18 replies to this topic

[StrangeRANGER]

Does anyone use 2x4s cleaned up in furniture? By cleaned up I mean jointed and planed square.

[Beechwood Chip]

Yes, but you generally need to let them dry. Construction grade lumber from big box stores is pretty wet, and will move as it dries. That will mess up your nice joinery.

[Wood-butcher]

Beechwood is correct. I built a table from store bought 2X6s. The first time the top pulled itself apart. The next time, I layer the lumber in my house for a year, to my wife's dismay, but the top is stable and turned out quite well. Also I purchased a few extra boards as a few had to be rejected after they twisted, despite weights holding the stack.

[Wood-butcher]

Just keep in mind that kiln dried, does not mean dry.

[dcustoms]

Some of the big box stores carry kiln dried preimum construction lumber with wax on the ends. I have had the best luck using that. I also normally use 2X6's or wider it is generally better wood.

[rmac]

Quote

Does anyone use 2x4s cleaned up in furniture? By cleaned up I mean jointed and planed square.

Yes, and it can be beautiful:

http://lumberjocks.com/projects/45012

-- Russ

[franklin pug]

I find there are a lot of defects in construction lumber. I wouldn't use it for furniture.

[Wood-butcher]

Franklin, although it is a soft wood, it is all in the eye of the beholder. When I built my table, I was going for a massive, rustic look and am very happy with the results. I took one extra precaution and epoxied the top for durability. I purposely picked out lumber with tight knots in it that had interesting grain patterns and curls. It was easy to fill the cracks and voids around the knots and looks great.

[Andrew Reynolds]

I've got a table made from cheap pine 1X2 and a piece of plywood siding. I stained it dark and slapped a few coats of varnish on it. I made it as a temporary typing table (for a real manual typewriter, before computers) - I was going to make a nice one out of red oak. That was 35 years ago.

Now it's the entry hall table. Every time I try to throw the thing away someone finds a use for it.

Never made the oak one.

[esbauer68]

Whenever I get a really nice stud I set it aside to use in the woodshop. I have made a few tripod lamps out of them and other bits of small furniture. It is fun stuff to play with since you don't feel too bad about messing up.

[CessnaPilotBarry]

I've done this for shop furniture, but the material needs a long time to dry before use.

Rough cutting them speeds drying. I've also found that buying wide boards, like 2x10's and 2x12's, and cutting and discarding the pith from the center, leaves nicer vertical grain stock. The smaller lumber seems to be made from tiny, unstable trees.

I've not done this for stuff that really matters in appearance, as good poplar is pretty cheap and it takes paint better.

[JohnnyNoName]

rmac, on 07 February 2012 - 08:07 AM, said:

Yes, and it can be beautiful:

http://lumberjocks.com/projects/45012

-- Russ

Very nice. Proof that good design can trump material.

Jonathan
===================================

[Rapid Roger]

I made a shop chair out of two pine 2x4s for a contest and won a $10.00 bet from a friend at the same time!

The wood cost about $4.00 and the paint was leftover from another project.

It's fairly comfortable too!

Rog

[Sac]

Dont forget the best 2x material ever, my favorite that I would definitely use for furniture... Southern Yellow Pine, SYP for short. I built my bench out of it and it is really nice looking stuff. It i slightly more dense than you typical Spruce, Pine or Fir(SPF) 2x material. The grain is more pronounced and the wood is fairly easy to work. Would look great with an oil and wax finish. Try and find some in your area.

[noumenon]

Sac is right on! Living down her in central Texas you can go to any big box hardware store and pick up as much as you want.

[CessnaPilotBarry]

Here in New England, properly dried SYP that looks like Sac's photo is $4+ bd/ft, sometimes $5.

I built my last bench from ash, because it's much cheaper here.

[lighthearted]

My next two projects are loft beds for my kids. My thought was to build them out of construction 2x4, but I do have concerns about warping. Our apartment is extremely dry!
Will kiln dried premium construction lumber really be enough?
Trying to keep costs down, to prevent my wife and kids from going to Ikea!

[Southwood]

I have always wanted to build a trestle table out of construction grade stuff. I want to knock all the knots out of the boards and not finish it. Don't know why, I just think it would look good and build it's own finish over time.

[higtron]

I built my work bench out of BORG lumber


I've also built many other household projects out of construction lumber when the need arose, and money was tight. I made a really nice quilting rack for my mother because what she wanted was going to cost her $700, and I went with her to pick it up I told her not to buy it I could make one better I bet I didn't have $100 into it. tried to down load pics of quilting rack not haveing any luck sorry.