HomeMade Modern

EP16 Concrete Planter

Ben Uyeda — Wed, 08 May 2013 00:00:06 +0000

I salvaged a beat-up, old kitchen cabinet from a construction site and used it to make this concrete planter on wheels. This is a simple project that requires some heavy lifting. I used 2” thick XPS rigid foam boards to make the inside of the form. Heavy duty metal casters and a chrome spigot make it easy to move and drain, while providing a fun industrial aesthetic. Use it as a mobile herb garden or fill it full of ice and beer for your next party.

SUPPLIES:

Quikrete 5000
Purchase at Home Depot
I used almost 2 bags of Quikrete 5000, so the planter weighs about 150 lbs.

2” Thick XPS Rigid Foam Insulation
Purchase at Home Depot
XPS Rigid Foam is a type of waterproof insulation that is easy to cut.

1/2" Brass Pipe
Purchase at Home Depot
I used brass pipes to avoid rust. The pipe should be long enough to go through the planter's wall. I also got a threaded nut for the pipe.

Heavy Duty Casters
I used all metal, heavy duty casters for their strength and industrial look. Plastic or rubber wheels would be easier on a deck or floors. You could even try old skateboard wheels.

Scrap 3/4" Plywood
Purchase at Home Depot
I cut a piece of 3/4" plywood to create a mounting surface for the casters.

Caulk + Glue
Purchase at Home Depot
I used Liquid Nails Construction Adhesive and silicone caulk to glue down the foam and seal the mold.

Old Cabinet
Recycled + Reclaimed

Optional:
1/2" Spigot
Purchase at Home Depot
I used a spigot but a hose bib could also make the planter easier to drain. You can make this project a little cheaper and easier without it.

TOOLS:

RYOBI 18 Volt Cordless Drill

RYOBI 18 Volt Circular Saw

INSTRUCTIONS:

STEP 1: Cut rigid foam
Cut 3 pieces of the rigid foam to fit inside the cabinet. Leave about 1 1/2" to 2" of space between the foam and the cabinet.

STEP 2: Mark and measure where to drill the hole for the spigot
Measure the distance from the edge of the cabinet to the top of the foam. Mark that distance on the exterior side of the cabinet and where the center of the hole should be. Drill thorugh the cabinet and insert the pipe.

STEP 3: Cut the foam to fit the pipe
Use a knife to cut away the foam to make room for the pipe.

STEP 4: Seal the mold
I used duct tape and silicone caulk to seal the pipe to the foam and the edge of the cabinet.

STEP 5: Brace and mark the mold
Depending on the condition of the cabinet being used, you may need to brace it with L brackets or rope. I tied a ratchet strap around my cabinet to keep the weight of the concrete from pushing out the sides. Mark a line about 2" above the top of the cabinet. This will serve as a guide to let you know when you have added enough concrete.

STEP 6: Mix and pour the concrete
Mixing this much concrete is hard work and you may be tempted to over water the concrete to make it easier to work with. If you add too much water, the concrete will be weak and could crack. Mix the concrete until it is the consistency of wet cookie dough and pack it down into all the corners and cracks of the cabinet. Make sure the wet concrete goes under and around the pipe. Use a stick or pipe to push the concrete down.

STEP 7: Vibrate the mold
Use a hammer to shake and vibrate the mold. This will bring air bubbles to the surface of the concrete.

STEP 8: Put in the plywood
I placed a piece of plywood – the same size as the foam – on top of the wet concrete and pushed it down to be flush to the surface of the concrete. You may need to put something heavy on top to keep it from floating up.

STEP 9: Let the concrete cure
Let the concrete cure for at least 4 days before removing the form. The manufacturer suggests covering the concrete to control moisture, but I didn't and it came out just fine.

STEP 10: Remove the outer mold
Gently break away the cabinet mold without cracking the concrete. You can use a circular saw to cut away the cabinet, if needed.

STEP 11: Remove the inner mold
Use a knife and prybar to cut and break out the foam.

STEP 12: Install the spigot and screw on the wheels
Screw the spigot on and seal it with silicone or latex caulk. You can also glue it on with Liquid Nails Construction Adhesive. Screw the wheels to the plywood and flip it over.

