How I started woodworking
This summer, I picked up a few new hobbies, one being woodworking. My hubby and I built a stone paver patio to the side of our home for an outdoor space to chill, work from home, and have dinner on summer evenings. Once we finished the patio, I realized we needed furniture. Unfortunately, I had already spent more of the budget than I had anticipated on materials to build the patio. I started to window shop anyway thinking I could save a little here or there to make up the difference. I got knee deep in reviews and I didn’t see anything sturdy...I’m talking about furniture that won’t get tossed around in a severe storm and could survive year round outdoors. I was in DIY mode from the patio so I ventured into DIY patio furniture out of curiosity. It’s something about DIY videos that really boost confidence, even when you’ve never done that type of project before! I was hooked. The amount of tutorials I watched is slightly embarrassing, but I was locked in. Once I commit to an idea, there’s no stopping me.
The next stop was finding a plan. Let’s be honest, even with all the tutorials, I needed solid plans to reference. I purchased some plans from one site, but I opted for another plan (free) instead. I really liked the chair plans linked here because they were truly beginner plans that look great! The couch plans are linked here, but I wasn’t really a fan of the lack of a middle bar in the back. The cushions kept falling out of the back, super annoying. I added a middle bar and I have yet to figure out a way to stabilize it. I lean back with caution for now. I’ll likely add additional back support during the fall months.
From the plans, I knew what tools I needed. I purchased a miter saw, orbital sander, and a kreg jig. They’re not awfully expensive, but great starters for beginning projects. In the end, it was a summer full of new things and hobbies! I plan to create more outdoor furniture for our balcony off our bedroom. While the temps are dropping, it’s nothing some blankets and an outdoor heater can’t fix.
Woodworking for me started as a way:
to save money
make what worked best for our outdoor space
It turned into:
A fulfilling hobby. I love creating with my hands (hence why I love cooking) and it’s an amazing feeling to be able to use something that I made.
Therapeutic activity from the soothing motions of sanding to the confidence boost.
