Build

How to Build a DIY Screen Door

July 22, 2018 by Ash 8 Comments

For some reason, flies love to hang around in our garage.

As annoying as they are in the garage, they are even worse if they make it inside the house.

I finally got tired of chasing after flies in the house and decided to install a screen door leading into the garage.

Now, in traditional Just Measuring Up fashion, I wasn’t about to just buy one from the store.

I had lots of wood left over from previous projects, so I decided to just make my own door. I just needed to buy some hinges and insect screen.

DIY Screen Door Design

I had a basic idea of what I wanted the scrap wood screen door to look like.

So I had a quick session on the table saw and miter saw using the scrap wood that I had laying around, and here is what I came up with for the screen door design:

DIY Screen Door Materials

Boards (see details below)
2 door hinges
Handle
Insect screen
Trim
Spring (or pneumatic closer)
Magnetic catch (optional)

Since I was retro-fitting a custom door in the door frame, the dimensions were customized to fit within the existing doorway trim.

Here are my exact dimensions:

How to Use Scrap Wood to Make a DIY Screen Door

The long boards for the screen door I cut with my table saw, while the triangle trim inserts were done with left over scrap wood using my miter saw. I used whatever surplus boards I had lying around the garage.

If I were to buy boards from the store, I would be fine with just two 1′ x 10′ x 8′ boards.

Next, I had to join the pieces together to form the screen door. There are lots of different ways to join these pieces. I opted for the simplest method of using pocket hole screws. I used my trusty Kreg pocket hole jig.

Here is my Kreg pocket hole jig in action, connecting the pieces to make the scrap wood screen door:

How to Make Pocket Holes for the Scrap Wood Screen Door

Making pocket holes with a jig is really fast and produces very strong joints. Here are what some of the joints look like:

Pocket holes joints do leave visible holes. Normally, I don’t mind them.

However, I wanted this screen door to have a more professional finish.

So I filled the holes with these pocket hole plugs and a touch of wood glue:

Once the wood glue is dried and the plugs are sanded down, the holes practically disappear (a coat of paint will seal the deal):

Using Triangle Inserts for the Design

In making the scrap wood DIY screen door, I didn’t use any pocket holes for the triangle inserts. I just used some construction adhesive and two finishing nails.

Here is the assembled scrap wood screen door (it’s looking great so far):

Installing Door Hinges on the DIY Screen Door

For my particular set up, it was more practical to install the hinges on the outside of the screen door frame (rather than inside, like typical door hinges are).

So rather than screwing the hinges directly into the screen door trim (which would be hideous and not very strong at all), I decided to make simple mounts for the hinges.

I cut out a small segment of the existing doorway trim, and inserted a block of wood. This piece of wood was both glued and screwed into the doorway to make a strong mount for the hinges.

Here is what one of the mounts looked like for the DIY screen door:

Attaching the Screen to the Door

After my wife painted the door, I proceeded to attach the screen to the door. I wrapped the door really tightly with the screen and stapled the perimeter of the windows with my staple gun:

Then I used my utility knife to cut away the excess screen:

I covered the staples with door trim by attaching construction adhesive and letting it dry overnight:

Attaching the DIY Screen Door Accessories

While attaching some of the screen door accessories (like hinges, handle and magnetic catch), I realized some of the screws were a bit too long.

They were sticking out the other side of the door. I remedied this by shortening the screws to the thickness of the door.

Trimming the Screws

To trim the screws, I drove them into a scrap piece of wood. Then I secured the wood in a vise and used my handy Dremel to cut off the protruding parts of the screws (via a reinforced cut-off wheel).

I made sure to wear gloves and safety goggles for this, as lots of sparks fly when cutting metal.

Here’s a picture showing my screw trimming station:

Attaching the Screen Door

To attach the DIY screen door, I placed it in the doorway and positioned it in place.

I needed a 1/8″ gap between the door and the frame. So to ensure a consistent gap along the entire perimeter, I used several wooden shims underneath and along the edges of the screen door.

Once I was satisfied with an even 1/8″ gap, I screwed on the hinges to lock the screen door in place.

For the moment of truth, I pulled out all the wooden shims and watched the screen door swing freely.

Next, I attached the door handle and a long spring to self close the door.

However, I noticed that even with the spring in place, the screen door didn’t remain closed all the way (there was about half an inch of a gap). So I used a magnetic catch to keep the door pulled in all the way.

The DIY screen door made from scrap wood was complete!

Here is the finished homemade screen door for the garage:

For a final touch, I also attached a latch to be able to keep the screen door open if needed:

The DIY screen door only took a few hours to complete (although I had to wait extra time for paint and glue to dry).

Since I reused extra wood left over from projects, my total cost for the DIY screen door was around $30 (for screen, hinges, spring, handle).

And, the flies? They can longer get into the house.

And that, my friends, is a win.

12 Things Every DIYer Needs in Their Garage

June 26, 2018 by Ash 16 Comments

With so many DIY projects in progress, our garage is usually a hot spot of disorganization. I finally got around to organizing my garage (again) last weekend.

When it was all done, I stood by the door admiring my handiwork, hoping that this is the last time I need to do a garage organization overhaul.

This time, the garage is really efficiently organized. There’s tons of DIY garage storage shelves, lots of folding and rolling work spaces, creative nooks that house frequently-used items, and a few fun things as well!

Now that every single thing has a place and is neatly organized in the garage, it makes me want to start a DIY project right away. But before I do so, I wanted to share these DIY garage storage ideas with you.

Without further ado, here is list of 12 things around my garage that I made or bought to help organize DIY projects and efficiently store tools.

Battery Charging Station

Over time, I have accrued a number of power tools with different types of batteries. I believe I have 8 different types of battery chargers. Now when I buy new cordless tools, I try my best to find ones that will work with my existing batteries.

Nevertheless, I am still stuck with an existing assortment of battery chargers that need to be organized in my garage. Managing all of them can get messy, so I decided to centralize them into a battery charging station.

It’s just a simple L shaped storage shelf off the side of one of my workbenches. This DIY garage storage idea has organized my batteries perfectly.

Hidden Workbench Storage

Of all the DIY garage storage and organization ideas, this is one of my favorites. I recently built a new rolling workbench, and mid-construction I thought about how much potential storage space was being wasted inside.

I am always on the lookout for making use of idle spaces, so I came up with the idea of hidden storage for the workbench.

So, I divided my workbench into 3 sections, and attached the top with hinges. Just under the table top, I now have huge drawers of garage storage space.

To make it even cooler, I installed some pneumatic lid supports to keep the lids in place when open. The supports also make it a lot easier to open since the lids are pretty heavy.

Rolling Tables with Storage

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wanted a workspace in the middle of the garage or out in the driveway.

So I finally drew up some garage plans for a rolling storage table, with a lot of emphasis on storage and organization.

The rolling table with storage is turning out awesome. My custom table has drawers on both sides for maximum organization. I use locking wheels so the table doesn’t roll when in storage or when I’m working on it.

Even the height of the table was carefully taken into consideration. It’s the exact height as my table saw. So when I am cutting large pieces of wood with my table saw, I can just roll out my table for extra support. When I’m done with the table, it rolls away to fit under my garage workbench and serves as static drawers.

Don’t mind the missing drawer in the picture! The table is still under construction, but very usable in its current state.

Folding Workbench

As much as I love my garage workshop, it still is just a garage. As such, our cars need to fit in there from time to time.

So, to strike a fine balance between a solid workshop and a working garage, I constructed a folding heavy duty workbench.

The folded workbench is mounted on the walls and supported by 3 floating legs. When I need to park the car in the garage, I push the legs flat against the wall, and the whole table folds down.

See my post for more details on this awesome folding workbench. It’s definitely a must-have for an organized, functional DIY garage.

Wall-Mounted Computer

A computer in the garage can be a really valuable tool.