Good luck making your own concrete planter, and please email or tweet photos to @benuyeda or ben@homemade-modern.com. For more detailed instructions, dimensioned drawings and different variations of the project, check out our soon-to-be-released book.

EP15 Concrete + Wood Coffee Table

Ben Uyeda — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 12:19:13 +0000

I was exploring Home Depot and found these 36” long, 1 ¼” square Fir balusters for $1.80 each. They're smooth, straight and have a nice grain so I decided to try and figure out how to make something with them. This DIY concrete and wood coffee table is the result. Even though the wood bottom looks quite intricate it's actually really easy to make. Just a few cross cuts with a circular saw is all that's needed to create the base. The assembly is done with finish screws. I casted commercial-grade, white Quikrete Countertop Mix Countertop Mix into a melamine form to make the table top. It's as smooth and hard as stone but weighs about 100 lbs.

SUPPLIES:

Commercial-Grade Quikrete Countertop Mix in white
Purchase at Home Depot

36” long 1 ¼” square Fir Balusters
Purchase at Home Depot
These square balusters are straight, smooth and easy to work with.

¾” Melamin board
Purchase at Home Depot
Melamin board is particle board with a smooth laminate surface. It's a great product for making a concrete formwork. I bought a 4’ by 4’ sheet and had four 2 ½” strips cut at Home Depot.

Scrap 2x4s or 2x2s
Recycle
I used scrap 2x4s and 2x2s to brace the the melamine boards.

2 ¼” Trim Head Square Drive Screws
Purchase at Home Depot
These black square drive screws have a small head and a nice appearance.

TOOLS:

RYOBI 18 Volt Cordless Drill

RYOBI 18 Volt Circular Saw

Optional:
RYOBI 18 Volt Impact Driver
You can do this project with just a cordless drill, but having an impact driver to go along with it makes the project go much faster. A driver drill combo is great when you have to pre-drill holes for screws. This eliminates the need to constantly switch out bits.

INSTRUCTIONS:

STEP 1: Cut balsuters
Use a circular saw to cut four balusters into 12” length pieces and another four balusters into 18” length pieces.

STEP 2: Sand down the rough edges
A few passes of sand paper are all that it takes to clean up the edges of the cut balusters.

STEP 3: Build the form for the concrete table top
The top should be 18” by 36” but use the balusters you cut and a right angle square to layout the top. Use scrap 2x4s or 2x2s as braces for screwing the melamine together.

STEP 4: Seal and clean the form
Use latex or silicone caulk to seal the form. Once the caulking is dry, wipe the form to remove dust and dirt before pouring in the concrete.

STEP 5: Mix and pour the concrete
Commercial-grade Quikrete Countertop Mix is easy to work with and has no large pieces of aggregate. This mix is easier to work with but sets up faster so you'll need to work quickly. I used about 1 ½ bags and didn’t use any reinforcement. The top came out about 2” thick and is quite strong.

STEP 6: Pack down the concrete and vibrate the form
Make sure the wet concrete is pack down into every corner and vibrate the form with a hammer.

STEP 7: Let the concrete cure
Let the concrete cure for at least 48 hours before removing the form. The manufactuer suggests covering the concrete to control moisture but I didn't and it came out just fine.

STEP 8: Remove the form
Unscrew the formwork and scrap off any of the caulk that is stuck to the concrete.

STEP 9: Build the Base
I used 1 screw in each side of each baluster. Even though each joint by itself isn't strong the resulting framework is quite sturdy. To keep the balusters from splitting drill pilot holes before screwing.

STEP 10: Put on the top
The concrete top is quite heavy and doesn’t slide but I put a couple screws up through the wood and into the concrete about 3/8” anyway.

Good luck making your own concrete + wood coffee table, and please email or tweet photos to @benuyeda or ben@homemade-modern.com. For more detailed instructions, dimensioned drawings and different variations of the project, check out our soon-to-be-released book.

EP14 Log Lounger

Ben Uyeda — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 02:32:04 +0000

Our partner RYOBI asked us to do an Earth Day project that would demonstrate how eco-friendly tools like their 18 Volt ONE+ Cordless Chainsaw could be used to transform waste into usable home furnishings.

