A foot stool is similar to an ottoman.
A foot stool is very similar to an ottoman because it can be used as a foot rest, or as a small stool to sit or stand on. For beginning do-it-yourselfers and beginning woodworkers, making a homemade foot stool is a simple enough project that won't break the bank and wont stump your skills. As you get more advanced in your hobby, you may want to create a more complex foot stool, but for now, a simple box-shaped stool will do the trick.
Instructions
1. Cut four ½-inch thick wooden planks so that they are 6-inches wide by 12-inches long using a powered miter saw or hand miter saw if a powered saw is not available. Any type of wood works well for this project, for example pine planks are inexpensive yet sturdy enough for this project.
2. Cut one ½-inch thick wooden plank so that it is 6-inches wide by 7-inches long.
3. Cut four 2-inch thick wooden blocks so that they are 2-inches wide by 2-inches long.
4. Cut four right triangles from a ½-inch thick wooden plank so that the legs of the triangles are both 2-inches long.
5. Attach one of the 6-inch by 12-inch planks to another plank of the same size so that the 12-inch sides meet at a 90 degree angle. The ½-inch thick edge of the first plank should be flush with the face of the second plank. Hammer in four nails along the 12-inch length of the planks so that the nails go in from the face of the first plank into the edge of the second plank. Repeat this step with the other two planks of the same size. These will make the corners of the foot stool. The nails must be long enough to go through the two boards so nails 1-inch long, or longer, will work best.
6. Attach the two corners of the foot stool so that a square frame is created that is 12-inches high by 6-inches wide by 7-inches deep. Attach the corners in the same way as the planks creating the corners were attached to each other.
7. Attach the 6-inch by 7-inch wooden plank to one end of the frame. Hammer in four nails on each side of the frame from the face of the 6-inch by 7-inch plank into the ½-inch thick edges of the frame. This will be the top of the foot stool.
8. Attach one of the 2-inch by 2-inch triangles to the inside of the bottom of the foot stool so that the 2-inch legs of the triangles hug one corner of the frame. Hammer in one nail on both legs of the triangle from the face of the frame into the ½-inch thick edge of the legs of the triangle. Repeat the step with the remaining three triangles.
9. Drill a ¼-inch hole into the center of each of the four triangles and a ¼-inch hole into the center of each of the four wooden blocks.
10. Insert a ¼-inch in diameter by 1-inch in length wooden peg into each of the holes in the wooden blocks. Attach the pegs to the blocks using wood glue.
11. Attach each of the wooden blocks to the wooden triangles using wood glue. Make sure to attach the blocks to the triangles so that the wooden pegs go into the ¼-inch holes on the triangles. Allow time for the glue to dry.
12. Smooth out all the surfaces of the foot stool using sandpaper and finish the foot stool using wood stain.
Tags: foot stool, -inch thick, thick wooden, wooden blocks, 6-inches wide, from face