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Woodworking How To & DIY

Improve the value of your home by discovering our woodworking step-by-step tips & ideas.

A man applying tung oil to a wooden table.

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Tung Oil: Pick the Right Product for Your Wood Finishes

Here are our handy tips and tricks for choosing, applying, and enjoying this durable and beautiful wood finish.
Completed and styled concrete topped table
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How to Build a Concrete End Table

This Old House DIY expert Jenn Largesse details the steps to building a concrete end table to complement deck or patio seating.
Neutral colored entertainment center with a frame around a TV to make it look like artwork.
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How to Make a Decorative Frame for Your TV

Picture frame TVs can be expensive—with some costing upwards of $2,000. In this video, House One editor Jenn Largesse shares how to build a DIY decorative TV frame for a fraction of the cost.
S22 E13: Tom Silva and Kevin O'Connor turn a segmented bowl on a lathe
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How to Build a Segmented Bowl

General contractor and peer-described “lathe guy” Tom Silva shows host Kevin O’Connor how to turn a segmented bowl on a lathe.
Completed bench in a dining room
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How to Build a Shaker Dining Bench

TOH DIY expert Jenn Largesse shows how to build a classic bench seat from stair treads and stock lumber
S21 E26, Tom Silva and Nathan Gilbert build a wooden bar top
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Build It | Bar Top

General contractor Tom Silva and carpenter Nathan Gilbert work together to build a bar top out of a slab of live-edge red oak from Nathan’s Christmas tree farm.
S21 E24, Tom Silva replicates an antique staircase spindle
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How to Replicate Antique Staircase Balusters

General contractor Tom Silva helps a homeowner by hand-carving a new rope baluster for their ornate Queen Anne home’s staircase.
A finished potting bench next to a shed.
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How to Build a DIY Cedar Potting Bench

This Old House DIY expert and House One editor, Jenn Largesse, shows how to build a potting station made from naturally weather-resistant wood.
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Build It | Shaker End Table with Char Miller-King

Host Kevin O’Connor meets maker Char Miller-King in her community’s workshop while she simplifies the challenging aspects of building a shaker-style table.
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How to Build a Boot Cleaning Station

You can build this handy boot station with just a few essential tools and some lumber. Park it right outside your door, so you can effortlessly scrape off any muck and snow on your shoes all fall and winter. This simple DIY project only takes an hour to complete, plus no more tracking dirt into the house. Win-win!
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How to Build a Small Firewood Rack

Create a firewood rack that fits your storage needs using simple 2x4 construction. This pressure-treated rack will last for years outside. And paired with a cover, it will keep your firewood dry and ready to use in fireplaces, pizza ovens, or firepits.
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Build It | Walnut Serving Tray

Inspired by an antique milk crate, TOH general contractor Tom Silva and TOH host Kevin O’Connor use box joints to assemble this simple but smart-looking project.
Self-watering planter built by Sal Vaglica
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How to Build a Self-Watering Planter

Create a raised garden bed that you won’t have to babysit. With this simple DIY, you’ll use naturally rot-resistant cedar, fitted with some clever planter inserts, to make a low-maintenance container that automatically distributes water on its own.
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How to Draw an Ellipse with String

This Old House General Contractor Tom Silva shows host Kevin O’Connor an easy method for drawing accurate, smooth ellipses.
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How to Build a Corner Bench

Do you have an awkward space near your staircase or entryway that could use some storage? Watch as House One editor and DIY expert Jenn Largesse builds a simple corner bench with storage near her stairs.
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How To Bend Wood

Whether it’s a woodworking project, trimwork for a remodel, instrument making, or boatbuilding, learning to bend wood can take a project from seemingly impossible to doable. You just need to know how.
S20 E2: Tom Silva builds a 3D cube cutting board
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Build It | 3D Cube Cutting Board

Using hardwoods of strikingly different colors, This Old House contractor Tom Silva and host Kevin O’ Connor team up to create a cutting board with an eye-catching 3D effect. See how to make one yourself with the instructions below.
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How to Build a Flag Display Case

Ask This Old House carpenter, Nathan Gilbert, shows the office he renovated during the quarantine and works on the finishing touch—a display case to store the U.S. flag that was presented to him at his grandfather’s funeral.
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How to Upholster a Round Tufted Storage Ottoman (Part 2)

In part two of this project, House One’s Jenn Largesse demonstrates how to upholster a round tufted storage ottoman, without the need to sew.
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How to Make Straight Cuts with a Circular Saw

Cutting a straight line through plywood with a circular saw seems easy enough, but it rarely comes out as straight as it feels while you’re making the cut. To get better results, here’s three easy ways to create a guide for your saw.
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3 Ways to Finish Plywood Edges

Watch these three easy ways to conceal plywood edges for more professional-looking results.
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3 Ways to Make Multiple Cuts with a Miter Saw

Watch House One editor Jenn Largesse demonstrate three easy ways to make multiple cuts using a miter saw.
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How to Make Decorative Roof Brackets

Decorative cedar brackets are often found under an overhang like a balcony or a roof. Some brackets may be structural, but in this case, these ornamental brackets are simply decorative and are part of the home’s original features. Watch as This Old House Host Kevin O’Connor meets with Builder Charlie Silva in his shop while he makes brackets himself.
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How to Build an Outdoor Air Conditioner Cover

Air conditioning is nice to have, but the look of the clunky unit outdoors can be unsightly. Watch as Jenn Largesse, DIY Expert and House One Editor, creates a wooden cover for her air conditioning unit.
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How to Build a Mobile Bicycle Rack (For Kids)

Need a place to store your children’s bicycles, without having to put holes or hooks into the wall? Watch this video and read our guide to building an easy DIY kids bike rack.
Jenn Largesse builds a custom built-in shelving unit for a fireplace surround
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How to Build a Custom Built-in Shelving Unit

DIY Expert & House One editor Jenn Largesse shows how to build custom shelving units around an existing fireplace mantel for a custom, built-in look.
House One's Jenn Largesse builds tall, tapered planters for an entryway
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How to Make a Tall, Tapered Planter

This Old House DIY Expert & House One’s Jenn Largesse shows how to set up a miter saw to create geometric planter, shelves, and more.
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Build It | How to Make a Lathe Turned Bowl

Ask This Old House general contractor Tom Silva teaches host Kevin O’Connor the basics of using a lathe and then they turn a bowl together.
House One's Jenn Largesse builds a shoe dresser
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How to Build a Shoe Dresser

Learn how to build a shoe dresser with This Old House DIY Expert & House One Editor, Jenn Largesse.

How to Build a Three-Tiered Bath Stand

This freestanding bathroom cabinet features open shelving, allowing you to keep an eye on supplies and fulfill as needed, or display washroom decor. Read on to get the free plans, cut list and instructions for this project.
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Build a DIY Magazine Rack

A DIY wall magazine rack is the perfect place to store and display your favorite magazines. The clear front and slim design is also perfect for displaying photos, records, and other artwork. Watch this video for instructions on how to build a magazine rack for your home.
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How to Build a Wooden Clothes Rack

If you’re short on closet space, this DIY hanging clothes rack is the perfect solution. You can build your own clothes rack with a few basic tools—plus can be moved anywhere, and takes up very little space. 
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How to Build Floating Shelves

There are a lot of ways to hang a shelf, but the appeal of floating shelves is that there’s no hardware visible above or below the shelf. Watch this video and follow these steps for building your own DIY floating shelf.