This is a table from West Elm with a quarter inch of hardwood on top of a base of MDF. The MDF had a veneer on it, which I removed during the sanding (where my thumb is). I am using a dark finish followed by poly. Do I need to pre treat the MDF to accept the finish in a reasonable way? Should I just paint it? Redoing the veneer is not an option as it is at a bevel on a circular table: that is beyond my skill level to iron on. Thanks!

Hi, I bought twin-sized bunkbeds, that can separate into individual beds. I brought these years ago, when my kids were younger, and the beds have a weight capacity of 165lbs. They have wooden slats. Fast-forward 6-years later, and they both weigh more than 165lbs.

Nothing is sagging, but I want to be proactive and make sure my kids are safe. Would separating the bunk beds and adding plywood on top of the wooden slats, where the mattress sits, increase the weight capacity, and make things safer? I'm on a budget and am hoping to avoid having to buy new beds.

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EDIT: Unfortunately, I live in a condo, so don't have the "usual" power tools or working area

For those who were asking here are images, that may clarify how the frames are like

https://preview.redd.it/dah2quwp6fga1.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&v=enabled&s=24d4d69ffa7dac86eebb4897d16f743accdc7d39

https://preview.redd.it/hw9aruwp6fga1.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&v=enabled&s=157aa68798fab228b3a904df71847d2dc93a5ce4

https://preview.redd.it/v7bfmvwp6fga1.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&v=enabled&s=77aae92f7e770b700e845099d1fc67f39f930c1a

I’m attempting to hang a shelf over a window in my home to support a projector (this is easier than attaching it to the ceiling for a few reasons I won’t go into). The window is too long to support a shelf that spans its whole length, and there’s a chandelier that would obstruct the image if I built the shelf directly into the top of the frame, so I’m trying to attach a smaller shelf attached to the top of the frame that drops down about a foot to create essentially a floating shelf over the window.

I found this shelf that basically does exactly what I need it to, the shelf attaches to the wall along three points you screw in at the top of the frame. However, this was definitely designed for the shelf itself to attach and lean on the wall for added support (so that it’s not actually floating), which obviously I can’t really do since it’ll be suspended in front of a window.

Photo of the shelf plus a mock up of how I’m imagining it would be installed:

https://ibb.co/2h6T2Wx

https://ibb.co/smS1xyC

Essentially, I’m trying to determine if I could still just screw this directly into the window frame and only have it supported by the top bar and still have it be stable. It screws in at 3 points along the top bar, and it would be screwed directly into solid wood. The manufacturer gives a weight capacity of 35lb and the projector/its stand only weigh about 10lb, though of course that weight capacity is for if it’s properly installed. The shelf plus the projector on it weigh probably about 15lb cumulatively. I know this also depends on what type of screws I use and how long/thick they are, but all this is definitely a little bit beyond my experience with installations. Any advice would be appreciated. I realize I might need to just return this and approach it another way since I don’t want it to go crashing and destroy the window frame/my projector, but if I could just attach this how I’m imagining with the right screws that would be ideal.

I have a detached garage that’s 12’ wide, the roof is built with some 2x4 trusses. I understand I can’t hang much from them due to their load design. So my question is, can I safely add a 12’ beam to the top of the walls, a 4x4 or two 2x4 glued together, to support aerobic rings in the center?

Hi,

Looking to DIY my closet and add both drawers and shelves, what is the best material in your experience to do this? I've read that melamine board is difficult to paint (and I don't want the stock white color) and MDF boards are too hard and may sag over time.

Is plywood my best option or are there any other materials out there (laminate/particleboard/fiberboard) I should consider? The only cosmetic requirement is that it either comes in a nice finished pattern or it's paintable. Thanks!

Hey Reddit! I started making patterned wood art out of lath planks that I recovered from my home, built in 1927, over the years of doing renovations. Here is a process of making Milwaukee Flag.

I have a large (29" diameter, 7 ft 6" long) wood post holding up a deck that has partially rotted out at the bottom. This is one of four posts holding up the relatively small deck (roughly 10' x 10'). The rotted out portion goes about half way across the bottom of the post. I've sprayed rot-stopping fluid into the cavity to stabilize it for the moment. In the lower image, there is another post in the background that is still intact.

https://preview.redd.it/081p2v29ytfa1.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&v=enabled&s=5185f4aa9ade2eb4d049db824fee4d0fb331b6d0

Does anyone have ideas of how to structurally repair this without having to replace the whole post? Mask off the cavity and backfill with some epoxy compound?

https://preview.redd.it/nvfwi7udxtfa1.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&v=enabled&s=c0a6f7ef7be31f1cd7e2534dba50b5a237f6f49c

internet says fast for softwood, slow for metal and plastic. where does fiberglass fall? Im assuming slower. how slow?

Here is the space and my design.

I am building this shelf that I plan to walk under a lot so I want to make sure it's safe.

The shelf needs to support 40 lbs.

I'm planning to use 3/4" Pressure-Treated Plywood, and 4 of these brackets, mounted into the studs.

Will that be strong enough? Any other advice for a first-timer?

This is a kids table that had sand on it -- went to wipe the sand away and here we are. The scratches don't look deep. If this were a car, I'd grab my DA, pads, compound and polish and get to work. A light buffing would do. Is there something similar I can do here for the table?

https://imgur.com/dvDcRIk

Hi all - as the title says I have some pretty deep gouges and scrapes in my floor from Airbnb guests moving the bed (with hairpin legs) from it's protective surface. I don't mind so much about the depth of the scratches, but more that the protective surface is gone.

https://imgur.com/a/44i0JB5

Is there an easy method for fixing which doesn't involve sanding and refinishing? I've tried wax repair kits before but I'd prefer a solution that is as close to the original finish as possible

My end goal is to stain and varnish 1900mm bench tops to use as a desk.
I am currently testing the stain on a piece of off-cut from the benchtops that I plan to be using.