I like to sketch 3D designs of my projects on the computer. It makes it easy to visualize how something will turn out in end, and helps me determine how much material I will need.

It’s also great for instructional YouTube videos.

When I’m not using it for projects, I just use it for music at night to keep the projects pumping along.

I built my own computer (made the case out of wood!), and mounted it high up on the wall next to a TV.

No sawdust is going to get up there. I control with with a mini wireless keyboard and built in touchpad for the mouse.

Check out my blog post for full details on my custom made garage computer – such an awesome DIY garage idea, right?!

Shelves Galore

I have to admit – I may have gone a little storage shelf crazy in my garage. In fact, I even have sub-shelves attached to larger shelves. I can’t help it – they are so practical and useful. Here is a whole subset of DIY garage organization ideas for shelving.

Extra Plywood Hack

Here I have some metal storage shelving in my garage, but I took it to the next level by bolting on some plywood to the side to store an assortment of things (like rakes, brooms, and even a chainsaw).

This has been so helpful to not have these items on the floor haphazardly.

Scrap Wood Bin

Using otherwise wasted corner space, I built a scrap wood bin, and attached some shelves above it to store the smaller pieces (that would normally get lost in a bin).

The bin and accompanying shelves house all of my scrap wood, emptying out other areas of the garage. Plus, all of my scrap wood is easy to find for my DIY projects made entirely of scrap wood.

Mini Shelves

Here is a mini shelf I built for holding some plastic drawers. The plastic drawers are holding the items for the computer/TV. Whenever I have an item that I don’t have a great place for, I just make my own little stand or shelf to hold it.

Sliding Shelf Tower

I also made a storage tower with sliding shelves for the garage. It holds a TON of things on it. Check out the blog post for the sliding shelf organization plans and design. This is Eileen’s favorite part of the garage because of the all the storage. In fact, she’s been wanting a few of these storage shelves that slide in the basement.

Sub-Shelves

Here’s the sub-shelf I mentioned earlier. I couldn’t stand looking at the empty void beneath one of my larger shelves. So one day I tossed together some scrap wood for a mini shelf attached underneath.

French Cleat Shelves

French cleat shelves are awesome. I made these storage shelves from scratch with a french cleat mounting system. They hang very sturdily off the wall, and lift off with ease for me to carry around on various projects.

See my blog post about french cleat shelves to learn more about them.

Repurposed Shelves

Here I repurposed some closet wire shelves for spray cans. My neighbor tossed them out one day, and my eyes lit up. Free storage!

Don’t underestimate something that you or someone else is getting rid of – especially something that can be used as shelving.

Various Storage Bins

Storage bins are great for screws and commonly used things like driver bits and washers.

I dedicated a number of shelves to just storage bins. I even mounted some storage bins to the wall for easy access.

They are also very portable. You can take them around with you during your project instead of having to run back to the garage every time you run out.

Folding Stands for Bulky Tools

If you don’t have the space in your garage workshop to dedicate to certain bulky tools (like table saws and miter saws), then consider folding stands for them.

My table saw came with a built in folding stand. It allows me to fold up the saw and store it upright. It saves a considerable amount of space. The stand also makes it very portable. I can just wheel my table saw where ever I need to use it.

Similarly , I bought a folding stand for my miter saw. I get the same organization perks in the garage as my folding table saw.

In addition, it comes with extending arms to help support long pieces of lumber I need to cut.

Easy Access to Power Tools

Whenever I need to plug in a tool for power, I never have to wander too far for an outlet. With this awesome extension cord holder, I just grab the cord and pull out however much I need.

When I’m done, I crank the handle to reel the cord back in. This extension cord holder is probably the most used contraption in my garage.

To make it even more convenient, I mounted it on hinges so it can fold away when not being used.

Here’s a really good tip. If you use a lot of power-hungry tools (like table saws, miter saws, or even large shop vacs), I highly recommend a pair of dedicated 20 amp outlets, on their own breaker.

I hired an electrician to install this for me, but it was pretty cheap. I can’t tell you how many times I used to fire up my table saw just to trip the 15 amp family room breaker. My wife was not very happy sitting in the dark when previously she was just enjoying The Bachelor.

Having a pair of outlets on their own breaker also means you can even run multiple high wattage tools simultaneously and never have to worry about making trips to reset breakers.

Overhead Storage

Your garage ceiling is prime real estate for storage.

It’s completely out of the way, but there for you when you need it.

So take full advantage of any free space up there. I’ve been using some heavy duty U bars bolted to my ceiling joists to store most of my lumber.

I just grab a ladder or stepping tool when I need to access them.

There’s a wide market of ceiling mounted storage accessories for you to check out. Just be weary of their load limits and make sure you attach them to ceiling joists with lag bolts.

Magnetic Tool Holders

I recently picked up a handful of magnetic bars to store loose tools. They are an awesome organizational tool. I tacked them onto any free surface that made sense.

I use the magnetic tool storage holders to store wrenches, screwdrivers, loose screws, basically anything that is made from metal. Magnetic bars make it so convenient to quickly grab a tool, then slap it back on the bar when done. And they are pretty cheap!

Blowing Off Some Steam

Not all DIY projects are full of bliss. There are times you will get frustrated. At the end of a hard day, you’ll probably want to let off some steam.

That’s why I built a boxing speed bag platform in the middle of my garage workflow.

It’s stowable too so it rises out of the way when not in use. It’s even secured to the ceiling with rubber dampeners to reduce the noise.

Check out my blog post for more details on my boxing speed bag platform.

That’s it! I hope my list gives you some ideas for your own DIY garage storage and organization projects.

Let me know what cool things you have in your garage, especially DIY garage storage ideas. I’m always on the lookout for more things that can make my garage workshop time be more efficient and productive.

7 Easy DIYs for Your Walls

June 5, 2018 by Eileen 24 Comments

This post is sponsored by Stencil Revolution. All opinions are entirely my own.

Even though we moved into our home years ago, we still had way too many bare walls in our home.

The walls were my last priority in getting ourselves unpacked and settled. So, picture frames sat in boxes in the garage for months and months.

What I didn’t know in my procrastination was that I could have been using all that blank wall space to our advantage.

Wall space isn’t just for pictures – it’s a gem of versatility! From floating shelves to accent walls to cool wall hangings to easy DIY wall art ideas, here are six easy DIYs for your walls so they will no longer be bare or boring.

1. Build Simple Shelves

One of my favorite spots in our home is my craft room, which is just a sitting room off our bedroom. When we moved in, we had no idea what we were going to do with it. Ha! I’ve completely taken it over with craft supplies.

When I had filled every inch, I moved to the walls.

We built two simple shelves with the dimensions to fit four fabric storage bins on each. That’s eight storage bins – filled to the brim – and not taking up any closet or desk space!

If you’re running out of space in your home, take a look at your empty walls, and see where you could put up a few storage shelves.

2. Make a Cool Wall Hanging

It’s hard to find the perfect wall hanging to go over couches and beds because they need to be so big to look nice. And, art is expensive! So, why not DIY it?

I partnered with Stencil Revolution to create this awesome stenciled world map wall hanging.

They have really cool stencils, and they have more than half a dozen sizes for each stencil. So you can paint a giant wall with a huge stencil or make a custom DIY piece like I did.

To make this, I first measured the area above the couch in the craft room. Then, I ordered the world map stencil size that was a little smaller.

After that, I put together three wooden boxes, painted them white, and then used the world map stencil.

As far as the paints, I used acrylic paint and faded one color into the next.

It looks amazing in my craft room above the couch – it fits the area perfectly and I got to create something exactly the way I wanted. Definitely check out the stencils that Stencil Revolution has 🙂

Rather than have blank walls above couches or beds, think about making a custom DIY piece with cool stencils. This is one of my favorite easy DIY wall art ideas 🙂

3. Create Gallery Wraps

Another way to create wall art is by making your own gallery wraps.

