Category : How tos

(Note : I have started a new series on how to make a Golu Padi. I explain the process in three steps. Do check out the 1st post in the series for a better understanding)

This time of the year, with everyone being busy with arrangements for Navarathri, one of the major task at almost every household is setting up the steps for arranging the dolls. If you have been setting up Golu for years together, am sure you would not have much of an issue with the steps. However, if you are doing it anew (like us) and have no major time at your disposal, here is a 5 step padi that you can build with planks, cardboards and everyday furniture around the house.

We had leftover planks and card boards and the idea was to not spend time and money on Padi. Last year was the first time we kept Golu in our new home and maybe as we collect more dolls, we will look at a more permanent step arrangement. For now, the make shift one works good for us. Do share your thoughts in the comments section.

Make your own Golu Steps

DIY Golu steps / Padi

1. Materials used for the steps

Bottom step - Center table
Step number 1 - Card board sheets (The ones I used for demo for my Clock DIY video)
Step number 2 - 6mm Plywood planks
Step number 3 - 19 mm Plywood planks
Top most step - OST sheets

2. Mounting the planks

Bottom step - The center table itself formed the bottom most step
Step number 1 - Used two cardboard boxes (placed on the center table) on the corners and piles of papers to support the Carb board sheets
Step number 2 - Stacked up bricks (on the center table) on which the 6mm plywood planks were placed
Step number 3 - Placed dining chairs on opposite ends and supported the 19mm plank on the back rest
Top most step - Placed two modas on the dining chairs, added shoe boxes and books for height and for holding the OST sheets

Make your own Golu steps using planks and everyday furniture

The idea here was not to showcase any carpentry skills. The purpose was to build the steps with whatever we already had in ways that anyone can do. I know it doesn't look great on the inside. But it certainly serves the purpose after appropriately covering it up. We have for now covered the setup with news papers and we will soon use the traditional white dhoti on top. Work is still in progress and thought there is no better time than now to post this.

How do you do your Golu steps ? Already have a knockdown setup ? Plan to get it done for the first time ? Leave us a comment.

Here is two DIY projects on Golu steps that we loved while browsing the net for ideas :

Make your own DIY Golu padi by Aparna and Anand

How to build Navarathri Golu steps by Love and Lentils

- Somu and Preethi

Linking in : Colours Dekor

Blog How tos video Wall clock

Making a video post has long been in my mind and I was shying away from it for various reasons. Today, I decided to take the plunge and chose a very simple post just for me to get used to being in front of the camera.

In this video post, I am explaining the making of a sample DIY wall clock along with

the clock assembly,
the various materials that you can use for the clock face and
how the assembly is fixed to the face.

This is my first attempt and hence looking forward to your feedback on the content and delivery, as it would help me improve the quality of the videos in future. Was it properly paced ? Was it too slow ? Was it too boring ? Was it too monotonous ? Was it too long ? Was it clearly understood ? Those are the kind of feedback am looking at.

My DIY Wall Clocks

Meanwhile, I hope you find good use for this video post. This post is highly relevant considering we have a "Showcase" post coming up this week on building your own DIY clock at home by one of our readers.

- Somu

If you liked this, you may also like

P.S. Did not find time to make a regular post on this topic along with the video. Will do it another time and update it as part of the same post.

Linking in : Colours Dekor

Blog FAQ How tos One side teak OST Wood veneer

One of the many questions in a hobby woodworker in his beginning stages is if a finish can be directly applied on plywood. Will plywood be able to absorb paint or stain that results in a fulfilling finish? I had the same question when I made my first center table, and I sought the help of my friend who built my modular kitchen. He said, “Use OST on top of the ply”. From that point till now, I have grown really fond of One Side Teak sheets and have used them for many of my projects. Since I get few enquiries on what OST is, it made sense to make a post on it. So, here are some facts on OST:

One Side Teaks, naturally, have a teak finish to it, and only on one side

The rear of OST is plain and ordinary with random grain patterns

OSTs are 4mm in thickness

They are available in 8ft x 4 ft dimensions

They cost approximately about Rs.25 / Sq ft

They are not just ideal for your big furniture projects, but also come in handy for your small craft needs

They can be easily cut using Mica cutters

One Side Teak (OST)

Wood veneers are relatively expensive and Laminates are not easily available (most take only bulk orders) and so OST was my natural choice for all my center tables. That it can be easily cut and glued onto the plywood top made it that much easier for me. The biggest challenge I had was to find a vendor who will be flexible to source OSTs based on my needs and not be hell bent on selling it as the 8ft x 4ft package.

