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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!

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!

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.

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!

Blog, Printable Plans, Projects, Projects for the Home

Scrap Wood Challenge – DIY Noodle Board

July 29, 2019

Learn how to build a DIY noodle board using this easy to follow tutorial. This noodle board can be built using scrap wood you have on hand, or purchase the wood of your choice and customize it any way you like!

It’s time once again for another monthly DIY challenge! This month’s challenge was for participants to dig through their scrap wood pile in order to create their project. The rules were pretty simple. Scrap wood only; however, fasteners, hardware, and finishes are allowed. I decided to build a DIY noodle board. For those of you wondering what a noodle board is, don’t worry. I had to Google it, too. After getting a few requests for a tutorial, I knew this would be perfect to use up my scrap wood to build!

Make sure you scroll to the end to see what everyone else made from their scrap wood! I’m pretty certain you’ll be amazed and inspired!

Watch The YouTube Tutorial

My scrap wood pile is large, but pretty mixed. Thankfully, after some digging, I found several remnants of poplar that were left over from projects I’d built over the last couple of years.

What Is A Noodle Board?

There’s a lot of different ideas of what a noodle board actually is. Some say that it was used to roll out the dough and cut noodles “back in the day.” Others say it’s used for kneading bread or pastry dough. Some want to use a noodle board as a stovetop cover to hide unsightly burners. It’s especially useful if you’re short on counter space and need a little extra room when hosting large gatherings, etc. Obviously, if you are using a noodle board or stovetop cover for things like making pasta or pie dough, you’ll want to use a hardwood like maple, but you’ll also want to use a food safe finish on the wood. If you’re using it as an extension of your countertop and do not plan to prepare any types of dough on it, then you can use any type of wood you like. You can also finish it any way you like (paint, stain, stenciled, etc.)

What You’ll Need

This noodle board is built using the standard dimensions of a freestanding range. The finished dimensions will be 30″ wide and 22 3/4″ deep. I made mine 1/2″ shorter, making one of the boards 5″ wide, rather than the standard 5 1/2″ of a 1×6 board. If you have a table saw and wish to do the same, you can rip 1/2″ off of your 1×6 board.

Materials needed:

2 – 1×6 boards @ 6′ long
1 – 1×2 board @ 8′ long
1 1/4″ pin (or brad) nails
wood glue
220 grit sandpaper
nail gun
orbital sander

Cut List:

4 – 1×6 boards @ 28 1/2″ long
2 – 1×2 boards @ 22 3/4″ long
1 – 1×2 board @ 28 1/2″ long

How To Build A Noodle Board

I wanted this noodle board project to be something that could be built either utilizing scrap wood, or purchasing dimensional lumber. It’s a perfect project for beginners and it uses only a few tools. That being said, my wood was in pretty rough shape after sitting in my shop for the past few years. It took quite a few hours of joining, planing and sanding in order to get it flat enough and straight enough to use. Obviously you won’t run into that problem if you’re building this using dimensional lumber.

Once I had my boards flattened out and cut down to size, it was time to glue them up. I added glue to the edges and brushed it with a silicone brush to make sure the entire edge was covered in glue.

Once the edges were glued up, I clamped them all together and let the glue dry overnight.

Once the glue was dry, I took the board out of the clamps and sanded it down with my belt sander and 80 grit sandpaper. Once I was finished with the belt sander, I sanded the entire piece down on both sides to 220 grit.

This step is totally optional, but I wanted the sides to slope down to be flush with the front edge of the stovetop cover. I held the sides up to the bottom board, flush with the front edge and made a mark where the side met the top face of the bottom board. I also measured 5″ in and drew a straight line to connect those points. I cut the angles with my jigsaw.

Once the sides were cut and sanded down, I attached them with wood glue and 1 1/4″ pin nails. You can also use 18ga brad nails (or even wood screws) for this step if you do not have a pin nailer.

I stained the entire piece in golden oak stain by Minwax.

DIY Wooden Stovetop Cover (aka Noodle Board)

While I certainly have no shortage of counter space, I do love the idea of hiding my cooktop with a stovetop cover. The warm tones of the wood definitely break up the darkness of my granite and black range. I imagine it will also be handy as a large tray to carry things outside when we are entertaining outdoors as well!

Be sure to visit the other sites listed below to see what they created for their scrap wood challenge projects!

