Woodworking

This section holds 10 woodworking patterns, 5 reference tables with 109 records, 7 tools and 9 articles. Design simple furniture from dimensional lumber with every board checked, look up wood species, lumber sizes, joints, screws and finishes, and pack a cut list.

Design a woodworking pattern Browse patterns

10 patterns · 5 tables · 6 calculators

Patterns

Read the first rounds free. Every pattern is included with a plan.

All 10 patterns →

Narrow Fir Paperback Shelf

Woodworking · Board build

30 × 9¼ × 36 in · 8 joints · 24 screws

Cedar Three Tier Plant Stand

Woodworking · Board build

30 × 9¼ × 36 in · 9 joints · 27 screws

Sage Pine Bookcase

Woodworking · Board build

30 × 9¼ × 36 in · 11 joints · 33 screws

Hallway Pine Shoe Rack

Woodworking · Board build

30 × 9¼ × 34 in · 4 joints · 12 screws

Entryway Storage Bench

Woodworking · Board build

30 × 9¼ × 36 in · 4 joints · 12 screws

Kitchen Cookbook Cubby

Woodworking · Board build

30 × 9¼ × 34 in · 8 joints · 24 screws

Tall Skinny Yellow Picture Book Shelf

Woodworking · Board build

28½ × 9¼ × 36 in · 10 joints · 30 screws

Mudroom Bench with Low Basket Shelf and Backrest (natural pine seat, sage-green painted frame; seat height 18 in, overall 36 in with backrest to meet the 36 in target height)

Woodworking · Board build

30 × 9¼ × 36 in · 6 joints · 18 screws

Reference

Tables the patterns, tools and articles refer to. Filter and sort each one, or open a record.

All 5 tables →

Table	Records	Fields
Wood speciesCommon softwoods and hardwoods with published Janka hardness, workability, movement, price band and typical uses.	35	11
Lumber sizesNominal versus actual dimensions for softwood boards, dimension lumber and timbers, plus hardwood quarter thicknesses.	24	7
JoineryCommon wood joints from butt to dovetail, with relative strength, difficulty, the tools they need and where they are used.	20	6
Screws and nailsCommon wood screws, pocket screws and nails with gauge, shank size, pilot hole sizes and the stock each length suits.	14	8
FinishesOils, films, waxes, stains and dyes compared by look, drying time, application and durability.	16	7

Tools

Calculators and converters are free; identifiers and the designer use credits.

All 7 →

designer

Board build designerShelves, benches and boxes from off-the-shelf boards with screwed butt joints; every board position, overlap, span and the cut list against real stock lengths is checked. · 10 credits

Open

calculator

Cut list packerFits a list of part lengths onto stock boards with a saw kerf per cut and tells you how many boards to buy. · Free

Open

calculator

Board feet calculatorBoard feet and cost for boards of a given thickness, width and length. · Free

Open

identifier

What wood is this?Upload a photo of a board and get a species guess with how it works, moves and takes a finish. · 2 credits

Open

identifier

What joint is this?Upload a photo of a wood joint and get its name, how it is made and how strong it is. · 2 credits