Table of contents for Summer 2019 in Do It Yourself

If you’re like me and lack a dedicated workshop, warmer weather is your chance to build. Now is the perfect moment to take over the porch, patio, garage, or shady backyard spot and start generating some serious sawdust. To maximize the season of building, we’ve created 20 (yes, 20!) carpentry projects—accessories, furniture, wall treatments, even a pergola (“Made for Entertaining,” page 46). Start easy by converting square dowels into the sweetest houseplant stand, this photo. All you need are basic hand tools, clamps, glue, and pin nails (“Wood Works,” page 80). Expand on your skills with one of five modern farmhouse style planters (“Modern Classics,” page 66), or build them all and become the envy of your ’hood. And don’t miss our introduction to one tool you must add…

MAKE IT TOY BOX MATERIALS • Pieces cut from birch plywood and pine project boards (see Cut List, below)• Birch edge banding• Iron• Metal roller• Wood file• Kreg pocket-hole jig kit• Drill• Wood glue• Kreg corner clamps• Kreg screws• Kreg wood plugs• Wood filler• Putty knife• Sandpaper, sander if desired• Primer, paint, stain, brushes• Template at BHG.com/ToyBox• Jigsaw• Water-base sealer or polycrylic• Chisel• 2 butt hinges• 2 toy box lid hinges Step 1 Apply edge banding to all wood edges that will not abut another piece of wood and will show. To apply edge band, cut the banding a little longer than the piece’s edge. Preheat an iron; lay the banding centered on the edge and iron it to the wood. Use a metal roller to press the banding onto…

LIKE MANY SUBURBAN NEIGHBORHOODS, THE BACKYARD DECKS IN JESSICA AND KIRK ENO’S DEVELOPMENT range from lackluster and undersized spaces to spacious platforms constructed by homeowners who refused to settle for builder-grade decks. Fortunately for the Enos, the previous owners of their home had replaced the original deck with one that was generous in size; however, it still lacked a few key features. Even though it was large, the deck was missing a defined space for entertaining, and the existing built-in bench was too shallow for lounging. Structurally, everything was in good shape but, after several years of sun and snow, the wood needed refinishing. “I really wanted to add style to our cookie cutter suburban home without ripping up the whole deck,” Jessica says, “so we decided to refinish and…

A SPOT TO CALL HER OWN QUITE POSSIBLY MADE ELISE PERSSON THE HAPPIEST PRETEEN IN TOWN. With the basement taken over by Elise’s teenage brother (and his video games and friends), a shed in the backyard became the go-to place for Elise’s artistic activities and girlfriend gatherings. Instead of building the shed themselves, Anders and Angie Persson of Charlotte purchased a prebuilt shed from Sheds USA through Home Depot. After selecting a model online and making sure it was available in their area, Angie, an interior designer, customized the shed by choosing from a variety of upgrades, such as the French doors that open out to welcome fresh air yet allow plenty of natural light when closed. Angie worked closely with a landscaper to determine how the shed would be…

STANDING TALL This vertical file cabinet proves the perfect sidekick to a petite sink vanity, doubling storage in a small bathroom, opposite and above. Match the piece to your room’s color palette with spray paint. (We chose navy for the drawer fronts and metallic gold for the hardware.) Remove drawers, pulls, and label holders. On a protected surface and in a well-ventilated room, spray the drawer fronts and hardware with an oil-base primer. When dry, sand and wipe clean. Spray with desired colors. Let dry and apply a second coat. When dry, replace hardware and insert drawers back into cabinet. DO IT BETTER BE SURE YOUR SURFACE HEIGHT IS ONE OF THESE STANDARD MEASUREMENTS: 29 INCHES DESK, 36 INCHES COUNTER, OR 42 INCHES BAR. THIS WAY YOU’LL BE ABLE TO…

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DO IT BETTER GIVE A UNIQUE AGED FINISH TO YOUR WOOD-BASED PROJECT (OR EXISTING WOOD FURNITURE) WITH THIS WHITEWASH TECHNIQUE. BHG.COM/PICKLEWOOD TABLE Make a statement in your dining room with a custom-made X-leg dining table. BHG.com/FarmTable SHIPLAP WALL We’re still loving shiplap— and the install is easier than you might think! Create this on-trend wall treatment with our step-by-step instructions. BHG.com/Shiplap PLANTER BOX X marks the spot with this welcoming planter box, perfect for displaying seasonal florals or starting a container garden. BHG.com/PlanterBox SIDE TABLE A few hours and five simple steps will leave you with this modern farmhouse side table. BHG.com/SideTable…

YOU CAN FIX IT! Big projects are pretty grand. But sometimes, Handy Girls, it’s the little Ms. Fix-Its that bring the most satisfaction. That’s why we’re focusing on those tiny to-dos to help you banish eyesores and update the things that make your house work harder and smarter. AN ODE TO BLUE TAPE: 3 REASONS (BEYOND THE OBVIOUS) WHY WE LOVE IT. 1 ‘Cause it makes the straightest, most beautiful lines when you recaulk a tub. Scrape the old caulk off using a putty knife, then clean and dry the surface (overnight is best). Apply painters tape on both sides of the caulk line, fill in using a caulk gun, and smooth with your finger. Then wait a day and remove the tape. Voilà! 2 ‘Cause it helps us organize…

