Hot Furniture & Woodworking How-Tos « Furniture & Woodworking

How To: Apply a tung oil topcoat over an oil-based wood stain

Prefer a clear, hand-rubbed, "antique" finish to the shiny or satin sheen of varnishes? Then you will want to use a tung oil-based topcoat applied over an oil-based stain when you are staining or refinishing your special piece of furniture.

How To: Install the moisture barrier over concrete subfloor

This video describes the process of installing a moisture barrier over a concrete subfloor. The presenter is using 6 mil thick poly barrier. The barrier comes in rolls about twenty-four inches wide. When rolling out the moisture barrier you want to go from wall to wall and cover the entire floor. For optimal moisture control you will want to overlap the poly barrier by at least six inches. The barrier plastic does not need to be taped or secured to the floor at all, it simply lays on top of t...

How To: Bend Plywood Strips with Glue and Clamps for a Curved Look

You may know how to cut and sand plywood, but bending it is a totally different skill set you need to master, but this woodworking how-to will show you the right moves in seven easy steps. In the video, a bend is being applied to plywood for a curved chair leg, but this method could be used for any kind of plywood bends.

How To: Faux Ebonise Wood

If you have some worn scuffed wood and want to give it a little bit of life. These steps might help you to ebonise, taking half the time!!

How To: Build a beautiful cedar log bench using a chainsaw

For the normal woodworker at home, the table saw, router and lathe are the prime tools used for making fine furniture, but when you hit the outdoors, the backwoodsman's tool of trade is the chainsaw. Mastering furniture-making with a chainsaw is the key to being a great woodworker, and in this three-part video, you'll learn the techniques to chainsawing your way to a beautiful log bench.

How To: Use a nail set & punch for woodworking

Bob Schmidt teaches us how to use a nail set & punch for woodworking. A nail set is a traditional kit that you can find anywhere. The nail set punch does not require a hammer to use and is very easy to figure out. Place this on a nail and then pull the spring back. Keep the pressure towards the nail head and it will drive the nail right into the hole that you need it to go in. This is great if you have a nail that needs to go into the wall but the hammer will not fit where you need it to. Any...

How To: Install the last row without a pull bar

When you end your last row, there are occasions where you can't use a pull bar. The alternative to using a pull bar is to modify the groove side of the plank that's on the floor. Shave the groove and remove the debris, making sure that there's none in the track. Next, take a small bead of glue and run it down the groove side of your plank. Engage the next plank as close as you can get. Set the plank in place with the pull bar. Finally, tape the plank to its neighbor to secure it until the glu...

How To: Laminate stairs

In this tutorial, we learn how to laminate stairs. First, you will need to grab your laminate and measure out the stairs. Then, cut out the nosing to the stairs. After this, you will need to cut out the laminate with a chop saw to place it on the front of the stairs so it looks nice and is fully covered on the stairs. You will need to place down glue on the laminate then press it down on the stairs and allow to dry. Behind the front piece you will place another piece of laminate and glue it d...

How To: Build a Passive Solar Garage Door and Keep Your Garage Warm During Winter

I hate being cold. That's why I live in Los Angeles. But, there are plenty of folks who are experiencing some pretty chilly temperatures this year, despite global warming, and one of the worst places affected is the garage. C'mon, who has a freakin' heater in their garage?

How To: Build a steamer trunk

The Wood Whisperer thinks you have what it takes to be a great woodworker. In this 4-part series, the Wood Whisperer is building a steamer trunk for a friend. He takes you through the process of building a steamer trunk, from beginning to end. Check out more tutorials on woodworking by searching for woodworking on WonderHowTo.

How To: Make wood roof shingles by hand

In this video, we learn how to make wood roof shingles by hand. Start off with round oak wood, then split it with a splitting axe. Then, use a mallet to split them out further. Make sure to use clean and straight grained oak to do this. Now, remove the bark from the wood and split into thin sheets. Then, place into a cleaver brake and use a mallet to split down the different wood shingles. From each piece of wood, you should get 4-5 different shingles. When finished, you can hammer these toge...

How To: Make your very own Connect-Four game with wood

In this next woodworking tutorial, you'll find out how to make a favorite game using, of course, wood!

