A sofa arm tray keeps everything you need in the living room within close reach.
Let’s face it, your couch can easily swallow everyday items if you lack table space to keep them stable and in view. Remotes mysteriously vanish moments after you set them down, and phones slip between cushion gaps.
From reading glasses to snacks, and everything in between, a sofa arm tray can keep these items in plain sight and easily accessible. Plus, it’s the perfect spot to set down a drink so you don’t have your hands full while lounging in the living room.
This is especially useful if you use your hands a lot while talking — it eliminates any chance for your drink to spill during a spirited conversation!
You can easily build this small sofa arm tray in less than a day. And, depending on how long it takes the finish to dry, you can enjoy its convenience and receive compliments from friends in no time!
Materials
Determine the Size
First, you’ll need to measure the width of the armrest where you’ll use the sofa arm tray.
Then, measure the distance from the top of the armrest to the cushion.
Cut Wood Pieces
From a piece of 1-by-8 board, cut one piece 1 1/2 inches wider than the armrest and one piece the same length as the distance to the cushion.
Then, cut a third piece 2 1/2 to 3 inches longer than the cushion height. This piece will go on the outside.
Assemble Sofa Arm Tray
You’ll need some 3-inch trim screws, a countersink drill bit, and some wood glue for assembly. Glue the pieces together with Titebond Original Wood Glue to quickly bond them together. This makes the tray sturdier and drilling the screws easier.
Use the countersink bit to drill a pair of pilot holes in each location before you drive in screws to secure the joint.
Trim screws have a tiny head, so once they’re in place, they’re nearly invisible.
Repeat this process with the other leg.
Add the Final Touches
After you’ve assembled the sofa arm tray, sand the edges for a smooth finish.
Next, apply a coat of wood stain with a cotton cheesecloth.
Once the wood stain is dry, brush on a coat of clear polyurethane sealer. A water-based polyurethane sealer should dry in about two hours, whereas an oil-based one will take at least eight hours.
After your sofa arm tray is dry, unwind in your living room with your essentials in sight!
Frosted window film provides the privacy you need and the natural light you want.
It mimics the look of specialty glass without the added cost and is a perfect solution for spaces where blinds aren’t ideal, like in garage and bathroom windows.
Most of the time, blinds in garage windows are rarely opened. Because of this, they create a perfect environment for dust to collect, and even worse, for spiders to nest.
In a bathroom, moist air can morphe blinds, plus you don’t want to forget to close them when you hop into the shower.
Applying this is easy — here’s how to do it:
First, thoroughly clean the window.
Next, measure the windows and cut the frosted window film slightly larger than the window’s dimensions.
Remove the liner and spray the surface of the film and the window itself with the application solution.
Now, place the film on the window.
The window film solution allows it to be adjusted to fit in the center of the pane. When the position is right, use a small squeegee or a credit card to force out the application solution and any small air bubbles.
Tip: Work from the center outward in all four directions. This will push the air bubbles out faster.
Finally, use a razor knife to trim the overhanging edges flush with the edges of the window.
Now, not only do you have privacy and natural light, but you also have. protection from harmful UV rays that can fade interior surfaces.
NOTE: Frosted window film may cause problems on insulated glass and could void the warranty on windows or doors.
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A plant shelf is great for displaying potted flowers and herbs.
Potted plants can quickly clutter up your patio or deck space. Building shelves for them not only frees up valuable floor space but also perfectly displays your plants for all to see.
Adding a shelf to a home with wood siding is easy to do. But what if your home has vinyl siding? Screw holes damage the vinyl and can be hard to repair if you decide to take down the shelves later on.
Hanging a plant shelf on vinyl siding can be done without doing any damage. These simple plant shelves hang on the outside of the house using a small hook designed specifically for vinyl siding.
Here’s how to do it.
Start your shelf with a piece of 1×6 wood. Use a can or another round bottom object as a guide to cut the corner for a round edge.
On the back of each shelf, nail two sawtooth picture hangers.
To keep the plant shelf hanging in a horizontal position, build a small trapezoid corbel from 2×4 material. To do this, make a 45-degree diagonal cut and then a 90-degree cut, one inch from the diagonal.
Attach the corbel to the shelf with its longest edge facing the wall and slightly offset to the back. The offset accommodates the angle of the siding.
To hang the shelf, thread the siding hooks through the sawtooth hangers before slipping the hooks under a row of siding on the wall.
Because the hooks attach beneath the vinyl siding, there won’t be any damage left behind if you decide to move your plant shelves!
Repairing a missing brick doesn’t just up your home’s curb appeal — it also eliminates a safety issue.
If a brick is missing on a step, it could be a tripping hazard.
It’s easy to repair a missing brick if you use the right material.
Before repairing a missing brick, be sure to chip away the old mortar and clear away debris.
Chip away old mortar. The first step to repairing a missing brick is chipping away whatever remains of the old mortar to make way for the new mortar.
Clean surface. After you’ve gotten rid of the old mortar, clear the area of any dust and dirt before you mix up the mortar.
Mix mortar. A 10-pound back of Quikrete Mortar Mix is perfect for a small repair. Simply add water and stir until the mortar is the consistency of thick cake batter. Be sure to wear impervious nitrile gloves when you’re mixing the mortar mix.
Apply mortar. With a trowel, apply a mortar base that’s about a half-inch to three-quarter-inch thick. Make sure the thickness matches the surrounding bricks.
Press brick into position. Push the brick down into the mortar bed and sideways against the adjacent brick with a slight twisting motion. It may take some tapping and pressure to get the brick aligned with the ones around it.
Clean mortar joints. Finally, clean off the excess mortar to match the old mortar joints around the new ones.
Mortar typically will dry in 24 hours and reach its full strength in 28 days. However, environmental factors like temperature and humidity will affect drying time.
