furniture making, repair, and refinishing
46
votes
18answers
19k views
How do I make a height adjustable desk?
Has anyone made their own height adjustable desk? I'm interested in making a computer desk that can easily be adjusted for either standing or sitting.
The lift mechanism could be electric or ...
14
votes
13answers
23k views
What are cheap ways to build strong shelves with a large span?
I have removed several old and moisture damaged built in storage units from my house. I would like to replace them with shelving. There are a number of different sized gaps (width and depth to fill).
...
11
votes
3answers
3k views
Is there an ideal height for a workbench?
Is there a universal standard height that people try to go for when building workbenches? Should DIY tabletops be tailor made to the height of the user and how does the ideal height of the tabletop ...
10
votes
5answers
10k views
How do I stop a bed frame from squeaking?
I recently bought a second hand wooden bed frame. All is good except it squeaks quite a lot when I move around on it (ahem). Any advice on fixing the annoying squeak?
EDIT :: photo of the joint
7
votes
2answers
490 views
When repairing a split table top, should I use dowels, biscuits, or something else?
We bought a 5' diameter table many years ago from a Macy's warehouse sale.
It's a 1" thick wood table top screwed to a cast iron leg/ base.
When we bought it, it had a slight warp about 2/3s from ...
7
votes
1answer
257 views
Table with 45 degree corner groove
I'm not a carpenter, so forgive me if this is obvious. Also, I'm Brazilian so forgive my English.
I want to build a table with only 3 MDF plates, but I want the corners to have "45 degree grooves", ...
7
votes
3answers
3k views
What is this soft, sticky wood finish and how do I remove it?
We have a second-hand table with a mysterious finish.
The wood underneath is pale, possibly pine. With the finish, it's a slightly darker and "warmer" colour. The table is not antique; I'd guess only ...
7
votes
2answers
181 views
How can I remove a moisture mark from a wooden table?
I have a white mark on my wooden dining table that was caused by a potted plant sitting there for too long without a saucer. Attempts to clean it off have been futile because it seems not to be a ...
6
votes
3answers
1k views
What are the advantages and disadvantages of nails and dowel pins?
I'm planning to build some cubbies and drawers based on the design in the picture in a closet in my house.
I'm planning to use plywood for most of it. I've seen some designs use glue and dowel ...
6
votes
1answer
167 views
While building a bed frame, at what point should I start worring about cross beams?
So, I've made this bedframe that's rather tall, the frame is 32" off the ground, and the legs are each bolted on with two 3/8" bolts running perpendicular, and horizontally.
Having not actually used ...
5
votes
5answers
3k views
What's the right way to sand/shave/reshape particleboard?
My second bedroom has low ceilings. I bought an IKEA closet, but somehow botched the measurements when I was seeing if it would fit. So, instead of having ~10cm of room for the top of the cabinet, I ...
5
votes
1answer
195 views
Am I doing something wrong with this sanding job?
I'm trying to finish a finishing job on a dresser; I abandoned the project (long story) a while ago after getting a few drawers done, and I've since lost the exact instructions I was following. After ...
5
votes
4answers
2k views
What is the best way to repair MDF furniture?
Our kitchen is made almost entirely from MDF.
We have 1 closet where the hinges have pulled out and several drawers where the screws have pulled out. The MDF around the screws has just been eroded so ...
5
votes
3answers
1k views
how do you screw in double ended screws
I have a flat pack shelving unit to put together. it has double ended screws. according to the instructions you just screw them in using you hands. This is impossible, the pre drilled holes seem way ...
4
votes
3answers
1k views
How can I repair screws in furniture with stripped holes?
I'm trying to repair a piece of furniture from which several screws have pulled out, stripping the wood. It's a lift top coffee table, such as this. (This is NOT the model in question, this just ...
4
votes
1answer
339 views
Securing furniture to prevent tipping due to earthquakes and babies
I'm a new resident in the Bay Area, and with small children in the house, I'm looking at our furniture with some unease.
What's the best and easiest way to secure and fasten tall bookshelves in case ...
4
votes
3answers
534 views
How can I reinforce a piece of furniture to put an aquarium on it?
