasionally update things for ease of building or buying. If you are new to building, read through the GETTING STARTED section and other articles found under the BUILD tab in the menu on my site, it has valuable information about how to get started, tools and techniques. If you are unfamiliar with the finishing process, visit my Finishing school for some tips and tricks for painting like a pro and for special finishing practices. Use glue to secure your joints and Consider Painting or Staining individual sections prior to assembling. This makes the paint application virtually flawless. Coat with a spray on Poly or Wipe on Poly to protect your finish and your piece and it will last for ages. Adhere to all safety standards and guidelines, and be sure you follow safety protocol throughout your build. If you are unsure about whether you are building safely, run a quick online search for the tool or technique you are using, or contact me via email or post to the forum before you move ahead. My contact info can be found in the menu of my site.
Step 1
Build the Frame: Use your Kreg Jig® set for 1 1/2” stock and your 2 1/2” pocket hole screws and glue.
Step 2
Build the Tops and Trim them Out: You will construct 3 of these total! Using the Trim of your choice, glue and nail in place using your finish nails. Miter or cope the corners for the most professional appearance. Note the dimensions shown below for the trim are for 1/2” quarter round trim, because I like the way the slight step down looks, so if you are using larger trim, your dimensions will need to adjust accordingly. This can also be created with a router and the decorative trim bit of your choice, if you prefer!
Step 3
Attach the Legs to 2 of the Tops: Using 2 of the 3 tops you created in the previous step, you will attach the legs using glue and 2 1/2”-3” wood screws from underneath. Set the legs 1 3/4” from the edge of the top insert (not from the outside edge of the trim). Use 2 screws per leg and simply screw upward from directly underneath.
Step 4
Attach the Aprons: Use your Kreg Jig®set for 3/4” stock and your 1 1/4” pocket hole screws and glue to them to the Legs. Set them back (or in) about 1/4” from the outside edge of the legs.
Step 5
Add the Second Tier Leg and Top Section: Use your 2” Finish Nails and Glue to secure the Top/Leg combo to the Aprons and Legs all the way around.
Attach Second Tier Aprons: Use your Kreg Jig® set for 3/4” stock and your 1 1/4” pocket hole screws and glue to construct attach the second tier aprons. This is precisely the same as in step 4. and should be set in 1/4” from the outside edges of the legs.
Step 7
Add the Top: Use your 2” Finish Nails and Glue to attach to the aprons and the legs.
Finishing Instructions
Fill any Screw, Nail or Pocket Holes, Sand and Finish as Desired. For Finishing Tips and Tricks visit my Finishing School
**Disclaimer: Some rights reserved. Private use only. Feel Free to link to any of my plans so long as you provide an adequate link back to the appropriate post! Plans from this page are not to be used for commercial purposes or republished without the express written consent of Rayan Turner, The Design Confidential I hope to provide accurate plans, however, I cannot guarantee each plan for accuracy. Not every plan that I post has been built and tested, so you are building at your own risk. It is recommended that you have a clear understanding of how the project works before beginning any project. Please contact me if you find an error or inaccuracy so that I might fix it.
Plans
This is a slightly smaller version of the 60” Round Provence Table for those of you who love a round table but need a more compact option! Another piece of our Provence Collection which continues to be one of our most popular collections!
As with all of our plans, you are building at your own risk and you should have a firm understanding of building in general before you attempt many of our plans (some are easy as pie and perfect for beginners). With that, go forth, have fun, take lots of pictures and share them in a showcase on the site or on social media with the hashtag #builtTDCtuff and we will share our faves! Be sure to tag @thedesignconfidential on Instagram / FB and @thedesconf on Twitter / Pinterest. If you are a blogger and you post about your build, don’t forget to include a link to your post on your showcase here. Don’t forget… for all of our newer plans, clicking on the images will let them expand to enormous sizes with much greater clarity. The older plans may need updating so please let us know if you need one fixed!
- 1 – 2×4 at 6’
- 2 – 2×4 at 8’
- 1 – 2×6 at 6’
- 4 – 2×6 at 8’
- 2 – 2 x 6 at 10’
- 1 – 1×6 at 6’
- 1 – 4×4 at 6’
- 1 – 4×4 at 23 1/4″ Center Post
- 4 – 1×6 at 6 1/2″ Lower Leg Base
- 1 – 2×4 at 43″ Top Support
- 2 – 2×4 at 19″ Top Supports
- 8 – 2×4 at 14″ Trusses
- 1 – 2×6 at 18 1/2″ Solid Upper Leg Base
- 2 – 2×6 at 6 1/2″ Segmented Upper Leg Bases
- 1 – 2×6 at 27″ Solid Center Leg Base
- 2 – 2×6 at 10 3/4″ Segmented Center Leg Bases
- 5 – 2×6 at 48″ Inside Boards Table Top
- 2 – 2×6 at 40″ Outer Middle Boards Table Top
- 2 – 2×6 at 30″ Outer Boards Table Top
Before beginning to build, always check in on my site to make sure you have the most up to date set of plans, I occasionally update and change the plans to make the building process easier or to allow for less expensive purchasing of materials! Read through the entire set of instructions and all comments before beginning this project. If you print out or save plans, be sure to check in on my site to be sure you have the most up to date set of plans, as I occasionally update things for ease of building or buying. If you are new to building, read through the GETTING STARTED section and other articles found under the BUILD tab in the menu on my site, it has valuable information about how to get started, tools and techniques. If you are unfamiliar with the finishing process, visit my Finishing school for some tips and tricks for painting like a pro and for special finishing practices. Use glue to secure your joints and Consider Painting or Staining individual sections prior to assembling. This makes the paint application virtually flawless. Coat with a spray on Poly or Wipe on Poly to protect your finish and your piece and it will last for ages. Adhere to all safety standards and guidelines, and be sure you follow safety protocol throughout your build. If you are unsure about whether you are building safely, run a quick online search for the tool or technique you are using, or contact me via email or post to the forum before you move ahead. My contact info can be found in the menu of my site.
Build the Leg Base: Cut your Upper Table Supports to size and fasten the yellow boards to the Center Support using a Kreg Jig set for 1 1/2″ stock and your 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws to then fasten to the Center Post using 3” Screws. Miter the Outside Edges of the Upper Leg Bases at a 45 Degree Angle. I have provided the measurements for top and bottom edges to make this easy for you. Fasten the Center Post to the Center Leg Base (red) using 3″ Screws, secure the leg base halves (orange) to the center leg base (red) using a Kreg Jig set for 1 1/2″ stock and your 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws from underneath.
Cut and fasten the Trusses in place. They will connect to the upper leg bases and the table supports with 3″ screws at an angle into the beams, or by using your Kreg Jig set for 1 1/2″ stock and your 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws and glue. Each Truss will be cut at approximately the angle shown in the image below. However before you go ahead with those angled cuts, you should measure down 10 1/2” from the top and out 6 1/2” then mark your boards at the appropriate place to be sure your trusses are exact for your build. For the bottom trusses, you will measure up 12” and out 3 1/2” to find your angles and they should be somewhere in the ballpark of the numbers I indicate below.