How To: Make a collapsible basket with a scrollsaw

In this two-part tutorial from the Scrollsaw Workshop, Steve Good demonstrates how to create a collapsible basket with a scrollsaw. As always, the pattern is available through Steve's blog, scrollsawworkshop.blogspot.com. Make your own collapsible basket with this great scrollsaw tutorial.

How To: Make a 60 degree bevel miter cut

Shopsmith Academy shows you how to safely make a 60 degree bevel miter cut. Apply this lesson to your next woodworking project. Watch this video for useful woodworking tips. Search Shopsmith Academy on WonderHowTo for more woodworking videos.

How To: Store your lawn equipment on your garage walls

Home improvement expert Danny Lipford provides tips to help organize your garage. Watch this video tutorial to see how to store your lawn equipment on your garage walls.

How To: Build an Outfeed Table for a Table Saw

An outfeed table is a device to catch the workpiece after it's been machined. This how to video shows you how you can build an outfeed table for your tablesaw.

How To: Make a Garden Trug

This is a simple design built from reclaimed wood and purchased ¼” wood slats. It cost very little and only took a couple of hours to complete the build. The goal was light weight, shallow and wide for collecting leafy vegetables, easy to handle and somewhat attractive.

How To: Create an arched top keepsake box

In this how to video, John W. Nixon from Eagle Lake Woodworking demonstrates how to build an Arched-Top keepsake made from Cocobolo. This unique arched-top keepsake box is an eye catching item with a unique feature on the inside, a place to frame a picture. The process for making a dovetailed box is detailed in this video, as well as, the procedure for shaping the arched lid. Watch this how to video and you can create an arched top keepsake box to give as a gift or keep for yourself.

How To: Begin chip carving mahogany wood

In this three-part carving tutorial, Valerie Jones demonstrates her chip-carving techniques on Mahogany wood. Using an X-acto knife, she carves the wood by hand & describes how to carve German-style, geometric patterns into the wood after stenciling the pattern on the outer wood surface. Later, Valerie talks about her methods when chip carving wood: how to hold the knife, how to guide the blade, finishing the final product, how to follow a stencil pattern & goes over more useful information.

How To: Fix a drawer that sticks

Don't let that stuck drawer aggravate you on a daily basis; find the problem and fix it once and for all.

How To: Carve a Celtic Irish toy chest

Celebrate your Irish heritage, or just bring some beauty to your home with this Celtic chest, that's great for storing anything from linens to toys. You will need to have the cedar chest already made, a carving tool, and a pattern. Watch this video woodworking tutorial and learn how to carve an Irish Celtic toy chest.

How To: Insulate your garage doors

This video looks at ways to insulate garage doors to help keep the shop cool in the summer, and warm in the winter.

How To: Cut plywood without a table saw

Cutting plywood on the table saw can be difficult because you have to move the unwieldy 4x8 sheet across the blade. A better solution is to move a circular saw over the sheet. For rips, the saw table rides next to a guide strip and for cross cuts, a fence squares the jig to the work. Watch and learn these alternatives to cutting plywood on a table saw. Cut plywood without a table saw.

How To: Make wooden gears for complex woodworking projects

Most people think of gears as big pieces of metal, but for a long time gears were mostly wooden affairs. In this video you'll learn how to make small wooden gears that you can use in all sorts of complicated machinery oriented woodworking projects.

How To: Build a storage box for your deck

Building a storage box for your deck is a smart way to add extra storage to an area usually not known for having storage. The great thing about using wood than plastic, is that is adds to the feeling of being outside and can be stained to match the look of your deck. This three part tutorial, will take you through the steps of building a successful storage box and shows you step by step.

How To: Make a traditional trug

The trugs are made from finished birch and lamium (sp)birch plywood. 1 inch wide and 4 millimeters thick plywood in three thickness. Laminate three pieces together to make a handle. Make a rim in the same way. It is made in two halves, put in a drying rack overnight and then trimmed and pinned together at the side with solid brass pins which won't rust. They are placed in a former where the boards are plced into the trug. The boards are 1 1/2 millimeter aircraft ply. The handle and rim are so...

How To: Build a target shooting bench

A lot of the available shooting benches on the market today are well-made, but it's really hard to find one that you're completely comfortable with. That's why it's best to make your own custom shooting bench, made especially for you, how you want it.

