Reclaimed Reading Stand

Inspired during a family kitchen renovation five years ago, I spared two cupboard doors from their upcoming haul to the landfill, snatching them for this project. Its a shame I hadn't the space to store the rest of them, nor the time to whip them all into shelves back then. I think that was before freecycle even existed. Now, this little unit stands in my new home, bringing back fond memories of the kitchen I grew up in.

Materials

Reclaimed Reading Stand
2 cupboard doors of equal size
- discarded ends of wood (Baseboards may be a good choice)
12 older-looking screws
12 finishing nails (optional)
1/4 Cup Cup home-made stain (optional) *
- boiled linseed oil
- decorative door pulls and hinges
- Sand paper
- Lint-free rag

Originally posted at http://www.raisingspaces.com/index.php/2007/10/18/reclaimed-reading-stand/

Step 1
Measure and cut your top and second shelf pieces from the discarded ends.

Step 2
Measure and cut your end piece so that its ends are flush with the cabinet door edges.

Step 3
Sand, stain and oil parts, taking care to treat cut ends and gouges with extra linseed oil. Leave to dry about eight hours.

*Wondering how to make home-made stain? I found a recipe from Home and Garden Television and adapted it by switching out food colouring for instant coffee. Have fun and experiment with other natural dyes!

Step 4
Pre-drill holes to avoid splitting wood, and screw components together. I pinned mine together with finishing nails to hold the pieces in place before installing the screws.

Step 5
Attach decorative door pulls. Reapply stain and oil as needed.