Add the Solid Leg Base: Cut the pieces at a 45 Degree Angle on the outside edges, and glue and screw together and then glue and screw to the existing Upper Leg Base. Use 1 1/4” Screws to fasten the bottom leg base to the middle leg base, and use 2 1/2” screws to fasten the Center Leg Base to the Upper Leg Base.
Create the Segmented Leg Base: This will be very similar to the leg base above, only it will have a space in the middle so that it can sit astride the solid leg base in the step above. Miter the outside edges at 45 Degree Angles and fasten the Lower Leg Base to the Center Leg bases using 1 1/4” Screws and glue. It might be a bit of a tight squeeze to get inside here depending on your drill, but if you created pocket holes in the step above, Use your Kreg Jig set for 3/4” stock and your 1 1/4” pocket hole screws and glue to fasten the unit together. If you prefer to use a countersink bit and 2” wood screws, predrill and fasten in that manner. You may want to consider this as a possible plan b anyhow if you have a large bulky drill like I do!
Attach the Segmented Leg Bases to the Solid Leg Base: Use your Kreg Jig set for 1 1/2″ stock and your 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws and glue to fasten to the existing Solid Leg Base you attached in the previous steps.
Construct the Top: Use your Kreg Jig set for 1 1/2″ stock and your 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws and glue to construct the top. Place your pocket holes and screws in every other board (blue) as shown below. Begin with fastening the 5 boards in the center at 48” in length together, then fasten the outer middle (40”) and outer boards (30”) in place. Your table top will step down a bit to save you from waste, then you will mark out a circle with a radius of 24” (48” diameter circle). Once you have all of your boards joined and your circle drawn, you can cut around your markings, to create your circle using a jig saw. Once your circular top has been carved and sanded, attach to the table supports from underneath using 2 1/2″ screws. The Solid running table support should run perpendicular to the table boards so that it can provide the greatest amount of support to the table top.
Fill any Screw, Nail or Pocket Holes, Sand and Finish as Desired. For Finishing Tips and Tricks visit my Finishing School
**Disclaimer: Some rights reserved. Private use only. Feel Free to link to any of my plans so long as you provide an adequate link back to the appropriate post! Plans from this page are not to be used for commercial purposes or republished without the express written consent of Rayan Turner, The Design Confidential I hope to provide accurate plans, however, I cannot guarantee each plan for accuracy. Not every plan that I post has been built and tested, so you are building at your own risk. It is recommended that you have a clear understanding of how the project works before beginning any project. Please contact me if you find an error or inaccuracy so that I might fix it.
Build / DIY / Home
We are currently renting our home, and sadly that means the wonderful chalkboard painted walls I see in dining areas have been off limits to me. Until now… This project is also perfect for the commitment-phobe who can't pull the trigger on painting an entire wall with a dark color!
A few months back I sent the hubs to Home Depot to purchase a sheet of MDF for a Craft Space Desk I was building, plans for that can be found here, and he was supposed to have them cut it down into 2 pieces, one at 3’x8’ and the other at 1’ by 8’. Well it didn’t quite go down that way and lo and behold he came home with 2 pieces each 2’ wide and unfortunately not usable without changing the dimensions of the desk I was building, which I had already begun and couldn’t easily do…needless to say the pieces sat unused taking up precious workspace in my garage for months. In the effort to pair down and trim the fat around these parts, I decided that until I could figure out what to use them for, that wasn’t a frivolous build, that I would paint them with chalkboard paint and lean them against the wall in a faux chalkboard painted wall motif (this type of build is off limits to me in the essence of building for necessity only and pairing down rather than junking up our lives…duh)! Yay for finding a way to clear a little extra room in the garage and also get something fun and new that I didn’t think I would be able to have in a rented space!
I felt like a genius for a brief moment and ran right out to the store to get paint! I love black chalkboard paint. In fact I think it looks quite elegant, but this area of my home lacks color and so I thought perhaps I would try the tintable chalkboard paint by Rustoleum. I have a bit of a green thing going on in the downstairs rooms, so either the deep teal or the schoolroom green would be the best possibilities. In fact as far as the samples suggest they are very close in color only the teal has a bit more of a blue base to it, and was also a color of chalkboard I recall having at school when I was growing up, so I chose that! All the way home I questioned whether I should have gone with the black because I simply adore how that looks in a room. But, I chose the teal and will live with it for a while and see if I want to paint it black or if I was right on the money needing a bit of color…this remains to be seen, but for now, I will share the process with you!
Showcase: Built From These PlansI am so honored each and every time one of you fine friends builds from these very plans! If you have built this piece, please take a moment and showcase your build! We are dying to see your fabulous hard work!
Tools
- Saw – this is optional and you can have your lumber store cut your sheet of MDF down for you into a size you can transport easily as well as into the sizes necessary to frame out your MDF with 1×2’s.
Lumber
- 1 Sheet of 1/2” MDF – you can also use 3/4” but 1/2” will be less expensive.
- 5 – 1×2 at 8’ – this is optional if you would like to trim out your mdf to give it a framed look. This is my plan as soon as I decide if I will change the color.
Materials
- 1 Qt. Chalkboard Paint in a color of your choice
- 1 – Ultra Fine Foam Roller
Instructions
Before beginning to build, always check in on my site to make sure you have the most up to date set of plans, I occasionally update and change the plans to make the building process easier or to allow for less expensive purchasing of materials! Read through the entire set of instructions and all comments before beginning this project. If you print out or save plans, be sure to check in on my site to be sure you have the most up to date set of plans, as I occasionally update things for ease of building or buying. If you are new to building, read through the GETTING STARTED section and other articles found under the BUILD tab in the menu on my site, it has valuable information about how to get started, tools and techniques. If you are unfamiliar with the finishing process, visit my Finishing school for some tips and tricks for painting like a pro and for special finishing practices. Use glue to secure your joints and Consider Painting or Staining individual sections prior to assembling. This makes the paint application virtually flawless. Coat with a spray on Poly or Wipe on Poly to protect your finish and your piece and it will last for ages. Adhere to all safety standards and guidelines, and be sure you follow safety protocol throughout your build. If you are unsure about whether you are building safely, run a quick online search for the tool or technique you are using, or contact me via email or post to the forum before you move ahead. My contact info can be found in the menu of my site.
Step 1
Begin by cutting your sheet of MDF in half width wise if you haven’t already, into 2’ x 8’ sections. Dust them off well to remove any debris and sawdust so your paint will apply more perfectly.
Step 2
I like to use a small disposable trim cup with my small-ish roller because it is easy to hang on to, and roll the roller on the flat edge to remove excess paint. You can tell from the picture I haven’t disposed of it yet and I don’t plan to anytime soon, so it’s money well spent in my book!
Step 3
Begin to roll a thin coat of your paint onto your boards being carefull not to overlap onto the edges if you don’t intend to frame them out. The other option might also be iron on edge banding and then you could paint right on top of it, but I didn’t do this since I do plan to frame them out one of these days… Once that first coat has dried, start again with another thin coat and be sure you are covering every section of the board. If you have been thorough in your coats of paint (note I said thorough, not thick…just sayin’) you may be able to get away with just the 2 coats!
Step 4
The paint product suggests you need to let it cure for 3 days before conditioning.