Simply purchase a few canvases from the craft stores, and then find some wall decals that fit the theme of the room. Paint the canvases and then apply the wall decals. I painted some a solid blue and others striped. The striped ones added some extra flair.

You could also use stencils on these gallery wraps too. These are great for nurseries or kids rooms.

And, if the decals come up easily, you can swap out the decals for other ones as the kids grow up.

These canvases are definitely a go-to project for easy DIY wall art ideas.

4. Put Together Scrap Wood Picture Ledges

These picture ledges were free! Yes, you read that right 🙂 We made them out of scrap wood laying around the garage (I love a good scrap wood project) and painted them with paint we had on hand.

The little ledge at the end is perfect for holding picture frames, and I emptied an entire box of frames. The picture frames perfectly took up the wall space in between two windows.

Not only were the ledges free, but it took just a few hours to put together.

5. Spray Paint Frames for an Artistic Gallery

If you’re looking to make a gallery but can’t find enough frames that will compliment each other, use spray paint.

I had an entire gallery of brown wooden frames, but two of the embroidered pictures had frames that just didn’t go.

With a little painter’s tape and some spray paint, the pictures now fit perfectly.

Galleries are a fun way to hang pictures – especially in hallways or staircases. It can definitely add some character to these places.

6. Create an Accent Wall

I love a gorgeous accent wall, and it’s an amazing way to bring character and flair to your space.

There are so many ways to create an accent wall – you can wallpaper, you can stencil an accent wall, or you can paint – a whole wall one color or a simple striped wall.

One of my favorite things about an accent wall is it saves you from painting the whole room – just updating one wall usually is enough.

7. Hang Pegboard for Office or Craft Supplies

This is another of my favorite DIYs from my craft room.

By installing pegboard, I was able to empty my entire desk. In fact, I got rid of my desk of drawers for a much simple table-desk design.

I didn’t know if I would like the pegboard because I would have to put everything back always (something I’m not great at), but I LOVE it! It looks so cool, and I can see everything.

Also, I don’t get asked questions by my husband and kids about where my scissors or markers are because everything is in plain sight. My son has a little spot on the edge, where he stores his markers and paint brushes too.

If you have overlooked wall space in your home, turn it into a fun DIY project.

You can use wall space for storage – floating shelves, storage shelves, pegboard organization, or built-in cabinets. You can use the space for fun décor to add a little style in. You easily update or modernize your home with cool pictures or wall hangings with these easy DIY wall art ideas.

Wall space is undoubtedly a little gem that can be used in efficient or creative ways. If you’re looking to add a little flair to your walls, definitely try one of the above DIYs.

You’ll be loving your wall space in no time.

How to Get Amazing Results with Milk Paint

April 8, 2018 by Eileen 51 Comments

Learn how to use milk paint to refinish furniture with this easy tutorial. This amazing before and after shows just how easy and beautiful milk paint turns out.

This post is sponsored by The Real Milk Paint Company. All opinions are entirely my own.

Ever since I painted an old nightstand with chalk paint, I was hooked on using alternatives to regular latex paint.

For me, chalk paint was one of the easiest ways to transform old furniture and the results were amazing.

Since I had such a great experience with chalk paint, I had been wanting to work with milk paint.

Yes, there is a difference between the two! Milk paint comes in powder form, so you mix it with water.

Milk paint is always non-toxic, which is a huge bonus.

We have been moving toward having a more organic and natural lifestyle, and with our love for DIY, milk paint seemed like a natural next step for us.

So, our first milk paint project was giving an old dresser a makeover. This dresser was given to us from my aunt and uncle and it easily dated back to the 1950s.

My goal was to bring some new life into this old piece by using milk paint.

The dresser was really tall, and I recently saw that you can run furniture through a tablesaw to shorten it! So, I gave my husband the challenge of shortening the dresser, thinking it would make for a less bulky piece.

Below is the old dresser, in its original form.

My husband accepted my challenge and transformed the tall dresser into a shorter one using a jigsaw (for those details check out how to shorten a tall dresser).

I was so thrilled with how the four drawer dresser looked and couldn’t wait to start refinishing it with milk paint.

For a sneak preview of how the dresser turned out, check out the picture below. The milk paint completely transformed this old piece, and now I’m hooked on milk paint!

If you have an old piece of furniture that you’d like to redo, milk paint can completely make it over. From choosing a paint to putting on new hardware, all the details are in this simple tutorial.

How to Choose Milk Paint

When researching milk paints to use on furniture, I came across the Real Milk Paint Company and loved how natural the paint was. Their paint is entirely environmentally-friendly.

There’s absolutely no VOCs in the Real Milk Paint, and it is completely non-toxic. It’s made from iron oxide pigment, milk casein, and lime. You can literally discard the paint in your garden.

Crazy, right?!

After reading all the benefits of the Real Milk Paint Company’s paint, I knew it was the perfect choice for my next DIY furniture transformation project.

How to Prepare Furniture for Painting

First, you want to clean your piece and remove any hardware. Sometimes your piece of furniture might be old, and the hardware might be difficult to remove.

Ours was like this too, and we have a great tip in the a below section (How to Put New Knobs on a Dresser).

Now with milk paint, you need to be able to get the milk paint to stick to the surface of the furniture. So, you have two choices:

You can either sand down your piece OR
You can use a bonding agent in your milk paint.

If you use a bonding agent in your milk paint, you eliminate the need to sand.

For this old dresser, we did a little bit of both to prepare the furniture for milk paint. We sanded down the top of the dresser to give it a fresh start, but we mixed the bonding agent in the paint for the rest of the dresser.

You only need to mix in the bonding agent with the first coat. So, if you make another batch of paint for subsequent milk paint coats, you don’t need a bonding agent.

The Real Milk Paint Company has a product called Ultra Bond, which is really simple to just add into your mixed paint. Then, you don’t have to sand your piece, which does save a lot of time.

Milk Paint Material List

The following list of materials is what we used to transform this old dresser. I highly recommend getting a new high-quality bristle brush when working with milk paint, but more on that later.

French Gray milk paint
Lakeview Blue milk paint
Ultra Bond – This is the bonding agent which eliminates the need to sand your furniture.
Finishing Cream
Bristle paint brushes – This is a great brush set for milk painting.
Measuring cup – I grabbed an old 1/4 cup from the kitchen.
Cup for water – Plastic solo cups work well.
Plastic spoons – These are helpful for dipping into the finishing cream and milk paint powder.
New hardware – This is your preference but updating old hardware is such a great upgrade! And, I’m loving these half moon drawer pulls.

How to Mix Milk Paint

Milk paint comes in a powder form. Don’t let this scare you though because mixing the milk paint couldn’t be easier!

You definitely don’t need to be an artist or a even cook to be able to mix and measure your milk paint.

It’s a one-to-one ratio, so the measuring is simple.

And then you just shake, shake, shake.

So I was mixing the Real Milk Paint Company’s French Gray with just a little bit of their Lakeview Blue. However, I LOVED the French Gray so much that I added very little of the Lakeview Blue in.

To start, I grabbed a quarter cup from the kitchen and a few plastic spoons. I also filled a red solo cup with water.

Out in the garage, I scooped out a quarter cup of the French Gray and dumped it in the paint can.

Then I scooped one spoonful of Lakeview Blue and added it in.

Then, I filled the quarter cup again with water and dumped this into the can. I also added one spoonful of water (to balance out the blue) and added that to the mix too.

I closed the paint can and started shaking it up. You’ll hear the marble that comes with the can bouncing around.

This helps to mix the paint up.

After giving it a really good shake, let it sit for 20 minutes. After that, if any clumps come to the surface, simply shake it up again.

That’s it! Easy, right?!