The log lounger is a great way to turn yard waste that would end up in landfills or a fireplace, into sturdy outdoor furniture.

We had a lot of fun trying out our new 18 Volt ONE+ Cordless Chainsaw and are proud to present an affordable, modern piece of furniture that was made sustainably with clean-running electric tools.

SUPPLIES:

Logs 3" - 6" in diameter
Reclaimed landscaping waste
I got these birch logs from a landscaping company that had been hired to clear a piece of land. I recommend using logs between 3” and 6” in diameter. Larger diameter logs can be used but can be difficult to drill through and connect. They also can get pretty heavy.

Lag Screws 6” and 9”
Purchase at Home Depot
I used zinc-coated lag screws to connect the logs together. The lag screws are the most expensive part of this project. I used ¼” lag screws 6” long for most of the logs and a couple 9” long ones for the bigger logs. 3-4 screws per log will do the trick. If you are using smaller logs, you can get away with using cheaper deck screws.

Brackets and Deck Screws
Purchase at Home Depot
The brackets are used to strengthen the floppy parts of the . Just screw them on the underside of the with deck screws.

TOOLS:

RYOBI 18 Volt Chainsaw
The RYOBI 18 Volt Chainsaw is my new favorite tool! It's lightweight, easy to handle and runs on the same battery packs as my other RYOBI tools. More importantly, it doesn’t produce toxic emissions like gas-powered chainsaws and runs much quieter than traditional chainsaws, which is great for working on projects indoors.

RYOBI 18 Volt Cordless Drill
The drill is used to drill both the 1 ¼” counter sunk holes as well as the ¼” pilot holes for the lag screws. You can also use a hex attachment to drive the lag screws.

1 ¼” Drill Bit
Long lag screws are expensive and difficult to drive into the wood. Partially Drilling into the logs with a large drill bit allows you to use shorter lag screws.

Extra long ¼” Bit
I used an extra long bit to drill pilot holes through the logs I attached. This isn’t completely necessary but it makes driving the lag screws easier and reduces the likelihood of them breaking.

Optional:
RYOBI 18 Volt Impact Driver
In addition to a drill, an impact driver makes this project go a lot faster. You can drill the holes and drive the screws without switching bits.

INSTRUCTIONS:

STEP 1: Cut logs
I cut the logs into 18” long segments. Feel free to cut longer segments if you have enough material to work with.

STEP 2: Layout the design
I used blue painter's tape to mark an outline of the design on the floor. If you'd like a PDF of the template I used, feel free to email me. Do a test layout with your cut logs.

STEP 3: Drill holes
Use the 1 ¼” bit to drill large holes about 1-2 inches into the log. These holes allow you to use shorter lag screws. You'll want the holes to be deep enough to allow the screws to go into the second log at least 2.5 inches. Use the long ¼” bit to drill pilot holes through the first log only.

STEP 4: Screw the logs together
Use a socket wrench or an impact driver to drive the lag screws and connect the logs. Use 3-4 lag screws for each log.

STEP 5: Flip it over and test
Flip the lounge upright and see where it wobbles. You can also do a little bit of shaping at this point.

STEP 6: Brace it with brackets
Use steel brackets and deck screws on the back side of the lounge to strengthen and stiffen the weak and wobbly parts.

Happy Earth Day! Good luck making your own log lounger , and please email or tweet photos to @benuyeda or ben@homemade-modern.com. For more detailed instructions, dimensioned drawings and different variations of the project, check out our soon-to-be-released book.

EP8.2 Revisiting the $5 Bucket Stool

Ben Uyeda — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 04:27:44 +0000

The bucket stool has been one of our most popular posts so we decided to follow up with some additional ideas and answer some frequently asked questions.

See the $5 Bucket Stool Instructions in Episode 8

Shapes + Molds

I used a square metal cake pan to make this 4 legged stool. I added cross supports for additional strength.

I used a silicon and glass round cake pan with commercial grade white Quikrete Countertop mix to make this round stool. This form worked incredible well and left the concrete with a glassy smooth finish.

