Projects

DIY Rustic Wooden Pumpkins

September 20, 2019

Learn how to make your own DIY rustic wooden pumpkins with this simple tutorial. These wood pumpkins are a quick and inexpensive project for all skill levels.

With the weather finally dipping into the double digits, I’m beginning to slowly pull out my fall decor. I always add a little to my decor each year. This year I decided to make some DIY rustic wooden pumpkins. I’m partnering with The Home Depot to show you how I made them using the RIDGID Octane 18V Jigsaw and RIDGID Octane 18V Compact Router.

Watch The YouTube Video

I originally built these wooden pumpkins to put out on my front porch. I then realized I loved how they look on my faux fireplace mantle. I’ve put together a video on how I made them. You can also follow along below for the step by step.

How To Build Wooden Pumpkins

These wood pumpkins are a super quick and easy project that you can build in just a few minutes (not including dry time of the stain). I purchased cedar fence slats at The Home Depot and used some scrap wood for the back supports. I love the rough look of the cedar and it lends really well to the rustic, distressed look of them.

Step 1

The number of fence slats you need to buy depends on the number of pumpkins you want to make. I purchased 5, but I really could have just gotten away with 3 of them for these two pumpkins.

I cut the slats into thirds on my miter saw, not really measuring too much. You can just eyeball it.

Step 2

Once I had my slats cut to size, I sanded them down with 150 grit sandpaper. Next, I glued and nailed the boards together. I used a piece of scrap wood for this, but you can also use a 1×2 board. I added a thin bead of glue to the edges of each of the slats, plus to the supporting boards in the back.

Step 3

Once the panels were built, I grabbed a pencil and drew out a pumpkin shape. You don’t have to be an artist for this and I didn’t stress too much about them being perfect. Pumpkins come in all shapes and sizes, so just draw out whatever you like!

Step 4

I grabbed my RIDGID Octane 18V jigsaw to cut out the pumpkin shapes. It worked so well and cut so smooth through these panels. The jigsaw has a variable speed dial but also a variable speed trigger. This gives you ultimate control over your cuts. The line start feature allows you to have more control when starting cuts. It increases in speed once the blade is fully engaged in the material. With a brushless motor, there’s more power and also extended life of the tool.

Step 5

Once the pumpkin shape was cut out, I quickly moved the battery over to my RIDGID Octane 18V Compact Router, which I fitted with the included round-over router bit. I used the round-over bit to soften the edges and prevent any splintering in the wood. I loved the weight and feel of this compact router. I’ve used it several times on other projects and it never disappoints. It’s equipped with soft-start technology which prevents it from catching the material and creating any gouges. One of my favorite features is the on/off switch on the side of the router. Once I’m finished using it, I can easily just move my finger up and switch it off without having to move my hand placement at all. For me, that’s a huge plus for not only ease of use, but also safety. Another plus is that the jigsaw comes with two different edge guides. The square one shown as well as a round one. So basically a guide for every project!

Step 6

Once the edges were rounded, I gave the pumpkins another light sanding and then a coat of stain. I let the stain dry for several hours before moving on to the next step.

Step 7

You can certainly finish these pumpkins any way you like. I grabbed a bottle of white furniture wax to give the pumpkins a bit of a whitewashed look and get the white wax into the deep grooves of the wood. I wiped the wax all over the pumpkins and then buffed them.

Step 8

I still felt like the pumpkins needed a little something more, so I grabbed some white paint and a foam brush. I dabbed the brush on a paper towel and added some dry brush strokes to the entire pumpkin. Once the paint was dry, I went back over the pumpkin with some 220 grit sandpaper to further distress the paint. The wax coat underneath makes sanding the paint away even easier and provides a nice smooth finish to the pumpkins.

DIY Wooden Pumpkin Fall Decor

I am absolutely LOVING how the DIY rustic wooden pumpkins turned out and even more because I found a place for them inside! That means I get to look at them all of the time! I’ll probably also put together a post in the next couple of days on how I put together this fall mantle. It was super easy and quick, just like these pumpkins!

