Need a place to store your firewood for the colder months ahead? Look no further. The diagonal partition in this design creates a place where you can also store kindling and matches. If you want to add a personal touch at the end, finish with your favourite waterproof stain.
What you’ll need:
- Sides 4 7.5″ x 57″ x .875″
- Tops 2 7.5″ x 16″ x .875″
- Bottoms 2 7.5″ x 16″ x .875″
- Cleats 4 2″ x 14″ x .875″
- Apron 2 2″ x 16″ x .875″
- Partition 01 1 7.5″ x 53″* x .875″
- Partition 02 1 5.75″ x 53″* x .875″
- Shelf 01 1 7.5″ x 13.75″ x .875″
- Shelf 02 1 6.5″ x 13.75″ x .875″
- Pocket screws 34 1.5″
*mark final length in place
Step-by-step:
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Start by cutting your boards to 7½” wide using a table saw. Skip this step if you’re using off-the-shelf boards, since they’re already the correct width.
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Next, cut all the boards to length using a powered mitre saw, then sand all the faces and edges with 60-grit sandpaper. Again, you can skip the sanding if using dressed boards.
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Cut the 2″-wide pieces for the rails and aprons, then cut to length.
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Thanks to pocket screws, there are no visible fasteners on this project. Take the time now to bore all the pockets for the screws as indicated on the plans.
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Start assembly by attaching the cleats to the sides. Apply some glue to the cleats, then drive screws to complete the connection. Use a couple of ½” scraps as spacers to keep the side pieces in place during assembly.
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Once the sides are complete, cut out the curved leg openings (below) with a jigsaw, then attach the tops, bottoms, and aprons with screws driven into the pockets bored in step 4.
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At this point, the structure will have a little side-to-side movement, but installing the diagonal partitions will firm everything up. Determine the angle for the end cuts by marking them with the partitions held in place. Note that the front partition is narrower than the back so that it clears the top apron. Once fitted, drive screws to permanently attach.
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Lastly, cut the two shelves to size, and attach with more screws. Leave the project unfinished, or apply a couple of coats of opaque wood stain as I did.
Project plans and step-by-step by Paul Lewis. Illustrations by Jacques Perrault.