Milk Paint Mixing Tip: If you are going to mix colors, make sure to write down exactly what you mixed so that you can create the same color again.

Testing Your Color

As tempted as you will be to start painting, it’s best to test your color first. You want to make sure the color dries the way you like it.

So, pick a small little area and give the color a little while to dry to make sure you like it.

The French Gray and Lakeview Blue mix that I conjured up was more powder blue than charcoal blue, so I decided that when I made another batch, that I would use a smaller amount of Lakeview Blue.

This was one of my favorite parts of painting with milk paint – you make your own color!

Of course, there are base colors to start with, and then you can add other colors in to achieve the look you want.

With regular latex paint, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve taken a can of paint back because it wasn’t exactly what I had in mind.

With milk paint, you eliminate all that by making your own color.

How to Use Milk Paint on a Dresser

Okay, I simply cannot stress this enough, but you need to use a really, really good paintbrush with milk paint.

You might not want to go digging in your bucket of brushes and instead just buy a couple really nice ones.

You’ll thank yourself later when you love your refinished piece.

If you use a poor paintbrush, you’ll end up with lots of streaks and uneven surfaces. But a smooth bristle brush will give your surface a really nice look.

Where to Start with Milk Paint

So, back to painting. Now that your paint is mixed and you’re happy with the color, it’s time to get started.

I would choose a small area to start in, so that you get used to the milk paint on a smaller surface.

Rather than jumping right into the top of the dresser, I started on a drawer.

Starting on a drawer gave me a smaller area to work on so that I could perfect my milk painting technique.

As you’re painting, keep your water cup near your paint can, because depending on how thick your mix is or what coat of paint you are working on, you might need to add some water.

Tricks to Painting with Milk Paint

Milk paint has a different consistency than regular paint and a different consistency than chalk paint. It’s not as smooth as either of those. It can be watery, thick, or can even clump together.

Light Coats – The trick is you want to give your furniture light coats.

Don’t clump on thick layers of paint because milk paint doesn’t work this way. Paint will start to build up in places and start to crack. Light coats are key.

The milk paint might look streaky because you’ll see the wood coming through, but that’s okay. Another coat or two of milk paint will even it out.

Even Brushing – Another tip is that milk paint usually dries the way you are painting it on.

So, you want to make sure you are running your brush from one end of the piece to the other, so you don’t have brush strokes on your piece.

f you’re seeing brush strokes when you paint, you will see these when it dries.

Adding Water – If you’re painting and the milk paint seems too thick and it isn’t spreading well, then dip the very, very edges of your brush into your water cup.

A little water goes a long way. Then attempt to spread the paint.

You also might do this with a second or third coat to help the paint spread better.

Now, if your paint becomes bubbly, you have too much water. Keep going over the bubbles with the brush, until they are completely gone.

Getting into a Rhythm – I think the best tip I could give you is to just work with the paint, and the more you work with it, the more you’ll find a good consistency and technique for you.

As you start painting, you’ll start to get into a rhythm and notice what works well for you.

How to Use Milk Paint on Furniture Video

In the below video, I show you my process for painting with milk paint, using a drawer as a test piece. 🙂

My Milk Paint Process

Just to back track, after painting a test spot with milk paint, I went on to paint a drawer.

I was happy with that, so I continued onto painting the rest of the drawers.

After the drawers, I was comfortable with my consistency and I moved onto painting the top of the dresser.

It took me a little while to paint the top of the dresser with milk paint. I started in small areas, like I mentioned above and continued to keep smoothing out the milk paint.

I didn’t do the rounded sides of top quite yet because the milk paint dried so fast – that I was spending all the time getting the top to look perfect.

After I was pleased with the top, I moved onto the front of the dresser and the rounded sides. For the rounded sides, I wanted to paint these with precision.

I needed to be careful not to get any paint on the dresser top – since I had already painted that and it had dried. For the rounded sides of the dresser top, I used a small brush from my craft room.

Pictured below is the whole dresser after one coat of milk paint.

It was a little more blue than I wanted, so the next coat I mixed up, I used just a half spoonful of Lakeview Blue.

And, the third coat of milk paint, I used all French Gray.

The picture below is after the first coat – so the dresser was looking quite blue.

I continued on to paint two really good coats of milk paint on the entire dresser, and then a third light topcoat.

Letting the Milk Paint Dry

Milk paint dries super fast, so you can knock out a milk painting project in a short amount of time.

Paint a coat, head inside for a snack, and by the time you’re done that snack, you can probably do another coat.

That’s why milk painting is a great naptime project for mommas!

How to Apply Finish to Milk Paint

Applying the finish to the milk paint dresser couldn’t have been easier. Once the milk paint furniture is dry, you can apply your finish.

We used the low sheen finishing cream from The Real Milk Paint Company. I simply scooped a dollop out with a spoon and then used an old sock to rub it all over the dresser.

You use enough of it to cover your area. It was super easy.

The finishing cream is non-toxic – and doesn’t have any kind of smell. Only one coat was necessary too!

Milk Paint Finishing Tip: Some of the milk paint pigment might rub off on your cloth. This is normal. If your piece of furniture is more than one color then you might want to use a separate cloth for each milk painted color you are applying the finish to.

How to Put New Knobs on the Dresser

Part of the upgrade that we were giving the dresser was new hardware. I loveee adding new hardware to old pieces because it is an instant upgrade.

Prior to painting, when I removed the original hardware, I had a little trouble removing a few of the old knobs.

Some of the screw heads started to strip with my screwdriver because of the age, so I used my impact driver to easily remove them with no damage.

In putting the new knobs on the dresser, I decided to use round knobs on the top small drawers and half moon shell knobs on the rest of the drawers.

This made the two smaller drawers the easiest to upgrade as it was just a matter of swapping the old knobs with the new ones.

The larger drawers needed some additional holes drilled to accommodate the half moon shell drawer pulls. I used a ruler to line up the existing holes.

My husband helped me out with this since my kids’ naptimes had ended.

He drilled new holes parallel to the ruler, offset by 2.5″ from the old holes (the spacing required for the new handles).

Excited to see the refinished dresser with the new hardware, I laughed when I saw that my husband installed all the half moon drawer pulls upside down haha! (see below).

He thought the half moon shell pulls were like little bowls 🙂

After having a quick chuckle, I easily flipped the half moon drawer pulls. It was just a quick fix to flip them, and voila! The refinished dresser was done.

I finished the piece just as the sun was setting and was anxious to move it inside.

Once inside, I quickly adorned it with some of my favorite decor, including the below picture of my late grandmother.

So fitting too because she was a DIYer back before the term ever existed. A flea market fanatic decades before all of the network shows.

Boy, she would have loved to have known about milk paint.

Overall, I was so thrilled with how the refinished dresser looked in our home. It was truly quite a makeover.

If you are looking to transform an old piece of furniture or if you are just looking for a non-toxic, child-friendly, pet-friendly safe paint, definitely check out The Real Milk Paint Company.

They offer tons of colors (and you can mix even more yourself), the paint is easy to work with, your painting projects and possibilities are endless, and most importantly, the paint is safe.

How to Shorten a Tall Dresser

March 27, 2018 by Ash 38 Comments

My wife is always coming home with new furniture – chairs, dressers, nightstands, tables. She loves to redo them, and they always turn out really nice.

Recently Eileen’s aunt and uncle gave her an old dresser from when her uncle was quite little. The dresser needed a little TLC, and so we had a plan to make it over with milk paint.

However, after watching a little too much HGTV, Eileen saw a couple of DIYers run a dresser through a tablesaw. So as Eileen was out in the driveway getting ready to paint the dresser, she got a vision of how nice the tall dresser would look if it were shorter.

Now, I’ve never had modify furniture in this manner before, so… challenge accepted.

How to Shorten a Tall Dresser

Here is the dresser in its original lanky self:

Eileen wanted the new height to be comparable to some existing dressers in our house, so I set my target height to around 34.”