If you’re interested in checking out the RIDGID Octane Jigsaw and Compact Router, make sure you head to your local Home Depot store. You can even order them online and have them waiting for you for store pickup!

DISCLOSURE: I acknowledge that The Home Depot is partnering with me to participate in the promotional program described above (the “Program”). As part of the Program, I am receiving compensation in the form of products and services, for the purpose of promoting The Home Depot. All expressed opinions and experiences are my own words. My post complies with the Word Of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) Ethics Code and applicable Federal Trade Commission guidelines.

Fall, Projects, Seasonal

DIY Fall Centerpiece

September 17, 2019

Learn how to make this simple DIY fall centerpiece that is perfect for your fall table. This fall centerpiece only requires a few tools and can be customized any way you like and used for any season.

Do you have a favorite season? I think fall might be mine. I love all of the smells (give me pumpkin spice everything!) and the crisp mornings. While we don’t exactly have seasons here in the desert, I love to bring those seasonal colors into my decor. This DIY fall centerpiece is one of those projects that is perfect for any season, but is especially great for fall.

How To Make A Fall Centerpiece

In this tutorial, I will show you how to build a fall centerpiece with just a few tools. It’s a perfect project if you’re just learning to use tools and want to add your own DIY home decor.

For this project, you’ll need:

1×6 board
1×4 board
wood glue
miter saw
1 1/4” brad nails
18ga brad nail gun
220 grit sandpaper
Stain or paint of your choice

Build The Box

Cut a 1×6 down to 24″ long for the base. Cut two 1x4s at 24″ for the sides. For the ends, cut two 1x4s at 4″ long.

Glue and nail the pieces together with 1 1/4″ brad nails and give it a light sanding to take away any rough or splintered areas. Paint or stain the box in your favorite color. This was stained with Minwax stain in Provencial.

How To Make A Simple DIY Table Runner

To add a little something extra to the centerpiece, make a DIY table runner. Since I stained the box the same color as the table, I knew I needed to put it on a table runner. I bought a 4’x5′ drop cloth from Lowes for around $5. I took the ~~easy~~ lazy way out and just cut a 12″ wide section across the drop cloth. This yielded a 12×48″ table runner.

I wanted to have a chevron design, so I just made up a quick pattern with painters tape. There isn’t any specific method that I used. I just cut the tape pieces and stuck them together at 90 degree angles across the runner. Like I said, I was going for easy here. I mixed 1 part fabric medium with two parts of Martha Stewart metallic paint in copper and then dabbed it on with a sponge.

I peeled up the paper and, voila! I made sure to peel the tape up in one piece, so I could just stick it down when I painted the other side of the runner.

Here’s the end result!

How To Style A Fall Centerpiece

Here’s the finished centerpiece. I used quart-sized mason jars with 3″ pillar candles. The candles were a bit too tall, so I just cut an inch or so off of the bottoms of them with a chef’s knife.

To fill in the box, you can use just about anything. Fill it with acorns, leaves, cinnamon sticks, mini pumpkins, etc. I chose to fill it with some acorns I had collected as well as oak leaves. The leaves were a beautiful gold color when I picked them, but turned a yucky brown color a few days later so I decided to paint them to give them a little bit of a metallic flair as well.

This DIY fall centerpiece is such a quick and fun project that you can customize in so many ways. Whether you love the stained look, the chippy paint look, or all natural! Throw some handles on the ends for a little something extra. Swap out the filler when the seasons/holidays change. The possibilities are endless!

Blog, Furniture Projects, Printable Plans, Projects, Projects for the Home

DIY Trophy Shelf and Hat Rack – Multi-Purpose Project Challenge

August 26, 2019

Learn how to build a DIY trophy shelf and hat rack with these easy to follow plans and tutorial. These shelves serve a dual purpose with the addition of a hat rack.

It’s the end of the month, which means it’s time for another DIY challenge! This month’s project them is multi-purpose projects. These are my favorite types of projects as you often get a little more bang for your buck when a project serves dual purposes. I’m partnering with DAP Products today to bring you the tutorial and video (coming soon) for this DIY trophy shelf with a hat rack. You can also find the projects for all of the other talented bloggers participating at the end of this post!

