How to Make a Sturdy Wooden Easel

Make a strong and durable wood easel to work on.

Artists need a sturdy easel to sit their canvases on when they are painting. Easels are also used to display finished art work, which may be in heavy frames. The easels need to be sturdy as well as functional. Make your own wooden easel for considerably less than the cost of a ready-made one. Stain or paint the finished wood easel to suit your personal taste. With basic wood working tools and skills, you will have a sturdy easel to hold and display your art.

Things You'll Need

• 2-by-4 lumber, 82 3/8 inches, (2)
• 2-by-4 lumber, 81 inches
• Drill
• 3/8-inch drill bit
• Carriage bolt, 5-inch (1)
• Tape measure
• Pencil
• Level
• Carriage bolts, 7-inch (2)
• 2-by-4 lumber, 4 feet
• 3/4-inch Plywood, 48-by-33 inches
• 2 1/2-inch nails
• Hammer
• Wood glue
• Rope
• 2 eye screws

Instructions

1. Have one end on each of the two longest pieces of lumber cut at a 15-degree angle. These will be the front legs of the easel. Most home improvement centers will create these cuts for you.

2. Lay the two boards on your work surface with the angles facing up. Drill a hole 78 inches from the flat end of each piece of lumber, into the angled cuts. The two angle cuts will align together around the back leg. Be sure to cut the hole down into the angled wood on both pieces and at a right angle to the flat surface.

3. Lay the shorter piece of lumber on the work surface and drill a hole 74 inches from one end. This will be the back leg of the easel.

4. Place the three legs on top of each other with the shorter leg in the center and the holes lined up together.

5. Thread a 5-inch carriage bolt through all three holes in the three legs. Loosely screw on the washer and nut.

6. Spread the front legs apart while still lying flat. Open the legs to 45 inches apart, hold them in position and tighten the carriage bolt. This will secure the leg assembly.

7. Measure 38 inches from the bottom of each front leg and make a mark with a pencil.

8. Position the 4-foot length of lumber across the legs, centering and leveling in place. This piece of lumber is the cross bar of the easel. Drill through the cross bar and into each leg.

9. Thread one 7-inch carriage bolt through the front of the cross bar and into each leg. Secure it behind the leg with the washer and nut.

10. Apply wood glue along the upper portion of the front legs and along the top back edge of the cross bar. Sit the 48-inch side of the plywood sheet on top of the glue on the 4-foot wide cross bar. Press it in place against the legs and cross bar. Allow time for the wood glue to dry. If needed, apply light weight to hold the pieces until the glue dries.

11. Turn the easel with the plywood board face-down and tack nails from the back of the front legs into the board to secure it.

12. Stand the easel up and spread the legs open. Create an angle with the back leg that is comfortable to work on.

13. Measure a length of rope to the distance between the center back of the cross bar and the back leg when at a convenient angle. Add a few inches and cut it.

14. Screw an eye screw into the back leg and the center of the cross bar. Tie the rope to both eye screws. This will keep the easel from opening any wider than desired.

Tips & Warnings

• Check that the lumber is straight and not warped to ensure a balanced and upright easel.

• Use treated lumber for an easel that is to be used or stored outdoors.

• Use smooth, sanded lumber to avoid splinters.

References

• Build Eazy: Making an Easel