Step 5
To condition, you need to prime your surface with chalk! This is the fun part, truly! Slather that baby up using the side of your chalk and cover the entire surface!
Then simply wipe it down and use till your hearts content! If your boards are as large as mine you may thenneed to then wipe down your entire surrounding area as well, talk about a dust storm of chalk! I am sure I took a few years off my life inhaling it…in fact perhaps a mask is a good idea! eek..
Finishing Instructions
Fill any Screw, Nail or Pocket Holes, Sand and Finish as Desired. For Finishing Tips and Tricks visit my Finishing School
So what do you think, is the green the way to have gone or do you think I might like the black more? I am feeling super indecisive about it…
**Disclaimer: Some rights reserved. Private use only. Feel Free to link to any of my plans so long as you provide an adequate link back to the appropriate post! Plans from this page are not to be used for commercial purposes or republished without the express written consent of Rayan Turner, The Design Confidential I hope to provide accurate plans, however, I cannot guarantee each plan for accuracy. Not every plan that I post has been built and tested, so you are building at your own risk. It is recommended that you have a clear understanding of how the project works before beginning any project. Please contact me if you find an error or inaccuracy so that I might fix it.
Plans
This table was brought to us by our BFF Loren, isn’t she amazing? Yes! I adore the sawhorse/ trellis style blend this table has, and I adore the portability of it! Pull it out when you need it, fold it away when not in use…genius! And a pretty simple build as well! I also think this would make an incredible craft table or portable conference table, even a great place to dine outdoors! So many things I can imagine using this beauty for!
As with all of our plans, you are building at your own risk and you should have a firm understanding of building in general before you attempt many of our plans (some are easy as pie and perfect for beginners). With that, go forth, have fun, take lots of pictures and share them in a showcase on the site or on social media with the hashtag #builtTDCtuff and we will share our faves! Be sure to tag @thedesignconfidential on Instagram / FB and @thedesconf on Twitter / Pinterest. If you are a blogger and you post about your build, don’t forget to include a link to your post on your showcase here. Don’t forget… for all of our newer plans, clicking on the images will let them expand to enormous sizes with much greater clarity. The older plans may need updating so please let us know if you need one fixed!
- 2 – 1×4 at 8’
- 1 – 1×4 at 10’ OR 2 at 6’ OR 2 more at 8’ if they are cheaper or easier to transport.
- 1 Sheet 3/4” Ply – can also use edge glued laminate project boards or boards glue and screwed together using your kreg jig, at a size of your choice, just be sure to adjust the apron dimensions and if need be the stretchers as well.
- 1 – 3/4” Ply at 30” x 69” Top
- 2 – 1×4 at 66” Aprons
- 2 – 1×4 at 19 1/2” Aprons
- 4 – 1×4 at 32” Legs (this will be cut down to the appropriate length when you miter as shown in the diagram)
- 4 – 1×4 at 21 3/4” Leg Stretchers
Before beginning to build, always check in on my site to make sure you have the most up to date set of plans, I occasionally update and change the plans to make the building process easier or to allow for less expensive purchasing of materials! Read through the entire set of instructions and all comments before beginning this project. If you print out or save plans, be sure to check in on my site to be sure you have the most up to date set of plans, as I occasionally update things for ease of building or buying. If you are new to building, read through the GETTING STARTED section and other articles found under the BUILD tab in the menu on my site, it has valuable information about how to get started, tools and techniques. If you are unfamiliar with the finishing process, visit my Finishing school for some tips and tricks for painting like a pro and for special finishing practices. Use glue to secure your joints and Consider Painting or Staining individual sections prior to assembling. This makes the paint application virtually flawless. Coat with a spray on Poly or Wipe on Poly to protect your finish and your piece and it will last for ages. Adhere to all safety standards and guidelines, and be sure you follow safety protocol throughout your build. If you are unsure about whether you are building safely, run a quick online search for the tool or technique you are using, or contact me via email or post to the forum before you move ahead. My contact info can be found in the menu of my site.
Build the Top: If you are using a Kreg Jig create your pocket holes in the yellow aprons to connect them to the blue aprons, as well as around the inside of both yellow and blue aprons, spaced 6-8” apart. Construct your Table Top Frame by attaching the aprons using your 1 1/4″ pocket hole screws and glue. Then attach the Table Top frame to the Top itself using your 1 1/4” pocket hole screws and glue. If you aren’t using a pocket hole system, use 2” screws and glue to construct the frame, be sure to countersink, and then attach the frame to the Table Top using 2” Finish Nails and glue.
Construct the Leg Units: The Legs themselves will require a 10 Degree Cut at the bottom and a rounded edge at the top. The rounded edge at the top should have a 1 1/2” radius and can be created using a sander or a jig saw. Once your legs are mitered and rounded, you can attach the lower leg stretcher (blue) using 2” screws and glue, be sure to countersink. Before you attach your top leg stretcher (yellow) you should create a 10 Degree Bevel along the top edge. This will act as a stop when the legs are un folded and the table is in the upright position. You can create a 10 Degree Bevel using a table saw, circular saw, even a jig saw or hand saw if need be (I suppose if you were diligent, you might also get the job done with your sander if none of the tools mentioned are available to you) and you are simply trying to give that top edge of the top stretchers a flush method of stopping so that the legs are slightly splayed as you see in Loren’s finished pictures. Once you have created your bevel attach the stretcher to the legs using 2” screws and glue and place them 14 1/2” from the lower stretchers.
Attach the Leg Units: To attach the Leg units, you will simply need to drill a hole through both the legs and the aprons in the location where the legs will attach. The bottom outside edge of your legs should roughly align to the aprons above when they are sitting at the appropriate angle. To attach the legs, Loren simply used a bolt, washer and lock nut! Easy peasy, lemon squeezy! You can see how this will look in the image below and frankly I think it adds to the appeal of the table…adore! You will need to drill a hole that is roughly the size of the bolt shaft diameter or a tad larger. The legs will be offset and opposite on each side as you can see below..in other words one leg unit on the outside of the apron on the left and the opposite leg on the outside of the apron on the right side. This allows for the legs to collapse easily when you fold them in.
Fill any Screw, Nail or Pocket Holes, Sand and Finish as Desired. For Finishing Tips and Tricks visit my Finishing School
**Disclaimer: Some rights reserved. Private use only. Feel Free to link to any of my plans so long as you provide an adequate link back to the appropriate post! Plans from this page are not to be used for commercial purposes or republished without the express written consent of Rayan Turner, The Design Confidential I hope to provide accurate plans, however, I cannot guarantee each plan for accuracy. Not every plan that I post has been built and tested, so you are building at your own risk. It is recommended that you have a clear understanding of how the project works before beginning any project. Please contact me if you find an error or inaccuracy so that I might fix it.
Plans
This storage bench is going to come in handy this summer and is on my outdoor to do list for sure! Our yard is being overrun by toys and tools, and this is a fabulous way to get dual function furniture that is suitable for seating and storage, perfect for my teeny tiny little yard. I will take 2 please! This piece continues our fun and fabulous Chesapeake Collection and is a relatively simple build, once you get the cutting done! Warm up your saws, and get to work, and then please share photos of you build when you are finished. You can add your photos to the Gallery or send them on over to me via email!