To make this stool stronger I drilled holes in the 3 legs and used heavy wire to connect them.

Materials
The Commercial Grade Quikrete Countertop Mix is more expensive and harder to find than Quikrete 5000, but is really fun to experiment with. It's easier to work with, sets faster and can yield a glass-like, smooth finish.

Stability
I lot of people worried about the stools tipping over. You can increase the stability of the stool by going with 4 legs instead of 3 or by cutting down the side of the bucket and spreading the legs out farther.

Wobbly Legs
Over time the legs can get wobbly and slide out. A little construction adhesive in the concrete holes will secure and re-fasten the legs.

Strength
Several people wondered how strong these stools are.

Viewer Submitted Photos
I want to thank all the people who submitted photos!

@benuyeda A little uneven, but attempt 1 at the concrete stools cam out pretty good. twitter.com/j_m_barnes/sta…
— James Barnes (@j_m_barnes) March 11, 2013

@benuyeda I adore my new stool. Thinking about making a taller one.Do you think it will still be sturdy at 2 ft tall? twitter.com/sandraamstutz/…
— Sandra Amstutz (@sandraamstutz) March 14, 2013

@benuyeda what'd I do wrong? The sides won't stop crumbling. Still looks great though! twitter.com/maiannam/statu…
— Maianna (@maiannam) March 25, 2013

Easter project. Concrete bucket stool nickprestemon @benuyeda instagram.com/p/Xh4o6pGeez/
— Alexis Nido-Russo (@nikalorenzo) March 31, 2013

Greatly enjoyed making the Bucket Stool. Thank you @benuyeda for the designs. thinklem.com/bucketstool.ht…
— Nic La (@ThinkLem) March 29, 2013

$5 #diy concrete stool - fresh out if the bucket, still need to sand. Happy so far! bit.ly/13RbIkg - thx @benuyeda #HandmadeModern
— seth fritz (@toreplyall) March 11, 2013

#diy concrete stool - DONE!perfectly imperfect! instagr.am/p/WxwWTLEUQz/ cc @benuyeda
— seth fritz (@toreplyall) March 13, 2013

Attempted @benuyeda concrete stool. Didn't get it quite right with the leg placement, but it's a good first draft. twitter.com/steelwind345/s…
— Will (@steelwind345) April 8, 2013

EP13 Geometric Doghouse

Ben Uyeda — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 01:00:53 +0000

Watch the Video

Despite its faceted, angular appearance, this modern doghouse is quite easy to construct.

SUPPLIES:

¼” sanded plywood
Purchase at Home Depot
I used a single 4’ by 8’ sheet of ¼” birch veneer plywood. I had the nice people at Home Depot cut two 14” wide strips for me.

2x3s
Purchase at Home Depot
I used 2x3s and 2x2s to make the angled support blocks.

TOOLS:

RYOBI 18 Volt Cordless drill

RYOBI Circular Saw

INSTRUCTIONS:

STEP 1: Pick a size
The triangles should be about the same height of your sitting dog. Fletcher is about 14” tall sitting so I had the nice people at Home Depot cut two 14” wide strips of plywood for me.

STEP 2: Measure, mark and clamp the two boards together
The doghouse is made from equilateral triangles. Measure off the triangles and then clamp the 2 boards together.

STEP 3: Cut the plywood
Once the triangles have been marked, use the laser guide on your RYOBI circular saw to follow the lines and cut the triangles.

STEP 4: Measure and cut the angled blocks
There are 2 ways to cut the angled support blocks. If you only have a 5-1/2” diameter circular saw, measure and mark the 2x3s as shown in the diagram.

If you have a 7-1/4” diameter or greater circular saw, set the blade to cut at a 42 degree angle and cut the blocks.

STEP 5: Sand the edges
Use 200 grit sandpaper to smooth down the edges.

STEP 6: Assemble
Screw the angled blocks to the plywood triangles and screw the pieces together.

STEP 7: Cut the pieces for the entry
I cut several of the plywood triangles in half to make a nice doorway for Fletcher.

