You don’t need to be an expert carpenter or have lots of expensive equipment to make functional and attractive additions to your home! Most of the following projects can be completed using the most basic of tools. If you have a hammer and miter saw, and possibly an electric drill, you can help organize your home one woodworking project at a time. You will have more time to mow the grass and get rid of those pesky weeds. Save money on the best weed killer buyers guide.
Behind-the-Door Shelving
The wall space behind a door is a great spot to fill with shelves for additional storage. This is because there is no house in existence which has too much storage! Depending on how close the door is set to the wall, you may have room for a deep bookshelf. If not perhaps just a narrow set of shelves suitable for storing canned foods or cleaning supplies. Consider the room you’re planning to install the shelves in, because when the door is closed, they and their contents will be on full display! Measure the depth between the door frame and wall, less an inch to allow the door to open properly. Select the standard 1” lumber which will fit, and after cutting all pieces to length. Use wood screws to attach the shelves to the sides, pre-drilling the holes to avoid splitting. Attach hanging strips at the top and bottom, and one halfway down. Finish or paint as desired and after locating the studs, screw the unit securely to the wall.
Boot Scraper
Winter is coming, bringing with it muddy boots. To avoid tracking that mess into the house, build a simple boot scraper to clean things up at the door! It’s simple to build- cut 6-8 1x1 slats to the desired length. Then, take 2 2x2s cut to a length to hold all the slats. Cut a corresponding number of triangular openings to fit the slats. Screw the 1x1s to the 2x2s from underneath so that no screws show from the top. That’s it!
Coat/Hat Rack
Once you’ve cleaned your boots, you’ll need somewhere to stow your coat. You can make and install attractive and practical coat racks from a variety of available materials. For instance, if you’re into shabby chic, an old window sash can be cleaned up and used as a base for a variety of vintage door knobs or hooks. In a modern décor, a slab of teak or walnut can be finished with polyurethane. Then finished off with hooks or knobs with a clean, modern aesthetic. Once the rack is complete, attach it securely to wall studs- you don’t want a full coat rack falling off he wall during your Holiday party!
Ironing Board Shelf Unit
It can be a challenge to find a spot to store not only your ironing board, but the iron and other accessories. Make a space-saving shelf unit that will take care of all your ironing needs at once! Using a 1x8 piece of finished lumber, cut it into 3 pieces at the same length- 2- 2.5 feet would be ideal. These will be the sides and back of the shelf. Cut 2-3 shelves to 6”, and a top piece at 10”. Glue and nail the sides to the back, and then slide the shelves into place and glue and nail them to secure them. Place the top piece so that it is centered with a bit of overhang to each side, and glue and nail it as well. Paint the unit, and then attach two hooks big enough to hold the ironing board at the top of each of the sides. Mount the unit securely to the wall, and there you have an attractive and functional ironing station!Looking for more home woodworking ideas? Follow Artisan Born on Instagram! Also, if you need any more help make sure you check out our blog for more tips, ideas, and inspiration!
