Potting and Garden Shed How we built it

Framing the Potting and Garden Shed

The Potting and Garden shed was built out of necessity and I didn’t think it would be post-worthy at the time of construction. This was June of 2016. The shed is just one of those things people build or purchase for its utility and nothing more. It houses all the things needed to tend to the yard and garden and some additional storage for those things you only need at certain times of the year.

The building is more than a basic Potting and Garden shed. We stick-built the shed rather than purchasing. We used 2″x4″ instead of 2″x3″ lumber at 16″ on center. The shed is made more like a house than a shed. We used a high pitch for the roof and a ridge beam to keep the interior space open.

With the shed roughed in, we added 2 access points. A standard walk-thru door for easy access when only needing to grab a rake or whatever and, a larger door for the mower.

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Handcrafted Craftsman Style Trim and Wainscoting

The Handcrafted Craftsman Style Trim and Wainscoting for our bath remodel are complete. The update has added to the craftsman theme of this home. This update was to continue the theme from our bathroom makeover. One of the key decisions for this makeover is to replace the contractor-grade door trim. The trim was not only generic it was of poor quality material and horrible installation. The finger-jointed trim showed through every 4 to 5 inches. Sanding would have been very labor-intensive. None of the doors closed properly leaving gaps you could see through.

Trim

During the removal of the trim from the doors, we found the door jambs were not correctly installed. We corrected all of the door jambs during this upgrade and now they all operate properly.

In keeping with the Craftsman theme, I needed an economical way to obtain the trim. Since we are painting the trim white we opted for using MDF. Fortunately, I have a local supplier that carries it in several thicknesses. 1/4, 1/2, 5/8, and 3/4″ in 4×8 sheets. All the trim was produced in my shop for a fraction of what it would cost to purchase. I could also adust the dimensions to ensure it appears correct in this home.

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Small Upcycled Garden Bridge for a runoff

If you live in North Carolina you know we have had a bit more rain than usual. We have three fields that are separated by runoff and tree lines. The fields are cut off during these rainy periods. We always said we will just build a bridge but it seemed to always dry out enough and the bridge can wait. Well, it is finally time to start the Upcycled Garden Bridge

Upcycled parts

I had been saving scrap metal for various projects around the property and came across two pieces of extruded aluminum that are the same. They are both arched perfectly for a small footbridge but also strong enough to drive over with the lawnmower.

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Craftsman Bathroom Vanity for a second bath

Craftsman Bathroom Vanity for a second bath remodel. The contractor grade vanity will be replaced with a counter height vanity we are in the process of building for this post. Our material for this came from a large T.V. entertainment center. We kept this cabinet in storage thinking there has to be some other way to use it. The problem with those centers is they are too big for most rooms. We considered a pantry or wardrobe conversion, but it did not meet the look we are trying to create.

disassembly

I was tired of looking at it in my shop soI decided it was time just to cut it up and take it to the landfill. As I was disassembling it, I realized that the panels are solid and flat, so I stacked it up and tried to think of other uses for the material. I am working on another project in the shop at this time, beehives. I was going to make a few, and this material would be an excellent choice for this project. There will be a separate post for the hives coming soon. That evening we were discussing the upcoming bathroom renovation. So the plan changed, and I will use this material for the Vanity. We want to have a counter height Vanity. If you look at the cost of new material, this is a good use of the old entertainment center.

I like to look at furniture at places like Craigslist, Letgo or consignment stores for sources of material for repurposing. You can pick up one of these entertainment centers for 40 to 50 bucks or even free. Most are wood but, be sure not to waste your time on pressboard or particleboard.

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Spring Landscape Project part 2

2021 Update!

It has been two years since we added our landscaping. in our Spring landscape project part 2. Our plants have filled in as well as the lawn. Maintenance has been relatively easy with the occasional weed whacking along the stone but it’s mostly mow and go. We changed the wood edging on the inner flower bed to stone to match the main flower bed. The ground cover has been filling in and we hope that we will not have to mulch that area soon. We may be changing out some of the flowers that are getting crowded out.

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Spring Landscape Project part 1

It’s that time of year. Our spring landscape project has been on hold since we moved here in 2016. The weather has been very wet last year and so far this year. So we don’t lose any more time we are going to move forward and hope for some dry weather.

This is not a woodworking related post. The weather here has kept me focused on projects like the farm table, laundry remodels and a few other projects, but sometimes you need to take a break and get some work done around the house.

