DIY Rustic TV Stand

Hello Hello. What a crazy past few weeks for us here at home, for America, and for the World. With all this craziness bombarding us, it is sometimes very therapeutic to hop into the garage or workshop and pump out a DIY project, listening to tunes, and if your lucky enjoying the sunshine. Today is a very-very important day to the LMB household, Veterans Day or Armistice Day. We look to this day beyond my service, but to those others who have served, and are so thankful for the freedoms from the sacrifices. I am so thankful for my experiences, and miss my beloved Marine Corps so very much, but looking back and reflecting on all of the good and positive impact the branches do for this world, and to all those whom have set the positive examples across the globe, I thank you. The Veterans that I now stand with, not only endured countless sacrifices, but did their very best to uphold and embody an image of America where ever they went, interacting with the people of whatever country we are in, and these interaction are, to my opinion, where the real battles are won, showing the caring and loving souls of an American. So Happy Veterans Day  to my crazy, brothers and sisters out there. Looking back at my military roots lead me to this post, my very first build. My last post, I mentioned that I would do my very best give another tutorial at the DIY TV Stand, that people come over and ask questions about. I thought about re-writing that blog post to be more thorough, or sketch out some designs. I realized that the best way I learn is through pictures… So here we go. DIY Buffet or DIY Rustic TV Stand type build, as simple as it gets, and cool few tips on how to achieve the vintage inspired stain and paint look. Here is how it turned out…

 

Lets start with what we will need to build the table.

(5) 2 x 4 @ 84″  Prime KD Whitewood Stud

(5) 2 x 2 @ 8ft Pine Strip

(4) 1 x 8 @ 6ft Common Board

(3) 2 x 8 @ 8ft Prime Doug Fir

(1) 1 x 4 @ 6ft Common Board

Box of GRK 3-1/8″ Trim Screws 

Box of GRK 1-1/4″ Cabinet Screws

Small Pack of GRK 5/16 in x 3-1/8 in Structural Screw

120 Grit Sandpaper

 

Take one 2 x 4 and cut two boards measuring 32 inches. From the scrap, measure and cut another board to 17 inches.

 

 

While it is not necessary, I like pre-drilling holes even when using finishing GRK screws. The best way to determine what size of drill bit is necessary when pre-drililng a pilot hole, is to take a bit and place it on top of the thread of the screw. You should be able to see the thread on both sides of the drill bit. If you cannot take a step down until you can. Place the 17 inch cut board inside the two 2×4’s and screw it into place. Repeat these steps to end up with two “U” shaped pieces. These are going to be each side of your legs. Next, take two more 2×4’s and cut them to 69 inches. Using a KregJig, drill two pocket holes. Screw these 2×4’s to the “U” shaped pieces previously built.

 

From here we will begin installing the upper shelf frame. Starting with the long side, take two of the 2×2’s and cut them to 72 inches. Measure 12 inches from the underside of the 17 corner of the leg (above), and mark a line. Using a clamp, clamp the 2×2 into place. Repeat this step on the other side. Using a level, verify the 2×2 is level and screw it into place. Repeat this step for the back side. Now, we need to connect front long side to the back long side. This is the rocket science part of the build, measure and cut a 2×2 to 17 inches. Tap the 2×2 into place ensure the top is flush across both the front long side and back long side and screw into place.

Now we will lay into place the actual shelf. Take one of the 1 x 8 (actual width is 7 1/4) common boards and cut it to 69 inches. Using a few clamps, clamp the board flush to the 2×2 and drill it into place using the trim screws. The back board will need to be ripped, or cut long ways (with the grain), to fit into place. The back boards new width is 6 3/4 inches. Repeat this step for the back board. Using cabinet screws, install a brace underneath in the center of the piece to keep the boards flush and prevent bowing.

The lower shelf install is exactly the same process. To make things easy, I used a scrap piece from the cut 2×4 to locate the position of the shelf from the bottom. Clamp down a 2×4 keeping flush with the bottom, place the 2×2 short side (17 inch), flush against the 2×4 and screw it into place. Repeat the step on each corner, verifying it is level. In similar fashion to the frame-work, take the long side 2×2, and screw it into place ensuring it to is flush against the adjacent short side 2×2 and the bottom frame is done. Install the 1 x 8 boards in the same manner as in the previous step.In stall a support bracket to go across the middle of the piece to help support the top 3 boards (2×8’s).

