Laundry Room Shoe Rack / Bench

For years I have been wasting space in my laundry room. My laundry room is laid out where I have this area off to the side that was used as storage and for awhile this cheap drying rack was shoved in the corner. 

So to improve my livable/workable space I have decided to build a bench to store all my shoes as well as a place to sit down and put on my shoes.

Before:

After:

Finished Project! 

Tools you will need:

Tape Measure, Pencil, Safety Glasses, Ear Protection, Sander, Circular Saw, Drill, Kreg Pocket Hole Jig, Kreg Rip Cut Jig (optional), clamps, and Painting Supplies

Materials:

1 pre-sanded plywood 4x8 sheet

Kreg self tapping screws

Primer

Paint

Step 1. Planning and Designing

I started by measuring out the space I had to work with. The width of the room (floor molding to floor molding) was 61.5". To keep things simple and to make it where if I do not like the bench in the future I wanted to keep the floor molding intact. An alternative method would have been to cut the molding next to where the bench would be and have the bench permanently installed against the sheetrock. By choosing not to cut out the molding, I am going to use a slightly larger cushion on top to cover the gap between the walls. This will also give the bench a built-in look without having to actually cut anything.

The next step was figuring out how I wanted my shoe to be laid out.  I need higher cubicles for my work boots and cowboy boots and wanted smaller cubicles for the tennis shoes and for the ladies' shoes. I also wanted to have plenty of room to be able to sit on top and have a place to put on my shoes. So I made the width of the bench 14" (extra deep for those side 13 shoes) and an overall height of 21.5" for a comfortable bench. All other measurements are shown below.  

Step 2. The Build

To try and keep the cost as low as possible, I am going to paint this bench white to match the trim in the room. By doing this I can use sanded plywood instead of a furniture grade hardwood plywood.

I started out with laying out my cut sheet. Like any DIY project I want to do it right the first time and at the cheapest cost. Here is how I figure out how I was going to make all my cuts on one sheet of plywood.

Sorry for the busy image. Not easy to show all my cuts without all the clutter 

Note: I did not leave any extra room in this drawing for blade thickness when cutting. This is something that should always be considered. Remember measure twice cut once!

Package includes: Rip Cut, Kreg Jig, and Shelf Pin Jig

When making the cuts I tried out Kreg's Rip Cutting Jig. This was the first time I have ever used this jig and like their Pocket Hole Jig I loved it! It made cutting this work so much easier than having to eyeball a line going down the whole length of the board.

Pretty impressed with the Kreg Rip Tool!

After I made all my cuts I went over all the edges with a sander to just keep everything clean and smooth.

The next step is attaching all the boards together. I am a huge fan of the Kreg pocket hole jig! I have used this jig in countless projects and this project is the perfect application for the Kreg.

I am using two pocket holes on each side of all the boards (except the top and bottom). This should allow for plenty structural support once everything is put together.

Don't forget your safety gear when working!

Once you have all your pocket holes drilled it's time for assembly! By using pipe claims you should be able to assemble the whole bench by yourself. I also like to use these claims to hold my joints nice and tight while I am screwing in the self tapping screws.

The Start of the Assembly

Step 3: Finishing

With the build complete time to move on to the paint. I ended up using an oil base primer that I already had from a different project. Although an oil base primer isn't really required for this bench I prefer to use the oil base on raw wood. I find it last longer and looks better.

Once the primer is on time for the final paint. I am using the same white trim paint that is used throughout my house. You should apply at least two coats for furniture like this where people will be sitting on it and having constant direct contact with the paint. 

First coat of white paint after primer

All Painted!!

Test fit after painting

Step 4: Enjoy!

In addition to this shoe bench I also hung a rod over the bench for drying clothes and I had this cushion custom made to set on top. 

HVAC Surge Protector- 101

Just recently I have had HVAC/AC issues where a lightning storm caused my circuit board to stop working.  Fortunately, I had a warranty on all parts for my unit! Unfortunately, Samsung does not allow the home owner to work on their own unit and a "Licence Professional" has to call in to order the parts. Well this just makes me upset that I am not able to fix it myself and I have to pay someone to do the exact thing that I could do!

Alright alright I'll get off my soapbox now and get back to the topic at hand. Installing an AC surge protector. Most people are familiar with the simple surge protector that is used on electronics inside of your home. However, not many people realize that your AC unit has just as many electrical components in it as your computer or TV (including myself until recently). Unfortunately, the AC surge protectors are not as simple to install as unplugging your electronic and plugging into your electrical strip. But anyone with a little guidance can install one of these AC surge units without having to pay for expensive electricians.

** Note: I am not a license professional electrician. I am a normal guy who understands basic electrical issues and has learned the hard way that if you don't know what you are doing with electricity either ask or pay someone who does. Please proceed with at your own risk! **

Step 1: Knowing your Electrical Panel

The first step in installing your AC surge protector is knowing what to buy. This can be easily solved by going and looking at your electrical breaker box. Different breaker box brands have different parts and for the most part they are not inner changeable. I happened to be working in my garage which has a sub panel in it. My sub panel is a GE breaker box. Other common breaker boxes would be Square D, Eaton, or Cutler Hammer.

Once I knew what brand I had I went to the local big box store (Home Depot) and purchased a GE AC SurgePro. The surge protector I ended up buying is designed not only to protect the AC unit but also the whole breaker panel. Which in my mine the more protected the less I will have to fix the next electrical storm we get!

    

Step 2: Installing

A little background on me; I hate reading instructions! I am that guy that refuses to read the instructions because I want to figure it out. Except with electrical stuff. I will read electrical instructions. Even though this is a simple install I still suggest you read the instructions!