Our first flower bed was done in 2017 to add some color and make mowing easier. A Japanese Maple is our focal point in the main flower bed. We added a few taller ornamental conifers to add height and some daylilies and Back eyed Susans for a splash of color. Finished up with some black mulch and called it a season.

The walkway is the same stone as the driveway. We have not been a fan of this. We had no choice. The ground was very muddy when we moved into our new house. because it was so wet that year we needed something so we could move our furniture in with. During the next part of this project, we will be changing this to flagstone.

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The Woodworking Shows

The Woodworking Shows are a traveling trade show that moves from city to city showcasing new woodworking tools and equipment. The Woodworking Shows offer live demo’s and classes available to participate in during the show from many master craftsman. The first show I attended was in Tampa Florida about eight years ago. I liked going to the woodworking shows for several years. If you go to a show, you can learn about new tools and technics. I also benefited from the excellent discounts at the shows on the latest gadgets. One of the things I learned is that a little extra investment in better tools made for better results and also kept my interest in woodworking. If you attend one of the many live demonstrations, you can ask specific questions about the product or the steps used and why. The vendors and craftsman have extensive knowledge and enjoy helping old and new woodworkers alike.

It has been a few years since I could attend a show. I left Florida for North Carolina and spent the last few years setting up shop here. Now that I am in North Carolina I was able to go to this year’s show in Charlotte with the bonus of taking my now adult son with me. I had dragged him to so many in Florida, but he never showed much interest then. Now with his own family, he has an interest. We have worked on several projects together, and I can see he paid attention even if not interested at the time.

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Laundry Renovation

Laundry renovations are not rooms people give much attention to. It is a utility room and what more does it need to be. Having said that if a workplace is not efficient and the room is not welcoming, it gets out of control quickly and spending time in there is a chore as much as the laundry itself.

We are taking the basic contractor space and updating it for better storage, cleaner look and making it more welcoming. The room itself is an odd shape, however, it can be made to work.

Before
Lack of storage
Wasted space
Not inviting

In the photos above no consideration was given to storage. The room was blank. A storage shelf behind the washer and dryer adds some storage. A better plan is needed.

The laundry room renovation is a simple weekend project that any homeowner can accomplish.

The Plan

What the room needs are storage, color, and style. We want to keep the renovation budget friendly. Our renovation needs to flow with the theme of the house. The laundry room is in our Craftsman home. The budget may seem high. To offset this all of the cabinetry work we fabricate them in our shop. The other benefit, custom making our storage cabinet allows us to fit the space better. Off the shelf, storage cabinets can be used and will function just the same. If you’re looking for style choices, they are limited. We will be replacing the shelf with a slightly longer and deeper one, adding a cabinet above, and updating the color.

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Vented Pantry Doors

Last weekend I had time to fabricate four pantry doors. The doors will feature a ventilated center panel. This was a quick project to finish a custom pantry. The doors are a simple shaker style door. The doors will be painted white to match the pantry.

Before we begin any project, read and understand the instructions of the equipment you are using. Please use hearing and vision protection

The Joiner and the planer I will be using utilizing have a helical cutter head which reduces noise and in my own personal opinion provide a superior cut compared to a straight blade cutter. I have been using these machines for several years now and I couldn’t imagine being in the shop without them. For more information about helical cutters click here.

Step 1: Milling the stock

Joining

We are using Birch to fabricate our doors. This wood is common for making cabinets. I am using it for its stability rather than the aesthetics. Starting with rough stock I purchased at The Hardwood Store of North Carolina. I joined the edge on the joiner. With one edge joined I can flip the board giving me a straight edge. This edge runs straight against the fence while joining the face of the board. To make it easier to run the stock on the joiner I cut the length of the boards slightly longer than the height of the doors.

Rough Stock
Joning face
Joning face

Planing

From the joiner, the next step is planing the boards to the proper thickness. With the joined face down on the planer, we take a few small passes at a time. Our final thickness is 3/4″ thick. We run all the boards through to ensure they are identical.

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Dual Bathroom Vanity

Dual bathroom vanity for a beach house in Anna Marie Island Florida. Our client was looking for a vanity that would last in a home on the beach. After several attempts at big box vanities, I was contracted to build a vanity that not only would last but added storage solution for a small bathroom. Although the bathroom is small there is plenty of room for two.

Because longevity was a concern a marine grade ply was used for the cabinet. Our client wanted large open space under both sinks which she added pull outs after the vanity was installed. To provide durability the inside of the vanity was finished with laminate in a dove gray color to match the color used in the bathroom. This is not common but will last a life time.

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