Building your own furniture can be a fulfilling experience. You can pick your own designs. Be the master of your home. And you should have all the freedom to craft furniture that will increase the beauty of your living space.
Oftentimes, you don’t find commercial furniture appealing. It’s not your fault. These were made for the mass market. Designs can be monotonous. And quality is not up to the mark.
You can easily change this situation. If you have a passion for building your furniture, now’s the time. You can use that extra space in your garage. There are twelve essential things to consider before starting your wood project at home.
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Wood Seasoning
A piece of wood can get cracked if not seasoned properly. Woods have fibers that absorb moisture. Moving that wood from one room to another can cause a noticeable shrink. Maybe one room has more sunlight than another. Humidity differs from room to room. Even one corner of the same room can have a different humidity.
All you can do is keep that piece of wood in your cutting room for a substantial amount of time. Let it adapt to its surroundings. Your project room should have similar conditions to your living space.
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Lacquer
Lacquer works as a protective shield for woods. It’s a type of varnish. Using an organic paint brush for polishing is very important. Here’s how varnish should be applied to woods, especially if you need it to be food-grade:
- Start with sanding first.
- Clean it.
- Use a wood stainer.
- Apply sealer.
- Another round of sanding.
- Apply varnish.
You need to get a good varnish before starting your project. An oil-based varnish is best for protecting your wooden furniture. Use food-grade varnish for crafting tableware.
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Cutting Tools
Always run a weather check on your cutting tools before starting your project. These are used for leveling, measuring, and cutting. Here’s a small list of tools you need :
- Hand saw.
- Chisel.
- Hammer.
- Mallet.
- Speed Square
- Jig saw.
- Measuring tape.
Speed square and measuring tape are not cutting tools but essential for cutting. The same can be said for hammer and mallet as well. The whole idea of crafting can get spoiled if you are missing one from these.
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Work Bench
A quality workbench is a pillar of good results. Ensure the bench is level, solid, and adjustable before you start crafting. A spacious bench will give you a large room for work.
The moral of the story is, that you should never cheap out on a workbench. This is where you’ll be spending most of your time. However, you can always make your own workbench if it seems too expensive to buy.
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Cost Management
Always create a cost sheet before purchasing everything for the project. The cost can get very high for projects like remodeling the garden or the dining section.
Cost sheets aren’t accurate. But it’s important for a rough estimation. Carpeting tools, as well as the materials, aren’t cheap. You can even go into debt for not managing your expenses. Write down everything you need for the project.
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Knowing the Wood
You need to research thoroughly before purchasing the woods. The basic idea is to buy straight boards. But it does not stop there. The trickiest part is the end grain.
There are three ways a wooden board is cut. Rift, flat and quarter swan. Flat swan cuts are the cheapest. A flat board will shrink fast and bend unevenly. Rift and quarter boards don’t shrink that fast.
Rift and quarter boards are expensive. But they don’t bend and are durable. It can save you from many expenses if you plan on bigger projects.
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Safety Gears
Accidents during woodwork are very common. You can easily lose a finger and an eye if you are not careful enough. People can still injure themselves by wearing safety gear. But the chances of losing an eye or finger are close to none.
Keep two sets of safety goggles, a helmet, and gloves in your possession. Don’t start your project if you are missing one of these.
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Time Management
Wood projects can take a huge chunk of time out of your hand. Never stress over it if it’s a passion project. And most certainly don’t skip on your important chores for the project.
Two to three hours should be enough for it. You can stretch that to four hours but not more than that.
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The Right Choices
Always try to choose the right color and shape. Your end result should match the interior of the house. Furthermore, measure the room size. Oversized furniture can completely spoil the beauty. Your goal is to make your room look bigger and simple.
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Maintenance
Wood maintenance is cheap. But certain projects can cause complications. Never take on a project that can break your wallet later. A thin-legged coffee table is stylish until one of the four is gone. Instead, plan for simple projects.
Simple wooden furniture is easy to maintain and inexpensive to repair.
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Planning
Take a scrapbook and draw some designs. You should plan on the designs. Try to add some features to the final design.
Take things slowly for planning. Don’t start working right away. Take a day-long break and look into your final design again. Make necessary changes if you feel like it.
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Revolving Tools
You can draw a circle using revolving tools. It’s not an essential tool but handy. Use this tool if you are planning to make round designs.
Keep this tool in your arsenal even if you don’t need it.
Conclusion
Starting your own wood project at home is fun and thrilling. However, keeping an eye on the financial side is also important. Going for cheaper