Woodworking is a fun and enjoyable hobby that anyone can learn. You can quickly become proficient enough to make your own furniture.
All you need are the right tools and a little bit of practice, and you can start designing and crafting quality furniture pieces in no time!
Tools and Materials
You need a few essential tools that will help you design and build that perfect table, chair or other piece. Some of the basics include:
- Power jointer and planer
- Hammer and chisel
- Circular saw (a table saw is even better)
- Power drills
- Wooden mallet
- Square and tape measure
- Screws
- Nails
- Pencils
- The right type of adhesive
Types of Adhesives
Part of woodworking and furniture making includes selecting the right type of wood adhesive.
Yellow glue is often a good choice for most woodworking projects because it is strong and dries quickly. However, when building outdoor furniture, for example, you might want to use a waterproof glue that seals out moisture better. Some adhesives, like a polyamide hot melt, are made especially for woodworking. Others, like glue sticks, can be used for wood, plastics and other materials. If you experience gaps in your joinery try an epoxy.
A few woodworking projects that may become inspiration for modern furniture designs are:
- Slant Front Desk — This sleek and charming desk makes a lovely addition to any den, office or even sitting room. Use cherry wood, and buy quality fittings to ensure that you’re crafting something of heirloom quality that you can pass on to the next generation.
- Murphy Bed — The perfect pick for the compact urban apartment! Whether you live in an apartment or need an additional bed for your college student’s friends during spring break, a queen-size Murphy Bed is innovative and space-saving. Plus, it is inexpensive and relatively easy to construct. Use pine to give it a rustic look, stain it to match your existing décor or create a standalone piece and add shelving or other decorative touches to suit your taste.
- Bar Cabinet — Everyone would love to have a bar in their home, and it’s relatively easy to make that dream a reality! Building a bar cabinet, with built-in wine and glass racks, can spice up any dining room, basement or den. Get creative with the doors and use sheet metal inserts.
- Bunk Bed — Create an extra-special place for the kids when you build your own DIY bunk bed. Building a bunk bed is an excellent way to start your woodworking furniture career. It is simple to construct, and you can make them out of virtually any material. If you want to go beyond the basics, include a built-in desk or add a nightstand.
- Children’s Book Shelf — A woodworking project kids will love is a bookshelf for their room or playroom. You can build a wooden, standalone wall shelf that’s just the right size for children to use for housing their favorite books and toys. Paint it to coordinate with their color scheme or favorite character. Even better: ask the kids to decorate it!
- Wheelchair Accessible Picnic Table — This project includes plans for two wheelchair accessible seats at a picnic table. The bench and table top design make it easy for any guest to join the fun on your deck or patio.
- Outdoor Wine Caddy — This stylish little fold-out table and bottle holder makes a terrific weekend woodworking project and will have your friends and relatives begging for one, too! It holds a bottle of wine and two glasses, perfect for placing between two lawn chairs while enjoying a summer evening in your backyard.
- Gaming Table — What guy or gal wouldn’t love their own gaming table? You can construct a gaming table out of wood for as little as $50 with all the extras, including poker chip slots and more. Use it for board games, cards or just to sit around and enjoy a drink with friends.
- Church Pew — You can build a pew for your church, but church pews aren’t only for houses of worship. They make a great conversation piece for inside your home, and they are a current outdoor trend for decks, patios and gardens. For added charm, use reclaimed wood.
- Storage Drawers for Underneath a Bed — Do you have scrap plywood laying around? Do you need more storage space? Build a storage drawer that fits under your bed, using in-line roller skates to allow it to slide in and out.
- Folding Beer Pong Table — A folding beer pong table will make you the envy of any tailgating party or dorm. Easy to make, this DIY style folds up small enough to fit in your truck. You can decorate it with your favorite team colors or logo.
- Yard Dice — Not exactly furniture, but oversized childhood board games for the yard are all the rage these days. These outdoor wooden yard dice will keep your family and friends entertained this summer. Make six dice and use them to play outdoor Yahtzee!
- Farmhouse Table — Farm tables are magnificent in any home, whether your design scheme be rustic and eclectic or raw and country. This statement piece isn’t just for large families anymore. Based on the classic look of a farmhouse table, oak is the perfect wood for the tabletop.
- Portable Work Bench — This is the perfect piece of furniture for someone who has a small workshop or basement area to work on projects. Made of wood, it folds up for easy storage. You might consider this as your first project, so you have a bench to use when making the rest of your furniture!
- Outdoor Sofa — Bring the indoors outside with this comfortable piece. An outdoor sofa makes an excellent addition to your patio or deck. You can make this sofa in less than five hours with basic woodworking tools. Pile it high with comfy pillows and cushions for a stylish place to enjoy the outdoors.
- Nightstand with Hidden Drawer — Feel like 007 with this nightstand with a hidden compartment. It’s perfect for hiding a weapon or concealing your valuables.
- Puzzle Table — This isn’t a simple table that you use to put together a jigsaw puzzle. This is a table that fits together like a jigsaw puzzle. It makes a great children’s table for the playroom or a conversation piece for your den or home office.
These modern furniture designs projects are not complicated, and many of them can be completed within only a few hours. With the right tools and accessories, you can create fabulous and unique furniture for any room in your house. Go ahead and bust out the saw and hot melt glue gun, and don’t forget to show us the results!