How To Build A Trophy Shelf and Hat Rack

My youngest son has started growing his collection of hats and has been wanting a place to not only hang them but also wanting some shelves to display his sports trophies and medals. I decided that combining his two wants into one project would be a perfect use of space and materials.

Download the printable plans to get the full materials and cut list for this project as well as step by step diagrams.

Build The Frames

Cut the 2×2 pieces for the frames, drill pocket holes into the shelf supports, then begin assembling the frames. Use wood glue on each end of the shelf supports and then clamp in place. Attach with 2 1/2” pocket screws. Clean up any glue squeeze out with a rag.

Speaking of glue, I love using DAP wood glue for all of my projects. Now I love it even more with their new and improved bottles. The wide, beveled tip allows for even distribution of glue and the special cap ensures that you won’t be clogging up the tip with dried glue.

Build The Shelves

For the shelves, cut the boards down to 33”, then rip them down to 4 1/4” wide. Apply a bead of glue on the edge of one of the boards to make up a shelf. Set a clean board against the glued edge and clamp together. I didn’t have enough clamps, so I glued up all three shelves at the same time with the same set of clamps.

Fill the pocket holes

I’ll be painting the frames, so I wanted to fill the pocket holes so that they’d be completely hidden. I used DAP PlasticWood-X wood filler to do so. With deep holes like this, the wood filler needs to be applied in coats. I applied the first coat and sanded it down when it was dry.

I applied a second coat and made sure the pocket holes were completely filled. I then sanded down the filled holes again. What I love about PlasticWood-X wood filler is that it starts out pink and dries to a natural color. This made it easy for me to notice that my wood filler wasn’t completely dry yet as I was sanding the second coat. I set it aside and let it dry, then finished sanding.

Paint the frames

I wanted the frames to look almost like metal, so I painted them with two coats of matte black paint.

Finish The Shelves

Once the shelves are dry, sand them down with a belt sander, followed by 220 grit sandpaper. I got a little ahead of myself and stained the shelves before notching the corners. Two of the shelves will have 1 1/2” x 1 1/2” notches cut out of each corner. You can do this with a bandsaw or a jigsaw.

Cut the backers for the hat rack and drill 3/4” pocket holes into each end. I stained the backers and let them dry, then finished all of the pieces with two coats of wipe on polyurethane.

Router keyhole slots

To hang the shelf unit flush on the wall, a keyhole is best. I used a keyhole bit on my compact router for the keyhole slots. I set up a fence with some scrap wood to make sure the slots were straight and marked my start and end points.

Attach the shelves to the frame

Drill two 3/32” countersunk pilot holes into the underside of each of the shelf supports. Attach the top shelf first with 2” wood screws. Clamp the middle and bottom shelves in place, then attach with 2” wood screws.

Attach the hat backer and hooks

Clamp the backer boards for the hat rack in place and attach with 1 1/4” pocket screws. Measure and place the hooks, drill 1/16” pilot holes then attach with 3/4” screws. The hooks I purchased for this were too long, so I had to purchase 3/4” #6 screws to attach them. They don’t come in black, so I used a Q-tip to paint dab black paint onto the screw heads after I drove them in.

Hang the shelves on the wall

To hang the shelves on the wall, determine the height you’d like it hung. We have 8’ ceilings and I hung the shelf unit 19 1/2” from the top of the shelf to the ceiling. I measured and marked where the screws would go into the wall and drilled 3/16” pilot holes, then drove 1 1/2” Wall Dog Screw Anchors into the wall. I left them out of the wall about 1/4” and hung the shelf unit on them with the keyhole slots.

Trophy Shelf and Hat Rack

I loaded the shelves up with his trophies and autographed footballs as well as his hats. I love the look of this shelf unit so much against his brick paneled wall!

Honestly, this trophy shelf project started out as something totally different. I had an idea for the hat rack portion of it and talked myself out of it, but I’m definitely glad I did! I love this look so much more! And once again, it serves two purposes of giving my son a place to display his trophies and a place to hang his hats. I love multi-purpose projects! For more projects, DEFINITELY make sure you check out the links of the other bloggers participating below!