They can be sanded down for a smoother finish and look beautiful when left in their natural glory too.

OST for my plywood tables

I preferred to use OSTs when I had a need to build a clock for our own use. For a change, I wanted to use the rear of the OST as the clock face for the one I built for use in my home. The random patterns looked enhanced after sanding and it brought out a fresh look. I used the teak side for the other clock I built which I stained to a walnut brown color.

Wooden wall clock using One side teak

With rubber wood or teak wood or rose wood being slightly on the expensive side and not available in dimensions other than 8ft x 4ft, plywood would remain to be the most preferred raw material until such time the hobby takes off to the next level. That being the case, OST will remain to be a good option to achieve a classy finish on top of the coarse looking ply.

I intend to use it for many of the projects that I make in the future which I certainly shall update here. Until then, I would love to hear from you on your favorite raw material. What is the wooden substrate that you love working with ? How and where do you source it from ? Do share your thoughts as a comment.

- Somu

If you liked this, you may also like

Blog DIY paper mache FAQ How tos

When I made my first paper mache craft in Woodooz, the process of making the paste was very brief that many found it not so handy. Since then there have been many online and offline requests and so I decided to make a descriptive post on how to make the paper mache clay. The DIY nameboard and the paper mache tribal masks were made using the very same process described below.

1. Materials Required

News Paper strips
Flour (Maida)
Salt

2. Start with the paper

Cut the news paper into small strips
Soak the strips in water. Allow it to be in water over night (Atleast about 8-10 hours)
The strips should be completely soggy
Alternatively, you can boil the strips in water to quicken the process

Cut the paper into strips

Soak the strips in water and boil

3. Grind the boiled strips

Allow for the strips to be soaked in water (at least 30 mins) after boiling
Take the strips and drain the water
Grind the strips in a mixer
The picture below is after the strips were ground

Grind in mixer

4. Add maida (flour)

Slowly add maida and salt to the ground mix
The need for maida is to provide the necessary consistency to convert the mix into a clay like paste
Keep adding maida and salt as you knead the mixture until you get a dough (Chapathi) like consistency
For this demonstration, I used two sheets of news paper and 250 grams of maida
The key here is the dough like consistency and so you would know when to stop adding the maida

How to make paper mache pulp

5. Use the clay

Once you reach the desired consistency, your clay is ready to use
Lay it on a plastic sheet so that it does not get sticky
Make the shapes that you want to make using the paper mache clay
Allow it to dry for more than 24 hours
Once dried the shape you have made is ready to be painted. Use an acrylic primer base if required
Unleash your creativity and add colour to your paper mache project

Make your paper mache project

Just ensure that you do not disturb your project while it is drying. Once dried, it becomes very strong and stiff. And so, that's how you make the paper mache paste. I have something in mind for this project which I shall save for another day after it is complete. For now, it is just work in progress.

Do leave me your comment and let me know if there is anything amiss. Let me know if you used a different method to make this clay. If you do use this tutorial and make your paper mache project, let me know. I would love to know how it turned out.

~ Preethi

If you liked this post, you may also like

Blog DIY FAQ How tos phone holder phone stand photo stand Smartphone holder Smartphone stand

Do you prefer a designated space for your phone ?
Do you find it hard to hold your phone while watching a video on Youtube ?
Do you place the phone face up on the table and barely hear your alarm because the speaker is in the rear ?
Like me, do you get into the habit of looking for your phone under the couch, under the pillow, or in the balcony, because you don't know where you kept it ?

Here's an easy to do Smartphone holder that you can build yourself to keep your phone safely in one place. Remember the over-sized mobile phone charger holder that didn't need any nailing down ? This time I wanted to make a right-sized holder for my smartphone.

