How to Make a Heart Footstool

This heart footstool is a fun and easy woodcraft perfect for a simple Valentine’s Day gift.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Plywood
• Three wood stool legs
• Paint
• Primer
• Wood stain
• Paintbrush
• Sandpaper
• Metal leg brackets
• Paper
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Jigsaw

1. Cut out a sheet of paper to 12 inches by 12 inches. Fold the paper in half. Draw a heart shape on half of the paper and cut it out.
2. Lay your paper heart pattern on your sheet of plywood. Trace the shape onto the sheet of plywood.
3. Cut the heart out of the plywood with your jigsaw. Sand the edges with sandpaper as needed.
4. Place the wood heart for the footstool top side down on the flat work surface.
5. Place the metal leg brackets on the wood in a triangle shape. Mark where the holes need to be. Pre-drill the holes. Replace the metal brackets and screw them into place.
6. Screw each wood stool leg into place on the heart stool. You can buy pre-made wood stool legs at the local home improvement store as well as online.
7. Apply primer to the footstool. Let this dry.
8. Paint the heart footstool out in an accent paint color to stand out in your home.

Tips & Warnings

• You can buy pre-cut wood heart plaques at the coal craft store as well as the art store.
• Milk paint is a great option for painting a vintage looking heart-shaped footstool.
• Rub on a coat of wood gel stain in a dark color to age your paint color in seconds. A color such as dark walnut or antique oak is perfect and can be bought from any home improvement store.
• The metal leg brackets can be bought in the wooden leg section of the hardware store or online. Many have a screw in them that allows you to simply screw in the wood leg once the bracket is installed.
• Space the legs evenly in a triangle shape. If they are not spaced equidistantly the stool will not be sturdy.