Tools
- Tape Measure
- Sander
- Drill
- Saw – can have lumber supply make cuts for you if need be.
- Nail gun – can also use hammer and nails or screws, just be sure to countersink if you choose screws.
Lumber
- 1 – 2×2 at 8’
- 25 – 1×3 at 8’
How to arrange your cuts: (the following is not for purchasing only for arranging your cuts)
- 1 at 49 3/4” with 2 at 19 1/2” per board for 6 boards,
- 1 at 54 3/4” with 2 at 19 1/2” per board for 2 boards,
- 1 at 51 1/4” with 2 at 19 1/2” per board for 1 board,
- 4 at 19 1/2” with 1 at 17 1/2” per board for 6 boards,
- 5 at 18 1/2” per board for 2 boards,
- 4 at 18 1/2” with 1 at 17 1/2” per board for 1 board,
- 2 at 22 1/2” with 2 at 17 1/2” per board for 2 boards,
- 5 at 17 1/2” per board for 5 boards
Materials
- 1 1/4” Pocket Hole Screws
- 1 1/4” Galvanized Nails
- 3 standard butt hinges or 2 heavy duty hinges of your choice.
- Wood Glue
- Wood Filler
- Sanding Supplies
- Finishing Supplies
Cut List
- 4 – 2×2 at 19 3/4” Legs
- 6 – 1×3 at 49 3/4” Front and Back Rails (4) and Supports (2)
- 42 – 1×3 at 19 1/2” Side Rails (4) and Interior Box Bottoms (18) Top Lid (20)
- 14 – 1×3 at 18 1/4” Side Panel Boards
- 36 – 1×3 at 17 1/2” Interior Box Front and Back Boards
- 2 – 1×3 at 54 3/4” Top Lid Outside Boards
- 2 – 1×2 at 22 1/2” Cushion Rim Sides
- 1 – 1×2 at 51 1/4” Cushion Rim Back
Instructions
Consider using a specie of wood suitable for outdoor use such as cedar, redwood, teak, etc., and be sure you choose galvanized or coated hardware to avoid rust. Be sure you finishing materials and products are suitable for outdoor use as well.
Before beginning to build, always check in on my site to make sure you have the most up to date set of plans, I occasionally update and change the plans to make the building process easier or to allow for less expensive purchasing of materials! Read through the entire set of instructions and all comments before beginning this project. If you print out or save plans, be sure to check in on my site to be sure you have the most up to date set of plans, as I occasionally update things for ease of building or buying. If you are new to building, read through the GETTING STARTED section and other articles found under the BUILD tab in the menu on my site, it has valuable information about how to get started, tools and techniques. If you are unfamiliar with the finishing process, visit my Finishing school for some tips and tricks for painting like a pro and for special finishing practices. Use glue to secure your joints and Consider Painting or Staining individual sections prior to assembling. This makes the paint application virtually flawless. Coat with a spray on Poly or Wipe on Poly to protect your finish and your piece and it will last for ages. Adhere to all safety standards and guidelines, and be sure you follow safety protocol throughout your build. If you are unsure about whether you are building safely, run a quick online search for the tool or technique you are using, or contact me via email or post to the forum before you move ahead. My contact info can be found in the menu of my site.
Step 1
Build the Frame: Use your Kreg Jig® set for 3/4” stock and your 1 1/4” pocket hole screws and glue to fasten the rails (blue) to the legs. The rails will sit 1 1/2” from the bottom of the legs (shown at the top in the diagram below) and flush with the top of the legs (shown at the bottom).
Step 2
Attach the Side Panel Boards: Use 1 1/4” Galvanized Nails and glue to fasten the boards to the Rails on either side. The boards should be space 1/4” apart and from the legs.
Step 3
Build the Interior: Create 18 U Shaped Sections by nailing the light blue boards (what will be the box bottom) to the front and back boards (medium blue). The bottom will be inset between the front and back panel boards and each U shaped section will be spaced 1/4” apart when you attach the supports in the next step.
Step 4
Attach the Supports: Nail on the supports using 1 1/4” galvanized nails, be sure to allow the supports to overhang the first and last set of U-Shaped sections by 1/4” and then space each U-Shaped section 1/4” apart.
Step 5
Fasten the Interior Box to the Frame: Use your Kreg Jig® set for 3/4” stock and your 1 1/4” pocket hole screws and glue to fasten the Supports to the Side Panels and Legs, they should sit flush with the bottom of the rails. Then flip the unit over and nail each front and back panel board to the Front and Back Rails at the top and bottom.
Build the Top and Attach: Construct the top using your Kreg Jig® set for 3/4” stock and your 1 1/4” pocket hole screws and glue to fasten the rails (light blue) to the stiles for the top (outside boards, medium blue). Space the boards 1/4” apart, then attach the lid to the unit using standard butt hinges or any hinge of your choosing.
Step 7
Attach the Cushion Rail to the Top: It should sit 1” in from the edges and you can round out the front edges of the sides for a decorative touch as you see in the original version from PotteryBarn. Use a sander or a jig saw to do this if you like (sander will probably be faster, just clamp the side cushion rails together and sand into a rounded shape at the same time). To construct, use 1 1/4” galvanized nails to attach the sides to the back (the back is inset) and then attach to the lid from inside (underneath). Add a cushion if you like and away you go! The beauty of this is that it looks great without a cushion so it is functional if you choose not to purchase or make one!
Finishing Instructions
Fill any Screw, Nail or Pocket Holes, Sand and Finish as Desired. For Finishing Tips and Tricks visit my Finishing School
**Disclaimer: Some rights reserved. Private use only. Feel Free to link to any of my plans so long as you provide an adequate link back to the appropriate post! Plans from this page are not to be used for commercial purposes or republished without the express written consent of Rayan Turner, The Design Confidential I hope to provide accurate plans, however, I cannot guarantee each plan for accuracy. Not every plan that I post has been built and tested, so you are building at your own risk. It is recommended that you have a clear understanding of how the project works before beginning any project. Please contact me if you find an error or inaccuracy so that I might fix it.
Plans
This Raised Planter Table is a fun project for those of you who want to get some use out of your table saws, Like me! A perferct way to add square footage and height to your garden and fabulous for patio living or an edible salad garden, perhaps even decorative flower boxes for just under your window! I have designed this plan to use Cedar or Redwood Fence Boards so that you get the benefit of that specie of wood for a fraction of the cost!
Tools
- Tape Measure
- Sander
- Drill
- Table Saw – can also use a Circular Saw, Jig Saw or a Router
- Miter Saw – can also use Table Saw, Circular Saw, or Jig Saw
- Nail gun – can also use hammer and nails or screws, just be sure to countersink if you choose screws.
Lumber
- 2 – 4×4 at 6’
- 6 – 1×4 Cedar or Redwood Dog Eared Fence Boards at 6’ (like this)
- 2 – 1×6 Cedar or Redwood Dog Eared Fence Boards at 6’ (like this)
Materials
- 2” Galvanized Nails or Screws
- Wood Glue
- Wood Filler
- Sanding Supplies
- Finishing Supplies
Cut List
- 4 – 4×4 at 34” Legs
- 8 – 1×4 at 14 1/2” Side Panels
- 8 – 1×4 at 33” Front and Back Panels
- 3 – 1×6 at 35 1/2” Bottom
- 2 – 1×6 at 42 1/2” Top Trim
- 2 – 1×6 at 24” Top Trim
Instructions
Consider using a specie of wood suitable for outdoor use such as cedar, redwood, teak, etc., and be sure you choose galvanized or coated hardware to avoid rust. Be sure you finishing materials and products are suitable for outdoor use as well.