The Created Home

Anika’s DIY Life

Her Toolbelt

Ugly Duckling House

DISCLOSURE: I was provided product and/or compensation for this post. All opinions and ideas are 100% my own.

Blog, Furniture Projects, Printable Plans, Projects, Projects for the Home

Gaming Computer Desk – How To Build Your Own

August 16, 2019

Learn how to build this modern industrial gaming computer desk following the step by step tutorial and printable plans. This table is great for PC gaming as well as just a regular office desk.

My oldest son recently purchased a gaming PC and has been wanting a proper desk for it. He’s been using it at his desk area in our den, but the space was super cramped. He really only had one request. He wanted it to be long enough that he could have space to track his mouse further. I’m partnering with BuildSomething to show you how to build this gaming computer desk. I’ve got the step by step tutorial for you here and you can head to BuildSomething for the printable plans!

Watch the YouTube video

What is a gaming PC desk?

A gaming PC desk is really just a basic desk. The only real difference I noticed was that the PC tower usually sits on top of the desk. Gaming PCs have a bunch of fancy lights on them and everyone wants to be able to show those off. I knew that I needed to make the desk a bit on the longer side to not only accommodate the tower sitting on top of it but also to accommodate the longer gaming mousepad. I added a shelf to it so for the monitor to sit on and for the keyboard and mousepad to slide under when it’s time for my son to use his desk for homework.

How to build a gaming PC desk

I’m going to show you the step by step on how to build this desk; however, you can find the printable plans, materials list and cut list over on the BuildSomething website. Let’s get started!

Before we get into this, I want to note that I purchased rough-cut knotty alder for this project and milled it down to the dimensional lumber sizing. You can use dimensional pine for this project if you don’t have the means to mill down all of your lumber.

Build the desktop

To build the desktop, I cut all of my pieces down to just over 60″ long. I glued them up and clamped them together. You can also use pocket joinery along with the glue, but I’ve found this to not be necessary when I’ve got good clean edges to glue up.

I let the glue dry overnight, then used my Kreg Adaptive Cutting System to square up the edges and trim the final desktop down to size.

I filled all of the knots in the wood with epoxy that I tinted with black acrylic paint. Filling these knots gives the desktop a smooth surface where my son won’t have to worry about his pencil going through the paper if he is writing over a knot.

Once all of the epoxy was cured, I sanded the entire desktop down, starting with 80 grit sandpaper on my belt sander and then moving to my orbital sander, working my way up to 220 grit to smooth it all out.

Build the side panels

The side panels are made up of 1×6 boards (5 on each side). I lined up all of the boards and marked the locations for my pocket holes. This helps me to make sure I don’t add too many or too few, plus I’m able to ensure I don’t add a pocket hole where there could be a knot in the wood.

I drilled 3/4″ pocket holes into the sides of the boards and then glued and attached them together into a large panel with 1 1/4″ pocket screws.

Once the panels were assembled, I drilled 3/4″ pocket holes into the top edges so they can be attached to the desktop.

I squared up the edges of the panels on my ACS, just like I did with the desktop, then cut them down to size.

The drawers for the desk sit flush with the front edge of the desktop, so the front of the side panels also need to be trimmed to be 3/4″ narrower than the desktop. Measure the desktop width and subtract 3/4″ to get the width for the side panels. The side panels should be approximately 26 3/4″ wide.

I wanted the backing of the desk to be inset and flush with the back edge of the cabinet, so I used my router, fitted with a rabbeting bit for this. The rabbeted groove is 1/4″ deep and 1/2″ wide.

Build the cabinet

The cabinet bottom is 3/4″ baltic birch. I drilled 3/4″ pocket screws into the long ends and attached it to the side panels with wood glue and 1 1/4″ pocket screws.

I cut a piece of 1/4″ baltic birch for the back of the cabinet and attached it with wood glue and 3/4″ narrow crown staples. You can also use brad nails for this step.

Attach The Hairpin Legs

I don’t even know the proper way to say it, but I felt like if I built the desk with wooden legs on the one end, it would look a little too heavy. Not weight wise, but just bulky. I knew that hairpin legs would be a much nicer look. Plus I’d been looking for a way to use the legs my friends at Rockler Woodworking had sent me.

