Hi all. This time I suggest you work with wood. And we will make an unusual massive stool. Its unusualness lies in the fact that the stool is made of hemp and is completely monolithic. To give the product more interesting view, the author made it look like it was twisted. Such furniture looks beautiful and is almost eternal. The author used ash as wood; this wood is very strong and has beautiful drawing. To make it, you will need a fairly small set of tools, and we have only one material - stump, not counting materials for finishing (oil, epoxy, and so on). So, let's take a closer look at how to make such a stool!
Materials and tools used
List of materials:
- ash stump;
- wood oil;
- epoxy glue and dye;
- ready-made rubber legs or materials for their manufacture.
List of tools:
- chainsaw or electric;
- grinder (petal attachments, wood disc with three teeth and Velcro for sanding);
- planing machine;
- hammer;
- measuring tool and other.
Stool making process:
Step one. Selecting the source material
The author used ash as the source material. This wood is dense, strong and has a beautiful pattern. It is important to understand that the wood must be dry, otherwise it will still crack after applying the oil, and the oil will not be absorbed. The author's wood took 18 months to dry. outdoors.
Step two. Let's start cutting
Next we need to make a square out of hemp. Here the author decided to use a chainsaw; this can be done manually, but it will take a lot of time and effort. When everything is done, we go over the planes with a planer to remove rough irregularities.
Step three. Cut out the “screw” part
Next we need a pencil and a ruler. We mark on the material where the excess needs to be cut off to create the effect of a twisted tree. Well, then you can start cutting. The author again performed the main work using a chainsaw. The main thing here is not to rush and not to cut off too much, otherwise you can ruin everything.
Step four. We cut with a grinder
Next, we can proceed to finer processing; here we will need a grinder. With its help we will form the main profile of the stool. For the work, the author used a metal disc with three teeth for cutting wood. It is safe when compared with circular discs, which many people install on angle grinders. Carefully remove excess material from the marked area. How exactly to do this is up to everyone to decide for themselves; this is a creative process. We create a profile to suit your taste. The result is an almost finished product, and you can start sanding.
Step five. Rough grinding
You can start rough grinding to remove any defects that remain from cutting. Here we need a petal attachment for an angle grinder. The grain size will be coarse, since you will need to remove bumps, smooth out depressions, and so on.
Step six. We work with epoxy
Next, we arm ourselves with epoxy and begin to eliminate defects. It can be used to fill cracks, holes, strengthen rotten areas, and so on. You can be creative and add any dye you like to the epoxy. Keep in mind that the resin can be quite fluid, and this will be absorbed into the wood. But if you use quick-drying epoxy, you may not have time to get air bubbles out of it. In order for the air to escape, the epoxy can be heated with a hairdryer after pouring.
After all this we leave the epoxy to dry, we will need to sand it later.
Step seven Finish sanding
When the epoxy is completely dry, start sanding the entire product. Here we need a grinder with disk attachments made of sandpaper. The author used 120 grit sandpaper. In general, the finer the abrasive is on final stage processing, the more beautiful the product will be and the less oil will be needed for coating.
Step eight. Cover with oil or varnish
In general, ideally wood is coated with oil, this best coverage. The oil highlights the natural look of the wood well and also protects it well from moisture. But the author decided to use varnish on water based, because he didn't have the patience to wait for the oil to dry. For the best effect, you need to apply several layers and lightly sand before each new layer.
Everyone knows the expression: “simple as a stool.” There is a fair amount of truth in it. This piece of furniture in its classic design is laconic and strict.
It is difficult to do without a stool in the kitchen and workshop, in the garage and in the bathhouse. It is needed wherever cramped conditions do not allow for larger furniture to be placed. For a home craftsman, making such a thing is the best way to gain practical skills in carpentry.
In this article we will introduce you to the varieties wooden stools and tell you about their features self-made. We hope that after this you will be able to get to work with confidence and will please your family with this useful item situation.
