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Creative Short Term Projects with Scrap Wood

Use the varied texture of wood shavings to add dimension to an old table top.

Schutte Lumber supports sustainable practices. We encourage you to find creative uses for scrap wood found around your home. Here are a few suggestions for projects that are short on time and high on impact.

Cutting Boards: Cutting boards are the perfect project for maple, oak, and cherry remnants (exclude woods that are soft and porous). Cut wood into even planks, keeping dimensions between 1-10’’ wide and 18-24’’ long. An ideal board is approximately 1-1 ½ ’’ thick. After determining the shape of your board (be creative!) use a plastic-resin glue to bond your wood together. When mixed with a bit of water, plastic-resin glue offers excellent, water resistant hold.

Table Renovation: Add new personality to an old coffee table, end table, or bar. After your next project, gather wood shavings together. Variations in color are okay and may make your design more interesting. Finer shavings are recommended, however, because they will help even your table’s surface.

Select the surface that you would like to redesign and coat it with a clear adhesive. (It is generally not necessary to sand the surface first.) Next, sprinkle wood shavings over the adhesive and flatten them as much as possible. Permit adhesive to dry. Add a sheet of glass or transparent acrylic to complete the look. The wood shavings create depth and texture to your furniture and are a great reflection of your interest in woodworking.

Chess pieces are an excellent used for scraps of wood and make a great gift.

Game Night: Use smaller blocks of wood to craft custom chess pieces or to replacement pieces for game boards.

Sources: metafilter

Image Sources: nelsonhorsley, cogdogblog