DIY Smartphone Holder / Stand

This is a simple DIY that uses wooden sticks. Scroll below to find out how you can make a smartphone holder.

Make your own smartphone holder

Materials Required - Picture 1

I used 1/2 inch x 1/2 inch sticks (The same sticks that I used for this bedside lampshade base)
Used wooden board (4mm) for the supporting rear (You can also use thick card or cork board)

Cut and glue the sticks together - Picture 2

Cut the sticks to your required dimensions. The dimensions should be such that it should be able to hold the phone vertically and horizontally
Glue them together. Notice how stick 2 is in line with sticks 1, while the base (stick 3) that will hold your phone is glued on top of the side sticks ?

Smartphone holder - Do it yourself

Make the triangular rear support - Picture 3

Cut a triangle out of the card board and stick on the inner sides of sticks 1
This board will support the holder while it is leaning backwards. The backward lean is required to prevent the phone from slipping off.
The angle of the backward lean is decided by the angle between the two inner sides of the triangle.

Make sure your speaker is not hidden - Picture 4

Make sure the dimensions of the sticks are such that they do not hide the speaker when the phone is placed on the holder.
So, here it is, a smartphone holder for less than Rs.10. Yeah, really. Less than Rs.10
Paint, stain or do whatever you want to give your holder color.

You can also additionally use it as photo holder, or greeting card holder. Works out to be a neat alternative to DIY photo frames.

Photo stand DIY - Place your photos on the base :)

So, how did you like this simple DIY? Where do you place your Smartphones? Much like me, are you just as careless and never bother about how you handle your phones ? Leave a comment.

Subscribe to our RSS feed. It is just a click away

If you liked this DIY tip, you may also be interested in our other posts :

Linking in : Colours Dekor, Made with Love Party
- Somu

Blog cleaning up FAQ How tos woodworking

We live in an apartment. Every space outside our humble abode is common space. That means I have to do all my work inside the house.

To cut a piece of wood I use the center table in the living room.

To bore a hole into wood I use the little space in the guest room

To Paint or stain wood I use either of the balconies

And my tools are all in the service area

This is only a fraction of the mess I make

Now, here's the downside to not having a dedicated work space. There is going to be lots of scrap wood, saw dust, dirty cloth, screws, nails, sand papers and tools all strewn across every square inch of where you work. What is even worse is the spilled paint / stain or the quick bonding fevicol on the tiles that takes lot of work to remove. And trust me, tidying up is the most boring task of any woodworking project. Sanding only comes second.

Here are some useful tips that you can follow to make things easier for yourself:

Try to work in one place. Makes cleaning up easier even if you generate lot of mess
Move your tools closer to your place of work. Reduces moving around while in the middle of a project. I moved most of mine into an empty shelf in the guest room wardrobe.
Spread news papers across the floor. When you are done, rather than picking up the bits and pieces, you can just carefully remove the papers and dispose them off. You may also want to do it on the wall. Paints and stains on wall are quite impossible to remove.
Have thinner with you all the time. Any spills can be managed immediately by wiping off the stains from the tiles using thinners
Try to finish your work before the maid gets to work. The sweeping and mopping will take care of most troubles you create.
Wear latex gloves while using paint. They are inexpensive and can be thrown off after use. Also reduces effort spent on cleaning up your fingers. In Chennai, you can get these gloves for Rs.3 a pair at Nilgiris.
Use inexpensive containers for mixing paints, sealants etc… Again reduces clean up work as you can straight away dispose them after use.

Most importantly, make sure you wear these essential safety gears while indulging in a woodworking DIY project. Mess can be cleaned up. But a broken finger may take time to heal.

Your turn now :

Do you make a lot of mess while indulging in DIY ?
Do you enjoy the clean up process ?
Do you have other clean up tips to share ?

You may also like

Linking in : Colours Dekor
- Somu

Blog FAQ fevicol SH greelam How tos laminate laminate installation merino lam wooden laminate

When we made a post on a DIY laptop stand, Vinay Oommen from House on the Rock asked : "Hi Can you post sometime on how to work with laminate : How to cut it, paste it and precautions to be taken, tools to use and avoid etc." So here goes.