I attached the 28″ hairpin legs 1″ in from each edge. I drilled 3/32″ pilot holes, then attached them with the included screws. I did this before attaching the cabinet because I wanted to be extra sure that when I cut the 4×4 legs for the cabinet that they would be the correct size I’d put in my plans. Lucky for me, my calculations were correct!

Attaching the legs

The plans call for 4×4 legs, which I “built” by milling down my 8/4 knotty alder to 1 3/4″ thick, ripping the pieces down to 3 1/2″ wide, then gluing the pieces together to make my own 4x4s. I cut them to 4″ in length and attached them flush with the corners of the cabinet with wood glue and 2 1/2″ wood screws.

One trick I’ve learned over the years is to lightly round off the bottom corners of the legs. It helps to prevent any chips in the wood as the furniture gets used.

Attach the cabinet to the desktop

Attach the cabinet to the desktop. Run a bead of glue along the top edges of the cabinet sides. Set it in place with the outside face being flush with the edge of the desktop. Clamp and attach with 1 1/4″ pocket screws.

Building and attaching the shelf

To build the shelf, attach two 1×6 boards together with wood glue and 1 1/4″ pocket screws. Do the same for the 4″ risers. The risers also get 3/4″ pocket holes in the top edge to attach them to the shelf.

Clamp the shelf to the desktop, 4″ in from the left side. Measure and mark the location of the edge of the vertical pieces as well as where they end (10″ in from the back edge of the table). Use a square to draw a line under the table top that marks where the edge of the vertical pieces are. Knowing that you have 3/4″ to work with, use that as a guide for where to drill pilot holes and then attach the shelf with 3″ wood screws.

Finishing the desk

Finish the desk with your desired paint or stain color. The stain color I used is Provincial (Varathane), followed by four coats of wipe on poly.

Install the drawers and drawer faces

Once the finish is dry, install the drawers. I used 18″ side mount drawer slides, which I installed with my Kreg drawer slide jigs.

To install the drawer faces, pre-drill the holes for the cabinet hardware. This is done in the drawer face only. Position the drawer faces on the front of the cabinet and drive 1 1/4″ screws through the pre-drilled holes, into the fronts of the drawers. Even stacks of playing cards help to ensure that you have an even gap between all of the drawers (approx 1/8″).

Pull the drawers out and drive 1 1/4″ screws through the inside of the drawer to fully attach the drawer faces in place. I did this after attaching the hardware, which is not the correct way to do this and I realized my mistake after the fact.

Once the drawer faces are attached, finish drilling through the holes you pre-drilled for the hardware. Attach the drawer pulls. With the drawers being 3/4″ thick, you’ll likely need to purchase longer screws for your hardware. I purchased 1 3/4″ #8 machine screws for this.

Attaching LED lights

According to my brother, gamers are all about lights and that the gaming computer desk should have lights on it. I found these LED light strips on amazon for about $14. The lights are meant for backlighting for TVs, but I knew they’d be perfect for the desk. The strips are in about 20″ sections that plug together so I used two sections for under the shelf.

There’s an adhesive backing on the light strips, so I just peeled it away and stuck the lights to the bottom side of the shelf. The only downside to the lights is that they only come with a USB cord, so you’ll either need to find a plug for them, or use a power strip with USB ports. The cord is also not very long, but it was just right for the outlet location against the wall.

Gaming Computer Desk Setup

I couldn’t be happier with how this gaming computer desk turned out! My son seemed to feel the same way. He immediately got it all set up and then started texting pictures of it to his friends. He’s now going to start saving up for a gaming pc chair, though if he waits long enough, maybe we’ll get him one for Christmas;)

If you’d like to build this project, make sure to head over to BuildSomething for the printable plans, which also include the materials and cut lists. Whether you’re into computer gaming, or just looking for a new desk for your office, this project is perfect for either!

If you’d like the plans to the rest of the furniture in this room (which coordinates with this desk), be sure to check out the links below!

