Woodworking How To & DIY
Improve the value of your home by discovering our woodworking step-by-step tips & ideas.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
3 Ways to Finish Plywood Edges
Watch these three easy ways to conceal plywood edges for more professional-looking results.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
How to Build an Art Caddy
Need an organizer for art or school supplies? You can make one yourself using only scrap wood materials. Watch DIY Expert & House One Editor Jenn Largesse show you the steps for building a helpful wooden art caddy.
How to Build a Birdhouse
Building a birdhouse is a simple woodworking project you can do with young children over a weekend. Watch this video and follow these steps for building an easy birdhouse with scrap wood.
How to Cut a Perfect Jig Circle
Ask This Old House host Kevin O’Connor works with House One maker Jenn Largesse to demonstrate an interesting technique on a trim router.
How to Remove Bubbles from Polyurethane
Kevin O’Connor calls on a wood refinishing expert to address unsightly bubbles in polyurethane finishes