Simple, Quick and Cost-Effective: Your New Closet

When we moved in we hung our clothes on the closet bar, tossed a bunch of random stuff on the closet floor and hid some less-used items away on the top shelf. It worked, but not very well. I eventually realized that with a few hours of time and energy I could make it much more efficient. There are many different design and organization approaches...

Build a Backyard Firewood Holder

/5, LENGTH/TIME – 2/5, COST – 2/5 This past spring my brother built an in-ground fire pit at the end of our backyard. To complement this addition to the yard, and as a Mother’s Day gift, I decided to build my mom a decorative wood holder as we had firewood, but no place to store it. I chose cedar for the parts that were more visible,...

Spray Booth for Small Shops

Awhile back I embraced HVLP spray finishing, and I’m sure glad I did. I built a 200-square-foot shed in the summer of 2015, and sprayed the interior walls white for a bright, clean look. Cringing at the thought of brushing and rolling seemingly acres of protruding lumber and recessed plywood cladding, I took the plunge I’d contemplated often and...

DIY - Plywood/Glass Aquarium

I had very little experience building anything prior to attempting this type of project. I researched as much as I could find on the internet and through discussion groups. Once I felt I had all I needed, I jumped right in and tried to make my tank as fast as possible. (Hint: taking your time is best) One smart thing I did, was planning on...

Building an Aquarium Cabinet

I have built a cabinet for my 4ft aquarium myself, in order to save money. Despite it being a while since I got my GCSE in Craft Design and Technology, everything went to plan! I had two different ideas, one a box frame stand made from 2x2 wood, and one a cabinet made from chipboard. Both designs are shown here. In the end, I combined the two designs...

Japanese-Inspired Shop Storage

There are times when the shop storage solutions I build are bare-bones and strictly functional. Sometimes even ugly. But other times I like to take a bit of time and create something that not only functions nicely but is fun to build and looks nice. I’ve always enjoyed Japanese design, but it’s rare I get to make something along these lines. ...