Scrap Wood Challenge Projects

Addicted 2 DIY

RemodelaCasa

Jaime Costiglio

The Created Home

My Love 2 Create

Ugly Duckling House

Hazel and Gold Designs

Joyful Derivatives

House Becoming Home

The Inspired Workshop

Blog, Projects, Projects for the Home, Remodeling

Master Bedroom Flooring – Before and After

July 5, 2019

*This post is sponsored by The Home Depot

Hey there, everyone! Over the past few weeks, we have been making some MAJOR updates to our bedroom. One of those updates is brand new waterproof laminate flooring to replace our tired carpet. I’m partnering with The Home Depot today to show you what we chose, how to install it and what my ABSOLUTE favorite tools are for installing flooring. This is now the 5th flooring project we’ve done at our house, I feel like I’ve really narrowed down the list to what makes the job go the fastest and the easiest.

To get all of the details on this flooring install, head over to The Home Depot blog! There you’ll get a full breakdown of the process! Plus you’ll see the huge difference the new flooring has made to our bedroom!

We have been slowly swapping out the carpet in our house with laminate and our bedroom was the final room on the list! We couldn’t wait to get rid of our old carpet that has been used and abused over the past 8+ years. With two growing boys and a dog, it took a beating.

The flooring we chose is Pergo Outlast+ in Java Scraped Oak. There were so many amazing color choices, so it was definitely a tough decision. The darker flooring contrasts so well with our grey walls and white trim and I’m planning to build all new furniture in our room that will also be a lighter color to also contrast against the wood.

This flooring is so easy to install and once you get started, the process goes so quickly. In fact, had we not decided to also wall in our bathroom, we’d have had the flooring installed in just a day. Between framing in the wall, drywall, and then realizing we needed to repaint our entire room (we couldn’t get the color to match), the flooring took a bit longer than planned. I don’t regret it one bit, though. Our new bedroom looks so amazing now! To see the full reveal and all of the details of the process and my favorite tools to use, head over to The Home Depot blog!

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 the Program, I am receiving compensation in the form of products and services, for the purpose of promoting The Hom eDepot. 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.

Projects, Projects for the Home, Remodeling, Uncategorized

How To Install Laminate Flooring

June 14, 2019

Learn how to install laminate flooring with this simple tutorial. It’s not hard to do and oftentimes an entire room can be done in a day. With the proper tools, it makes the process even faster!

When we bought our house nearly nine years ago, we replaced all of the flooring in the house. In the bedrooms, we installed carpeting, which was great at first, but over the years it was put through a lot. Two growing boys, dogs, etc. Slowly but surely we’ve been swapping out the carpet in the bedrooms with laminate flooring. With each room, we learn more and more on how to best install it and what tools make the process easier. I’m partnering with Dremel today to show you how their Saw-Max handheld saw made the process of installing the laminate in my oldest son’s bedroom so much faster and easier.

The flooring I chose is Pergo Outlast+ in Vintage Tobacco. It’s the same flooring I installed in my younger son’s bedroom and I love the look of it.

The “Before”

My oldest just turned 13 and I’ve been wanting to change up his room for a while. Something similar to what I had done in my youngest son’s bedroom. He hates change, and resisted for a long time, but finally agreed to let me work on his room. The first step was tear out the carpet.

The first step was to move all of the furniture out of the room. Once the furniture was out, the carpeting was next. We pulled up all of the carpet, padding and tack strips, then carefully removed the baseboards. I’ve shared a tutorial on that before. My goal was to reuse the baseboards, rather than buy new ones and go through the whole process of painting, measuring and cutting.

Best Tools For Laminate Flooring

With this now being the fourth room I’ve installed laminate flooring in, I’ve learned what tools are the best and most efficient at getting the job done. I’ve included that list here with affiliate links. Should you purchase a tool from one of these links, I’ll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Mallet
Pull Bar
Tapping Block
Bullet Tools EZ Shear Sharpshooter Laminate Flooring Cutter
Dremel Saw-Max
Tape Measure
Pencil

How To Install Laminate Flooring

When installing laminate flooring, you want to make sure to have a plan on where to start. Typically, you want the flooring to run the length of the longest wall. This allows it to feel more balanced and also helps the room to feel bigger.

The first few rows set the stage for the rest of the room, so make sure that when you install them that they are square against the wall. No wall is perfectly straight, but do the best that you can. You’ll be able to slide the flooring around a bit in order to line it back up and make sure that you haven’t shoved it too far one way or another under the drywall.

Try to install the flooring in a stair step pattern leaving about 12” or so between the end seams. Once you get to the end of the wall, trim your flooring and take the cutoff piece to start the next row. This allows you to keep the same pattern going throughout the rest of the room. If at some point you end up with a piece that is 6-8” or less, discard that cutoff and start with a new, full piece, or trim the new piece to the necessary size to start a new row with the stair step pattern.

