Cutting large sheet material can be tricky, difficult, and for some woodworkers, just not worth the hassle, at least when you don’t yet have the right tools for cutting plywood. So maybe you settle with those “handy panels” that are pre-cut to 24″ by 48″. But that’s pretty limiting, and overall it’s more expensive than working with full sheets. Having the ability to accurately (and … Read More
Wood veneer edge banding is used to make plywood appear to be solid wood. It can get kind of tricky, but with the right strategy it becomes very simple, and almost impossible to mess up. It’s not very attractive to leave the sides of plywood exposed. But even the sides of other manufactured woods like MDF could be greatly improved by adding some kind of … Read More
Depending on the type of cabinet you’re building, this process will vary some. But the basics are the same, you need a frame, that fits around a panel, which can be plain, raised, or decorated somehow. For this tutorial on how to build cabinet doors, I’ll be making a tongue and groove, framed x-style sliding door. And don’t worry about the hardware. Whether you’re using … Read More
In this article I’m going to show you (with pictures) how to build, finish, and attach your kitchen island trim. For the sake of this post, that includes the face frame, trim work on the sides, and the base. For the trim and face frame I used white oak, stained with Minwax’s English Chestnut. The base is made from pine 2x4s, painted black, and set … Read More
You’re about to learn how to build cabinet shelves using plywood and a very simple process. These shelves work for any kind of cabinetry, including kitchen islands, base cabinets, hanging cabinets, etc… Plywood makes great shelves, because it’s very sturdy and stable. Plywood won’t shrink and expand like regular solid wood, making it ideal for not only the cabinet carcass itself, but the shelving within. … Read More
This tutorial is part of a larger project – my Kitchen Island. Below I’ll show you how to build base cabinets for an island using basic plywood you can get from any lumber store. This kitchen island is going to be counter height, which is usually 35″ to 36″. Depending on the top I go with (which as of right now has not been decided), … Read More
This toy shelf / book case / seat is sized for a kid. It’s made with 3/4″ plywood, joined with dado, rabbet, and pocket hole joints. A single full sheet of plywood is plenty for this project. If you prefer to work with half sheets, you’ll need 2. Plywood edges are all covered with veneer edge banding, which you can buy from most home stores … Read More
Do you enjoy working with plywood as much as I do? It really does have a ton of applications, and can be used for all kinds of projects. But mostly, I just love how it’s really heavy… And it’s so awkward to carry too! Was that sarcasm you’re wondering? Yes. Yes it was. Although very useful, plywood is heavy, and that part sucks. While you … Read More
Plywood grades can be confusing and don’t make a lot of sense to anyone not used to working with plywood. But once you get it figured out, you’ll be ready to take on your next project with confidence. I love working with plywood. You can use it for anything from shop jigs, to shelving, to cabinets, book cases, work benches, and the list goes on. … Read More
You can make any piece of furniture look professionally built by adding some simple trim molding, like crown, or furniture base molding. I’m going to show you my exact process of adding some base molding to the office desk I’m building for my wife. I’ve already shown you exactly how I build the drawers and install full extension drawer slides. Next on my list is … Read More
Many kinds of furniture use drawers – and they all need drawer pulls (or knobs). The exception would be the drawers that are built for finger-pull. But because you’re here reading about how to install drawer pulls, then it’s safe to assume you’re not building a finger-pull drawer. Or maybe you’re replacing drawer pulls or knobs in your kitchen, or on a piece of furniture. … Read More
If you want easy access to the deepest part of the drawer, you’ll want to install full extension drawer slides. This is a type of drawer slide that uses ball bearings and a 3-piece rail system for extra extension. You can pick these up at any home store, at various lengths. You’ll want to choose the slide that is equal to or just less than … Read More
There are a hundred ways to build a drawer. But all you need to know is one. I’m going to show you exactly how I build a drawer every time, whether it’s for a china hutch, a computer desk, or a shop workbench. My method is easy, quick, and the drawer comes out very solid, stable, and square, every time. I’ll be building a computer … Read More
Spam not included. Unsubscribe anytime.