Wooden laminate, a popular choice for wardrobes and kitchen cabinets, is ideal for your small woodworking furniture projects. Laminates provide a whole range of options in terms of color, texture and patterns adding the much needed variety to your home DIY projects. You can check out Merino Laminates or Greenlam India to get an idea.

Cabinets installed with laminates

This tutorial only addresses simple installation of laminates using Fevicol SH synthetic resin glue for “small” projects that you do inside your home. Their industrial applications and factory installation using presses are not handled here. This DIY also has nothing to do with wooden floor laminates.

Step 1: What you need

Laminate installation - materials required

Materials required for laminate installation

Laminate (May be available only in 8ftx4ft or similar standard dimensions. You will have to check with your supplier if he will have left over stuff)
Cutter (A mica cutter or an xacto knife)
Glue (Fevicol SH Synthetic resin glue)
Masking tape or clamps

Step 2: Cutting the laminate

Cutting laminate using mica cutter / Xacto knife

The laminates are only 1mm thick which makes it easy to cut them to the desired size using a mica cutter (shown above) or an xacto knife.
They can be cut much like how you would cut a sheet of cardboard using a pencil knife.
Run the knife or the cutter along the cutting line couple of times before breaking the laminate off.

Step 3: Applying glue

Glue application for laminate installation

Glue applied on the rough underside and on the wood surface

Have you seen tiles being installed on a smooth wall? Before the installation, the wall is chipped a little along the area of installation to make it rough. This makes it easy for the cemented tile to have a strong hold.
Similarly, laminates and Mica sheets come with a very rough underside enabling a strong bond to be created with the surface it is being stuck on to.
Apply glue generously on the underside and also on the wooden surface. Give it a minute.

Step 4: Installing the sheet

Laminate held onto the wood using masking tape

Use masking tape and clamps to hold laminate in place

Remember I mentioned that they are only about 1mm in thickness? It means that they have a natural tendency to bend (will break beyond a certain point). Because of this bend, they may not sit properly when the glued underside is placed on the wooden surface.
To overcome to issue, it is important to hold the laminate tightly pressed onto the wooden surface until the glue dries.
Use a masking tape (Click here for other practical uses for the masking tape) or C-Clamps to keep the laminate in place. Allow enough time for drying (Be safe and wait 8 hrs at least)

Any protrusion of the laminate can be trimmed using the xacto knife to ensure it is neatly aligned along the edge of the wooden surface.

So there you go. Try it out. My plywood supplier has lots of leftover laminate sheets in different sizes. He does not have much use for them because there may not be takers and so is always happy to part with them for an amount. You just need to be lucky enough to find the colors of your choice just as I found the orange laminate for my DIY laptop stand.

It's your turn now

Have you worked with laminates before?
Have you used it for your wardrobes and kitchen cabinets ?
Did you have a tough time choosing from the variety of available designs ?
Share your thoughts.

Linking in : Colours Dekor

- Somu

3D model Blog breakfast table DIY FAQ Furniture How tos laptop stand portable table serving tray woodworking

DIY Laptop Stand

Working from home is turning out to be more resourceful especially considering the commute distance. The low center table has always been where we laid the laptop while working. However, there are times during a call when we needed to work from the room, and it was not possible to move the table. And so the need to make a portable DIY laptop stand. While it was intended to be used as a laptop stand, here are other functional uses for this piece of furniture.

DIY Laptop stand

Blog Decoupage DIY FAQ How tos Mod podge

Seriously. Why make your own Mod Podge when it is readily available !

In Chennai, until sometime back, Pidilite’s Hobby Ideas Glue ‘n’ Gloss was the only decoupage glue (that I am aware of) available in crafts stores. But recently, when my search for Glue 'n' Gloss hit a roadblock, I was given to understand they have decided to stop its production. And hence the need to make my own Mod Podge from easily available resources.

A decoupage on wine bottle using Hobby Ideas Glue n Gloss

Click to view our decoupage post

After a bit of research on the net, here’s what I found. This is a quick DIY using Fevicol. I tested it on a piece of wood using news paper bits and it did work. However, be aware that this is only a cheap alternative (not in cost but in quality) to Mod Podge.