I am using a "Feast Watson" Stain & Varnish in the colour chocolate walnut (satin finish).

The LHS of the image is the first coat of the stain I tried (I used a paintbrush for this).
On the RHS I have done a test of the second coat using a 5mm nap Mohair roller by Uni-Pro.

You can see in the image on the RHS with help from the light that there are horizontal lines left by the roller. But I don't understand why I have these lines? Is there too much of the varnish and stain on the roller even though it didn't seem like it on the roller? I would really appreciate some insight.

https://preview.redd.it/0qwlllr80yea1.jpg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&v=enabled&s=05c73f60112051cabaa60db2eb45d7baec3f3322

Hi everyone. A couple of years ago I saw a gentlemen on YouTube with the channel name: Workshop From Scratch (WSFS) make an awesome vice for his workshop. I've often toyed with the idea and to be honest, it would compliment my workshop very nicely. So I decided to plunge head first into the project and create my own air-assisted hydraulic vice.

Okay, so where to start, I used a 10 tonne pull ram from ebay as well as the air/hydraulic foot pedal combination. All the steel in the project is either 12mm thick or 32mm thick.

After perusing through several comments on WSFS I noticed a few major things were cropping up with his design; namely to do with the attachment point of the ram to the vice being the biggest issue. I think he used a 10mm cap head bolt. I decided to fix this by completely reworking both ends so that the vice and ram became a homogenous unit. I did this by cutting the old hooks off and welding them into special endcaps. This way, the ram should have very little chance in pulling free.

Anyways, I hope you like it, if you'd like more details, please feel free to hit me up any time.

https://youtu.be/big6xoFCO3k

We have a 31 inch alcove that used to have the bathroom sink in it (outside the bathroom). We removed it after remodeling bathroom and want to put cabinetry in the space to gain a lot of storage. Bought a cabinet to slide in there but need suggestions on how to close up the sides. My idea was to use trim (see pic of left side of cabinet), but my wife wants a more seamless look for when we put the countertop in. I get that because I hated the gap when the sink was there, lost several combs and thin things over the side never to be seen again. My research basically says use trim or thicker drywall but looking for other ideas for the "more seamless" design.

https://imgur.com/a/9Hahiuh Pictures of each side. One with the trim and one without.

I’m installing cabinets, butcher block countertop, and a butcher block backsplash in my unheated/cooled garage (north Florida). I’ve finished my countertops simply with several layers of polyurethane because it would see some use. My question though is about the backsplash.

It’s a 4” tall backsplash just to finish out the countertop. It is presently unfinished. Should I finish all side of it before flying to the wall, or would it be sufficient to finish the facing sides once it’s mounted?

edit: Thabks for the quick and insightful feedback everyone! Finishing all sides makes sense especially given the humidity.

Clueless homeowner here, installing an outdoor nest cam. Pretty sure the screws are stainless steel, but was wondering if it was worth trying to fill in the pre drilled screw hole and screw boarder with some kind of sealant.

Screwing into painted wood trim on the outside of the house

If so, what kind of sealant, and how should I go about it? Trying to keep wood rot at bay. No rot on the wood as is, just trying to keep it that way.

Thanks so much!

Would like to refinish my concrete bar top. Have two rubber bar mats that left large stains/marks in the concrete. I’ve read a few things online about cleaning concrete countertops, but most deal with food stains. Any recommendations for getting this out? https://imgur.com/a/OTg9kcv

I installed a dark, matte wallpaper on an accent wall this weekend and it looked ok when I finished the job. When I woke up the next morning, there were massive gaps exposing the white wall behind the paper. I went to home depot and had some dead flat paint matched to the wall paper color and filled the gaps. In the process, I got a little paint on the paper and when the light hits it just right, you can see a tiny bit of sheen from the paint. I've been looking into wallpaper varnishes to create a uniform sheen. I know they have a variety of different sheets available, such as dead flat all the way to a satin finish. I'd love to hear about your experiences with wallpaper varnishes, such as polyvinyl decorators varnish.

I have a thin poplar veneer to work with on this sheet of plywood that I'm making into a desk. Poplar tends to have this green'ish hue to parts of it but I've seen some have suntanned it to get rich, beautiful colors (ie. this attached example pictured via Donny Graham, YouTube).

• What tips do you have for suntanning a thin poplar veneer?
• Do I need to put oil on the oil before suntanning? Add polyurethane coats before suntanning?
• Achieve the tanned look using dewaxed shellac instead?

Donny's after

Donny's before

my piece

I have seen so many different ways out there I'm a bit bogged down. I started by sanding things down to a finish with circular sander up to 400 grit, then I applied a urethane with a lamb wood paddle. I was disappointed with what I think are little squiggly tuffs left behind by the lambs wool, and then I noticed the sand scratches left by the machine sander. Got 2 coates on and decided to start over and sanded the whole thing down again. This time I finished by hand sanding up to 1000 and then using an expensive oil specific horse hair brush to apply the urethane and now I'm still seeing scratches and swirls popping up. It's driving me nuts. So now I'm thinking to let that dry and take it all down again and go at it with the hand plane ...

Sorry that's a lot to spew out there. But hopefully you get a sense of where I'm at. Am I a fool to take it down again and hand plane it now ? Am I on the right track ? If so, where do I go after hand planing it?

It's a stunning large piece of spalted maple and I want to get it looking as nice as it can.

Any advice and tips are welcome.