I want to make something like this and have helped my family with basic carpentry and operated a circular saw, but my biggest roadblock is just finding the materials, as in the planks. The sofa is 7’9” wide and 2’4.75” high at the backI do think walnut looks nice, but real walnut is hundreds of dollars, and I have no idea if chipboard based panels are a good idea, considering I need to saw through them.I was actually considering buying an IKEA Pax door(7’6.2” x 1’7.7”) and cut it in half along the broad side using the other half for the legs, but aren’t these actually mostly hollow on the inside?Any suggestions on this?
>>2870671Just use select pine. Take your time at lowe's/homedepot/menards and get the fancy pine that has absolutely zero knots or warp in it.For color, to get something that looks like the picture, once it's put together you want "Java" gel stain from general finishes. see if there's a "woodcraft" store near you, they're a chain. general finishes java is fucking awesome, none of the regular stains you'll buy at lowe's or whatever will even come close to how rich and dark it gets the wood with one application. After you've gotten it to the color you want, put any kind of sealant on it you want. I like water-based polyurethane because it's so easy to work with, and cleans up with -- get this -- water. Use a foam brush to spread on a bunch of thin coats. that's it boom.
>>2870671and if you want to cut out slots for the little outlet plates like in you're picture, you'll want a router or an oscillating multi-tool. Both are a really good investment but I think the latter are way more widely useful for around-the-house stuff. practice making the cutouts on a test piece first.
>>2870671the one in your picture has no exposed screw heads by the way, so they're probably pocket screws. I strongly recommend you use them as well. A pocket screw jig is very cheap and another good investment for little projects like this.
>>2870682Thanks anon.When it comes to applying finish, is this completely doable indoor or should I do it outside?Also, should I sand the wood down, or should it be fine either way?
>>2870703when you buy select pine it'll already be pretty smooth, but I'd get a pack of 180-grit and make a cheap soft-edge sanding block by gluing it to a piece of foam. sand your wood before cutting and building, will save lots of time. super lightly dust the cut corners with sandpaper to knock down the sharpness.once you've built it, yeah the gel stain can be a little stinky so i'd leave it outside while you stain it and while waiting (a couple days) for the stain to set. wipe the whole thing down with mineral spirits before you stain to get any residual finger grease off which can mess with the stain. the gel stain goes on globby with a rag, then you wipe of the excess immediately.the water based poly is WAY less stinky than oil-based anything but still stinks a little, so while i've done it inside, the preference is to do it outside. this is what i like:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000Y4DV9Ouse more of that 180 grit sandpaper, again glued to a piece of foam for soft edges, between coats of poly (wait a day after applying before sanding and applying another coat) to really make it gigasmooth, no need to sand after the last coat.
>>2870713(i recommended sanding the smooth stock with 180 because the stain will actually have trouble going on if the stock is too smooth, in my limited experience. if you're using just pine, the stain may go on blotchy since it's a softer wood, so right before applying the stain you can use the trick of wiping with a wet rag to raise the grain, or applying pre-stain conditioner to help things even out. you can see how the costs of a project like this add up.)shopping list may be looking like:pocket screw jig + screws (can come in a kit, really good investment)oscillating multi tool (really good investment)woodpre-stain conditioner (optional)stainpolyurethanemineral spiritsrags (or just use old t-shirts)foam brush(es)180 grit sandpaper + foam to glue it togloves
for reference, i made these shitty shelf inserts in my pantry with the exact set of products i'm recommending here, but instead of wiping on the poly I thinned it down with a little water then sprayed it on with my $15 harbor freight HVLP spray gun, went on very nicely (but of course you need to own a compressor for that)
Will do it tomorrow Will post prog here
I cut out the “legs” of this platform like this.One indentation to accommodate the baseboard, and a ledge on the two outer legs to hang over the sofa arms.
>>2872220Here they are arranged like they should be, minus the top.I will post oil update later.
>>2872220>>2872222looks good so far anon
ur gonna whack your head on it one day and smash it to pieces
After paintjob and applying the waterbased gel(2 days apart)We opted for a different colour as it fits the rest of our furniture better.The hole is meant to accommodate a power socket.
>>2872744good work mate
>>2872744Nice. I'm considering doing this as we have a small front room and our sockets are blocked by the couch, however I'm slightly concerned about the wood directly behind the pillow and smashing my head on that if I ever lean too far back
>>2872248kek
Mounted the legs. Excuse the mess. Also I did something retarded with the middle one so I had to clue on some extra length
Brackets were also used
Only used two 1.5” screws to mount each leg like this
Moment of truth…
And it fits just fine!Thanks all for your assistance
>>2873309nice work anon, you should be proud
>>2873305Bro, your countersink?
>I want to do x but I don't know how to get y>Doesn't share any information on location>Refuses to google "Lumber" and find a local sawmill
>>2873339I actually drilled a small hole first to make the screw go down easier without cracking the wood. It’s fairly flush.>>2873314Thanks!
>>2870671Buy a shelf board at the hardware store. They have both pine (cheap) and oak (hardy). You can put in on stacks of cans or hang it with some straps fastened in the wall. The jew will try to sell you shelf consoles but it's a scam.
