Woodworking Projects & Basic Carpentry
Explore the many woodworking projects and plans, available on myCarpentry.com, and learn basic carpentry skills as you build. Try out the free online carpentry tools, like the stair calculator, roof pitch calculator, and the span tables for joists and rafters.
Free online plans are also available for patio covers, outdoor showers, decks, picnic tables, benches, bars, birdhouses, and many other carpentry and woodworking projects.
Woodworking Projects and Plans
Build a Deck
If you are interested in building a deck, visit Build a Deck and walk through the 10'x10' deck tutorial. This tutorial covers framing, footings, decking, building deck stairs, railing, and stair railing.
DIY Workbench Plans
These DIY workbench plans make good use of standard sized lumber to reduce excess waste. This workbench design also includes plans for optional side panels and doors.
Building a Patio Cover
These almost-free-standing patio cover plans might be just what you are looking for if your existing roof is not capable of supporting the weight of a patio cover roof.
Picnic Table Plans
It is not too early to get started on those Springtime woodworking projects! Build your own picnic table or other outdoor furniture items using the completely free plans on mycarpentry.com.
Plans for Outdoor Benches
Outdoor Benches - Building a bench is an easy woodworking project that can provide years of value.
Outdoor Shower Plans - Build Your Own Outdoor Shower
Outdoor Shower Plans - I designed and built this outdoor shower on some property located in the Hill Country of central Texas. The corrugated tin and western red cedar structure blended well with the local architecture.
Cedar Deck - Design and Build Your Own Cedar Deck
Cedar Deck - This article is an account of my experiences while building my own cedar deck in the hill country of Texas...
Patio Cover Plans - Build Your Own Deck Cover or Patio Cover
Using these patio cover plans as a guide, you can build your own covered patio or outdoor room...
Make your own truck ladder racks
Make your own ladder racks and save big bucks! When I was looking for racks to haul my canoe, I was surprised at how pricy the name brand racks were. I decided to do some research on materials that were available at the local hardware store and came up with these plans.
Carpentry Calculators
One of the many useful features of mycarpentry.com is the carpentry calculators section. They include the roof pitch calculator (for calculating roof pitch and slope), the cubic yard calculator (for estimating concrete), and the arch calculator (for calculating the elliptical curve of archways).
Stair Calculator
The stair calculator is also a very useful calculator, and comes in two flavors (automatic and manual), for calculating the rise and run of stairs in a variety of design scenarios.
Both Stair Calculators provide stringer diagrams with the results labeled on each section (Total Rise, Total Run, Step Height, etc.). The stinger diagrams automatically update, depending on which attachment method you choose (standard or flush).
Woodworking Projects
The woodworking projects section contains free plans for building several small projects, ranging from birdhouses to picnic tables. These simple projects can easily be built in less than a day. Many of them can be built in less than an hour.
