Instructions for Making Your Own Furniture

Home Improvement

Adding furniture to your home can transform the look of a room and improve the way you use the space. However, finding the perfect furniture can be challenging, especially if you have a specific style, color, or quality in mind. Fortunately, you can build your own wooden furniture pieces by hand with some tools and time. This article provides easy-to-follow instructions for creating furniture that is less expensive than store-bought pieces and meets your exact specifications.

Whether you need a bookcase, desk, telephone stand, or plant stand, you can use the instructions on the following pages to get started on your furniture-making journey.

Continue reading to learn how to build a simple bookcase that stands 54 3/4 inches high and 30 inches wide with three shelves.

For more ideas on creating your furniture, see:

• How to Repair Wooden Furniture: If you already have wooden furniture, learn how to repair it instead of buying new pieces.
• How to Stain Wooden Furniture: Add color and protection to your furniture by staining it yourself.
• A Guide to Decorating Wooden Furniture: Transform plain wooden furniture into beautiful pieces that complement your home’s design.

How to Build a Bookcase

If you have books and magazines scattered around your home or office, follow these instructions to build a bookcase that will help you organize your space.

Tools:

• Measuring rule
• Pencil
• Square
• Straightedge
• Power saw
• Hammer
• Miter box
• Handsaw
• Nail set

Materials:

• 3/4-inch grade A-B interior plywood
• Carpenters’ glue
• 6-penny finishing nails
• 1/8-inch tempered hardboard
• 5/8-inch brads
• 1-inch brads
• Shelf-edge molding
• Wood filler
• Sandpaper
• Stain or paint

The bookcase will be 30 inches wide, 12 1/2-inches deep, and 54 3/4-inches high with three shelves. The bottom shelf will be 15 inches high, and the other two shelves will be 12 inches high.

To build the bookcase, cut two 12×54-inch pieces of 3/4-inch plywood for the sides, a 12×30-inch piece of 3/4-inch plywood for the top, and a 12×28 1/2-inch piece of 3/4-inch plywood for the bottom. Cut all pieces so that the face grain of the plywood runs lengthwise.

Arrange the four cut pieces in the shape of a rectangle with the bottom piece between the sides and the top piece on top of the sides. Apply carpenter’s glue along the joints and align them carefully. Drive finishing nails into each joint. Cut a 30×54 3/4-inch piece of hardboard for the back and set it on the bookcase frame. Adjust it until the frame is square and apply glue along the edge of the frame. Secure the back with brads. Measure off 15 inches along the side of the bookcase and draw lines to mark the shelves. Cut three 11 1/2×28 1/2-inch pieces of plywood for shelves and apply glue to each end and back edge. Slip each shelf into position and nail it in place. Nail the back piece to the rear shelf edges along the guidelines. Cut lengths of molding and apply glue to the edges of the sides, top, and bottom pieces. Set the molding into place and align the pieces carefully. Secure the molding with brads. Fill the nailhead holes with wood filler and sand the bookcase smooth. Finally, stain or paint as desired.

If you are interested in making your own furniture, check out these ideas:

• How to Repair Wooden Furniture: This guide will teach you how to fix up the wooden furniture you already have instead of making new pieces.
• How to Stain Wooden Furniture: Learn how to protect and add color to your wooden furniture by staining it yourself. Follow the link for instructions on staining purchased or handmade pieces.
• A Guide to Decorating Wooden Furniture: Transform plain wooden furniture into elegant pieces that match your design scheme or color palette with this guide.

Building a Desk

One side of this desk is supported by a standard two-drawer file cabinet.

A desk is a useful tool for organizing and managing household paperwork, and it doesn’t have to be complicated to be effective. This model is simple to build and can be used in smaller spaces.

