We wanted our booth to represent who we are, and knew settling for the black curtains and folding table wouldn’t cut it.

But we only had a day to buy all the materials, haul all the materials into the venue, and build the booth – all with a baby present.  So we spent quite a bit of time planning and figuring out how to build a booth the quickest and easiest way – all while not spending a ton of money.

So here’s the plan –

Here’s us building it –

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And here’s how it turned out –

Spruc’d Trade Show Booth Design

• 2x4s and paneling to construct a 10×20 booth
• Work with materials to minimize cutting
• Screw everything together to minimize tools and make break down easier
• Add a 2×4 roof so we can bring in lighting and make the booth feel enclosed

Here’s how we built the Trade Show Booth:

We framed up FOUR walls, all 10 feet long (using 10′ 2x4s) using 2×4 studs (92-5/8″ long), placing the studs so the center of the stud are on 2 foot centers.  We screwed everything together with 3″ self tapping screws. NOTE: Measure the 2x4x10s to make sure they are 10 feet long.  If not, cut to fit.

On two of the walls, we added paneling – two full sheets and a half sheet.  We stapled the paneling on with 1″ narrow crown staples.

For the back wall, we took the remaining two 10′ framed wall sections and we screwed them together to make a 20′ long wall.  Then we stapled paneling to the front of the entire now 20′ long wall.

Then we stood the back wall up, and screwed the side walls to the back wall with 3″ screws.

We built a four foot wide wall, and stapled paneling to the front and back.  Then we tied the two side walls into the four foot wall with two 10 foot 2x4s.  We had to screw at an angle to attach the 2×4 top to the four foot wall.

From there, we just attached 2x4x10 on top.  This really tied everything together, both visually and structurally. You will not need to cut the 2x4x10s to exact size – any excess can just hang off the back.

Here’s the shopping list:

• 12 sheets of 4×8 paneling
• 27 2×4 studs (92-5/8″ long)
• 28 2x4x10
• 3″ screws, self tapping (2 pound box)
• 1″ narrow crown staples
• Narrow crown stapler
• Drill and Drill Bits
• Tape Measure, Square, Safety Glasses

The post Spruc’d Trade Show Booth Design appeared first on Spruc*d Market.

We’ve been invited to speak at Workbench Con – the conference for makers and content creators in Atlanta this February.  But Jen and I wanted to make good use of our time while at the conference, so we are hosting a booth to teach FREE one-on-one sketchup lessons to conference attendees!

If you are attending Workbench Con, make sure you stop over to our Spruc’d booth, and say hi, and SIGN UP for your free one-on-one sketchup lesson with either Jen or I.  Sign ups are on a first come, first serve basis.

Here’s a few things you can do to prep for the session.

• Download 2017 SKETCHUP MAKE here
• Download my Master Template
• Set Sketchup to use my Master template
• Print out my Shortcode Cheat Sheet to go with it

We are looking forward to it!

Ana

The post Workbench CON 2019 appeared first on Spruc*d Market.

2. Get What You Want. If only this coffee table came in a square size… this would be perfect if it was just a little narrower to fit my space… We’ve all been there.  If you build your own furniture, you don’t have to compromise.  But it doesn’t just stop at sizing your furniture to your needs.  You get to pick everything – from the actual design to the final finish.  And when you just get one dining table in your home, it should be “the one”.

3. Do Cool Stuff. If you are building your own furniture, you might as well make it do cool stuff too.  Without majorly impacting the cost, you can throw a hidden ice bucket in an outdoor table or a toe-kick step stool in a bath vanity; you can add secret storage compartments or fold down tables to just about anything.  These mods can simplify life and the way your home operates.  Furniture is first and foremost about home function, and building your own furniture gives you power to increase your home’s function like no other.  Don’t compromise – your furniture should do what you want it to.

4. Repairable + Repurposeable.  When you build something, you know exactly what went into the design and build.  You know what type of wood was used and what type of finish applied.  Should something ever need repairs, there’s no guesswork.  You know how to fix it.  And as life progresses and your needs change, you know how to update that piece.  Don’t need a twin sized bed anymore?  Take the screws out, repurpose the wood into a coffee table.  If you build your own furniture, you can repair it and when the time comes, easily repurpose it.

5. It’s Greener. Most of the furniture bought today in the US today is imported thousands of miles and built under very different labor standards in foreign countries.  Skip the freight ship and choose locally grown lumber – or even better, reclaimed lumber.  Choose a natural finish free of chemicals and improve the air quality in your home.  And never have to drag a giant crate filled with styrofoam packing materials out to the curb for waste management.  Building your own furniture can be much better for our environment.

So gather up some tools and find a plan that you love – it’s time to make your home better, smarter, nicer, greener for a fraction of the cost.

The post Top 5 Reasons to Build Your Own Furniture appeared first on Spruc*d Market.