STEP 8: Add supports
Add in additional wood blocks to strengthen the dog house.

Good luck making your own geometric doghouse, and please email or tweet photos to @benuyeda or ben@homemade-modern.com. For more detailed instructions, dimensioned drawings and different variations of the project, check out our soon-to-be-released book.

EP12 Faceted Concrete Hooks

Ben Uyeda — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 00:19:43 +0000

Watch the Video

Faceted geometric forms are trending nowadays. While the simple, colorful, paper shape DIYs that appear all over Pinterest are fun and easy to make, the results aren't lasting. We wanted to create a series of free, downloadable templates that could be used as forms and/or molds to make more sustainable objects. Download and print our FREE faceted geometric templates to create forms for concrete shelf brackets and coat hooks.

SUPPLIES:

Quikrete 5000 Concrete Mix
Purchase at Home Depot
QUIKRETE® 5000 Concrete Mix is a commercial-grade blend of stone or gravel, sand and cement that's specially designed for strength. It is available at Home Depot and typically comes in 80lb. bags. The hardest part about working with it is moving the 80lb. bag. Mixing the small quantity needed for this project is easy – all you have to do is add water and stir thoroughly.

11"x17" Multipurpose Paper
Purchase In-Store or Online at Staples.com

Ducktape
Purchase at Home Depot

Cardboard
Recycle or Purchase Online
Thin cardboard packing like cereal boxes works well. Chipboard is a thin coardboard sold in crafts stores that can also be used.

High Gloss or Eggshell House Paint
Purchase at Home Depot
Standard house paint helps seal the mold.

Glue
Purchase In-Store or Online at Staples.com
Simple craft or white glue will work.

TOOLS:

Scissors, box cutter or Exacto knife to cut out the paper templates

Inkjet printer to print the 11" x 17" downloadable templates

Metal ruler for creating straight scores in the cardboard

INSTRUCTIONS:

STEP 1: Download and print the templates
Download and print the templates on 11"x17" paper.

Download Faceted Concrete Rhino Hook

Download Faceted Concrete Simple Hook

Download Faceted Concrete Shelf A

Download Faceted Concrete Shelf B

Download Faceted Concrete Shelf C

Download Faceted Concrete Shelf D

STEP 2: Glue the printed templates to cardboard

STEP 3: Cut out the cardboard-backed templates and score the folds
Use scissors or an Exacto knife to cut out the cardboard-backed templates. Use a metal ruler to help score the edges where you'll be folding the template.

STEP 4: Paint the inside surface
Brush a coat of house paint on the interior face of the mold.

STEP 5: Insert Hardware
Wrap a business card around the L-bracket and tape it in-place to make a sheath. Use a screw to make a pin that will connect the concrete to the bracket.

STEP 6: Fold and tape the template
Fold and tape the mold using ducktape.

STEP 7: Fill the molds with concrete and let it cure for 20 hours
Unwrap the molds after about 20 hours. If you wait too long, the cardboard mold will start to stick to the concrete. The concrete will still be fragile so handle the mold with care.

STEP 8: Mount
Mount the L-bracket, slide the concrete over and insert the screw.

Good luck making your own faceted concrete hooks and shelf brackets, and please email or tweet photos to @benuyeda or ben@homemade-modern.com. For more detailed instructions, dimensioned drawings and different variations of the project, check out our soon-to-be-released book.

EP11 Bloktagons

Ben Uyeda — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 03:02:15 +0000

Watch the Video

Faceted geometric forms are trending nowadays. While the simple, colorful, paper shape DIYs that appear all over Pinterest are fun and easy to make, the results aren't lasting. We wanted to create a series of free, downloadable templates that could be used as forms and/or molds to make more sustainable objects. Download and print our Bloktagon series on cardstock paper to create forms for wax candles or concrete coat hooks and vases.

SUPPLIES:

Quikrete 5000 Concrete Mix
Purchase at Home Depot
QUIKRETE® 5000 Concrete Mix is a commercial-grade blend of stone or gravel, sand and cement that's specially designed for strength. It is available at Home Depot and typically comes in 80lb. bags. The hardest part about working with it is moving the 80lb. bag. Mixing the small quantity needed for this project is easy – all you have to do is add water and stir thoroughly.