Quick tutorial on how to make your own Mod Podge

Get Fevicol MR from your near by hardware / crafts store
Mix equal parts of water to it (50-50 mixture). You can also use Camel’s acrylic gloss medium instead of water
Shake / stir well until the glue and water form a dilute homogeneous mixture
Use it the way you would use Mod Podge
Apply few layers of clear varnish to protect your work. Fevicol + Water cannot provide the same kind of protection Mod Podge can

Make your own Mod Podge

Some Caveats

The classy effect of Glue ‘n’ Gloss is blatantly missing.

And to play the devil's advocate, here's a blog post on why this method is not recommended for long lasting effect.

So, use your discretion. Make this DIY decoupage glue only because Mod Podge is not available in your locality.

I wrote to Pidilite about this and they were kind enough to call back. Glue ‘n’ Gloss is officially going out of production and their Hobbyideas ModPodge is available in select stores (Chennai unfortunately is not in that list). Here’s the address of two stores, besides many others, that are stocking the Mod Podge

HOBBY IDEAS

Kemps Corner,

Noah's Art,Ground Flr,

Kwality House,Kemps Corner,

Mumbai – 400036

912223825621/ 912222937776

HOBBY IDEAS (STAPLES)

East Land Holdings Pvt. Ltd.

Muncipal No. 102, Hosur Road,

Opp. Big Bazaar, Koramangala,

Bangalore – 560001

080 - 40928005

The next time I am in Bangalore, I know where I am going to be shopping. Meanwhile, if you are in Chennai, do you know places where I can get Mod Podge. Until then I am going to try this home made Mod Podge recipe.

Update : Click here for the complete list of stores in India where Mod Podge is available.

References :

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
If you have used this DIY glue, do let me know your experience with it

Linking in : Colours Dekor

- Somu

All Blog Curtain rod FAQ How tos install curtain rod

So, how do you install curtains,

When your landlord does not allow for drilling on walls in your rented apartment ?
When you don't have the necessary tools to drill on wall ?
When you don't want to puncture a hidden water pipeline or electrical duct ?

How to install a curtain rod without drilling on wall

Here's how you can install curtain rods using adhesive hooks, without having to drill holes on your wall. This is an easy to do installation and anyone can try this out at home.

All Blog DIY FAQ How tos photo frame picture frame

Here is a short DIY tutorial on how to make your own wooden DIY photo / picture frame . These photo frames are built completely with wood materials that are easily available at the local plywood store.

All the materials, supplies and tools required were bought at a local hardware store in Chennai. Only tool that is used is a hack saw blade which is available for Rs.2/- at the hardware shop. Ready made wooden frame moulds are also available which come with the groove for glass / picture insertion.

Wooden DIY Photo Frame

DIY Photo frame

Make your own photo frame

1. Materials, supplies and tools required

Wooden sticks (1/2"x1/2")
Plywood beading (Usually used for edge banding and available in different designs. We have used the curvy edge banding for this frame
Glue (Fevibond / fevicol)
Hack Saw blade
Set square (To mark the 45 degree miter joint)
X-acto knife or a pencil knife

2. The wooden stick base

wooden stick will form the base of the photo frame

3. Cut the wooden sticks

The inset dimension of the rectangular base should be equal to or slightly higher than the dimension of the photo being framed, else the photo will not fit into the frame.

4. Glue the sticks together

Allowing it to dry ensures the glue bond is much stronger.

Useful tip: Use a masking tape to hold the sticks together. This will ensure the sticks do not move away from each other and will also provide enough pressure to strengthen the glue bond

Learn to make a wooden photo frame

5. Build the frame face using plywood beading

The frame will look good if it is joined together on the edges using a miter joint (the edges are at a 45 degree angle)

6. Mark the 45 degree angle

create a ridge or groove along the line using an Xacto knife / pencil knife or a mica cutter.

7. Cut the wooden frame

Cut the 4 frame sticks to the desired dimension using the hacksaw blade.

8. Glue the frame to the base

Allow for at least 3 hours of drying time.

