Four Beautiful Furnitures You Can Build Using Cedar Slats

When woodworkers hear the words “cedar slats”, the first thing that usually comes to mind is a fence. As woodworking products, these slats are commonly used for railing, roof battens, trim boards and of course, fencing. But, did you know you can use them to build a lovely piece of furniture for your dining room or backyard?Whether you are using newly bought cedar slats or used and reclaimed ones, there are a number of furniture pieces you can build with these woodworking materials. As a woodworking enthusiast, here are some great ideas to help you build a fine piece of furniture using these slats:

Bench

A bench that is made from used slats can be an excellent addition to your yard or garden. Indeed, these products can be a great material for a bench’s frame and seat. Additionally, it may be used to form the furniture’s back and arms.

Aside from an outdoor bench, you may also build an indoor bench to complement to the table in your dining room. In this case, though, it would be better for you to a new set of slats. Once you have finished building a bench with these materials, dress it up with throw pillows in patterns and fabrics to enhance the décor in your room. Also, you may embellish it with mellow colored pillows that have a wide range of textures. But if pillows are not your cup of tea, just paint or stain your bench.

Chair

Whether you are building an Adirondack chair for your yard or a woodsy eclectic dining room chair, there are a lot of options available for this idea. Depending on the number of cedar slats you have, you may build one chair or a handful of chairs for a dining room table to kitchen. To soften the chairs’ look, cover it with flashy covered seats. Also, you may create chair cushions with contemporary prints like geometric retro designs, floral patterns, honeycomb and damask.

Bed

A bed is another fine project you can make with these materials. In this project, you can design its headboard with slats vertically or horizontally, depending on your preferences. Likewise, you can avoid the obvious design options and choose for a diagonal application. Create a more geometric look with your bed, by cutting different lengths of these materials. Another alternative is to design a frame and cut the cedar in a diagonal manner to fill its frame.

Table

To build a table with cedar slats, first you need to create a frame for it using new cedar planks. After that, top it with slats (reclaimed or new). You can leave them as they are, or sand them and stain (or paint) them, to blend with your current décor. Another great idea is to paint the table’s base with a bright hue (lime green and cherry red), and put a few rustic slats on top of it.