Before you make a stool with your own hands, you should learn more about what carpentry masters in this area have come up with. First, let's study the sketch simple product and remember the names of the main parts. This will help us speak the same language using common terms.
So, a classic stool consists of a seat and four legs. The bars of the upper belt serve as a support for the seat and are called tsarg. The lower stiffening belt connecting the legs also consists of four bars called pro-legs. Experts installed it experimentally optimal sizes: height 50 cm, seat width 45 cm.
Stools made of logs, saw cuts and branches
Having abandoned the legs, the seat can be made from regular log. By sawing it into several logs and equipping each with a soft pad, we will get an original set for a country holiday.
The disadvantage of this solution is obvious - heavy weight, which creates inconvenience when carrying.
Here's what you can do by combining wooden legs with a massive seat made from a rounded piece of log. This unusual stool claims to be a designer find.
There are no drawers or legs here. The rigidity of the structure is ensured by a massive seat, into which four legs are embedded at 1/3 of its height.
Anyone who is good with a chainsaw can create original item log furniture. To do this, you need to make three neat side cuts in a thick block of wood to form the legs. Having made precise markings on the scraps of one trunk, you can cut them out into a set of two stools, nested one inside the other.
Continuing the “forest theme”, let’s see what can be built from the material lying under our feet. Beautiful product can be made from thick branches, freed from bark and polished. This design has one original detail - a drawer for household items located under the seat. The lid is assembled from planed boards mounted on wooden tenons and glue.
This piece of furniture will fit perfectly into the rustic interior style, which is characterized by massive wooden beams, stairs and tables. But it is unlikely to take root in an ordinary kitchen.
Cutting a log makes a ready-made seat for a stool. By cutting three legs from thick branches into it, we get a durable and attractive structure.
Hemp and forks of trunks can be used as bases for the manufacture of original products. Sanded and topped with thick log cuts, they fit perfectly into the interior of a log cabin.
Traditional simple stools
Timeless classics live not only in the facades of buildings. Time-tested solutions are also preserved in the designs of stools. Adding smooth lines to their appearance eliminates boring angularity.
In the photo below we see classic version. Thanks to the rounded drawers and legs, it looks quite decent. The milled grooves on the legs also improve its appearance.
Simplicity has its own charm. Designers successfully play with this quality, creating deliberately rough, brutal products. Artificially aging furniture is not an easy task. The author had to work a lot on the product, the photo of which we see below.
The category of classic “stool design” includes designs with drawers under the seat. For this purpose, wide sidewalls and hinged lids are used.
Sophistication and originality
Not everyone likes the hard seat and angular shape of the stool. For fans of aesthetics and comfort, craftsmen offer elegant products with curved legs and soft upholstery.
It is difficult for a beginner to make bent curly legs. Without compromising their beauty, they can be replaced with two pairs of crossed bars connected by a crossbar. But you shouldn’t give up soft foam upholstery.
Let's ask ourselves the question: what is needed to assemble a homemade wooden stool? Four thick boards for the seat, legs and crossbar. By decorating them with carvings, we get an exquisite and high-quality product. You can use it with pleasure at home, and on occasion, make it an exhibit of an exhibition of folk crafts.
When planning to make your first “masterpiece”, do not forget about using firing, stain and varnish for decoration. Even the simplest piece of furniture acquires a noble gloss after finishing contrast tinting method.
Except natural wood stools can be made from chipboard and thick plywood. This solution reduces their weight without losing strength. In the photo below we see an interesting plywood structure. Slotted holes in the seat and legs give it beauty and delicacy.
Square, round and oval seats are yesterday's carpentry art. Today in fashion original solutions. From these you can assemble a bench of any length and configuration. Invite your friends to visit and show them this miracle. Among them, there will probably be those who want to play with an unusual furniture “constructor”.
Bar stools
Anyone who believes that a stool must necessarily be low and nondescript is mistaken. Designers successfully prove the opposite. A little imagination and a familiar piece of furniture becomes a “fashionable thing” in the avant-garde style.