Useful tip: Make a ridge or groove along the 45 degree line to ensure the hacksaw blade does not slip and stays on the cutting line resulting in an almost perfect cut

Wooden photo frame - Do it yourself

9. Clear view of the frame face being glued onto the wooden base

10. Rabbet

Rabbet is a step-shaped recess cut along the edge or in the face of a piece of wood

11. House the photo in the rabbet

Overturn the picture and place it neatly on the recess formed at the rear of the frame.

12. Your wooden photo frame is ready to be showcased and showed off

FAQ: What is Miter Joint?
A Miter Joint (mitre in British English), sometimes shortened to miter, is a joint made by bevelling each two parts to be joined, usually at a 45 deg angle, to form a corner, usually a 90 deg angle. Common applications : Picture frames, pipes and molding.
Source: Wikipedia

Curious to know how the photo frame has been made to stand upright on the table ? Join us on FACEBOOK just so you don't miss the follow up post on making the stand using wood / cardboard / cork board and a hinge.

Meanwhile, let me know what you think of this DIY. Do you think there is a better way to do this ? Are there alternatives to a wooden stick for making the frame ? Have you done a DIY frame post yourself ? Do share the link. Would love to know your methods.

Linking in : Lines Across my Face, Colours Dekor

- Somu

Blog DIY Woodworking FAQ How tos

A Pilot hole is a small hole that is drilled into wood, before driving a screw, a larger drill bit or a nail. Following are the common reasons why a pilot hole is required:

It is not possible to generate enough power using ones hands to drive a screw directly into wood, unless a power screw driver is used. Pilot holes make it easier to drive screws using a hand screw driver

When a screw / nail is driven directly into wood, it might possibly split the wood. The chances are very high if the screw / nail is used along the corners / edges of the wood. Pilot holes help prevent tension on the wood making it easier for screws to be sunk without causing any damage

When using a larger drill bit, it is possible for the drill to slip while it is being driven. The pilot hole increases accuracy by acting as the guiding fissure into which a larger screw / drill bit can be easily and precisely driven

Pilot hole for driving a screw in wood

Pilot holes have to be lesser in diameter and depth than the screw that is being driven into it. Larger holes will not create enough grip around them for the screw to tightly hold on to the wooden surface.

Pilot holes are commonly used within the house for installing a bathroom hanger, key holders, hanger rods for the wardrobe etc… while they are also extensively used in furniture making, cabinetry, and other woodworking needs where screws and nails are predominantly used.

If you liked this post, you may also be interested in
What is sanding ?
What is the difference between Wood stain and paint ?
How to install Euro hinges ?
How to install a glass door ?

P.S. Linking in : Lines Across my face

- Somu

Know more about us

About Us
Reviews
Media
Our showroom location
Return and refund policy
Review us on Google

Connect with us

Mail us
Subscribe to our newsletter

Our Address :
Woodooz Home Decors,
3/371, First floor,
Metukuppam, Thoraipakkam,
Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR),
Chennai - 600097.
Ph : +91 9884070470
Email : contact@woodooz.com

Created By SoraTemplates & MyBloggerThemes

1. Materials used for the steps

2. Mounting the planks

1. Materials Required

2. Start with the paper

3. Grind the boiled strips

4. Add maida (flour)

5. Use the clay

Materials Required - Picture 1

Cut and glue the sticks together - Picture 2

Make the triangular rear support - Picture 3

Make sure your speaker is not hidden - Picture 4

Step 1: What you need

Step 2: Cutting the laminate

Step 3: Applying glue

Step 4: Installing the sheet

DIY Laptop Stand

Quick tutorial on how to make your own Mod Podge

Some Caveats

1. Materials, supplies and tools required

2. The wooden stick base

3. Cut the wooden sticks

4. Glue the sticks together

5. Build the frame face using plywood beading

6. Mark the 45 degree angle

7. Cut the wooden frame

8. Glue the frame to the base

9. Clear view of the frame face being glued onto the wooden base

10. Rabbet

11. House the photo in the rabbet

12. Your wooden photo frame is ready to be showcased and showed off

Join Us

Latest from Woodooz

Newsletter

To stay updated about our latest projects and product launches,

Shop for lampshades

Popular Posts

Know more about us

Connect with us