Before beginning to build, always check in on my site to make sure you have the most up to date set of plans, I occasionally update and change the plans to make the building process easier or to allow for less expensive purchasing of materials! Read through the entire set of instructions and all comments before beginning this project. If you print out or save plans, be sure to check in on my site to be sure you have the most up to date set of plans, as I occasionally update things for ease of building or buying. If you are new to building, read through the GETTING STARTED section and other articles found under the BUILD tab in the menu on my site, it has valuable information about how to get started, tools and techniques. If you are unfamiliar with the finishing process, visit my Finishing school for some tips and tricks for painting like a pro and for special finishing practices. Use glue to secure your joints and Consider Painting or Staining individual sections prior to assembling. This makes the paint application virtually flawless. Coat with a spray on Poly or Wipe on Poly to protect your finish and your piece and it will last for ages. Adhere to all safety standards and guidelines, and be sure you follow safety protocol throughout your build. If you are unsure about whether you are building safely, run a quick online search for the tool or technique you are using, or contact me via email or post to the forum before you move ahead. My contact info can be found in the menu of my site.
Step 1
Create your Legs: Use your Table Saw with a Dado Blade to create a 3/4” x 3/4” Dado on two adjacent sides of each leg as shown below. You can also create these grooves using the table saw without a dado blade, by simply setting your depth to 3/4” and running your post across it a number of times until you have a 3/4” groove. You can also use either a circular saw, or jig saw by setting your depth to 3/4” and running it along your post a series of times in a row until you have carved out a 3/4” gap. A router with a straight bit or one part of a mortise and tenon bit will also work!
Step 2
Leg Layout: The diagram below shows the layout of the legs once you have created your grooves.
Step 3
Attach the Side Panels: Your boards should be pretty snug in a rug in your grooves and you may need to pound them down into place using a mallet. This is purposeful so you don’t have so much wiggle room that it is difficult to secure them in place. Once you slide all 4 boards into place on a side, you will secure them by nailing or screwing directly through leg on the shallow side that remains after the grooves you created. For an example, click here to view the inspiration piece for this project, you can see the fasteners when you enlarge the picture.
Step 4
Attach the Front and Back: Do this in the same manner you did for the sides, use a mallet or something to hammer them down into place and then screw or nail them in through the front and back edges of the legs.
Step 5
Fasten the Bottom in Place: Notch out 2” squares from the corners of the outside bottom panels. Attach the bottom panels to the bottom most front, back and side panels using nails or screws. If you use screws be sure to countersink and you will leave 1/4” on either side of the center bottom panel which will aid in draining for the planter box. If you need additional draining you can simply drill holes along the bottom in the locations you see fit. Don’t get too crazy and create a planter box of swiss cheese, but be sure the water you put into the box will drain out fairly well or you will croak your plants like I typically do!
Add the Top Trim: Miter the corners for the most professional appearance and secure to the front, back, sides, and legs using nails or screws.
Finishing Instructions
Fill any Screw, Nail or Pocket Holes, Sand and Finish as Desired. For Finishing Tips and Tricks visit my Finishing School
**Disclaimer: Some rights reserved. Private use only. Feel Free to link to any of my plans so long as you provide an adequate link back to the appropriate post! Plans from this page are not to be used for commercial purposes or republished without the express written consent of Rayan Turner, The Design Confidential I hope to provide accurate plans, however, I cannot guarantee each plan for accuracy. Not every plan that I post has been built and tested, so you are building at your own risk. It is recommended that you have a clear understanding of how the project works before beginning any project. Please contact me if you find an error or inaccuracy so that I might fix it.
Plans
This Raised Planter Bed is completely customizable to the size, shape and height you need for your particular space! It’s my one hang-up with some of the prefab kits you can purchase from the store, you can’t adjust the size or height if you actually need something a bit different! Now you can… and this piece goes perfectly with the Raised Planter Table we covered here.
Showcase: Built From These PlansI am so honored each and every time one of you fine friends builds from these very plans! If you have built this piece, please take a moment and showcase your build! We are dying to see your fabulous hard work!
Tools
- Tape Measure
- Sander
- Drill
- Table Saw – can also use a Circular Saw, Jig Saw or a Router
- Miter Saw – can also use Table Saw, Circular Saw, or Jig Saw
- Nail gun – can also use hammer and nails or screws, just be sure to countersink if you choose screws.
Lumber
- 1 – 4×4 at 8’ if you want to make this bed larger you may need to purchase another post to account for center legs.
- 12 – 1×4 Cedar or Redwood Dog Eared Fence Boards at 6’ (like this)
- 3 – 1×6 Cedar or Redwood Dog Eared Fence Boards at 6’ (like this)
Materials
- 2” Galvanized Nails or Screws
- Wood Glue
- Wood Filler
- Sanding Supplies
- Finishing Supplies
Cut List
- 4 – 4×4 at 20” Legs – adjust this as necessary for height and number of legs, more detail in steps below.
- 8 – 1×4 at 33” Side Panels – adjust this as needed for the depth you require for your bed
- 8 – 1×4 at 57 1/2” Front and Back Panels – adjust this as needed for the length you require for your bed. If you exceed 68” you will need twice as many panels and a center leg in between them.
- 2 – 1×6 at 42 1/2” Top Trim – adjust this as needed for the depth of your bed.
- 2 – 1×6 at 67” Top Trim – adjust this as needed for the length of your bed
Instructions
**When or if you adjust the size of this bed, keep in mind the length of the fence boards as they are sold is around 6’ and they are dog eared so you will need to trim off a few inches to get them rectangular as you will need for this project. So the ultimate length of any fence board after you remove the dog eared section is around 68” or so. Each time your dimensions exceed 68” you will need to add a center leg and use 2 fence board lengths rather than just one to traverse a side! ** If you would like your bed to be more shallow, simply use 2 or 3 panels stacked and reduce the length of your leg by that amount (either 3 1/2” or 7” depending on how many panels you choose to skip). You will be digging a 6” hole in the location of each leg. The legs will sit below the surface of the ground and be burried a bit.
Before beginning to build, always check in on my site to make sure you have the most up to date set of plans, I occasionally update and change the plans to make the building process easier or to allow for less expensive purchasing of materials! Read through the entire set of instructions and all comments before beginning this project. If you print out or save plans, be sure to check in on my site to be sure you have the most up to date set of plans, as I occasionally update things for ease of building or buying. If you are new to building, read through the GETTING STARTED section and other articles found under the BUILD tab in the menu on my site, it has valuable information about how to get started, tools and techniques. If you are unfamiliar with the finishing process, visit my Finishing school for some tips and tricks for painting like a pro and for special finishing practices. Use glue to secure your joints and Consider Painting or Staining individual sections prior to assembling. This makes the paint application virtually flawless. Coat with a spray on Poly or Wipe on Poly to protect your finish and your piece and it will last for ages. Adhere to all safety standards and guidelines, and be sure you follow safety protocol throughout your build. If you are unsure about whether you are building safely, run a quick online search for the tool or technique you are using, or contact me via email or post to the forum before you move ahead. My contact info can be found in the menu of my site.