Tools:

• Measuring rule
• Pencil
• Square
• Straightedge
• Power saw
• Hammer
• Miter box
• Handsaw
• Nail set
• Paintbrushes

Materials:

• 1 × 4 and 2 × 4 stock
• Carpenters’ glue
• 6-penny finishing nails
• 3/4-inch grade A-B plywood
• 8-penny finishing nails
• Shelf-edge molding
• 3/4-inch brads
• Wood filler
• Sandpaper
• Primer
• Paint
• Two-drawer file cabinet

Time: approximately 3 to 4 hours, plus time for painting

This desk is designed to fit a standard two-drawer file cabinet that measures 29 inches high, 15 1/4 inches wide, and 22 inches deep. The file cabinet is used as a support for one end of the desk. If you use a different size file cabinet, adjust the dimensions of the desk accordingly. The overall dimensions of this desk are 48 inches in length, 24 inches in depth, and 29 3/4 inches in height. It can be used with any standard height chair, including a stenographer’s chair.

To begin, cut two 1 × 4 pieces to 30 3/4 inches long, one 1 × 4 piece to 20 1/2 inches long, and one 2 × 4 piece to 20 1/2 inches long.

Place the 1 × 4 and 2 × 4 pieces on a flat surface in the shape of a rectangle, with the 2 × 4 side piece positioned 3/4 inch from the ends of the front and back 1 × 4s. Apply carpenters’ glue to the joints and nail them together with two 6-penny finishing nails each.

Cut a 20 1/2 × 29-inch piece of 3/4-inch plywood for the desk’s end panel.

Place the panel against the 2 × 4 side piece on the outside face, between the front and back pieces, with the top edge flush with the top of the desk frame. Apply glue to the butt joints and a generous coating of glue to one face of the end-panel/side-piece joint. Secure the panel by driving a pair of 8-penny finishing nails through the faces of the front and back pieces of the framework and into the edges of the plywood panel. Also drive six 6-penny finishing nails — staggered and spaced — through the face of the end panel and into the 2 × 4 side piece.

The desk is made with a 1 × 4s frame and a 2 × 4 reinforcement on the end panel. The top extends beyond the frame.

Start by cutting a 24 × 48-inch piece of 3/4-inch plywood for the desk top. Apply glue to the top edge of the desk-frame/end-panel assembly and position the top so that it extends 3/4 inch beyond the rear, 11/4 inches beyond the front, and 1 inch beyond the right side. Secure the desk top to the framework with 6-penny finishing nails, placed at each corner, spaced about 2 inches from the corners in each direction, and space the remaining nails about 11 to 12 inches apart. Drive three more 8-penny finishing nails down into the 2 × 4 side member to secure the desk top firmly.

Cut strips of shelf-edge molding to fit along the front and side edges of the desk top, and to cover the front edge of the end panel. Use square-edge molding if you plan to use butt joints, or miter rounded-edge molding at a 45-degree angle to form perfect right-angle corners on the top piece. Apply glue to the molding and position the strips. Secure the strips with 3/4-inch brads.

Next, sink all nailheads below the surface of the wood using a hammer and nail set. Fill any imperfections in the wood surface or joints, as well as the nailhead holes, with wood filler. Sand the entire desk to a smooth finish. Apply a coat of primer, followed by two coats of semigloss interior latex (or other) paint. Once the paint is dry, place the desk over a two-drawer file cabinet.

Finally, check out the next page for instructions on how to build a telephone stand, a perfect addition to your desk if you need a smaller organization area.

For more ideas related to creating your own furniture, see:

• How to Repair Wooden Furniture: You don’t have to start from scratch and make new furniture. Learn how to repair the wooden pieces you already have.
• How to Stain Wooden Furniture: Staining wooden furniture adds protection as well as beautiful color, and when you do it yourself, you can get just the shade you want. Follow this link for instructions on staining pieces you’ve purchased or handmade.
• A Guide to Decorating Wooden Furniture: Wooden furniture can be decorated to fit any design scheme or color palette. Use this guide to transform simple items into elegant, finished pieces that will accent your home.

How to Build a Telephone Stand

The edged top keeps telephone and note pads in place.

To create a special spot for your desk-style telephone, build this easy-to-make combination telephone stand/cabinet. The stand/cabinet keeps your phone, note pad, pencil, and telephone directories in one convenient place, saving you space and hiding clutter while adding an interesting piece of furniture to your home.