There were a number of ways I thought to accomplish this. I settled on the simplest method of cutting a section off the bottom, and relocating some trim to conceal my work.

To make a quick prototype, I toppled the behemoth and lopped off its legs to get close to our target height:

Once we were satisfied with the feel of the new height of the shortened, it was time to dig into the details to restore the look.

At this point, it looked like a giant box with just the legs cut off:

To unbox the look, I marked out cutting lines with my golden trio – measuring tape, speed square and pencil:

My jigsaw made short work of cutting this dresser:

Here I extracted some trim for relocation:

Unfortunately, some of the trim had wood glued into some grooves that I needed exposed. So I clamped them down in my JawHorse and chiseled out the grooves:

In the process of shifting all the trim upwards, I exposed some more grooves in the new legs. I didn’t want to leave the grooves there and risk pieces of the legs breaking off.

So I filled in those grooves with scrap cut-offs accompanied by a generous serving of wood glue:

Once the wood glue dried, I trimmed and sanded the cut-offs with my random orbital sander, resulting in some solid looking legs:

All the trim was now relocated and the dresser reconstruction was completed:

We were so pleased with how the tall dresser was now shortened and couldn’t wait for the next step of the project – making it over with milk paint.

Check back next week to see the complete dresser makeover!

How to Build Ramps, Steps, and Custom Doors for a DIY Shed

March 22, 2018 by Ash 26 Comments

Almost any shed can benefit from a ramp and steps.

Such is the case with my shed.

If you’ve been following along with me as I built my shed from scratch, my storage shed plans included a spot for both steps and a ramp.

If you missed my previous posts, check out my Shed Project Phase 1 (how to build a shed foundation and framing) and my Shed Project Phase 2 (how to build paneling and roofing for a shed).

So back to my shed plans. My plans included having two entrances – a double door entrance for the riding mower and a single door entrance to access backyard storage and garden supplies.

For the riding mower entrance, my plan was to build a ramp, and then the steps were a necessity for the second entrance, due to how high above the ground the door was.

I built the ramp, steps, and doors from scratch. Keep reading for the details.

I originally wanted to put the ramp on the right side of the shed, but due to the slope of the ground, it wasn’t very practical anymore. So I adapted my plans to put the shed ramp on the left side and put steps on the right side.

How to Build Steps for a Shed

The shed steps for the single door were pretty easy to build. I bought 3 pre-cut step stringers from Home Depot.

Step stringers are the support pieces at the sides of the structure that hold up the steps you walk on.

I did have to measure the maximum height from the shed floor to the ground to buy the right length step stringer though.

It turned out that 3 step stringers were adequate.

As for the actual steps, I trimmed some 2 x 4s lengthwise with my table saw, and assembled them like a boardwalk.

I used 3 pieces of wood per step, with a little spacing in between.

To connect the stringers to the shed, I used a joist hanger. It’s just a U-shaped metal bracket that’s screwed into the floor joists on the shed, and each stringer rests inside.

As for where the stringers met the ground, there needed to be a solid foundation.

To achieve this, I buried some concrete blocks slightly below ground level and rested the stringers on them.

I also attached some 2 x 4 spacers in between the stringers and fastened them to the concrete using special Tapcon screws.

After I covered up the concrete blocks with dirt, you couldn’t tell they were there.

The concrete blocks gave the shed steps a really solid feel when you walked on them.

Here’s a picture of the completed shed steps:

The boardwalk style steps added a nice touch to the plywood shed.

Later on, I covered up the fronts of the steps with a thin piece of plywood, and then applied a good deck stain to protect the wood.

How to Build a Ramp for a Shed

The ramp construction was similar to the steps in that it used stringers and hidden concrete block supports. To learn how to build a ramp for a shed, read the step-by-step instructions below.

Determining the Ramp Angle

For the shed ramp, I first had to determine the angle of the slope.

If I made the shed ramp length too short, the slope would be too steep and cause me problems when driving the mower up. Either the bottom of the mower would hit the top of the ramp, or the mower would not have enough power to climb the slope.

Too long of a shed ramp would not look that great, and it would take up valuable yard space.

After some research, I decided to go with a 4-foot shed ramp. It was going to make a slightly steeper than normal ramp, but I was okay with this.

Five foot ramps seemed to be the most common length for a shed ramp. Yet, I wanted to compromise between functionality and aesthetics (be sure to keep reading this section to see how this turned out).

Once I determined my shed ramp length and angle, I cut 5 stringers out of 2 x 6 wood.

Leveling the Ramp Foundation

The next step was to set and level the concrete blocks for the lower foundation. The leveling took a little bit of time because I had to get each stringer to sit perfectly flat on the blocks while maintaining an even ramp surface.

Attaching Stringers for the Shed Ramp

Once leveled, I worked on attaching the stringers to the shed.

Instead of using joist hangers like I did with the steps, I needed something much stronger to hold the weight of the riding mower.

Based on my research on shed ramp design, I went with a ledger mount. This was just a piece of wood attached to the shed that the stringers rested on for primary support.

To make the ledger, I just bolted a giant 2 x 10 piece of wood to the floor joists.

Near the bottom of the 2 x 10, I bolted on a 2 x 4 for the ramp stringers to rest on.

While the ledger handled the vertical load on the ramp, I didn’t want any lateral movement, so I used two types of fasteners to secure the stringers to the ledger.

The first were some L brackets to keep the stringers in place (just one L bracket per stringer).

The second fasteners used were the 6-inch TimberLok screws I had secured the roof joists with.

Before I used them on the stringers, I wanted to secure the lower portion of the stringers to the concrete blocks first.

The TimberLok screws would really lock the stringers in place, preventing me from adjusting them on concrete blocks.

Building the Ramp Foundation On the Shed

Onto the foundation for the shed ramp now – just like the steps, I used some wooden 2 x 4 spacers between the stringers.

I attached them to the stringers with L brackets and used some more Tapcon screws to secure the spacers to the concrete blocks.

With the shed ramp foundation set, I ran one TimberLok screw per stringer at an angle through the top middle of the stringer, straight through the 2 x 10 into the shed floor joists.

This made a very tight connection between the stringers and the shed.

There was going to be no lateral movement here. The whole ramp for the shed was extremely solid at this point.

Here’s a picture of what the shed ramp looked like so far:

Here’s a close-up of the stringer foundation where I used a Tapcon screw to secure the spacers to the concrete blocks:

And, here’s a close-up of the stringer/ledger connection where I used an L bracket and a 6-inch TimberLok screw:

Completing and Testing the Shed Ramp

To finish the ramp, I screwed on some sheets of ¾” thick pressure treated plywood, as seen in the picture below (I would also later apply a coat of deck paint to protect it from the weather):

At this point, I was very excited. I could finally drive the mower into the shed using the ramp.

So I wasted no time and retrieved the mower from the garage. I positioned it carefully at the bottom of the shed ramp, put it into gear and slowly drove up.

Everything was looking great….until I made it halfway up the ramp.

The mower did not have the power to drive up the shed ramp at my current speed. I should have gone with the 5-foot ramp design with a more gentle slope.

So I tried a different approach to getting up the shed ramp. I reversed down the ramp, put the throttle on max, and let go of the brake.

The mower shot up the shed ramp and successfully made its way into the shed.

This is how I park my mower today.

It took a little bit to get used to, but I have to drive up the shed ramp at near full speed, with care not to drive into the shed wall at the back.

Installing Windows and Building Doors for the Shed

At this point, I was almost finished building the shed.

I just had to attach some more trim to the shed exterior, and install the windows and doors on the shed.

How to Install Windows on a Shed

The shed windows went on easily. I first used window flashing tape to seal the window frame and the siding.

Then I ran caulk along the shed window perimeter (on the flashing) and placed the window in the opening.