Step 1
Create your Legs: Use your Table Saw with a Dado Blade to create a 3/4” x 3/4” Dado on two adjacent sides of each leg as shown below. You can also create these grooves using the table saw without a dado blade, by simply setting your depth to 3/4” and running your post across it a number of times until you have a 3/4” groove. You can also use either a circular saw, or jig saw by setting your depth to 3/4” and running it along your post a series of times in a row until you have carved out a 3/4” gap. A router with a straight bit or one part of a mortise and tenon bit will also work! The first image shown below is for corner legs, if you want to make this planter longer, you will need to add a center leg which should be constructed as in the bottom image for this step. **See the instructions section above for a note on adjusting the size. I recommend burying each leg 6” to add stability to your bed. Each leg is sized in order to allow you to place your legs 6” below ground level and with 4 panels, but if you prefer to have the bed sit on top of the ground instead simply subtract the 6” from the length of your leg, and if you prefer to shorten the height of the bed overall, you can subtract that from the size of the legs as well. The portion of the leg sitting above the ground should be exactly the same dimension as all of your panels combined regardless of whether you choose to use 2 or 4 or 6. The number of panels you choose to use for your height can be determined by aesthetic or if you live in a very cold climate you may need to go a bit higher to account for the frost layer.
Step 2
Leg Layout: The diagram below shows the layout of the legs once you have created your grooves, the blue legs show how the center legs will sit if you need to increase the length by adding center legs. You can pull out the spacing between your legs as many times as you need, and add a center leg any time the length exceeds the length of a fence board.
Step 3
Attach the Side Panels: Your boards should be pretty snug in a rug in your grooves and you may need to pound them down into place using a mallet. We are not going to secure these using nails or screws so that at the end of the growing season you can pop the panels out and store your bed away or so that you can adjust the size of the bed easily when needed. Since this will have an open bottom, you have no need to secure this any further than the legs already will by holding the panels in place with your groove. To adjust the depth of your bed, simply increase the legth of these panels. If you plan to go longer than the length of one fence board, you will need to add center legs as seen in Step 1 and then double up the number of boards per side. If you want this to be 100” for example, you will add a center leg and then you will have 2 columns of 50” panels.
Step 4
Attach the Front and Back: Do this in the same manner you did for the sides, use a mallet or something to hammer them down into place and add center legs if you need to increase the length of your bed beyond the length of one fence board.
Step 5
Add the Top Trim: Miter the corners for the most professional appearance and secure to the front, back, sides, and legs using nails or screws. If you adjust the dimensions of your adjustable raised bed, just adjust the dimensions of the top trim by ensuring the the inside opening as shown below at 31 1/2” x 56” is equal to the inside opening of the bed as measured from the corner or one leg to the corner of the adjacent legs in either direction. If you increase the overall dimensions of your bed by 10” in both directions, the interior opening will also increase by 10” in both directions and so your measurements would adjust to 41 1/2” x 66” for the opening and 52 1/2” for the side top trim and 77” for the front and back top trim.
Finishing Instructions
Fill any Screw, Nail or Pocket Holes, Sand and Finish as Desired. For Finishing Tips and Tricks visit my Finishing School
**Disclaimer: Some rights reserved. Private use only. Feel Free to link to any of my plans so long as you provide an adequate link back to the appropriate post! Plans from this page are not to be used for commercial purposes or republished without the express written consent of Rayan Turner, The Design Confidential I hope to provide accurate plans, however, I cannot guarantee each plan for accuracy. Not every plan that I post has been built and tested, so you are building at your own risk. It is recommended that you have a clear understanding of how the project works before beginning any project. Please contact me if you find an error or inaccuracy so that I might fix it.
Plans
This simple table is a stunner with it’s clean lines and slightly coastal feel! This is the perfect little snack table outside, or with 2 side by side would make a stylish option for a coffee table and is a fabulous addition to our Chesapeake Collection! This piece will literally cost you less than $10 and will come in closer to $8 so you can easily build a couple of them as a fabulous solution for outdoor or indoor use!
Tools
Tape Measure
Sander
Drill
Saw – you can have your local lumber store make cuts for you if need be.
Kreg Jig® (pocket hole system)
Lumber
1 – 2×2 at 8’
1 – 1×4 at 6’
1 – 1×3 at 10’ OR 2 – 1×3 at 8’ (if 2 furring strips at 8’ are cheaper than 1 at 10’, purchase those)
Cut List
4 – 2×2 at 17 1/4” Legs
4 – 1×3 at 13 3/4” Aprons
4 – 1×3 at 11 1/4” Top Center Boards
2 – 1×4 at 18 1/4” Top Outside Breadboards
2 – 1×4 at 11 1/4” Top Inside Breadboards
Instructions
Consider using a specie of wood suitable for outdoor use such as Cedar or Redwood, and if you use a less expensive specie be sure you seal your table well to avoid a premature and untimely death of your piece.
Before beginning to build, always check in on my site to make sure you have the most up to date set of plans, I occasionally update and change the plans to make the building process easier or to allow for less expensive purchasing of materials!
Read through the entire set of instructions and all comments before beginning this project. If you print out or save plans, be sure to check in on my site to be sure you have the most up to date set of plans, as I occasionally update things for ease of building or buying. If you are new to building, read through the GETTING STARTED section and other articles found under the BUILD tab in the menu on my site, it has valuable information about how to get started, tools and techniques. If you are unfamiliar with the finishing process, visit my Finishing school for some tips and tricks for painting like a pro and for special finishing practices.
Use glue to secure your joints and Consider Painting or Staining individual sections prior to assembling. This makes the paint application virtually flawless. Coat with a spray on Poly or Wipe on Poly to protect your finish and your piece and it will last for ages. Adhere to all safety standards and guidelines, and be sure you follow safety protocol throughout your build. If you are unsure about whether you are building safely, run a quick online search for the tool or technique you are using, or contact me via email or post to the forum before you move ahead. My contact info can be found in the menu of my site.
Step 1
Cut your Legs to Size: Legs should be 17 1/4” in height.
Step 2
Fasten Together using the Aprons: Create your pocket holes using your Kreg Jig® set for 3/4” stock and place them on the outside of each apron for attaching to the legs as well as 2 vertical pocket holes in each apron to fasten the table top in place in a later step. Fasten the aprons to the legs using 1 1/4” pocket hole screws and glue.
Step 3
Construct the Top: Using your Kreg Jig® set for 3/4” stock you will create pocket holes in the Top Center Boards and in the Top Inside Breadboards as shown below. Fasten together using 1 1/4” pocket hole screws and glue and space the Top Center Boards 1/4” apart and from the Top Outside Breadboards.
Step 4
Attach the Top: Use 1 1/4” pocket hole screws and glue to attach the top to the aprons using the pocket holes you created in Step 2.
