Where can I find woodworking plans or guides for creating outdoor furniture with a minimum of fasteners? [more inside]
posted by odinsdream on Sep 8, 2009 - 13 answers

How do I put casters on the bottom of this bookshelf? The bottom looks like this. The bookshelf itself is of some kind of MDF or high density particleboard, i.e. not pure wood. I want to put casters on the bottom of the bookshelf, but the strip of wood that touches the floor is too narrow for a plate caster like this. Can I somehow put a screw into the end of the particle board to fit a caster like this? How? Details inside. [more inside]
posted by barnone on Jul 3, 2009 - 21 answers

Dining room table + open grain wood + real life = :( Please help me to not destroy my one nice piece of furniture. [more inside]
posted by peachfuzz on Jun 17, 2009 - 18 answers

I have recently put up some wooden shelves (pine shelves on hardwood brackets) in my living room that I will use to hold records and books. I have a new can of white satin-finish latex paint. Can I use the paint on the shelves. (i.e. Will it look decent and not stick to the books and records?) What would be the reasons not to use this paint and instead get some other more appropriate paint? What might that more appropriate paint be? [more inside]
posted by OmieWise on Apr 30, 2009 - 16 answers

I'm going to be making this Parsons side table of poplar and MDF soon (Popular Mechanics link). How can I get the painted finish like the one in the picture? [more inside]
posted by jroybal on Apr 24, 2009 - 10 answers

I'm looking for a box shelf - one foot by one foot square - that's wall mounted. Black brown wood. I've been looking the length of google but clearly I'm not doing it right. Help. [more inside]
posted by rileyray3000 on Mar 3, 2009 - 5 answers

Can anyone recommend a reliable, affordable handy(wo)man in Brooklyn / NYC? [more inside]
posted by Dr. Wu on Dec 8, 2008 - 2 answers

Shopping filter: Seeking a very simple maple or oak bar stool, about 30" high, with a square or rectangular top. Preferably solid wood, but good quality composite material is ok. Must have flat top... we plan to use it as a bedside table. This stool at target.com is the perfect shape and size, but the wrong color. I need a warm-toned maple, oak, ash. I've already looked at many retail sites... ikea, overstock, pottery bran, west elm. Any suggestions? We would prefer to order within the U.S. to save on shipping.
posted by valannc on Aug 7, 2008 - 8 answers

How do I take care of my (possibly antique) Ethiopian wood chair? [more inside]
posted by Bunglegirl on Apr 24, 2008 - 4 answers

Calling all woodworkers! Can you help a noob build a very unbalanced but sturdy piece of furniture? Googling about joinery has proved fruitless and my woodworking skill is lacking. Feel free to also tell me to give up and recommend custom furniture makers in the Atlanta area! [more inside]
posted by TheNewWazoo on Jun 26, 2007 - 21 answers

I just bought an old danish-midcentury modern type dining set. Its wood with a finish (lacquer or shellac, I don't know). It has a couple of nasty scratches. I live in San Francisco....know of any businesses/individuals that do wood furniture repair? [more inside]
posted by hazel on Jun 15, 2007 - 5 answers

What's the least toxic way to stain and seal wood? [more inside]
posted by Sara Anne on Jan 11, 2006 - 26 answers

Need furniture (wood) restoration tips I just made an unbelievable find in the trash on a sidewalk in manhattan (you wouldnt believe the things people throw out here). Its a solid wood restaurant butcher block table whch measures 24" X 24" X 10" thick! It weighs 85kilos / 190lbs !! I am really excited about restoring it. I have done some furniture restoration in the past but it always involved sanding the shit out of something until its bare again and refinishing it with a polyurethane or a stain of whatever flavor. In this case I think the butcher block has a lot of character (such as knife marks, dents and has also gotten a nice color from all the grease and oils it came into contact with) and I want to preserve that somehow. Its really dirty and kind of nasty at the moment. Can someone offer some suggestions about which solvents i can use to clean it thogroughly? I'm thinking denatured alcohol / mineral spirits but will that be tough enough to clean it?
posted by postergeist on Dec 28, 2005 - 11 answers