List of Tools:

• Measuring rule
• Pencil
• Square
• Straightedge
• Power saw
• Hammer
• Miter box
• Handsaw
• Coping saw
• Screwdriver
• Nail set
• Paintbrushes

List of Materials:

• 3/4-inch grade A-B plywood
• Carpenters’ glue
• 6-penny finishing nails
• Shelf-edge molding
• 1-inch brads
• 1 × 2 clear pine stock
• Two 7 × 23-inch stock louvered doors
• Two cabinet knobs
• Four decorative surface-mount hinges
• Two cabinet door roller-catch assemblies
• Wood putty
• Sandpaper
• Primer
• Latex paint

Time required for the project is about 3 to 4 hours, plus finishing time. Start by cutting the six main pieces of the telephone stand from 3/4-inch plywood. Cut all pieces with the plywood face grain parallel to the long dimension:

• Bottom, 14 × 14 3/16 inches
• Two sides, 14 × 23 7/8 inches each
• Top, 15 × 17 inches
• Back, 14 3/16 × 23 1/8 inches

Next, apply a bead of carpenters’ glue along one of the long edges of the back piece. Stand the bottom piece up against the glued edge, ensuring the corners of the pieces are flush. Nail the bottom to the back with four 6-penny finishing nails. Lay the glued and nailed assembly on its side and run a bead of glue along the uppermost edge. Set a side piece into place so that the top corners meet, the bottom edge of the side is flush with the bottom surface of the bottom piece, and one side edge is flush with the outside surface of the back. Nail the side into place with three 6-penny finishing nails, which should be spaced and driven into the edge of the bottom. Finish securing the piece by driving five more nails into the edge of the back of the telephone stand. Turn the assembly over, and repeat these steps to attach the other side piece.

Set the assembly upright and run a bead of glue along the top edges of the back and side pieces. Set the top piece into place so that the rear edge is flush with the back surface of the cabinet, leaving a 1-inch lip at the front and centering the top so there’s a lip of about 3/4-inch at each side. Secure the top with three 6-penny finishing nails along each side and four more across the back, driven down into the edges; space the nailing line along the sides 1 3/32 inch in from the edge of the top piece.

Cut a 10 × 14 3/16-inch piece of plywood for the shelf, and ensure it fits snugly between the sides of the stand. With a measuring rule, square, and pencil, locate and mark a guideline across the inside face of each side piece, 10 3/8 inches up from the inside face of the bottom piece. Apply glue to the back and side edges of the shelf and slip it into place, aligned on the guidelines.

Next, draw light pencil guidelines on the sides and back of the cabinet to mark the edges of the shelf. Secure the shelf with three 6-penny finishing nails, which should be driven through the sides and into each end of the shelf. Drive four more nails through the back of the cabinet into the edge of the shelf.

The telephone stand has a shelf that is set back to allow easy access to the bottom storage compartment. To make the stand, first lay it on its back. Cut strips of shelf-edge molding to fit the front edges of the plywood pieces, which include the top, bottom, sides, and shelf. Use either butt or mitered joints to fit the molding exactly. Apply glue to the edges, then secure the strips with 1-inch brads set about 6 inches apart.

Next, cut two lengths of 1 × 2 pine stock to 15 3/4 inches, plus the thickness of the shelf edging. Round the top of one end of each edging piece to a radius of about 3/4 inch or to a gentle curve. Apply a bead of glue along the side edges of the top piece of the telephone stand’s cabinet. Secure each pine strip with three 6-penny finishing nails, placing the rounded end forward and flush at the front and back, with the bottom edge aligned with the bottom surface of the top piece. Drive the nails into the edges of the top piece.

Cut a 17-inch-long piece of 1 × 2 pine stock. Apply glue to the rear edge of the top piece and to the ends of the pine strip. Position this strip between the first two pine strips, with the top edges flush, and secure it with four evenly spaced 6-penny finishing nails. Then align the top corners and drive two more 6-penny nails through the side strips into the ends of the back strip.