The caulk held the window in place long enough for me to drive some nails through the window nailing strips.

Then I covered the flashing and nailing strips with trim.

Here’s a picture of one of the completed windows that I installed on the shed:

How to Build Doors for a Shed

For the shed door, I custom built the doors following the steps in the shed design plans.

I needed 3 doors for the shed – a single door by the steps, and double doors by the ramp.

They were constructed with a rectangular frame of 2 x 4s sandwiched between two sheets of T1-11 siding.

For the trim design, I did some research online and found several patterns to show Eileen.

She has an eye when it comes to design and picked a pattern she liked. It looked fancy but was very easy to cut with my miter saw.

Eileen primed and painted the doors for me to match the shed.

To install the shed doors, I put them in place and spaced them properly in the door frame with some wooden shims.

These were some seriously heavy doors, and as such, needed some heavy duty hinges (3 per door).

I screwed the hinges onto the shed door frame and the shed door (making sure to hit the wooden frame inside the door).

Once all the door hinges were installed, I removed the shims, and voila – the shed doors swung open nicely.

To wrap up, I screwed on a door handle and a bolt lock.

Here’s a picture of the double doors installed with my fancy trim work:

Adding Lattice Under the Shed

Almost done with the shed now! Time for some final touches.

Since the shed foundation rested on concrete blocks, there were large gaps under the shed where animals could enter and reside.

Because I did not have any future plans to open my shed up for tenants, I wanted to seal up the underneath area.

We have groundhog problems, and they live under the sheds of our neighbors.

I came up with the cheap and easy solution of using plastic lattice fence.

These came in 2’ x 8’ strips which I cut to fit using my table saw. The lattice was already white and matched the shed trim.

Installing Lighting on the Shed

I also wanted some lighting for the shed when it was dark. I opted to use a solar panel motion LED light.

So I mounted the lights in between the shed door entrances. Then, I positioned the solar panel on the right side of the shed where the most sunlight was available.

Here is a picture of the completed DIY plywood shed. You can see both doors and windows, with the solar panel on the side:

Time and Cost of Building a Shed from Scratch

Finally, I completed the shed!

It took about 2 months for me to single-handedly build the shed, and it cost about $3000.

I did my research online and estimated that a pre-built shed this size and quality would have been more than $7000. Building it myself netted huge savings.

The shed freed up a lot of space in the garage too. The riding lawn mower, push mower, wheelbarrow, gardening tools, and other large items fit in there with lots of room to spare. It definitely provides a lot of storage space.

We even put all of our summer patio furniture in there during the winter – with space left over.

It was definitely a worthwhile endeavor.

With no construction background, and never having built anything close in capacity to a shed, I impressed my wife, my neighbors, and myself by building a shed.

Future Shed Plans

My work on the shed isn’t over yet though. I still have some interior plans for it.

Down the road, I plan to install shelves and other organizational units. I also want to install another solar motion light inside the shed too.

Additionally, I envision a partial interior wall to provide more wall space for hanging tools (in case the four shed walls weren’t enough), and possibly utilizing the roof rafters for some storage.

The sky’s the limit, and you can bet there will be a blog post to tell you all about it!

If you missed Building a Shed Phase 1 (Foundation and Framing) or Building a Shed Phase 2 (Paneling and Roofing), be sure to check them out.

How to Build a Hexagon DIY Planter Box

March 13, 2018 by Eileen 40 Comments

One of Ash’s favorite meals is a simple pot of rice and beans – but he gives it a little kick with a hot pepper called a wiri wiri pepper. It’s a Caribbean hot pepper, so it’s hard to find around here.

Luckily, Ash’s mom had a plant to give him. She was happy to pass it on because they were having trouble growing it in their soil.

That’s how the wiri wiri pepper plant on our fireplace came to be.

But here’s the ridiculous part – Ash didn’t have a planter around, so he looked around the garage and ended up planting it in a fish bowl. It’s even more ridiculous that the fish bowl wasn’t meant for fish – it was originally going to be a helmet for a robot scarecrow.

So, it was only a matter of time until I suggested a proper planter with some drainage, rather than the silly fish bowl. I was thinking we could make a collection of planters too, so I could plant some herbs. The wiri wiri pepper was growing really well on the fireplace, so why not try my hand at a little indoor garden.

How to Build a Hexagon DIY Planter Box

While thinking about a creative DIY planter box to make, I remembered how much our toddler loves (and I mean LOVES) shapes. Rather than asking people their favorite color or favorite food, he asks them what their favorite shape is.

And, he can rattle off everyone’s favorite shape: “Grandma loves triangles and daddy loves triangles and I love hexagons and mommy, she loves hearts.”

So, rather than making a couple ole rectangular planters, we decided to be a little creative with shapes for our DIY planter boxes.

With DIY planter boxes, you can either fill the box up with dirt or just conceal a pot inside. Putting dirt directly inside the box requires the use of certain types of wood (like cedar) or protective stain treatment (I highly recommend a non-toxic stain if growing herbs). Without this, the wood may start to rot quickly. Since we had a lot of scrap pine board cutoffs in the garage, we went the simplier route and decided to just hide a terracotta pot inside our hexagon planter box.

Materials

1×8 board, 6′
1/4″ plywood sheet (2’x2′)
wood glue
finishing nails

Instructions for Building a Hexagon DIY Planter

To build a hexagon DIY planter box, we needed six identical wooden segments to make the six sides of the hexagon.

Then for each segment, we needed to bevel the edges at a 30 degree angle so that they could fit together seamlessly to form the hexagon. Bevelling the edges was a breeze with our table saw.

Once we had 6 segments, it was time to connect them together with wood glue and finishing nails.

We used a clamp (our handy JawHorse) to hold the segments in place to help with this process.

Here is Ash applying some wood glue to a segment:

Next, we pressed another segment against the glue, and used two finishing nails to hold the pieces in place while the glue dried.

Then, Ash used his finishing nail gun to speed up this task.

Here is a finished segment:

Segment by segment, the DIY hexagon planter started to take shape. When all the sides were connected, it was time to cut out a base for the wooden planter box.

To make the base, I traced the outline of the hexagon against a plywood sheet.

With the assistance of a clamp and a jigsaw, I cut the hexagon out of the plywood. I had to hold the plywood very firmly as I ran the jigsaw through the wood.

To attach the base to the planter box, we used more wood glue and finishing nails.

The hexagon planter box was mostly done at this point.

How to Build a Triangular DIY Planter Box

The triangular planter box was very similar in design to its hexagonal planter box cousin.

The main difference was the number of segments – I just needed three. The segments still needed 30 degree bevelled edges to make a seamless triangular shape.

I repeated the steps I did for the hexagon planter box, producing this nice triangle planter box.

Finishing the Planter Boxes

As with most woodworking projects, you’re not done until you give everything a good sanding.

So I used my random orbital sander to smooth all the edges, making the planter boxes easy on the hands to handle.

I haven’t decided if I am going to paint or stain these DIY planter boxes. Check back next week for an update – along with an updated picture of the wiri wiri pepper’s new home.

And as a bonus, here’s a picture of the wiri wiri pepper in the fish bowl 🙂

Building a Computer from Scrap Wood

February 25, 2018 by Ash 30 Comments

I’ve tinkered with the idea of a garage computer for some time.

I use 3D design software for a lot of projects, creating designs on my office computer and then making printouts with handwritten dimensions.

The problem with that is I can’t rotate the objects in the printouts – or zoom in to see more detail.

It would be nice to just have a computer down there in the garage so I can view my model data in a more real-time and interactive format. I could definitely see it boosting my productivity during projects in the garage. It would be like having an interactive garage assistant.

Technically I could just use a laptop down there. However, a workshop filled with sawdust is not ideal for me to bring my laptop in and out of.

So, a dedicated computer customized to better suit my workshop would be superb.