Finishing Instructions
Fill any Screw, Nail or Pocket Holes, Sand and Finish as Desired. For Finishing Tips and Tricks visit my Finishing School
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**Disclaimer: Some rights reserved. Private use only. Feel Free to link to any of my plans so long as you provide an adequate link back to the appropriate post! Plans from this page are not to be used for commercial purposes or republished without the express written consent of Rayan Turner, The Design Confidential I hope to provide accurate plans, however, I cannot guarantee each plan for accuracy. Not every plan that I post has been built and tested, so you are building at your own risk. It is recommended that you have a clear understanding of how the project works before beginning any project. Please contact me if you find an error or inaccuracy so that I might fix it.
Plans
This chair is such a fabulous take on the Beloved Adirondack Chair, Extremely Inexpensive to Build, and a Piece of Cake To Construct! The most difficult portion of this plan is the cutting, and even that should actually be a bit of a fun challenge, nothing to difficult that you can’t tackle it easily!
As with all of our plans, you are building at your own risk and you should have a firm understanding of building in general before you attempt many of our plans (some are easy as pie and perfect for beginners). With that, go forth, have fun, take lots of pictures and share them in a showcase on the site or on social media with the hashtag #builtTDCtuff and we will share our faves! Be sure to tag @thedesignconfidential on Instagram / FB and @thedesconf on Twitter / Pinterest. If you are a blogger and you post about your build, don’t forget to include a link to your post on your showcase here. Don’t forget… for all of our newer plans, clicking on the images will let them expand to enormous sizes with much greater clarity. The older plans may need updating so please let us know if you need one fixed!
- 1/2 Sheet 3/4″ Plywood
- 1 – 1×2 at 6’
- 1 – 1×4 at 8’ ** you can also purchase fence boards like this for savings, you will need to purchase 2 if you do this since they come in 6’ lengths and your will need to cut off the dog eared portion.
- 3 – 1×6 at 8’ **you can also purchase fence boards like this for big savings, you will need to purchase 5 if you do this since they come in 6’ lengths and you will need to cut off the dog eared portion.
- ** Cut your Front Leg Pieces out first and then rip the remaining portion ofthat board and the remaining boards into 4 1/2” widths for the Seat and Back.
- 2 – 3/4″ Ply at 30″ x 28″ Outer Legs (relatively L shaped)
- 2 – 3/4″ Ply at 26″ x 9″ Inner Legs
- 2 – 1×6 at 21” Front Legs
- 8 – 1×6 (ripped down into 4 1/2” width strips) at 25” Seat and Back OR 6 – 1×6 at 25” if preferred.
- 1 – 1×2 at 25” Support Trim
- 1 – 1×2 at 1 1/2” Triangular Pieces (2) for Arm Support
- 1 – 1×4 at 26 1/2” Back (Rail) of the Arm Unit
- 2 – 1×4 at 31 3/4” Arms
Before beginning to build, always check in on my site to make sure you have the most up to date set of plans, I occasionally update and change the plans to make the building process easier or to allow for less expensive purchasing of materials! Read through the entire set of instructions and all comments before beginning this project. If you print out or save plans, be sure to check in on my site to be sure you have the most up to date set of plans, as I occasionally update things for ease of building or buying. If you are new to building, read through the GETTING STARTED section and other articles found under the BUILD tab in the menu on my site, it has valuable information about how to get started, tools and techniques. If you are unfamiliar with the finishing process, visit my Finishing school for some tips and tricks for painting like a pro and for special finishing practices. Use glue to secure your joints and Consider Painting or Staining individual sections prior to assembling. This makes the paint application virtually flawless. Coat with a spray on Poly or Wipe on Poly to protect your finish and your piece and it will last for ages. Adhere to all safety standards and guidelines, and be sure you follow safety protocol throughout your build. If you are unsure about whether you are building safely, run a quick online search for the tool or technique you are using, or contact me via email or post to the forum before you move ahead. My contact info can be found in the menu of my site.
Cut Out your Outer Legs: You will need 2 of these exactly the same. If you have a preferred ‘side’ of your plywood, you will want to flip this template around to mirror so you have the appropriate side on the showing side. This diagram shows you how to connect the mark out the shape you need for this portion and corresponds to the angles shown in the diagram. Use your circular saw to cut this out. If you simply connect the dots between the dimensions outlined below and use a circular saw to make these cuts, you won’t have to worry about the actual angle for each corner. If you prefer to build this using Wood rather than plywood, I recommend creating a template using the image below, out of plywood or cardboard and then transferring that shape to your boards of choice.
Cut Out your Inner Legs: You will need 2 of these, exactly the same. This diagram shows you how to connect the mark out the shape you need for this portion and corresponds to the angles shown in the diagram. Use your circular saw to cut this out. If you simply connect the dots between the dimensions outlined below and use a circular saw to make these cuts, you won’t have to worry about the actual angle for each corner. If you prefer to build this using Wood rather than plywood, I recommend creating a template using the image below, out of plywood or cardboard and then transferring that shape to your boards of choice.
After you have cut out your Inner Lower Legs, you will attach them to the Outer Leg Units allowing the Bottom of the Inner Leg to be flush with the Bottom of the Outer Leg. The Top of the Inner Leg will sit 3/4” lower than the Top of the Lower portion of Outer Leg to allow for the Seat Slats later, and will sit back 3/4” from the front edge to allow for the Support Trim in a later step. The Back of the Inner Leg will extend back past the Back edge of the Outer Lower Leg and will act as the actual portion that rests on the ground. Refer to the Project Image in this step for reference as to how this lays out.
Cut Out your Front Legs: This is most easily done by marking out 21” on your 1×6 or from your plywood and then a 2” width on one end and a line made between that 2” edge and the existing edge 21” up from it. Then attach to the Leg Units by fastening it from the inside using 1 1/4” Screws and glue.
Attach the Support Trim: Fasten in place using 1 1/4” Screws and glue or Finish Nails, and fasten them into the Inner Lower Legs.
Tack on the Seat Slats: You will need to rip a 1×6 to down into a 1 x 4 1/2” panel (shave off 1” of width) to most accurately depict the original piece, (or you can cut these out of plywood) however if you aren’t able to do this I would recommend using the 1×6 in it’s original width and you will use 3 rather than 4 and space them 1 1/2” apart rather than 1”. This will look equally as nice, it just isn’t precisely the same as the original piece. Attach the Seat Slats as shown below using 1 1/4” screws and glue or galvanized nails.
Attach the Back Rest Panels: You will cut a 1×6 to size (rip it into a 1 x 4 1/2) just as you did in the previous step and you will attach them to the Outer Upper Leg using your Kreg Jig® set for 3/4” stock and your 1 1/4” pocket hole screws and glue or 1 1/4” Screws or Galvanized Nails. The Back Rest Panels will be fastened in place flush with the inside edge of the Outer Upper Leg and should begin 1/4” from the Top of the Outer upper Leg and then be placed 1” apart after that.
