Looking for a small but incredibly useful piece of furniture? Radek from Radek’s Workshop has created a fantastic DIY foldable stool project that is perfect for any home. This guide will take you through the steps to make your own, complete with materials and tools needed.
Materials and Tools
- Maple flooring
- Wood glue (Titebond III recommended)
- Wood dowels (thick and thin)
- Forstner bits
- Table saw
- Miter saw
- Disc sander
- Router table
- Clamps
- Straw (for glue squeeze out)
Step 1: Prepare the Wood
Radek begins by using maple flooring for the stool, which he had leftover from a home renovation. Since the flooring has grooves and tongue-and-groove joinery, he first uses a planer to remove these features.
He performs coarse planning followed by fine planning to achieve a smooth finish. The material is slightly under three-quarters of an inch thick, but you can use thicker or thinner material depending on the weight capacity needed.
Step 2: Cut the Wood
Once the wood is prepared, Radek moves outside to the miter saw to cut the tongs off the short sides, marking the desired lengths in the workshop.
Next, he rips the boards to a width of 1.5 inches, which he will later provide exact measurements for.
Step 3: Shape the Legs and Brackets
To create rounded tips for the legs and brackets, Radek marks the center of the circle and draws half circles using a compass. He then sets his miter gauge to 45 degrees to cut off the corners, removing most of the unwanted material.
Following this, he uses a disc sander to refine the shape and remove any burn marks.
Step 4: Drill Holes for Dowels
Radek drills holes for the dowels using Forstner bits, ensuring to maintain a slow RPM to avoid tear-out. He stops just before drilling all the way through to achieve sharp edges on both sides.
After flipping the boards, he finishes the holes for a clean look.
Step 5: Assemble the Stool
Assembly begins with connecting the legs using thick dowels. Radek emphasizes that there is no need for glue here, as the dowels should fit tightly in the holes.
Long dowels connect the brackets with the legs, while shorter dowels are used for the second pair of legs and outside brackets.
Step 6: Glue the Seat Boards
Next, he glues the seat boards to the brackets at their diagonal cut edges, ensuring there is no gap between them. After flipping the stool over, he glues the remaining seat boards to the outside brackets and secures the legs connectors about 40 millimeters above the floor.
Radek uses clamps creatively, utilizing them as spreaders during this awkward glue-up.
Step 7: Final Touches
After letting the glue dry overnight, he adds his logo to the stool, which was burned onto a piece of maple veneer by his friend using a laser.
This project took Radek one afternoon to complete, showcasing a fun and practical creation that anyone can replicate.
With this step-by-step guide, anyone can create their own foldable stool.