Candle-Making Stuff: Paraffin Wax, Candle Wicks and Scented Oils
Purchase at Craft Stores or Online at Amazon.com

Cardstock or Glossy Photo Paper
Purchase In-Store or Online at Staples.com
We used 110lb. cardstock from Staples but glossy photo paper will give concrete projects a smoother finish. Both types of paper will work with standard inkjet printers.

High Gloss or Eggshell House Paint
Purchase at Home Depot
Standard house paint helps seal the exterior of the paper molds.

Glue
Purchase In-Store or Online at Staples.com
Simple craft or white glue will work.

TOOLS:

Scissors, box cutter or Exacto knife to cut out the paper templates

Inkjet printer to print the 8.5" x 11" downloadable Bloktagon templates

Metal ruler or tool with a sharp, straight edge is useful for creating perfect, scored folds

INSTRUCTIONS:

STEP 1: Download and print the templates
Download and print the bloktagon templates on cardstock paper. Glossy photo paper can be used to create smoother molds for concrete projects.

Download Bloktagon – Big Jessie Download Bloktagon – Lil Jessie

Download Bloktagon – Big Emily Download Bloktagon – Lil Emily

Download Bloktagon – Big Whitney Download Bloktagon – Lil Whitney

Download Bloktagon – Big Sherry Download Bloktagon – Lil Sherry

Download Bloktagon – Big Frank Download Bloktagon – Lil Frank

Download Bloktagon – Big Poly Download Bloktagon – Lil Poly

Download Bloktagon – Big Jack Download Bloktagon – Lil Jack

Download Bloktagon – Big Joe Download Bloktagon – Lil Joe

STEP 2: Cut out the templates
Use scissors or an Exacto knife to cut out the templates.

STEP 3: Fold the templates
Use a metal ruler to help make perfectly scored fold lines on the cut out templates.

STEP 4: Glue the template tabs
Glue the template tabs to the corresponding facet of the Bloktagon. To make things easy, we numbered the tabs to the corresponding facet it should be glued to. A pencil or popsicle stick can be helpful for applying pressure to gluing a tab that's difficult to reach on both sides.

STEP 5: Paint the outside
Brush a coat of house paint on the exterior of the assembled Bloktagon to seal the mold.

STEP 6: Fill the molds
We experimented with paraffin wax and concrete fillings.

Blocktagon Candles
For Blocktagon candles, we melted leftover crayons into the paraffin wax to add color and put a few drops of scented oils for an added touch.

Blocktagon Vases
To make Bloktagon concrete vases, we used Quikrete 5000 but took out the large pieces of gravel. We placed pens and candles in the wet concrete to form the openings for the vases.

If you want to make a simple coat hook or knob, just place a large hex head screw into the wet concrete and allow it to cure together

Good luck making your own Bloktagon objects, and please email or tweet photos to @benuyeda or ben@homemade-modern.com. For more detailed instructions, dimensioned drawings and different variations of the project, check out our soon-to-be-released book.

EP9 Concrete Pendant Lamp

Ben Uyeda — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 20:41:01 +0000

Watch the Video

Designer lighting can be quite pricey. You can make yourself an entire set of stylish concrete pendant lights with a single bag of concrete mix and some old plastic bottles.

SUPPLIES:

Quikrete 5000 Concrete Mix
Purchase at Home Depot
QUIKRETE® 5000 Concrete Mix is a commercial-grade blend of stone or gravel, sand and cement that's specially designed for strength. It is available at Home Depot and typically comes in 80lb. bags. The hardest part about working with it is moving the 80lb. bag. Mixing the small quantity needed for this project is easy – all you have to do is add water and stir thoroughly.

Electrical Stuff: Socket, Switch and Cord
Purchase Online at Grandbrass.com

Plastic Bottle
Reclaimed + Recycled
2-liter soda bottles and a thin water bottle work well.

Threaded Tube and Nuts
Purchase Online at Grandbrass.com
These threaded tubes are a common lamp part and can be purchased online or salvaged from an old lamp. I used a 3/8th inch diameter tube.