Construct the Arm Unit: Create your pocket holes for your arm unit, using your Kreg Jig® set for 3/4” stock and place them as shown below in the Rail (blue) and the Arms (green) at the place they will fasten to the Outer Upper Legs (this is determined by where the arm units will hit if they are perfectly perpendicular to the Front Legs). Build part of a Face Frame for the Arm Unit by using your 1 1/4” pocket hole screws and glue to fasten the Rail to the Stiles (Blue to Green). Then you will fasten the arm unit to the Outer Upper Leg. Fasten the Arm Unit to the Front Legs using 1 1/4” Screws or Galvanized Nails. Support the Arm Unit using a 1 1/2” triangular piece as shown below. Fasten it in place approximately in the Center of the Side of the Front Leg using 1 1/4” screws or Galvanized Nails.
Fill any Screw, Nail or Pocket Holes, Sand and Finish as Desired. For Finishing Tips and Tricks visit my Finishing School
**Disclaimer: Some rights reserved. Private use only. Feel Free to link to any of my plans so long as you provide an adequate link back to the appropriate post! Plans from this page are not to be used for commercial purposes or republished without the express written consent of Rayan Turner, The Design Confidential I hope to provide accurate plans, however, I cannot guarantee each plan for accuracy. Not every plan that I post has been built and tested, so you are building at your own risk. It is recommended that you have a clear understanding of how the project works before beginning any project. Please contact me if you find an error or inaccuracy so that I might fix it.
Plans
This simple bench or banquette is a stunner with it’s clean lines and slightly coastal feel! This is the perfect little seating piece for outside, perhaps with a dining table or even configured with a corner unit into a nook like arrangement. Another fabulous addition to our Chesapeake Collection and one that would look equally as fabulous inside or out! Did I mention that this will cost you less than $15 to build? Yep, true story!
Tools
- Tape Measure
- Sander
- Drill
- Jig Saw – if you prefer a more angular back leg you can use a circular saw or table saw as well.
- Kreg Jig® (pocket hole system)
Lumber
- 1 – 2×2 at 6’ OR if 8’ is cheaper or all that your store sells, purchase that!
- 1 – 2×4 at 6’
- 5 – 1×3 at 8’
- 1 – 1×2 at 8’
Materials
- 1 1/4” Pocket Hole Screws – Stainless Steel or Blue Kote if this is for outdoor use
- 1 1/4” Wood Screws or Nails or Finish Nails – galvanized or coated if for outdoor use Wood Glue – suitable for outdoor use if need be
- Sanding Supplies
- Finishing Supplies
Cut List
- 2 – 2×4 at 35 1/2” Back Legs
- 2 – 2×2 at 16 1/2” Front Legs
- 6 – 1×3 at 35” Front / Back Aprons and Back Rest Slats
- 2 – 1×3 at 19 1/2” Side Aprons
- 10 – 1×3 at 19 7/8” Seat Slats
- 2 – 1×2 at 35” Seat Cleats
- 2 – 1×2 at 11 1/2” Decorative Back Supports
Instructions
Before beginning to build, always check in on my site to make sure you have the most up to date set of plans, I occasionally update and change the plans to make the building process easier or to allow for less expensive purchasing of materials! Read through the entire set of instructions and all comments before beginning this project. If you print out or save plans, be sure to check in on my site to be sure you have the most up to date set of plans, as I occasionally update things for ease of building or buying. If you are new to building, read through the GETTING STARTED section and other articles found under the BUILD tab in the menu on my site, it has valuable information about how to get started, tools and techniques. If you are unfamiliar with the finishing process, visit my Finishing school for some tips and tricks for painting like a pro and for special finishing practices. Use glue to secure your joints and Consider Painting or Staining individual sections prior to assembling. This makes the paint application virtually flawless. Coat with a spray on Poly or Wipe on Poly to protect your finish and your piece and it will last for ages. Adhere to all safety standards and guidelines, and be sure you follow safety protocol throughout your build. If you are unsure about whether you are building safely, run a quick online search for the tool or technique you are using, or contact me via email or post to the forum before you move ahead. My contact info can be found in the menu of my site.
Step 1
Cut out Your Legs: Begin with a 2×4 and cut it down to a 2×2 at 35 1/2” in height. As long as you have a vertical straight space that is 2 1/2” in height at the 14” mark (up to 16 1/2” mark) then you can essentially make the shape how you like. The diagram below shows the back legs with a slight curve just like the inspiration piece, however if it’s easier for you to have an angular leg that is straight lined, you can do that also. Just be sure your leg is approximately 1 1/2” in width all the way down with the straight section at the Front Edge of the 14” mark and that it hits the top back corner and bottom back corner of the 2×4. Think Arc or Triangular shape, either will work. Create this with a jig saw or a circular saw depending on whether or not you will go with a curve or an angle.
Step 2
Fasten both Legs Together using the Back Aprons: This should be flush with the front side of the legs at the 14” mark. To attach use your Kreg Jig® set for 3/4” stock and your 1 1/4” pocket hole screws and glue.
Step 3
Construct the Front Leg Unit: Using your Kreg Jig® set for 3/4” stock and your 1 1/4” pocket hole screws and glue, fasten the Apron to the 2 front legs by attaching it 3/8” back from the front edge of the front legs.
Step 4
Attach the Side Aprons: Use your Kreg Jig® set for 3/4” stock and your 1 1/4” pocket hole screws and glue to attach the aprons to the Front and Back Legs. All Aprons should be at the same height and the side aprons will sit flush with the inside of the legs.
Step 5
Attach your Seat Cleats: Use 1 1/4” Wood Screws or nails and glue to attach the cleats in place on the front and back aprons. They should sit flush with the bottom of the aprons.
Tack on the Seat Slats: Use 1 1/4” screws or nails and glue to fasten the seat slats in place. Space them about 1” apart and secure them to the cleats.
Step 7
Attach the Back Rest Boards and Decorative Supports: Use your Kreg Jig® set for 3/4” stock and your 1 1/4” pocket hole screws and glue to fasten the back rest boards in place. The first board (top) should be set 1/2” down from the top of the back legs and each subsequent leg should be spaced about 1 1/2” apart. Keep the Back Rest Boards flush with in line with the front edge and curve (or angle) of your back legs. Once they are fastened in place, tack on the decorative supports using 1 1/4” screws or nails and glue. Depending on the angle of the top portion of your back legs, it’s possible that the decorative supports will only touch at the top board and bottom back rest board. That is perfectly fine, so you can suffice by securing them only at the top and bottom of the supports to the top and bottom back rest boards. Center them vertically and horizontally. This piece has been designed to work with the PotteryBarn Cushions if you prefer to purchase it separately, and if you prefer to make them yourself, the cushion dimensions should be 21” deep x 38” wide and 2 1/2” thick.
Finishing Instructions
Fill any Screw, Nail or Pocket Holes, Sand and Finish as Desired. For Finishing Tips and Tricks visit my Finishing School
**Disclaimer: Some rights reserved. Private use only. Feel Free to link to any of my plans so long as you provide an adequate link back to the appropriate post! Plans from this page are not to be used for commercial purposes or republished without the express written consent of Rayan Turner, The Design Confidential I hope to provide accurate plans, however, I cannot guarantee each plan for accuracy. Not every plan that I post has been built and tested, so you are building at your own risk. It is recommended that you have a clear understanding of how the project works before beginning any project. Please contact me if you find an error or inaccuracy so that I might fix it.
