Modern Wood Pedestal DIY
Sarah and I have loved the look of these modern wood pedestals. A pedestal’s bold stature and faceted faces allow them to stand tall in a space without overtaking the room. They are a great way to display many different items like vases, greenery, sculptures and other types of artistic home decor. While there are many options to purchase a modern pedestal, we wanted to create this look for less by creating this modern wood pedestal DIY.
This isn’t necessarily the easiest DIY project, but who doesn’t love a good challenge? I started by researching other wood pedestals and their dimensions. We found that the average heights range from 24″ – 42″ and the widths vary based on the height. We settled on a final dimension of 41-1/2″ tall and 14″ for the depth and width!
Like most DIY projects, I try to start with either a hand sketch or electronic drawing. I have a few drawing programs that I love to use but my favorite and most user-friendly tool is Google Sketchup! It is a great free 3d drawing tool that is free online! It was well worth the time to fully draw each part and determine all the needed angle cuts to miter this box together.
I decided to use solid white oak for this project but this modern wood pedestal can be made with many types of materials. You can use plywood with a wood veneer, paint grade plywood, or even MDF and paint it!
Helpful Tools To Create This Modern Wood Pedestal
Building a DIY took kit can be expensive. I have been collecting tools for years! Here is a post that shares so simple tips for getting started. Five Basic Tools To Start Building Cabinets.
Modern Wood Pedestal DIY
Step 1
Start by making the panels for each side. I do this by gluing hardwood boards together to make larger panels. Hardwood boards are typically not wide enough for a project like this so glueing together boards is how you achieve larger panels. Another option is to use a 4’x8′ pylwood sheet with a wood veneer. I typically start by making the panels oversized and trimming them to the correct size after they are dry and sanded smooth.
**I will share a free PDF with all the dimensions for these parts below**
Step 2
Now it is time to start laying out the cut lines on each part and the needed bevels on each end. I use a carpenters square to make sure my lines are perfectly square and check my cuts as I make them. A guided circlar saw is very helpful in making the diagonal cuts with bevels. Take your time on this part!
Step 3
Assemble the parts using wood glue, a finish nailer and some clamps if you have them. Assembling a complex shape like this can be difficult so are typically start by only using one or two nails on each joint in case I need to make adjustments as I go!
Step 4
Once the modern wood pedestal is dry it is time to sand any sharp corners, clean off any excess wood glue and apply a finish. We used a grain highlighting finishing wax that helps keep the natural look of white oak without yellowing