Full Size Bed Tutorial and Plans

Nightstand Tutorial and Plans

Dresser Tutorial and Plans

DISCLOSURE: I was provided product and compensation for this post. All opinions and ideas are 100% my own. This post contains affiliate links. Should you purchase an item from one of these links, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Furniture Projects, Projects, Projects for the Home, Uncategorized

DIY Lap Desk From A Live Edge Slab

August 14, 2019

Build your own DIY lap desk from a live edge slab. This tutorial walks you through all of the steps so you can build your own lap desk and work from the comfiest spot in your home.

Do you ever find yourself working from bed? Either planning out your monthly calendar, typing up a last minute email, or even just scrolling through Pinterest? I definitely do and I’m partnering with the Home Depot today to show you how to make this DIY lap desk (aka BESK!).

Yes, I’m sure that’s not a real word, but it’s a desk that you use in bed, so what else would it be called? This project is such a simple project, but I love how unique it is and the character of a live edge slab of wood just can’t be beat!

Watch The YouTube Tutorial

Materials For This Project

For this project you’ll need:

1 live edge slab
8″ hairpin legs
chisel and mallet
80 grit sandpaper discs and belt
orbital sander
belt sander
220 grit sandpaper discs
impact driver
drill
finish of choice (I used Walrus Oil Furniture Finish)

How To Choose A Live Edge Slab

When choosing a live edge slab for this project, you want to take a few things into consideration. The slab should be wide enough and long enough to be comfortable to work at. Make sure the slab is thick enough to be sturdy, but not so thick that it weighs a ton.

The slab I found for this project is pine and was approximately 14″ wide and about 36″ long. The mill where I purchased it offered to cut the length down for me, which made it about 28″ long. The thickness was about 2″ prior to sanding it down. Cost will vary greatly depending on the species, size, and your location. To give you an idea, I paid $50 for this slab.

How To Prep Your Slab

The first thing you want to do when you begin the project is remove any bark from your slab. Mine was pretty free of bark, but there was just a little bit on this corner that I was able to chisel away.

Once the bark has been removed, it’s time to sand it down. I started with my orbital sander and an 80 grit sanding disc. I sanded the entire slab on both sides as well as the edges.

How To Take The Twist Out Of A Board

This slab had a little bit of a twist to it that I discovered as I began sanding it. There are a few ways to remedy this

Use a hand planer (electric or old school) to remove the high spots and even out the surface.
Use a belt sander with a coarse grit paper (80 grit or lower) to remove any high spots.
Run it through a planer (if you have one big enough), shimming the opposite corners so that it does not have any wobble to it.
Run it through a drum sander following the same steps as with a planer.
Don’t purchase a board that has a twist in it;)

We purchased a drum sander earlier this year, so I started with that. It worked, but I could have gotten it done faster with my electric planer. I have yet to use it without leaving snipe in the wood, so I opted to just go with the drum sander and then the belt sander. There was still a little bit of wobble in the slab, but it’s going on an uneven surface as it is. It wasn’t too much of a concern for me.

Once the slab was “good enough,” I sanded the entire thing down with 220 grit sandpaper.

How To Attach Hairpin Legs

Hairpin legs are pretty easy to install, but the uneven edges of live edge slabs do make things a little more complicated. With the mill putting a straight edge on one side, it allowed me to line up the two legs on that end of the board. I used a framing square to get them in alignment.

Once the first two legs were lined up, I made sure the legs on the other side were also positioned just right.

Once the legs were in position, I drilled pilot holes and attached them with the screws that came with the legs. I used my new Makita 18-volt 4 speed impact driver to attach the legs. I love the compact size of it, but the brushless motor doesn’t skimp at all on power.

One of the really cool functions of this impact driver is that you can choose between four speeds, or you can set it to automatic and it will choose the best speed for the job you set it to. So for attaching the legs I set the auto setting to driving in screws and it chose the proper speed for me.

How To Finish A Live Edge Slab

Clear all of the dust off of the slab once it has had its final sanding. I used my air compressor, then wiped it down with a clean cloth.

Apply the finish of your choice. This can be any type of stain and/or clear finish. I chose to leave the slab natural and added a coat of Walrus Oil Furniture Finish. It was my first time using this finish, but I really love how it turned out. Once it dried, it was a smooth matte finish and it fully cures after about four weeks.

