Hello all,
This is my second entry on the quest to show you how and why I build what I build, and why I love it so much!
This build was brought to me because the customer who couldn't find what she was looking for. She had been searching for this entry piece that held coats, shoes, nic nacs, and had to be the color espresso. She found the one she wanted but was either to wide or to narrow to fit her entryway. She needed one that was 48" wide for it to fit just right. Finally she reached out to me (Bear's Wood Design) and ask if I could build her one that fit the dimensions she needed. I gladly excepted the job. After showing me a few pictures of what she wanted, I started the process of getting a plan set up. All the information I had was it had to be 48" wide about 6' tall, shoe cubbies, small shelf for nic nacs, and stained in the espresso color.
Steps to build:
Draw it out on paper to find out how much material I would need.
Then it was off to the lumber store (one of my favorite places) to get all the materials and supplies to build her the perfect coat rack.
Once I had everything, I then began drawing it out to get it cut down and ready to prep.
Prepping the wood requires hours of sanding and edging to achieve that perfect finish.
Now it is time to start assembling the coat rack. Starting with the bottom and for the shoe cubby. This was the most detailed part. I had to cut a groove half way in each of the 1/4 birch plywood to make them interlock. Once that was done I had to make the grooves in the bottom half of the coat rack to slide the dividers into.
Next was the main piece that mounted to the top of the shoe cubby. This part is where the coat and top nic nac cubbys are.
Once I had it all fitted, it was time for gluing to begin. I use only Titebond wood glue. I also use what is called a pocket hole set up to fasten the wood after you glue the pieces. This is a great way to make sure that your joints are tight and strong.
Now that it is all together, its time to sand some more. Can't stress enough on how important it is to prep the wood surface. This process is what makes for the best finish that you can achieve.
Now that it is all put together and prepped, time to color it. Used a Minwax poly + stain (Espresso)
Once stain is dry, the sealer is added. Stain had some poly mixed in but when it comes to furniture its best to use a good sealer. Minwax makes many great sealers. Always check to make sure you use the right sealer for the job you got going.
After each coat of sealer (3 typically) use a fine grit sandpaper. I recommend at least 240 or higher. Personally, I like 400 grit to knock of any imperfections.
Once everything was dry, the hardware was added.
The project was finished and ready for it's new home! What do you think?