To mount the doors, first mount a cabinet knob on each door, on the longitudinal centerline of the door and 6 inches down from the top. Then mount hinges on each door, on opposite sides, with the top of the top hinges 4 inches down from the top of each door and the bottom of the bottom hinges 4 inches up from the bottom of the door. Set each door into place and adjust it so that there is a 1/16-inch clearance at the top, bottom, and side. Secure the hinges to the stand’s edges, then center each screw exactly in the hinge mounting hole and drive it perfectly straight to align the door properly.

Mount the roller catches to latch the doors, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Then set a catch on the inside of each side of the top piece, with each catch centered on the longitudinal centerline of the inside door frame — in line with the knob.

Remove the doors and take the hardware off. Sink all visible nailheads slightly below the surface of the wood using a hammer and nail set. Fill the nailhead holes and any imperfections in the joints or wood surfaces with wood putty, then sand both the cabinet and the doors smooth. To finish the stand, apply a coat of primer, followed by two coats of interior semigloss latex (or other) paint.

Once dry, place your phone on top of the telephone stand and anything you’re likely to need while making a call inside the cabinet. To add to your home’s organization, you can also continue to the next page to learn how to build a plant stand.

If you want to create your own furniture, check out these ideas:

• How to Repair Wooden Furniture: Instead of making new furniture, learn how to fix the wooden furniture you already have.
• How to Stain Wooden Furniture: Add protection and color to your wooden furniture by staining it yourself. Follow the link for instructions on staining bought or handmade pieces.
• A Guide to Decorating Wooden Furniture: Transform simple furniture items into elegant pieces that suit your design scheme or color palette. Use this guide to decorate wooden furniture.

Building a Plant Stand

Follow these instructions to make the base and top pieces.

Plants thrive with extra attention, so why not give your favorite plant extra elevation and presence in your home by creating a plant stand? This simple stand can be placed on a table or on the floor, and you can adjust the dimensions for more height or larger plants as needed.

Tools:

• Measuring rule
• Pencil
• Carpenters’ square
• Handsaw or saber saw
• Drill with 3/4-inch, 9/64-inch or #28, and 1/16-inch or #52 bits
• Straightedge
• Chisel
• Hammer
• Fine-toothed flat file
• Miter box and backsaw
• Nail set
• Sanding block
• Countersink
• Screwdriver
• Paintbrush

Materials:

• 3/4-inch grade A-A or furniture-grade plywood
• Half-round molding
• Hide glue
• 3-penny finishing nails
• Medium- and fine-grit sandpaper
• Rag
• 2-inch #6 flathead wood screws
• Plastic wood
• Paint or stain

Time: Around 3 hours, plus drying and finishing time. For a professional-looking plant stand, use 3/4-inch grade A-A or furniture-grade plywood and cover the cut edges with half-round molding. Measure and mark two plywood base pieces that are 12 inches wide and 24 inches long, with the grain of the plywood running the long way. Use a carpenters’ square to keep the corners accurate, then cut the base pieces with a handsaw or saber saw. Mark the horizontal and vertical centerline of each piece and, on the vertical centerline of each piece, mark a point 3/8-inch below the horizontal centerline. Drill a 3/4-inch hole at this point. To avoid splintering, drill through the marked point just until the bit starts to protrude from the other side, then turn the piece of plywood over and drill through the other side to complete the hole.

Using a straightedge, draw lines from the sides of the hole down to the bottom of each base piece, outlining a 3/4-inch-wide slot on each piece. Carefully cut out the marked slots with a handsaw or saber saw, cutting along the inside of the lines so the slots are an even 3/4 inch wide.

To create the slots for the base, use a saber saw or chisel and hammer to square the rounded tops. If using a chisel, make small cuts to avoid splintering the wood. Smooth the edges of the slots with a fine-toothed flat file and test with a scrap piece of plywood. The slots should be flat, square, and not splintered.

For the top of the stand, mark and measure a 14-inch plywood square. Cut four 14-inch pieces of half-round molding with a miter box and backsaw, then miter the ends at a 45-degree angle. Attach the molding to the edges of the plywood top with hide glue and finishing nails. Cut four 24-inch pieces of half-round molding to finish the edges of the base pieces and attach with glue and nails.