The high stool captured in the photo is a bar option. They can decorate the interior of a cafe and its decor. own apartment. Its lower brother, made in the same style, will take worthy place behind dining table from euro pallets.
These days, bar seats are popular not only in catering establishments, but also in home environment. The tradition of placing bar counters in apartments, which came from overseas, caused a real boom in these products.
A high stool is convenient not only for drinking cocktails at the bar. It can be successfully used as a stand when picking fruit.
Folding stools
There are a huge variety of them, from the most simple solutions and to very complex transformers.
We present to your attention an original folding design. It consists of two rectangular frame-legs connected in the center by a metal axis. The support frames are attached to the seat with carpentry hinges. When folded, the axle moves along two slots cut into one of the legs. The seat rotates on hinges and stands upright.
Here is another version of a folding stool. His seat is made of two halves. When folded, the legs rotate around an axis and are placed in the same plane. The seat halves are pressed against them on both sides.
Fans of complex folding systems are offered an option consisting of eight pairs of lattice legs connected at the base by a common bar.
The upper ends of the legs on one side are hingedly connected to the seat, which is also made of bars. To fold the structure, take it by the lower slats and move them in the opposite direction. In this case, the lattice legs and seat bars fit into the gaps provided for them, and the stool becomes flat.
Another option is a folding stool with a “crawler” seat. Despite the simplicity of the design, it looks very original. Its two crossed legs are hinged in the center and connected at the top by a wooden segmental seat. By holding the edges, you can easily fold and unfold this stool.
DIY example
Having finished short review, it's time to start the practical part. We offer you step by step guide. Let's say right away that it is better for beginners to avoid tongue-and-groove joints. They require good carpentry skills and the presence of a special tool - a milling machine or, at worst, a hand router.
To work you will need several tools:
- Tape measure or ruler;
- Hand saw with fine teeth;
- Jigsaw for cutting legs and seat;
- Screwdriver for drilling holes and tightening screws;
- Belt sander for smoothing sharp edges on parts;
- PVA glue or wood glue.
Step one– using a hacksaw from a 30 mm thick planed pine board, we cut blanks for the legs and seat. If you didn't find enough wide board to make a solid seat, it can be assembled from several narrow scraps. To do this, you need to mark and drill holes in their side edges for dowels. Having smeared the dowels with glue, they are inserted into the boards, assembled into a single panel and secured with carpentry clamps. After a day, you can start making the seat.
Step two– cut out the profile of one leg from thick cardboard and transfer it to all the blanks. We do the same with the seat blank.
Step three– We cut out the legs and seat with a jigsaw, and then sand their sharp edges with a grinder.
Step four— we assemble the legs in pairs, screwing self-tapping screws into their ends. We also use self-tapping screws to connect pairs of legs together. We arrange them so that they do not meet with previously twisted ones.
Step five– marking holes for dowels on the legs and seat. Having done this work, lubricate the tenons with wood glue and place the seat on the base.
Anyone who wants to simplify the work a little can refuse to fasten the seat with dowels. Instead, you can screw four screws directly through the lid into the legs from above. To ensure that they do not stand out on a flat surface, drill shallow secret nests for them in advance. After screwing, putty them with wood putty and cover the product with varnish and stain.
When arranging your home and interior, you want to put your soul into it and do something with your own hands. The simplest way is, which is always needed and will remind you that the reader did it himself.
But in order to make a high-quality and reliable piece of furniture, desire alone is not enough. You need to strictly follow the instructions without deviating from them, otherwise the stool will break at the most inopportune moment, and the desire to make a new one will disappear instantly. Let's consider what is useful for this, how not to do it common mistakes how to do everything quickly and the first time.
First, let’s determine what the choice of tree affects in principle:
Both cheap and expensive breeds are described here, however, all of them are suitable for the first time. Focus on the price - buy the wood you don’t mind paying for.