Different surge protectors will have different locations for mounting. This type of protector is actually mounted directly into the breaker box next to the AC breaker. The other types could be mounted either next to the disconnect on the outside unit or even as an attachment to your breaker box.

I started this install by killing the main breaker to my box. Safety first!

             

I then removed the panel's face to expose the breakers and bus bars. Double checking that there isn't any power going to the unit I used a Voltage Tester as well as an Ohms meter.

The install then was just snapping the SurgePro into an empty slot in the box and connecting the white neutral wire to the neutral bus.

Before I put the panel face back on the box I turned the power back on and checked to make sure the green light on the surge protector came on. This light lets you know if the power surged and the unit activated. These protectors are a one time use device so if the light is not lit up it is time to replace the unit.

Final Product!

Hidden Cabinet American Flag - Red Stripe

Any Southern Gentleman will tell you that he is proud to be an American. True American's work hard and know that freedom isn't free! So to show my support for our fellow American's out there; I have decided to dedicate my first DIY post to those who serve as our local heroes, American fire fighters.

This decorative subdued black and white color flag supports our fire fighters with a single red stripe in the middle. However, this red stripe could also be changed to blue (police), orange (EMS), etc.

To make this flag even cooler than what it is I have also added a hidden compartment behind the field of stars. This hidden compartment allows for a perfect hiding spot for a pistil or anything you would want to keep hidden in plain sight.

Tools you will need for this project include:

Tape Measure, Speed Square, Pencil, Safety Glasses, Hearing Protection, Sander, Brad Nail Gun, Circular Saw, Drill, Kreg Jig, and Clamps

Materials needed:

12' of 1x4 Common Board or a Knotty Pine

25' of 1x2 Common Board or a Knotty Pine

14" 1x12 Common Board or a Knotty Pine

Ebony Wood Stain

Kreg Self Tapping Screws

White Paint

50 Star Stencil

Stencil Paint

2 European Cabinet Hinges

Magnetic Child Safety Lock

Step 1: The Plan

I started this build by drawing on my computer how I wanted the flag to look and also how I wanted to add the hidden compartment. What I decided on is a 30" x 19" frame that used 13 strips of 1x2 for the stripes. With wood dimensions not being exactly as they are called the actual size of a 1x2 is 0.75" x 1.438" (give or take a little). So to give it some distancing between each stripe I made the overall height 19". I also knew that I would need to have support for the shorter stripes on the right side of the field of stars and I wanted to have a stop for the field of stars cabinet door, so I added two vertical 1x4 in the middle of the frame as soon in the image below.

I then laid out all of the stripes and the field of stars in my drawing leaving some spacing between the stripes to allow for irregularities in the wood. You will also see a gap underneath the field of stars so that the cabinet will not hit the red stripe when opening and closing. There are four lengths of stripes. A 16" and a 17" stripe is used to the right of the field of stars and a 30" and 31" is used on the lower section of the flag.

Step 2: The Build

I first started with the frame. By using 1x4 cut to the lengths shown above in the planning section I got my roughed out frame. I then used the Kreg tool to place two pocket holes at each end of the vertical 17.5" boards. I did not put any pocket holes in the 30" horizontal boards. By using clamps I screwed all vertical boards into the top and bottom 30" boards. I finished out my frame by placing the 12.5" horizontal board in the location shown in the plan.

Forgot to take a picture during the build here it is at the end.

My next step was cutting all of the stripes. This went relatively quickly and after cutting them all out I laid them out on the frame. As for an additional step I wanted to soften the look the stripes and the whole flag. So I used a round over bit on my router to cut the corners on all sides of each of the stripes. This probably isn't necessary, but I thought it add a little extra to the look.

 Next came the field of stars. I wanted to keep with solid look of the field so I used a 1x12 board to make this field. I cut the 1x12 to a 14" length to start with then made a second cut to create the final size of 10" x14". And again to add something extra I rounded off all top corners and edged with a round over bit. The last step in making the field of stars is attaching the European hinges. I used a 35mm cabinet hinge drill bit to drill two holes on the inside of door. When doing this keep in mind that you need a 3/4" overhang for the door.

Now that all my pieces are cut and smooth. I started the staining process with Ebony wood stain. I applied two coats of stain on each board before I assembled everything to make sure I did not miss any sides. After the stain dried I used a rough natural haired paint brush to apply an uneven coat of white paint on the needed stripes. I also did this to the one red stripe as well.

The last painting step was painting in the stars. By using a stencil that I bought online, I stenciled on a field of stars with different levels of paint brush loading. I wanted to create an uneven pattern of white on all of the stars.

Step 3: Assembly 

The final step in this whole process is assembling the flag. I used a brad nail gun to complete the assembly. There are two brad nails on each side of every stripe and an additional two nailed on the 30" and 31" stripes in the middle. The cabinet door was also screwed together with two soft closing hinges and as a final touch I used a magnetic child proof lock on the cabinet door.  

Added foam to the inside of the cabinet to hold pistal

Perfect for the bachelor pad!

Or the bedroom if you ask the wife really really nicely!

    

Introduction

A true southern gentleman knows how to fix things right. When it come to "Doing it yourself" we in the south call that, Tuesday. I have started this blog to show you what it takes to be like me... a Southern Gentleman.

ABOUT ME: 

My name is AJ, I was born in the Creole area of NOLA, but raised as a Mississippian. My entire life I have been taught that nothing in this world is given to you, but with hard work and some elbow grease anything is possible. I have been building and  DIYing for over 20 years. I wouldn't call myself an expert in any one craft, but my mama always says "If AJ can't fix it then it ain't worth fixin." Although my day job is in Mechanical Engineering my true passion is building anything and everything that is DIY.