Unique Twist on a Custom-Made Computer

Being a computer guy practically my whole life, I’ve built a lot of computers from scratch. Once you’ve built one, the task becomes pretty straightforward and repetitive.

For my garage computer idea, I wanted to try something different.

Besides, my garage was already full of unique inventions (see my folding workbench or sliding storage shelf project). So, becoming an addition to my garage requires a certain level of oomph.

Here’s what a weekend of work resulted in:

The insides of a computer are fairly standard and not that exciting to look at. To garner attention, you’d want to focus on a fancy exterior.

So for my garage computer to earn an admission ticket into the garage, I decided to figure out how to build computer case out of wood – something I had never done before.

Simple Intro to Computer Design

Before I jump into details of my project, it may help a bit to know a little about how computers are built today. So, here’s a quick primer on computer design, in case you’re not too familiar with the topic.

A barebones computer system contains the following parts:

Enclosure (case)
Motherboard (with memory and CPU )
Hard drive
Power supply
Cooling fans

Computer Case

The case just houses all the components. Technically you could build a computer without a case (which I have in the past – you can get pretty creative with a bunch of computer hardware and a milk crate), but leaving all those parts exposed increases the likelihood of physical damage.

Motherboard with CPU and Memory

The motherboard is a large circuit board that almost every part plugs into and allows all these parts to talk to each other. Parts on the motherboard are typically fixed and non-customizable, with the exception of the CPU and memory.

The CPU is the brain of the computer and performs most of the calculations necessary for you to surf the web or do your taxes.

Memory is a necessity for the computer to operate. In general, the more memory you have, the better performance you’ll see, as more programs can run simultaneously.

Hard Drive and Power Supply

A hard drive stores all of your programs and documents. The bigger your hard drive, the more data you can keep.

A power supply distributes power from your electrical outlet to the various components inside the computer. Without a power supply, your computer is just a large paper weight.

Keeping It Cool

Cooling fans help maintain a proper operating temperature inside the case. Ideally, you have a fan pulling cool air into your case (where it is heated up by different parts – mainly your CPU) and another fan exhausting the hot air.

That’s it for minimum requirements for building a computer.

Now that you are enlightened, unto my custom build.

How to Build a Computer from Scratch

For this homemade computer, I wanted to make the case as small as possible, so I focused on using small parts to fit the bill. Now that you have a basic understanding of computer parts, here are the parts I used for this DIY computer.

Choosing the Right Motherboard

After some motherboard research, I settled on a Mini ITX version. These are small boards meant to fit in small cases.

There are lots of Mini ITX motherboards on the market. The one I bought came with a CPU already. Actually, it was a CPU/GPU hybrid chip (GPUs boost the graphics performance on your computer, like how smoothly I could rotate my 3D designs in tinkercad), so that was a nice bonus.

Passive Cooling

Even better, my motherboard came with a passive cooling system. Most CPUs get really hot and need a metal heatsink (a metal block with lots of fins) and fan directly on top to dissipate the heat.

This extra hardware equates to more space needed in my case.

A passive cooling system ditches the fan for just a low profile heat sink, and relies on the case doing a good cooling job. Passive cooling really only works on low powered CPUs, such as the one that came with my Mini ITX motherboard.

Additional Components

As for the rest of the components, I had a 4 GB memory stick lying around from previous builds that would be adequate for my usage.

I also had a spare 64 GB solid state drive (SSD) that I was able to reuse. An SSD type hard drive was a must-have for this build. They are a lot more reliable than alternative mechanical hard drives, and also take up a lot less physical space.

Here’s the hard drive and memory stick I used:

Finally, for cooling fans, I used spare ones lying around my office:

How to Build a Computer Case from Wood

Once the computer was built, I was ready to move on to building the computer case out of wood. It was a pretty simple process.

Assembling the Case

Constructing the case was pretty easy. Using the measurements from my design, I cut various shapes and lengths of wood. Then I used a combination of wood glue, screws and finishing nails to secure everything together.

Power Supply Holder

Here’s the power supply section coming together:

Motherboard Risers

Here I have motherboard risers in place (six wooden pegs that the motherboard will rest on):

Here’s a close-up of one of the risers, showing a screw that will secure the motherboard to the case:

Cooling Fan Brackets

Next I made plywood cutouts for the cool fan mounting brackets:

Almost Done with the Case

The case design was mostly completed at this point:

Installing a Plexiglass Window

To complete the design, I needed a piece of plywood for the cover. To give the case some more character though, I decided to put a plexiglass window in the cover.

Here I am using a Forstner drill bit to make rounded corners for the window:

Next I used a jigsaw to cut out the rest of the window:

To install the plexiglass, I cut it slightly larger than the hole. Then I attached it to the cover with some screws.

Here’s what the plexiglass looked like from underneath:

Here’s what the cover looks like from the outside (I had given the cover a coat of yellow paint by now):

Applying Paint and Polyurethane

With the whole case spray painted yellow, I decided to give it a few coats of polyurethane to make it shine.

Look how glossy a little polyurethane make things:

Installing the Electronics

With the case was completed, I could install all the electronics:

Shining Light on the Situation

For a final wow factor, I added some yellow LED lights to the interior.

Here is the case lit up at night:

Mounting in the Garage

To install in the garage, I built a simple wooden mount for the computer and attached it to the wall:

Controlling My Garage Computer

To control the computer from anywhere in the garage, I’m using a mini wireless keyboard with built in touchpad.

I also use a wireless trackball mouse too for when I need extra precision.

This was a really fun project to work on. It put a nice twist on the mundane task of building a computer.

Not only does the computer look really cool in the garage (especially in the dark with the LED lights turned on), but its been a huge time-saver for me.

I just have to look up at the screen when I need measurements for cuts or to plan out last minute design changes.

Time and Cost

In total, the project took a weekend to complete (mainly because of the paint/polyurethane drying times). Final cost was around $150 for the electronics.

No cost for the case as it was made from scrap wood lying around the garage.

Have you built a computer of your own? Share your design with me!

How to Make a Simple DIY Hook Rack

February 14, 2018 by Eileen 45 Comments

There’s one room in my house that just drives me nuts.

No organization, nothing pretty about it, and it’s not functional for our family.

This room – our mudroom – needs a complete overhaul. I mean knocking down a few walls, fresh flooring, wall paint, and a complete rearrangement.

It seems like such a big project, so we’ve been consistently putting it off until summer…summer of 2016, then summer of 2017…. and here we are in 2018. So this year is the year. Mark my words!

I decided to get started on the mudroom makeover with little tasks to make the room more functional. Plus, knocking out some of the little things always makes a large task seem smaller.

First things first, there’s nowhere for coats or bags – except a hat stand in the corner, which just makes the room look messier.

So, I decided to make a simple wall-mounted hook rack for coats, scarves, and bags.

How to Build a Wall-Mounted Hook Rack

One of the things that drives me crazy about our mudroom is that it’s so disorganized. Since my project list for this year revolves around keeping an organized home, this is the perfect place to start.

So, I killed two birds with one stone by grabbing a piece of scrap wood from the garage and using that to make this simple DIY hook rack. One less piece of wood laying around the garage, and hopefully less coats and bags around the mudroom.

Materials for the DIY Hook Rack

Piece of wood – I grabbed scrap wood from the garage that measured roughly 5″ x 24″.
Paint or stain – I stained this piece with homemade stain!
Four hooks – I picked them up at Home Depot – but these hooks are similar.
Sander – I used my random orbital sander to restore the scrap wood to its former beautiful self. I used my saw horse clamp in conjunction with this.
D-Rings – You can pick these up for a couple of bucks from the hardware store
Screwdriver, Ruler, Pencil, and Sharpie

Instructions for Making the DIY Hook Rack

Now for the instructions on how to build a wall-mounted hook rack – and I’m sure you’ll find it quite simple. First, I grabbed a piece of scrap wood that looked like it would nicely fit four hooks. It was roughly a 5″ x 24″ piece.