 

Cut the 2×8’s to 80 inches. I matched my boards when I purchased, meaning I laid them next to one another at the store. I found the set that I liked and wrote numbers on the boards and put them in my cart. You may have to plane a side or rout a side if you want very tight planks. I go with the mindset into these builds, rustic mean imperfect, you are going for a rustic looking piece. Don’t sweat those small things as you want it to look old, don’t make it perfect. Center the boards all the way around, and screw them down from the top with the trim screws. Fill those holes in with wood filler afterwards.

Once all is said and done, grab the belt sand and smooth everything out. One trick that I am using on all my rustic pieces is adding chatter marks. What I do for some old school chatter marks is take my beltsander at a diagonal, with 80 grit belt paper, and go parallel with grain (at the diagonal). This will add some very cool chatter marks, that will pop when you put dark stain on it.

Now for the finishing portion of this build… Here are the materials I used:

DAP Wood Filler

Minwax Early American

Minwax Dark Walnut

Paint: Maison Blanche – A La Mode 

Watco Rejuvenating Wood Oil

Stain the entire piece. For rustic pieces I started mixing section of stain. I think if you really want this piece to look old you need to make it not completely cohesive, make darker spots and lighter spots, think of telling a story with the piece. I know on some of my window cabinets I make the “rub” areas lighter to look as if it has been rubbing when it opens and closes. Do the same with this piece, where are heavy traffic areas on typically pieces, scrapping of stuff off the shelf. Think of these things while you stain and paint your piece accordingly. After you finish a layer (top, middle, bottom) wipe off the residual or still moist stain, and hang on to those rags, you will need them later on.

I forgot to fill the holes with wood filler. I would typically like to do this before staining but since we are painting over top it will blend right in, so no worries.

 

Okay… now for the painting portion. I wish I would have video’d this portion to really show how to achieve this look, and maybe I’ll do that in my next build, but in the meantime I’ll do my best to explain how to get this look…

 

I took my Masion Blanche A La Mode and left over rags or paper towels from when I stained the piece and wiped off the residual, turned up some 2 Cellos and began to make this piece look old. Take you brush, paint rough areas of the wood, areas near knots, and edges, use longer strokes and leave it set. With a very small amount of paint on the brush, run the brush back and forth along the wood, this a form of dry brushing. Always always going with the grain. Now, with your residual stained rags, wipe the paint. The stain on the rag will add the dingy color to the white. If you find areas you don’t really like, grab some sandpaper or the belt sander and give it a few light passes and retry. While I am doing this I like to go find older pieces in our house or online that I like, and mimic wear marks on the pieces. Try to stay away from symmetry and evenness, wear and tear is random. I can’t help but bring back up the idea of telling a story with a piece. When you put a line or mark in the piece, think of how it would originally end up there, and by doing so the wear looks real. I think some pieces can quickly look too fabricated when over worn look doesn’t make sense. Put paint on, wipe it while it is still settling, sand, and repeat. On some areas that you want a heavier paint to be present paint it and let it sit for a few hours to full dry. Take those dingy rags and rub them over top all the areas of paint as it will dirty the look up more. This does take a little patience, but you can’t mess it up, jump right in.

Once all is said and done with the paint, seal it off with either clear wax or Watco Rejuvenating oil, i used the oil to make the wood color come back out after all the sanding and rubbing with paper towel, and it work beautifully. Again if this doesn’t make much sense leave me comments below, and I’ll give my go at a video, I think a time lapse will really show it off.

Thank you so much for stopping by, and I hope this clears up some of the builds. Below are all the tools I used on this build, a total list of materials. Thanks for stopping by, and be sure to head on over to LMB to see how she styled it. Find me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Thanks.

 

All the Material Needed

(5) 2 x 4 @ 84″  Prime KD Whitewood Stud

(5) 2 x 2 @ 8ft Pine Strip

(4) 1 x 8 @ 6ft Common Board

(3) 2 x 8 @ 8ft Prime Doug Fir

(1) 1 x 4 @ 6ft Common Board

Box of GRK 3-1/8″ Trim Screws 

Box of GRK 1-1/4″ Cabinet Screws

Small Pack of GRK 5/16 in x 3-1/8 in Structural Screw

120 Grit Sandpaper

DAP Wood Filler

Minwax Early American

Minwax Dark Walnut

Paint: Maison Blanche – A La Mode 

Watco Rejuvenating Wood Oil

Tools

Miter Saw

Table Saw

Belt Sander

Level

Clamps

Tape Measure

Quick Square or Builders Square

Drill Bits

Pencil