3 1/2" Deck Screw
I used a single deck screw to help hold the plastic bottles in place.

TOOLS:

Box cutter or knife

RYOBI 18 Volt Cordless drill with a 3/8th diameter standard bit for drilling holes in the caps

Wire cutters to cut the cord and strip the wires for reconnecting the socket to the cord after putting the socket inside the lamp

INSTRUCTIONS:

STEP 1: Cut the soda bottle
Poke a hole in the soda bottle with a box cutter and use scissors to cut the bottom of the bottle.

STEP 2: Drill a hole in the caps of the soda bottles
It's easier to drill a hole in the bottle caps when they are attached to the bottle. The hole should be just big enough to screw the metal tube through.

STEP 3: Connect the bottle caps
Screw the tube through both caps and use nuts on either side of each cap to hold them in place.

STEP 4: Screw the bottles into the caps
Screw bottles into the connected caps.

STEP 5: Use deck screws to stabilize the bottles

STEP 6: Mix the concrete and fill the mold
Use a large spoon to fill the mold. Shake and tap the mold after each spoonful to make sure the concrete settles.

STEP 7: Remove the bottles
I used a box cutter and scissors to remove the plastic bottle.

Optional Step: Cut back metal tube
I like the industrial look of the exposed metal, but you can cut off the excess metal with a hacksaw if you want.

STEP 8: Sand concrete lamps
I used 120 grit sandpaper to smooth down the rough edges.

STEP 9: Wire lamps
Cut the socket end of the wire and thread the cut end though the bolt hole. Strip the wires and twist them together. Cover the exposed metal with electrical tape or wire nuts and make sure the pendant is securely fastened.

Good luck making your own concrete pendant lamp, and please email or tweet photos to @benuyeda or ben@homemade-modern.com. For more detailed instructions, dimensioned drawings and different variations of the project, check out our soon-to-be-released book.

EP5.1 Ombré Chair

Ben Uyeda — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 00:27:10 +0000

An ombré finish is a great way to give old furniture modern style. Usina a power paint system with a low VOC paint is an eco-friendly alternative to spray paint.

SUPPLIES:

Low VOC Matte Blue Interior Paint
Purchase at Home Depot

150 Grit Sand Paper
Purchase at Home Depot

TOOLS:

18 Volt cordless drill with wire brush attachment

STEP 1: Prepare your paint room
Hang up a backdrop to catch the overspray from the power painter.

STEP 2: Brush off the old paint
Use a wire brush attachment on a cordless drill to remove the paint and dirt. Then use 150 grit sand paper to finish some of the hard-to-reach places.

STEP 3: Tape off the top of the chair
Use masking tape and paper to block off the parts of the chair that you don't want to receive paint.

STEP 4: Spray the chair
Start low and make vertical arching sweeps with the painter. Turn the chair 90º degrees and paint each side.

Good luck making your own ombré chair, and please email or tweet photos to @benuyeda or ben@homemade-modern.com. For more detailed instructions, dimensioned drawings and different variations of the project, check out our soon-to-be-released book.

EP10 DIY Modern Candleholders

Ben Uyeda — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 23:17:02 +0000

Here are a couple easy ways to create your own modern candleholders. These projects make excellent centerpieces for the wood and iron table.

Try using iron pipe fittings to make a rustic, modern candelabra. Once you have a collection of pipe fittings, you can assemble them into all sorts of different arrangements. If you get bored of a particular piece, simply take it apart and make something else with it.

If you have leftover concrete mix, take some old, plastic water bottles or milk cartons and fill them with concrete. While the concrete is still soft, insert a tea candle. Try layering in different colors of concrete to create a fading, ombre effect.

SUPPLIES:

½” Iron Pipe Fittings
Purchase at Home Depot

Quikrete Countertop Mix
Purchase at Home Depot

Milk Cartons and/or Plastic Water Bottles
Reclaimed + Recycled

Good luck making your own DIY modern candleholders, and please email or tweet photos to @benuyeda or ben@homemade-modern.com. For more detailed instructions, dimensioned drawings and different variations of the project, check out our soon-to-be-released book.