DIY Chessboard

I made this chessboard in approximately 8 hours. It's made of 3 different types of wood. The 2" x 2" squares are made of maple and mahogany and the trim is red oak.

This build cost approximately 40 dollars. And I was able to make it in my garage!

Step 1: Step 1: Cut Boards to Length

I started out by marking and cutting the maple and mahogany at 18 inches. I ended up having 4 boards of each 18 inches and longer.

Step 2: Step 2: Rip Boards

I took all the pieces and ripped them down to 2 inches

Step 3: Step 3: Glue and Clamp

I glued and smeared the glue on all the ends. Then I clamped the boards horizontally and vertically to minimize crowning

Step 4: Step 4: Square and Rip

I squared up one end and then I ripped down the board we glued to 2 inch strips.

Step 5: Step 5: Glue and Clamp Again

Glue like we did previously and then clamp like we did previously. Just be sure to alternate your strips!

Step 6: Step 6: Cut Down to Size

So I used my table saw again to cut all 4 sides down. After squaring everything up the board should measure 16 x 16 inches!

Step 7: Step 7: Prepare the Boarder

This is where the red oak comes into play. I cut 2 pieces approximately 24 inches long and then I ripped each piece down to 1 and 1/4 inches. Then I cut only 1 end of each piece at a 45 degree angle.

Step 8: Step 8: Mark and Glue

I got everything where I wanted it and then clamped and marked the ends so i knew exactly where to mark it. Then I mitered that end that was marked and cut and clamped it into place until all 4 sides were done.

Step 9: Step 9: Fill Gaps and Sand

I forgot to picture the router...sorry. I routerd the four sides, then used some wood glue and sawdust from my orbital sander to fill the gaps. I used 80 grit and then finished with 120.

Step 10: Step 10: Final Finishes

You may want to lay down some wax paper because this will get messy.

I used a finish which is equal to 60 coats of polyurethane. Its called Super Glaze and can be found at Home Depot or Menards. It's a 2 part epoxy and is mixed 50-50. I used a stick to spread it but I found a disposable foam brush worked best! Also, the oak and the mahogany is porous so using a regular coat of poly and then sanding it with 600 grit first before coating it with Super Glaze will be ideal because the wood untreated will produce bubbles,

Step 11: Step 11: Let Dry

Here's what it looks like after 24 hours...The glaze is extremely hard and looks awesome!

For a more detailed video of this project, and other projects like this, please visit my YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/c/adamfleisch

Thanks for looking!