I'm planning to build an aquarium - 50 gallons. I estimate that it'll weight 550 pounds. It would be in the top of a cabinet... but the top of that cabinet is a suspended glass. It's similiar to this ...
4
votes
1answer
169 views
How can I stop wardrobe door from automatically closing?
Every time the right-hand door on my wardrobe gets opened, it slowly but surely accelerates shut again. As you can imagine, this is quite annoying as it blocks light and restricts view.
Is there a ...
4
votes
3answers
804 views
Repair gouges in a particle board desk?
A few years back, I bought a $500 studio producer desk. It's made of particle board and has been through more than a few moves and has received a proper beating over the years:
Is there any way for ...
4
votes
1answer
2k views
How can I estimate the load capacity of a set of shelves?
I'm pricing and researching supplies for built-ins in my living room. The plan is cabinets on the bottom, a cubby for a TV and staggered shelves for several hundred HEAVY books above that. My ...
4
votes
2answers
191 views
How do I determine the ideal height stool for a given height surface (table, counter, bar, etc.)?
My immediate need is to ensure that I'm matching the right height stools to a kitchen island, but I assume there's a standard difference that's ideal for an eating seat to be from the eating surface?
...
4
votes
2answers
337 views
Why won't this bed's feet touch the floor?
My wife and I just got a hand-me-down Queen-size bed after our old one broke. It was disassembled and brought to us by people unfamiliar with its previous assembled state.
You might be able to tell ...
4
votes
1answer
296 views
How do I create concrete or fiberglass outdoor seating that will last?
My husband and I have a design for outdoor seating we would like to create that is organic (curvy) in shape and surfaced in mosaic designs. Think of a dragon undulating in and out of the water, the ...
4
votes
1answer
459 views
How to get rid of spilled olive oil on teak table?
Yesterday a flask of olive oil accidentally dropped on our teak dining table. My spouse quickly used some paper towels to soak up most of the oil. The rest was evenly rubbed in to prevent spots. ...
3
votes
6answers
121 views
How do I prevent doors on a media cabinet from sagging?
A friend and I have just built a floor to ceiling media shelf unit for DVDs. It has 9 shelves and is about 3' wide. The frame around it is made up of 2"x8" boards and the shelves (except for one in ...
3
votes
3answers
755 views
How should I paint pine furniture?
I built a bed for my son out of Pine (from plans on the internet.) I am going to paint it white. What kinds of preparation do I need to do to the wood, especially considering the 4 posts are from ...
3
votes
1answer
347 views
How do I build a headboard for a bed?
I need to build a headboard in the next couple of days.
My requirements:
can be attached to the wall, I read something somewhere about French cleat
needs to be attached to the bed, to stop the bed ...
3
votes
4answers
236 views
How can I mount a desk on a wall with L-brackets?
I'm currently planning a new wall-mounted computer desk and intend to use something similar to this as the top:
However, my end goal is for a wall-mounted desk, using L-Bracket mounts. I've never ...
3
votes
2answers
221 views
What type of wood should I use to resurface my table?
A club at uni has this great big old table. (about 1220mm by 2420mm).
The club in question is the gaming club, so pen and paper RPGs, card games, boardgames, warhammer. fairly rarely models are ...
3
votes
1answer
570 views
How do I refinish a tabletop?
I have an old Ethan Allen dining room table with a couple leaves. It has a pretty dark finish with a thick coat of varnish on top. It's also got various scratches, water stains, etc. What is the ...
2
votes
3answers
379 views
What is a good wood to use to build a base for a heavy antique table top?
So my gf has a really sweet antique baker's table top. It has what I believe is a porcelain but may be ceramic finish. I've never tried lifting it (it was here before I was) but she tells me it ...
2
votes
3answers
3k views
How to loosen a nut when bolt and nut move together?
I have a sofabed whose back is fixed to the bed by bolt and nut. When I try to loosen the nut by wrench, the bolt and nut move together. There are no rust. How shall I loosen the nut?
Update: the ...
2
votes
2answers
227 views
Which technique of wood joining is the best for joining these boards of a small table?
I want to join these four 1.8 cm thick beechwood boards as one can see on the picture. My idea is to join at the B points with biscuits but I’m not sure what to do about the A points. It needs to be a ...