Reference: most cheap option- linden, the most expensive - oak.
Progress
Drawing with dimensions
It is recommended to adhere to standard sizes stools, since they are calculated on the basis of physical formulas and laws of strength. A stool of arbitrary dimensions will most likely have a displaced center of gravity and several points of stress concentration, which will reduce its service life.
You can go two ways:
- find a drawing of a stool on the Internet;
- measure the finished stool after disassembling it.
Dimensions are also important for choosing fasteners and connecting elements . All these parts also have their standardized dimensions and are designed for certain loads.
Important: even simply doubling the scale of the stool, while maintaining the proportions, will result in a completely different design with different operating conditions.
Tools
Basic list:
Consumables:
- Stain.
- Wood varnish.
- Wood putty.
How to make original beautiful furniture?
Important: After a few days, when the paint and varnish have dried, you may notice a loose surface and ripples. This happens when the room temperature changes suddenly. To prevent this, you need to perform all work at a static temperature and avoid changes.
This defect is eliminated by sanding the coating using fine-caliber sandpaper and then applying an additional layer. If you have a sanding machine at hand, you can create a perfectly smooth reflective surface, although modern trends say that matte varnish and gloss are in fashion these days.
Decorating a homemade structure
A stool made according to the instructions described above will look good in itself. Additionally, it can be decorated using the following methods::
The logical question is: what is wood putty used for? First of all, to eliminate cracks and errors that appeared during the work. But it can also be used as a decorative element. It is used to draw patterns, create a textured texture, and change color.
Important: in the best possible way To change the design of a stool will be a combination of all the above methods in the right proportion. This will make the piece of furniture truly original and unique.
Alternatively, just varnish lateral surface, and leave the top untouched, or apply matte varnish. It all depends solely on the imagination of the master.
Photos and pictures
Ideas for decorating the resulting result can be seen in the following photos and pictures:
Useful video
The detailed manufacturing process can be seen in the following video:
Conclusion
We hope this article helped you understand how to plan all the operations and how to make a truly durable stool. Let's quickly go over the main points of the article:
- all tools are prepared in advance, otherwise the process will drag on indefinitely;
- you should not skimp on wood, especially on the one from which the seat is made;
- Before starting all work, you need to imagine the finished stool in your head and think through its design.
The instructions given in the article are not the ultimate truth, but a short algorithm that is suitable for any beginner. You can deviate from it and change points if you are a fairly experienced user and are aware of your actions. Don't be afraid to experiment, because every failure is another great opportunity to try again.
In contact with
Interior design in eco style will probably never lose its relevance. Residents of large cities with their frantic pace of life often strive to create an island of calm and relaxation at home, choosing natural materials, natural color palette And decorative elements created by nature. A special place is occupied by accessories and furniture made from stumps and tree trunks. Let's look at examples of using solid pieces of wood in the interiors of apartments of different styles.
Furniture made from stumps and solid wood cuts
Stumps are an excellent material for making stylish, inexpensive and completely unique furniture with your own hands, because in nature there are no two absolutely identical trees. Such stump furniture will fit into almost any interior, be it light classic or country, Scandinavian style or minimalism, loft or industrial. If the stump is painted in glossy or metallic shades, then even high-tech can organically accommodate such an object. A processed cut of a tree trunk or stump can become convenient coffee table in the living room, bedside table in the bedroom, stools in the kitchen or table in the bathroom. Most often in the interior, a stump is used as a cabinet or table.
How to make a table from a stump with your own hands
First, find a suitable tree stump to create a table or cabinet. This is not so difficult even if you are a purely city dweller without a dacha. Firstly, there are a lot of companies that deal with wood - logging, sawmills, and so on; you can purchase cut wood from them the right size. Secondly, we advise you to interview all your acquaintances and friends who have dachas or relatives in villages; they probably have supplies for firewood or uprooted stumps. And thirdly, you can take a saw, go into the nearest forest, find a fallen tree and cut it into pieces.