A WARM WELCOME The Bass family (Lisa and Luke and their five children), top, have lived in their Troy, Missouri, bungalow for about 10 years, working steadily to restore and refresh the nearly century-old house for modern-day life with a busy family. The porch, above, now has greater presence, thanks to wide wood steps (which cover the old concrete ones), simplified support posts (the old Craftsman columns were crumbling), and plywood skirting to conceal the foundation (it replaced busy-looking lattice). Lisa stripped at least three layers of paint from the original front door to reestablish its warm glory. THERE WERE MANY THINGS TO LOVE ABOUT THE CRAFTSMAN BUNGALOW ON A BUSY STREET IN TROY, MISSOURI—Luke and Lisa Bass just had to see beyond a kaleidoscope of colors splashed on…

LIGHT THE WAY Sun printing makes it super easy to transfer complex lace patterns while giving this classic material a fresh, modern appeal, left. Cut lace to fit around a white lampshade. In a room away from direct sunlight, apply a thin, even coat of black SolarFast dye to the lampshade using a foam crafts brush. While dye is damp, wrap lace around the lampshade, pulling taut and tying ends together with thread or securing with transparent tape. Expose lampshade to sunlight according to SolarFast instructions. After exposure is complete, remove from sunny area (A) and detach lace. Hand-wash lampshade immediately in a bath of hot water and SolarFast Wash, agitating to remove excess dye. Let dry. SMALL TALK You can display your favorite phrase on a pillow, this photo,…

1. Relax with the soothing sounds of bubbling water. Make any garden zen with the Sedona rock fountain. Follow the easy instructions to install, then plug in and enjoy. Sedona Disappearing Water Feature Kit from Gardenique, $159; lowes.com 2. It’s a one-stop box for all your fix-it needs. Over 100 drill bits will fit virtually any size you encounter. Magnetic sockets on the included drivers make switching bits a breeze. Manta 112-Bit Driver Kit, $60; ifixit.com 3. Go easy on your hands with ergonomic tools. The design of the Handle Rite needle-nose, slip joint, side cutter, and linemen pliers is a simple yet effective rework of the standard tool handle into a slip-free alternative. Handle Rite Ergonomic Loop Handle Pliers, $18–$20; thegrommet.com 4. It’s the science of sun prints…

BOX HIT With cedar boards and steel tubes in the lead roles, this sophisticated plant stand, opposite and left, looks like it hails from a high-end garden retailer. Even if you’re a beginner with a limited toolbox, this project comes together with little fuss. A handsaw will do the job of a compound miter saw, and a reciprocating saw is easily rented from a tool supplier or borrowed from a handy neighbor. MAKE IT BOX PLANTER WITH STAND MATERIALS • Four 1×4 10-foot cedar boards and three 1×4 8-foot cedar boards• 9 cedar shims• Three ½×48-inch round dowels• Compound miter saw• Sandpaper• Exterior wood stain + sealant in black• Paintbrush• Reciprocating saw• Six 1×1×48-inch steel square tubes• ½×72-inch threaded rod• Eight ½×2-inch carriage bolts• Sixteen ½-inch nuts and washers•…

PLANT POWER Six linen napkins show color variances among three plant dyes using two different mordants, opposite. A mordant preps the fibers to bond with natural dyes. WildCraft Studio School founder Chelsea Heffner, right, stresses ethical foraging when collecting plants for dyeing, telling students to never harvest in protected wilderness areas or national parks. Jars of dried plants, below, line the studio’s shelves. DYE JOB Delicate blooms like vetch and lupine tend to fade quickly in hot dye baths. Instead of following the how-to on page 91, steep delicate blooms in glass jars similar to sun tea, right. RUBBING HER THUMBNAIL ACROSS A BIT OF ROOT ON THE FOREST FLOOR, CHELSEA HEFFNER REVEALS ITS SAFFRON YELLOW INNER BARK. “THIS IS OREGON GRAPE—A NORTHWEST NATIVE AND OUR STATE FLOWER,” she says,…

[P] Paint Color Because of the magazine printing process, paint colors depicted on our pages might vary slightly from manufacturers’ colors. Use paint color names or numbers, when provided, as a starting point. To get a color as it appears in the magazine, take the page to a paint retailer for matching. [T] To the Trade Contact a design professional to find more information about this product or service. TRY IT: SUN PRINTING PAGES 6–11 Product for lampshade, pillow, photograph, jewelry box, and bedding projects SolarFast—Jacquard Products; jacquardproducts.com. Product for blueprint photographs Cyanotype fabrics—Blue Prints On Fabric; blueprintsonfabric.com. WHAT TO DO WITH: KREG JIG PAGES 26–34 For more information on the Kreg jig, visit Kreg at kregtool.com. PAGES 26–27 Wallpaper Cerina Swallow in pink—Brewster Wallcovering; 800/366-1700; brewsterwallcovering.com. Garland, basket with tassels, camera—Anthropologie;…