Live Edge Lap Desk

I absolutely love my new BESK! I’ve already gotten a ton of use out of it and even my husband used it and said he really likes it. Now I just need a coffee maker on my nightstand and I’ll never have to leave my bed!

If you’d like to build your own DIY lap desk, make sure to pin this to your projects board! Feel free to share it with others you know who love the idea of working from bed as well!

Blog, Furniture Projects, Projects, Projects for the Home, Seasonal

How To Build A DIY Fire Pit Cover

August 2, 2019

Learn how to turn your unused fire pit into a table with a DIY fire pit cover. This fire pit cover only uses a few tools and is a perfect project for beginners and experienced DIYers alike.

Several years ago we purchased stone from Home Depot to build a fire pit. With our summer temps being so hot, we never use it during the warmer months. I decided to building a cover for it would be a great way to still utilize the space. The fire pit cover converts it to a table top, which is awesome! That is, until our monsoon storms decided to blow it away and it broke into several pieces. I decided it was time to build a new one that was heavier, stronger, and could withstand our crazy summer storms.

How To Build A Fire Pit Cover

This fire pit cover is a great beginner project and only needs four simple power tools to build it. Below you’ll find what you need to build a cover for a 46 1/2″ round fire pit. All of these materials can be purchased from The Home Depot

6 – 1×6 boards at 8′ long (you can use pine or cedar)
2 – 1×8 boards at 6′ long (again, pine or cedar)
1 1/4″ outdoor deck screws
wood glue
220 grit sandpaper
outdoor stain (or paint)
miter saw
jigsaw
orbital sander
drill or impact driver
hammer, nail, and string (for drawing your circle)
tape measure
pencil

Step 1:

Cut all of the boards in half and stack them perpendicular to each other. This will create not only a heavy cover, but the perpendicular boards will make it extremely strong. Measure and mark the center of the boards for the circle. When doing this, be mindful of the locations of knots. Also know that the side facing up will ultimately become the bottom of the cover.

Step 2:

Tap a nail part way into the wood where you make your center mark. Tie a string to the nail.

Step 3:

Measure and mark 23 1/2″ out from the nail and tie the string around your pencil so that it lines up with that mark. Use the string as a guide to draw a light circle. The wood is not secured yet, so if you pull too hard the boards will move. This circle is only to act as a guide right now to help with screw placement.

Step 4:

Take the top layer of boards off and set them aside in order. Squeeze wood glue over the entire surface of the bottom layer. Do this quickly so that the glue doesn’t begin to dry as you’re working.

Place the top layer of boards back onto the bottom layer, making sure to keep the boards lined up and reforming the circle you just drew.

Step 5:

Screw the boards together with 1 1/4″ deck screws. Be sure to add screws to the outside of the circle as well as to the inside to secure all of the boards together tightly while the glue cures. Use the circle as a guide as you place your screws so that you do not risk cutting into any of them when the circle is cut, and also ensure you have enough close to the circle’s edge that the wood will hold together nicely.

Step 6:

With the boards secured together, draw your final circle dark enough so that it is easy to see when you cut the circle out with the jigsaw.

Step 7:

Allow the glue to cure for several hours. Use a jigsaw to follow the line and cut the circle out of the wood. Once the circle is cut, sand down each side as well as the edges with an orbital sander and 220 grit sandpaper.

Step 8:

Protect your new fire pit cover with an outdoor finish or paint.

Step 9:

Attach handles to each end of your fire pit cover to allow for easy removal when you’re ready to use your fire pit again.

Enjoying Your New Fire Pit Cover

I love being able to have things that serve multiple purposes. Being able to use our fire pit as a table during the summer is so great. It gives us a place to play games or entertain guests.

Special thanks to The Home Depot for partnering with me on this project. If you would like to build a DIY fire pit yourself, be sure to pin this post for later. Also, to make your shopping easy, Home Depot offers store pickup! Place your order online for all of the materials needed for this project and they’ll have it all picked out and ready for you when you walk in the store!