The stump should be dry, but not rotten. If the bark comes away from the trunk easily enough, then such a stump can be used. If you find fresh wood, you need to let it dry. Leave such a stump for a month or two in a warm and dry room.
The bark must be removed from the trunk. To do this, take a chisel or chisel and carefully, using a hammer, remove the bark.
If you plan to use the stump for more than just decorative decoration, but as a functional piece of furniture, it needs to be leveled. Using a building level, check how level your workpiece is. If the surface of the stump is sloped, level it with a plane.
Sand the cut of the stump and sidewall grinder or manually using sandpaper.
It’s good if the stump has an interesting natural texture with knots, cracks and chips. After you have processed and sanded the entire surface of the stump, clean the cracks of small shavings and dust. To do this, you can use both plumbing tools, a cloth, and a regular vacuum cleaner.
Any stump or cut of a log is beautiful in its own way. in kind. But you can paint the stump in any color (after a coat of primer), apply patterns with a brush or using a stencil, or, at a minimum, open it with varnish or apply a water-repellent impregnation for wood. The latter is especially true if your future table will be actively used under open air or indoors with high humidity, for example, in the bathroom. Remember that even one coat of varnish will darken the wood a little. It is recommended to apply two or three layers of water-based varnish, and after the last layer has dried, polish with a soft abrasive fiber.
Such a table made from a stump can simply be placed on the floor. You can also use shortened legs from old tables or stools, wheels or special stands. By the way, the use of legs, firstly, will protect your floor from scratches, and secondly, will raise the stump and ensure air circulation, which is important for the long service life of such furniture.
Cabinets and tables made of stumps in the interior
Look different variants tables and bedside tables made of stumps in the interior.
Tables made of stumps in their natural form with minimal processing (click to enlarge):
Painted stump tables:
Stools and chairs and stumps in the interior
There is practically no difference between a table and a stump stool. But it is obvious that sitting on a stump is not very comfortable. In order to make the stump a comfortable stool or footstool, you can simply put a pillow on it. You can also do soft upholstery with filler and attach to the surface of the log. The presence of a back will make the stump chair even more comfortable. Designers and carpenters cut such a chair from a single piece of wood using a chainsaw, followed by processing. Some examples of using stumps as seats can be seen below.
Vases made from stumps and tree trunks
Vases made from stumps will be a wonderful addition to any interior. A bouquet of fresh flowers or indoor plant in a pot or vase of natural origin. Parts of the trunk of small trees are often used for vases, and the tree bark is sometimes left in such products for a more natural, earthy appearance.
To make such a vase or flowerpot from wood, find a suitable part of a dry tree trunk. Remove the bark with a chisel or leave it on.
The main task of the entire project is to make a hole in the barrel for the container. Decide what you will put in the middle - flower pot or a glass jar. Mark a circle on the cut of the log with a diameter 3-5 mm larger than the diameter of the widest part of the container. Next, you have several options for how to make a hole in a log.
You can use the drill attachment to round holes or a hole saw for wood - quick and convenient, but the method is suitable for shallow holes, for small jars or candles.
The second method is more labor-intensive. Drill many holes around the circumference with a drill, and then use a chisel and hammer to knock out the core. The hole will not be perfectly round and even, but it will be of any size and depth that you wish.
Wood can be painted, coated with aqua varnish or water-repellent impregnation. If you use a stump as a candlestick, be extremely careful with fire.
Several options for candlesticks and vases made from a tree trunk are below.
Lamps made from stumps
Stumps in the interior can serve as extraordinary lamps. Duncan Meerding, a visually impaired designer and artist from Australia, creates unique systems lighting from wood cuts. Inside a wooden block with through cracks are placed LED bulbs emitting warm light. Such lamps made from stumps can simultaneously serve as tables, cabinets, and stools. It is especially important to use such a multifunctional piece of furniture in the bedroom, where dim lighting will act as a night light.
