A wood riser works like a tray - to group items and make small items appear larger, and a group of small items to not feel cluttered. Risers also make cleaning easier, just remove the riser and wipe clean underneath!
We especially love risers on kitchen islands, window sills, coffee bars, or anywhere you want to make an item look larger, a group of items to appear as one (instead of clutter), or where you need that tray like organization.
This is a free tutorial showing how to make your own vintage style wood riser using a 1x board and jigsaw. This tutorial includes photos of the steps, a video tutorial and lots of tips and tricks to help you make a beautiful farmhouse riser.
Why I Built this Project
I have a large kitchen island. Whenever I set something on it, it feels out of place. So I decided to try using a wood risers to group items together, and make the items appear grounded, and intentionally placed. This riser will also help with cleaning underneath the grouped items.
Think of it like setting things on a coffee table, instead of on the floor. The riser is a mini coffee table for your surfaces!
Why We Love this Vintage Wood Riser
- Adds function to countertops and surfaces
- Groups smaller items together
- Acts like a tray, keeping spaces feeling less cluttered, but items are more accessible than in a tray
- Makes a GREAT gift, just top with candles, cheeses, baked goods - this one is sure to be loved
- The vintage details make this riser appear as a found object
- It's very pretty and adds to the overall decor of the space!
How I Built this Project
It's super easy to make a riser, but I wanted this one to have some character and a vintage feel! So here's how I made it:
I cut a 1x6 board to 15" long.
Then I marked 1-1/2" upward on each end, across the board (to be cut down in later steps)
Then I drew out the vintage shape for the footed ends with a pencil. I only drew half.
I cut out the half, saved the piece and then used the piece to transfer the cut marks to the other side. Another way to do this would be to make a paper pattern (probably more professional too)
Then I cut the second side out with a jigsaw.
I did use a scrolling blade on the jigsaw to make the tight corners.
I didn't want to cut the decorative feet from tiny pieces of wood, as that gets very difficult to clamp down. So now I'll cut the feet off from the main piece with my chop saw.
I positioned the feet on the bottom and added with glue. Then I flipped it over -
And nailed the top to the feet.
To give the wood riser a little more character, I went along the outsides with a jigsaw and cut randomly at the edges.
I also damaged the top surface with a chisel and other distressing tools to give it a worn look.
Then I sanded the edges with a sanding blocks.
I applied stain with a foam brush.
And then wiped the stain off with a shop cloth. I let the shop cloths dry isolated outside before disposing as they can be combustible.
Here's how it turned out!
Watch! Build Video for This Project
Video Tutorial Coming Soon
Preparation
