Do-it-yourself furniture: Save money making unique items

There are so many potential do-it-yourself furniture projects that we can’t possibly list all of them here. But let this article get the gears turning and give you some ideas about what’s possible. 

A good rule of thumb is to start out on a simple project and then tackle more complex furniture pieces as your skills and experience increase. You can even find do-it-yourself furniture kits that will provide you with all the materials and instruction to start making furniture straight away. 

You may want to start out by making some do-it-yourself pallet furniture. You can often get used pallets for free and then disassemble them. The wood from pallets will make for a very rustic-looking piece of furniture, so if you are relatively new to woodworking, this is a great way to try it out. Precision and perfection are not as important for these simple designs.

The same is true of many types of do-it-yourself outdoor furniture. Some types of patio furniture are made very simply; just some 2x4s and slats of wood screwed together and painted.

Of course, you can make something much more intricate and stylish if you have the skills and choose the right materials.

Do-it-yourself wicker furniture is a whole world in itself. With a little patience and instruction, you can make beautiful chairs, tables, and more that you’ll be forever proud of!

A little searching will reveal books, videos, and online courses that will provide full instructions on how to make these various types of specific furniture. It can be a wonderful pastime, a way to save money, or even a business, depending on your commitment and skill level.

Closely related to making your own furniture is do-it-yourself furniture refinishing. Many hobbyists enjoy finding worn-out pieces that have seen better days, and with a few hours work, turn them into fine furnishings. The best part is that these old pieces of furniture can often be found at yard sales or second-hand shops for low prices, but when refinished, they can look like they are worth a lot more! (And sometimes they actually are!)

Here is a simple project to get you started: a pallet coffee table. First, gather these items:

• three pallets

• circular saw

• tape measure and pencil

• hammer and nails (or screw gun and screws)

• pry bar

• pliers

• sandpaper

• drill and drill bits

• wood glue or construction adhesive

• carriage bolts, nuts, and washers

   

1. Decide which pallet will serve as the table top.
2. Use slats from a second pallet to fill in between the slats on your table top. (Pry these away from the pallet base with a hammer and pry bar and remove the nails with pliers.)
3. Cut the additional slats to fit in between the existing slats if necessary.
4. Attach them to the table top pallet. Apply some wood glue or construction adhesive and then nail or screw them into place.
5. Take two slats from pallet #2 or #3 and attach them to the bottom of the tabletop slats at a 90° angle to the rest of them. Place these a few inches in from the edge of the tabletop and secure them with adhesive and screws.
6. Make the legs from the third pallet. Attach the legs to the table top using construction adhesive and carriage bolts. (Pre-drill the holes for the bolts using a bit that is slightly bigger than the bolts.)
7. Sand any rough areas of the table and paint or varnish it.