Sand the base and top as necessary and assemble the stand by applying glue to the inside edges of the slots in the base pieces and putting them together at right angles. Wipe away excess glue and let it dry completely. Draw an X on the bottom of the top piece and mark screw points on each arm of the X. Drill holes completely through the top piece and pilot holes on the edges of the base X. Attach the top to the base with screws.

To assemble the plant stand, apply hide glue to the edges of the base X and attach the top using 2-inch #6 flathead wood screws. Secure the screws through the holes in the top and into the predrilled holes in the base. Wipe off any excess glue and fill in screw and nail holes and visible cracks with plastic wood. Once dry, lightly sand the top to remove any markings and sand all visible wood surfaces as needed. Finally, paint or stain the stand as desired. Once complete, move your favorite plant onto the stand and enjoy! For more furniture ideas, check out our guides on repairing, staining, and decorating wooden furniture.

FAQ

1. What are the basic tools needed to build furniture?

To build furniture, you will need some basic tools such as a saw, drill, screwdrivers, measuring tape, clamps, a hammer and sandpaper. You can also consider investing in some power tools like a circular saw or a power drill to make the work easier and faster.

2. What type of wood is best suited for furniture building?

Hardwood is the best type of wood for furniture building as it is durable and long-lasting. Some of the popular hardwoods for furniture building include oak, maple, cherry, walnut and teak. Softwood like pine can also be used, but it is not as durable as hardwood.

3. How do I measure and cut wood accurately?

To measure and cut wood accurately, use a measuring tape to mark the dimensions on the wood. Use a saw to cut the wood along the marked line. It is important to use a sharp saw and keep your hands steady while cutting to ensure accuracy.

4. How do I join pieces of wood together?

You can join pieces of wood together using screws, nails, dowels, or glue. Screws and nails provide a strong hold, while dowels and glue provide a seamless finish. Make sure to use the right size and type of fastener for the wood you are using.

5. How do I sand and finish furniture?

After building furniture, sand all the surfaces with sandpaper to smooth out any rough edges. Then, apply a finish such as paint, stain or varnish to protect the wood and enhance its appearance. Make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions when applying the finish.

6. How do I make furniture joints?

To make furniture joints, use a router or a chisel to create a groove or mortise in one piece of wood and a tenon in the other piece. The tenon fits into the mortise to create a strong joint. Alternatively, you can use dowels or biscuits to join the pieces together.

7. How do I create curves in furniture?

To create curves in furniture, use a jigsaw or a bandsaw to cut the wood along the desired curve. You can also use a router to create a curved edge or a curved joint. Make sure to use a template or a guide to ensure accuracy.

8. How do I make furniture look antique?

To make furniture look antique, use a technique called distressing. This involves sanding the edges and corners of the furniture to create a worn-out look. You can also apply a glaze or a stain to create an aged effect. Make sure to use a light touch and experiment with different techniques to achieve the desired effect.

9. How do I make furniture more comfortable?

To make furniture more comfortable, consider adding cushions, pillows or foam padding. You can also adjust the height, angle or depth of the seat or backrest to suit your comfort level. Make sure to choose high-quality materials that are durable and easy to clean.

10. How do I design furniture?

To design furniture, start by sketching your ideas on paper or using a computer-aided design (CAD) program. Consider the size, shape, materials and function of the furniture. You can also get inspiration from existing furniture designs or nature. Make sure to test your design by building a prototype before making the final version.

11. How do I maintain furniture?

To maintain furniture, clean it regularly with a soft cloth or a vacuum cleaner to remove dust and dirt. Avoid using harsh chemicals or abrasive materials that can damage the wood. You can also apply a wax or a polish to protect the wood and give it a shine.

12. How do I store furniture?

To store furniture, disassemble it if possible to save space. Wrap the parts in bubble wrap or blankets to protect them from scratches and dents. Store the furniture in a dry and cool place away from direct sunlight and moisture.