Do you have some wood lying around, for instance, from a recent renovation, that you would like to give a second life to? Or maybe you just want to take up a new hobby?
If your answer to either of those questions is yes, then you’re in the right place. It’s time to take the tools out of the garage, or wherever else you keep them and put them to good use!
If you don’t have some of the tools we mention in our instructions, you can always get them at any hardware shop or borrow them from one of your friends or family members.
However, if you decide to purchase them, keep in mind to check the reviews beforehand (for instance, on sawshub.com or a similar website) so that you can be sure you are getting what you pay for.
Although there are thousands of things you make out of wood that will be a perfect addition to every house, we decided to choose some of the easiest ones so that even those who have no experience whatsoever with such things can try them out. So, let’s just get started.
Wooden Toothbrush Holder
Wood will work perfectly as a holder for your toothbrushes. The materials you will need to carry out this DIY project include:
- 1/2″ plywood
- table saw
- wood glue
- clamps
- sandpaper
- drill with 11/16″ Forstner bit
Take the plywood, and cut a 2 1/4″ wide and 12″ long piece. Out of that piece, cut two pieces 3 1/2″ long and one 4 3/8″ long. Take one of the shorter pieces, and mark where the holes for toothbrushes will go.
Drill the holes with the 11/16″ Forstner bit. Glue and clamp the top piece with the holes to the 4 3/8″ long one. Allow it to dry, and do the same with the bottom. Sand as needed, and add wood finish in the desired color.
Tip: When drilling the holes, put the piece of scrap wood underneath the piece, you are putting the holes in and press it down, so that you can prevent the bottom from tearing out.
Wooden Blanket Ladder
Storage is an important aspect of every home– the more storage space, the better. One of the ways in which you can add a bit more of it to your home is by installing a wooden blanket ladder – not only you won’t have to keep the blankets in the drawer (they can take up quite a bit of space), but it’s a nice home decoration that might make the room appear cozier.
The materials and tools you will need for this DIY project are:
- three 2 x 4 boards
- miter saw
- nail gun
- wood glue
- wood stain
- triangle
- sander
- sandpaper
- measuring tape
- 2″ nails
- clamps
Here is a step-by-step guide to building your own wooden blanket ladder.
Step 1: Cut the wood. You will need to cut seven pieces in total – two 6-foot pieces for the sides of your ladder and five 18″ pieces that will serve as the rungs. Angle the bottom of your side pieces to 10° – this way, you’ll be able to lean it against the wall once you finish without worrying about it falling.
Step 2: Sand the wood. After you’re done with cutting, sand each piece. Remember to pay special attention to the ends, so that they’ll be nice and smooth. If what you’re going for is a more worn look, you can round all the sharp edges with a sander.
Step 3: Assemble the ladder. The pieces are ready to be assembled. Take the measuring tape and mark 12″ increments along both of your 6-foot long pieces – this will be where you nail in your rungs.
However, before you do that, apply a bit of glue on each end of the rungs – once the glue dries, it will be what’s holding the ladder together. Remember that since you want your ladder to be level when leaning on the wall, the rungs have to be angled at 10° as well. Pop two to three nails into each end of the rung with a nail gun. Repeat for all five.
Step 4: Clamp the ladder. Use two big clamps to hold everything in place, and leave it – the wood glue will need at least 24 hours to dry.
Step 5: Stain or paint the ladder. Once the glue is dry, the only thing left to do are the cosmetic changes, such as staining or painting the ladder. Which one you choose and what color depends solely on your personal preferences and the decor of your house.
The Bottom Line
The beginning of the year is the perfect time to introduce some changes to your house decor – especially since they don’t have to be big. The truth is that, oftentimes, it’s the small things that make the biggest difference.
We hope that our article gave you some motivation to do a bit of wood-crafting on your own – there are many simple projects that you can carry out, even without having any woodworking skills or previous experience. Just make sure that you are using every tool according to the safety measures. Good luck!
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