How To: Make your own resin tabletop

In order to make your own resin tabletop, you will need the following: a clean piece of wood (e.g. 2' x 2' piece of plywood, resin, gloves, objects to imbed in the table, and ultra seal.

How To: Build a retaining wall to flatten a sloped lawn

In this video you will learn how to build a retaining wall to flatten a sloped lawn. He says that if someone wants to garden but their yard is sloped and they know they can't do it, they should know that this is a lot of work. So be prepared to dedicate a lot of time and effort. You start by getting a building permit. If you're looking to build a low retaining wall you start by digging a trench a little wider then the stones and a few inches deep (the higher the wall the deeper the trench). F...

How To: Extend your jointer for a bigger outfeed table

Shopsmith Academy shows you how to add 24 inches to your jointer for a bigger outfeed table. Apply this lesson to your next woodworking project. Watch this video for useful woodworking tips. Search Shopsmith Academy on WonderHowTo for more woodworking videos.

How To: Put a finish on wood to pop the grain

Learn about different finishes. In this video, the Wood Whisperer puts the finish on a pencil holder. It's not just any finish. Since we are working with a beautiful curly maple, the finish deserves a little extra special attention. Learn how to pop the grain.

How To: Make a box seat

Downing drinks while perched on the bed, the floor, and the arms of the couch is totally awesome!!! (If you're a college freshman.) Otherwise it sucks. Don't get us wrong; living small doesn't mean you can't party like a rock star, it just requires a little creativity. This project offers dual functionality: wall art on quiet evenings, and extra seating and side tables on nights when friends roll in to bring down the house.

How To: Remove a Scratch from an Antique Table

Hi everyone, I have been working on some videos and tips about restoring antique furniture, in this tutorial, I will be showing you how to remove a scratch from a wooden table.

How To: Frame a wall 16 inch out on a subwall

In this tutorial, we learn how to frame a wall 16 inch out on a subwall with Bob Schmidt. First, grab some straight plates for the top and bottom plates of the wall. Then, you will need a framing square as well. When doing a layout for the wall, you will first need to lay the plates next to each other. Then, find the red marks at the typical wall stud layout. Go ahead and make your first mark at 3 quarters back from every red stud mark. Then, place the framing square on the wood and line it u...

How To: Make a wooden toothpick holder with a clown that pops out

Toothpicks are an almost essential part of proper oral hygiene, and toothpick holders are a great way to make them available to your houseguest without sacrificing style. This video will show you how to make your own very cool wooden toothpick holder that features a jack-in-the-box-like clown that your grab to lift the toothpicks. It's not too hard, practical, and good-looking, and thus a great woodworking project for you to look into.

How To: Make a magic wooden disappearing box

The wooden magic disappearing box is a great project to work on if you are great at woodworking, this can be a great gift for someone or a great addition for your next magic trick. When working with wood and making specific sized cuts, it is important to measure as closely as you can.

How To: Treat your furniture for bed bugs

Nothing is worse than bed bugs, right? Those pesky little creatures can make you seriously uncomfortable and cost you tons of money replacing furniture. But you can treat your furniture without spending money or having to throw it out. You will need to inspect everything thoroughly and make sure to to follow every step properly. This video will show you how to treat furniture for bed bugs.

How To: Make your own plexiglass drawer organizer

MAKE zine aims to bring the DIY aesthetic and mindset to all the technology in your life. They want you to break open things and put them back together in a better way. In this video, MAKE and KipKay show you how to build a plexiglass drawer organizer so you'll be able to find your stuff in a pinch. This isn't a project for novice crafters, but the steps here aren't hard to follow.

How To: Use a horizontal router table in woodworking

Eagle Lake Woodworking, hosted by John Nixon, offers great do-it-yourself guides for building your own furniture, especially in the American Arts and Crafts style, and turning your garage into an amateur woodshop. Search Eagle Lake on WonderHowTo for more carpentry tutorial videos. From Eagle Lake Woodworking on this specific lesson:

How To: Finish a scrollsaw project

In this two-part tutorial series from the Scrollsaw Workshop, Steve Good discusses how to finish scrollsaw projects–a process which, according to Steve, includes four steps: gluing, sanding, beautifying and protecting. Let Steve walk you through his finishing process with this tutorial.