How to Make a Book Ottoman
Give your kids a place to store and read their favorite books with a DIY book ottoman. It’s got a cushion, storage, and style, and it’s a great addition to any space. Learn how to make a book ottoman in this DIY Network video:
1. Take two 18 x 18 MDF boards and jig out slots in order to connect them and create an “X”.
2. Take two 24″ pine rounds, place the MDF “X” in the center, and then trace them out on both pieces.
3. Mark a lazy susan (which will allow the ottoman to spin) on one 18-inch round and then on your 24-inch round. Pre-drill both rounds.
4. Attach the lazy susan to the bottom on the 18-inch round. Take the top 24-inch round, place it on top of a 1/4″ piece of plywood and trace it (this will be used for the cushion).
5. Attach the MDF “X” to both 24-inch rounds
6. Take the 18-inch round and attach it to the bottom 24-inch round using 1-inch screws.
7. Put wood filler onto the edges of the MDF boards. This will seal up your end grains so that the MDF board is not really absorbing all of the paint.
8. Paint the ottoman.
9. Make the cushion top:
- Make a starter hole in the plywood using a spade bit and cut out the circle to create a round.
- Trace the circle onto the foam using a black marker. Cut the foam out with scissors and attach it to the plywood round using spray adhesive.
- Iron fabric out nice and flat to remove any pieces. Lay the fabric out and cut it 2-3 inches larger than the circles that were already cut out of the wood.
- Staple the fabric to the round and cut off any excess.
10. Go from the underside with a countersunk 1-1/2 screw and attach the cushion.
