Creating your own furniture is a unique way to add personality and charm to your home. You can also save a lot of money on furniture. Whether your do-it-yourself furniture is custom made or comes from furniture kits, you can add your own special touches to these woodworking projects to give them more style. As with most types of home improvement projects, you will need clear instructions, proper tools, quality supplies, and appropriate safety gear.
Do-it-yourself projects have become very popular and DIY products are in abundance. From furniture kits and partially unassembled furniture, to plans that come complete with a materials list, a homeowner can find a variety of unique options for constructing do-it-yourself furniture. Your taste, style, and abilities will play a role in the options you choose.
There are DIY shows, books, magazines, websites, and videos available that offer plans for building furniture from common to very unique pieces. Do-it-yourself furniture plans may be as simple as drawings that contain measurements, lists of necessary materials, and simple instructions that can be completed with minimal skill and common supplies and tools. Other plans are more elaborate and may require unique skills, particular materials, or special tools to complete.
Home improvement shows make it look easy, but in reality constructing furniture can be a challenge, albeit a rewarding one. Each piece needs to be measured, cut, and lined up perfectly in order to build a quality, level piece of furniture. After construction, it will generally need to be sanded and sealed, stained, or painted. Do-it-yourself furniture options also include those that need very little assembly but do requiring staining or painting.
While rustic pieces seem simpler to do since the finish does not have to be perfect, they too require a certain amount of patience and practice to do well. Elaborate woodworking projects may not be for everyone. It is good to know your limitations before taking on such a task; starting with something small and simple to see how well you are able to complete a do-it-yourself furniture project is a good idea.
Assembling furniture from a kit may be a better choice for the beginner, since the measurements and cuts have been done for you. Some furniture kits even have holes already drilled and include the necessary hardware. If the instructions are thorough and clear, minimal skill and a few simple tools are all that is required to build this type of do-it-yourself furniture. These kits are readily available at many home improvement centers and even some department stores.