How To Make Cuts Around Doorways

My new favorite tool for making cuts in flooring to either rip it down or cut around doorways is the Dremel Saw-Max. It’s fast and efficient, allowing me to make clean, straight cuts. I’ve used it to make flush cuts in wood, and it also works amazingly well on tile cuts. The blades are so simple to switch out in just seconds, so you can keep the progress going.

Making cuts around doorways can be a little tricky at times. You want to make sure your cuts are spot on and that you aren’t left with a huge gap anywhere that won’t be covered up by trim or baseboards. Line up your board next to the area you’ll need to notch out, making sure the end of the board is aligned with where it will eventually be attached to the previous piece. Mark where your notch cuts will be and then measure how deep the notch will be and mark that on the board. Cut each edge of the notch, then plunge cut across the board. Break off the notch and clean up the inside corners, if necessary, with a razor knife.

Ripping Down Laminate

When finishing off the inside of the closet, the very last piece needed to be ripped down to size in order to fit. For this, I used a tape measure to determine the width I’d need for the board and then used a straight line to mark the cut. The Saw-Max makes it so easy to make straight cuts, without even needing a guide! The notch on the front of the saw allows you to easily follow your cut line as you run the saw the length of the wood.

I used to try to make cuts like this on my table saw, but I hated walking ALL THE WAY to the shop in order to use the table saw. I could NEVER get straight cuts with my jigsaw. It’s just not a talent I possess. The Saw-Max blew me away the first time I made a cut with it. I honestly thought I’d need to have some sort of guide, but it made perfectly straight cuts every time for me.

How To Finish The Last Row Of Laminate

Finishing off the last row of laminate almost always will require you to have to rip down the last boards. Rarely (if at all) will the stars align and allow for a full board to be installed on the last remaining row. To determine the proper width to rip your board down, follow these steps.

Place the board you wish to rip down on top of the board in the row before it, completely flush with that board.
Place a second board on top, flush against the wall.
Trace a line with a pencil the entire length of the board.
Rip the board down, following the line you traced.
Install the board and follow the above steps for the remaining boards, trimming around doorways as needed.

Be sure to follow the above steps for each individual board. You cannot expect that the gap will be the same along the entire length of the wall, or that the flooring was installed perfectly straight. You don’t want to end up with too much or too little left on your final boards when finishing up the room.

The final step is to install the threshold at the doorway(s). Regrettably, I did not photograph this step, but you will need to purchase or order a coordinating threshold piece that is installed either directly into the concrete foundation or subfloor to finish off the room.

The finished room already looked so much better with the flooring. Once it was finished, I removed the chair rail, painted the walls, and reinstalled the baseboards.

It’s amazing how much bigger the room feels with the new flooring and I’m so happy with how easy it was to install. I’ve got a few more projects to finish up in this room, and then it will be done! Definitely be sure to check out my list above for my recommended tools to install laminate flooring, including the Saw-Max from Dremel. It was such a huge time saver!

If you’ve had a flooring project on your list, be sure to pin this and save it for later. Also be sure to sign up for my email newsletter to be informed of my latest projects so you can keep up to date with the remaining progress on this room as well as other projects and furniture builds!

DISCLOSURE: I was provided product and compensation for this post. All opinions and ideas of the products used are 100% my own.

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.

What is a gaming PC desk?

How to build a gaming PC desk

Build the desktop

Build the side panels

Build the cabinet

Attach The Hairpin Legs

Attaching the legs

Attach the cabinet to the desktop

Building and attaching the shelf

Finishing the desk

Install the drawers and drawer faces

Attaching LED lights

Gaming Computer Desk Setup

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.

Watch The YouTube Tutorial

Materials For This Project

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How To Prep Your Slab

How To Take The Twist Out Of A Board

How To Attach Hairpin Legs

How To Finish A Live Edge Slab

Live Edge Lap Desk

How To Build A Fire Pit Cover

Step 1:

Step 2:

Step 3:

Step 4:

Step 5:

Step 6:

Step 7:

Step 8:

Step 9:

Enjoying Your New Fire Pit Cover

Learn how to build a DIY noodle board using this easy to follow tutorial. This noodle board can be built using scrap wood you have on hand, or purchase the wood of your choice and customize it any way you like!

Watch The YouTube Tutorial

What Is A Noodle Board?

What You’ll Need

How To Build A Noodle Board

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The “Before”

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How To Install Laminate Flooring

How To Make Cuts Around Doorways

Ripping Down Laminate

How To Finish The Last Row Of Laminate

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