2
votes
1answer
253 views
Where can I store outdoor patio or deck furniture over the winter?
I have a variety of plastic / wood / metal patio furniture that I am looking to store over the winter.
Unfortunately, I don't have space inside to store it.
We usually see temperatures of about 10 ...
2
votes
1answer
94 views
How do I repaint furniture?
I've purchased this cabinet recently and would like to know if there is a way to paint it white?
It is described as:
Frame Material: Hardwood
Wood Finish: Painted
Finish: Painted
2
votes
2answers
1k views
What options are available to hide a TV in the bedroom?
I'm having a wardrobe fitted in the master bedroom of our house, and I'm in a bit of a conundrum as to where I'm going to put the TV. The room itself isn't big, when the wardrobe's fitted it will ...
2
votes
1answer
275 views
Can I use two 2x4's to replace 4x4 posts in a loft bed?
I'm building a loft bed for a queen size bed. I planned to build a platform and support it with 4x4s, but I'm having trouble finding untreated 4x4s. I plan to loft the bed 5' or so. The platform will ...
2
votes
1answer
301 views
Activating chair's gas lift? [closed]
I've ordered a chair from Argos, however, after assembly, the gas lift fails to elevate the chair -in fact, pulling the lever on the side seems to have no effect at all (it just swings back & ...
2
votes
1answer
175 views
How can I make a park bench more sturdy?
I purchased a park bench for my patio
But it's a little on the flimsy side and I'm afraid someone is going to throw themselves down on it and it's going to break. In what way can I strengthen the ...
2
votes
0answers
119 views
How can I fix a table top that I spilled air freshener on?
I spilled air freshener on the top my dining table. It is a veneer top with urethane finish. The area is sticky to touch. How can I fix this?
1
vote
4answers
319 views
Repaint moldy porch chairs
We have wooden porch chairs that were supposed to be painted with outdoor paint but they have succumbed to some sort of mold. To repaint these would I have to sand/strip all of the existing paint ...
1
vote
1answer
460 views
How do I reinforce a drawer bottom?
I recently bought a self-assembly wardrobe. After assembling it, the drawer bottoms were not held in place by enough wood (I think the groove for the drawer base was too close to the bottom of the ...
1
vote
2answers
225 views
How can I update this very stubborn antique bed frame so the mattress fits properly?
How stubborn you ask? Well the bed frame has three issues, but really only one and the other two are only a result of the first:
The rails are too short. Not by much, maybe an inch. Maybe even ...
1
vote
1answer
42 views
How can I touch up a marred furniture paint job?
I recently repainted some night stands using benjamin moore advanced paint. They look great, except that I noticed some debris on the top and removed it with tweezers. I attempted to smooth over it ...
1
vote
2answers
183 views
What latch would work best for a front/top opening chest?
I'm building a chest (about 3' wide, 2' deep, 2' tall) where the front folds up over the top (270 degrees), then the front/top fold again to the back (another 270 degrees). I need to know how best to ...
1
vote
1answer
632 views
How do I attach a shelf to a plaster wall invisibly?
Following this question: How can I attach two pieces of wood in an invisible way?
I have another - what would be a good way to attach a shelf to a plaster wall, if it is completely supported (i.e. ...
1
vote
1answer
77 views
Where to find folding stands for painting?
I'm looking for plastic folding stands for painting. The idea is to put e.g. plywood board at the top of those and paint furniture on it. Any idea where (e.g. web store) I can find these?
1
vote
1answer
188 views
Restoring french polished buffet
I have a 90 year old mahogany buffet that needs a pretty solid restoration job. Some of the planks that make up its top have lifted by a few mil, but most of the work is simply cleaning it up. I'm not ...
1
vote
0answers
42 views
What type of support would I use for a hutch that is leaning inward?
I have a hutch that is comprised of two pieces that come together. The bottom is a flat surface with a cabinet and two doors in addition to some storage space. Above it, is a more storage space ...
1
vote
0answers
40 views
Looking for a Standing Table [closed]
I'm trying to find a standing table, on which to put my computer and whatnot. It would ideally have locking wheels to let me roll it around a little. And it would also have an adjustable table top, ...
