Interior designer Kurt Cyr shows how to maximize the space in your home with an inexpensive multifunctional piece of furniture that you can make yourself. You can use it as a chaise, then convert it into a two-seat sofa and side table of low table.
Materials:
2 pieces of lumber, each 2" x 12" x 8' pencil drill drill bit screws safety goggles wood plugs (available at hardware store) wood glue sandpaper linseed oil cotton cloth wood stain spray sealer glossy acrylic finish finish wax clean dry cotton rag T-braces foam-filled cushions
Steps:
Have the lumber yard cut each 8-foot length into two pieces--one 6 feet and one two feet. You will end up with two six-foot pieces, and two two-foot pieces.
Line up the two long pieces of lumber on the worktable, making sure the ends are perfectly even.
Mark the position of the legs: From the short end, mark a spot at 11 inches and one at 12-1/2 inches.
Figure A
Figure B
Figure C
Draw a line across both boards (figure A) from these points so that you have two parallel lines. Repeat at the other end.
To help keep the two long boards aligned when turning them over, screw on two 2 x 4 boards on the underside, lining them up with the outside line on each end (figure B).
Predrill leg screw holes. Mark in three inches from the long edge, centering the point between the two lines drawn for positioning the legs (figure C).
Use a drill bit slightly smaller than your screw. Hold the screw and bit side by side to measure.
Put on safety goggles, then drill the spot. Repeat on remaining three sides.
Turn tabletop over. Countersink screws, drilling slightly below surface so that the screws are recessed, by drilling 1/4-inch down in pilot screw holes, using a bit slightly larger than screws.
Figure D
Attach legs by running a bead of glue along edge of the leg before positioning it along marked lines. Drill in screws through pilot holes (figure D) .
Remove 2 x 4s that were used to hold wood together.
Fill in holes with wood plugs. Fill the hole with wood glue and tap in the plug.
Sand and wipe down the table with linseed oil and a cotton cloth.
Apply three coats of stain.
Apply a spray sealer.
Apply two coats of glossy acrylic finish.
Figure E
Figure F
Apply a coat of finish wax with 0000 steel wool, using circular motions (figure E).
When wax starts to haze, buff with a clean dry cotton rag.
When completely dry, screw in T-braces (figure F) at the four intersections of the leg and the top.
