This project was built and designed by Josh Wright, who shares clever, resourceful woodworking projects on his YouTube channel. In this build, Josh turns a single 2×6 board into a storage-ready ottoman that looks like a rustic wine or whiskey barrel.
It’s a budget-friendly project that combines creativity, precision, and a few smart techniques to produce a piece that functions as a stool, side table, or decorative accent. The finished product is sturdy, stylish, and surprisingly simple to build with just a few tools and materials.
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A Versatile Piece for Any Room
The barrel ottoman is more than just a prop—it’s built to be used. It can hold your feet, store blankets, support a drink tray, or even serve as extra seating. Josh designed it with practicality in mind while keeping the aesthetic of a traditional wood barrel.
What makes this project stand out is that it’s built entirely from a single six-foot 2×6 board, which helps keep costs down. Despite the minimal material list, the final piece looks detailed and handcrafted.
Preparing the Board
The build begins by breaking down the 2×6 into manageable pieces. First, the rounded edge of the board is trimmed off to create flat surfaces for layout and assembly.
Next, the board is ripped into strips roughly 2 3/8 inches wide. These will become the staves that form the barrel’s curved walls. Each strip is then cut into shorter lengths to keep things uniform and easier to bend during glue-up.
Bending the Staves
To form the barrel shape, Josh uses a technique called bent lamination. Strips are glued together in pairs and bent around a two-inch block, which acts as a form. This approach creates the necessary curve while keeping the lamination process efficient.
After the glued-up pieces dry, each one is cut at an angle using a table saw. The bevel and slight radius are cut simultaneously using an MDF guide that keeps the workpiece flat against the fence and blade. These details help the staves fit together snugly in a circular form.
Gluing the Barrel Body
Once the staves are cut and shaped, they are glued together into a circular body. Josh uses staples to temporarily hold the staves in place while the glue sets. After drying, the staples are removed, and a quick sanding with 60 grit smooths the joints and removes excess adhesive.
To level the top and bottom edges, sandpaper is glued to a flat board, and the barrel is rubbed across it. This ensures a clean mating surface for the top and bottom panels.
Building the Top and Bottom Panels
The remaining portion of the 2×6 is used to make the top and bottom of the barrel. The boards are ripped into thin strips—around ½ inch—and glued edge to edge to form two flat panels.
A card scraper is used to clean up glue squeeze-out, and then the outlines of the barrel are traced onto the panels. Each is cut out using a jigsaw and fitted to the body of the barrel. The bottom is glued in permanently, while the top is left removable for storage access.
A Hidden Storage Feature
To make the top panel easy to lift off, a finger hole is drilled near one edge. This small design choice adds functionality without affecting the overall look.
Inside, the barrel can hold small items like blankets, magazines, or tools—making it a functional piece as well as a decorative one. Even though the walls are only about 3/8 inch thick, the design holds up well under weight, adding to its usefulness.
Sanding and Staining
Before applying finish, the entire piece is sanded smooth with grits up to 220. This not only removes imperfections but also preps the surface for stain and finish.
Josh applies a walnut-colored stain to give the barrel a classic, aged appearance. A top coat of polyurethane adds durability and makes the piece suitable for daily use.
Adding the Barrel Look
To complete the look, black-painted mule tape is used to simulate metal barrel bands. These are glued around the top and bottom using super glue, adding a convincing finishing touch.
It’s a simple addition that drastically enhances the visual style, giving it the appearance of a full-sized wine or whiskey barrel while maintaining its DIY simplicity.
A Budget-Friendly Build with Big Impact
Despite using only a single board, this project results in a piece that looks much more involved. It’s a great example of how careful planning, basic tools, and a creative approach can turn minimal material into something stylish and useful.
Josh’s approach is a reminder that woodworking doesn’t always require a big budget or a huge workshop—just a bit of ingenuity and attention to detail.
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