Sanding the Scrap Wood

I put it into my saw horse clamp, so I could easily sand it down. It was a little beat up from laying around the garage.

Next, I used the random orbital sander to smooth the wood. This is one of my favorite tools because it does a very even and consistent sanding job. I used 80 grit sanding paper for this task.

Not only did I sand both sides of the DIY hook rack to-be, but I also rounded the corners with the orbital sander. Rounded edges add a nice touch of professionalism to any piece.

They are also easier on the fingers because they remove any splinters or coarse edges. If you have a router, you can take it a step further and bevel the edges to really impress your friends.

Staining the Hook Rack

Next, I stained the hook rack. I used a homemade wood stain made from pantry items – which I am loving! I stained it right on my kitchen table with no gloves.

What a treat to use a completely chemical-free wood stain! 🙂 Check out how I made this homemade wood stain.

Marking the Hook Rack

After the stain dried, I lined up my hooks evenly and marked where they would go with a pencil. I measured about 3 1/2 inches in from each side and place hooks there. Then, I evenly spread the remaining two hooks in the middle.

I used a ruler to line the bottom of the hooks up. Then, I put a dot with a sharpie in the center of each screw hole.

I got perfectly even hooks – without using a calculator 🙂

Applying a Finish

Next, I sealed the hook rack with Annie Sloan clear wax. One day I will make my own from beeswax 🙂 Once that dried, the DIY hook rack was ready to have the hooks attached.

Attaching the Hooks

To attach the hooks, I simply used a screwdriver. The wood was soft, so there was no need to pre-drill. I used an electric screwdriver to get most of the screw in. Then, I just tightened them with a regular screwdriver.

This was partially because of the awkward angle caused by the hooks. However when working with soft wood, it’s always a good idea to use tighten up your screws manually with a screwdriver. With a power tool, you can too easily overdrive a screw in soft wood resulting in no grip at all.

In attaching the hooks, I realized that the screws that came with the hooks were too long. They would have gone right through the wood. We had smaller screws in the garage, but they didn’t match the hooks. (See mis-matched pic below)

So, I had two options.

Screw Option 1

Use the screws that came with the hooks and then use the dremel or oscillating multi-tool, to clip off the ends.

Screw Option 2

Use smaller screws of a different color and then paint the screw head to match the hook.

I went with the latter option and painted the screw head with acrylic paint. I mixed black with a little blue and then dabbed it on with a very thin brush.

Mounting the DIY Hook Rack to the Wall

In mounting the DIY hook rack to the wall, we had two options.

Mounting Option 1

The first was to use D-rings at the back (these come with most mirror/frame hanging kits). This option didn’t alter the front of the hook rack at all.

Mounting Option 2

The second option was to drill a hole on both ends of the hook rack for wall screws, and plug the heads with caps.

I opted to use the D-rings because I wanted an unblemished surface without any caps. If you end up using caps, consider getting wooden ones and stain them to match the rest of the hook rack.

Time & Cost

This project took me about an hour, if you don’t include dry time. The scrap wood was free, as well as the staining materials. I did have to purchase some D rings from the store for $4 and the hooks for about $10.

It’s already adding so much organization to our mudroom, and it is just the beginning of the mudroom makeover project. 2018 will definitely be the year. 🙂

Make Chemical-Free Wood Stain (With Kitchen Ingredients)

January 29, 2018 by Eileen 59 Comments

I was picking apples at the grocery store when my toddler asked, “Mommy, are those organic?” I laughed, thinking how he repeats absolutely everything he hears.

My husband and I have really made the push toward more natural and organic living, and it started in our kitchen.

While purging the pantry the other day, I was ready to toss some instant coffee. Before it hit the trash can, I wondered if I could use this to stain wood.

I’ve heard of staining wood with tea and steel wool, but I was interested to see if I could make a chemical-free stain.

Long story short, you can make a chemical-free, natural stain using just a few items from your pantry. Not only does this homemade stain save you money but it spares you from working with harsh chemicals.

Making Homemade Wood Stain that’s Chemical-Free

If you are looking to save a few bucks or to avoid the smells that come from store-bought wood stain, follow these simple instructions to make your own DIY wood stain. It’s simple and easy – and you get great results!

DIY Wood Stain Materials

I experimented with a bunch of mixtures to see what kind of colors they produced, and I encourage you to do the same. Write down the mixtures you make, so you see what you like and can easily replicate it. Below I’ll be sharing the mixtures I created. However, color could vary based on the brand and type of ingredients.

Scrap wood – I used a piece of pine leftover from another project
Coffee – I used two types – just a regular instant coffee and a special caramel latte.
Cocoa powder – I used Hershey’s Special Dark (because that’s what I had on hand)
Tea – I used just a regular black tea
Hot Water
Mason jars or bowls for your mixtures
Paint brush, foam brush, or rag for applying your stain

Pictured below is my setup, with all of the mentioned ingredients.

Making Wood Stain from Coffee and Chocolate

I gathered all of my materials ahead of time. With two little ones, DIY time is hard to find. So, I had all of my ingredients ready to go and jumped right into the project while my toddler was finishing up his dinner. I use every minute of the day 🙂

First, I put on a pot of tea, so I had piping hot water to use to mix the wood stain. I decided to make three mixtures. So, I filled three masons jars up a little more than halfway with the hot water.

In the first mason jar, I dropped four tea bags in.

In the second mason jar, I put two heaping spoonfuls of regular instant coffee and one heaping spoonful of cocoa powder.

And, in the third mason jar, I put two heaping spoonfuls of specialty coffee (caramel latte) and one heaping spoonful of cocoa powder.

I mixed each of them up and let them sit for 5-10 minutes.

As I was waiting for the mixtures to gain strength, I thought about how awesome it was that I could stain the wood on my kitchen table AND with my kids around! No awful fumes and no exposure to chemicals – such a win!

Not to mention, the coffees and chocolate smelled lovely – and when my little guy was done with his dinner, he helped me “paint.”

After that, I simply used the foam brush to apply the stain to the piece of pine scrap wood. The first coat was really light. You can use a hair dryer to speed up dry time, or just wait and keep reapplying.

I did three or four coats of each. Just don’t let your mixtures sit out for days – because they might grow some strange stuff inside.

Pictured below is an image I snapped after the first coat.

After a couple more coats, I was starting to see some nice colors come through.

Below is picture I snapped while the wood was still drying.

DIY Wood Stain Results

I left the piece to dry overnight and was surprised to see how the wood dried. The DIY stain looked awesome!

As far as each of the three mixtures, I found that the tea barely changed the wood color.

However, the tea would make for a GREAT homemade pre-stain, rather buying store-bought pre-stain filled with chemicals.

The wood absorbed the tea really nicely and worked just like a pre-stain would.

The two coffee mixtures were really close in color when they dried, yet I was pleased with both of them.

If you are aiming to make a darker stain, you can experiment with adding more chocolate and coffee. Just remember to write down what you did, so that you can do it again.

Seal it!

If you’re making this wood stain for a project, definitely seal it afterward. You can make a DIY stain sealer with beeswax or there are a few more natural options too. I like Annie Sloan’s furniture wax, but I’ll be DIYing a beeswax sealer in the near future.

I’ll be updating this post to let you know how the color has held up – so check back for updates.

Also, if you would like to see a project featuring this homemade wood stain from coffee and chocolate, check back later this week for my DIY hook rack project.

If you are trying to make the switch to more natural ingredients in your home, try experimenting with this homemade, chemical-free wood stain.

The wood stain is free if you have all the common household items. If you don’t, you won’t need to spend more than a few bucks. Save money and spare yourself the fumes from regular stain. Your nose will thank you 🙂

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