Build a Wooden Step Stool for Your Kids
November 09, 2011, By Andy Hinds 4 comments
A good friend gave me a DIY book called "99 One Evening Projects" as kind of a jokey gift awhile ago. The thing that makes the book unusual is that it was published in 1947, and it couldn’t be more different from the DIY literature we see in modern magazines, books and websites. I wrote about the book itself in a previous article, and vowed that I would tackle one of the projects it contains, which are purportedly possible to complete during the hours between the end of dinner and bedtime.
Although I took some liberties with the plan from the book, I didn’t change it in ways that would add time to the project. Nonetheless, as it turns out, had I completed the project in one session, it would have been more of an All-Nighter than a One Evening-er.
The project I chose was a fairly practical one: “Child’s Chariot Stepladder.” My twin girls are two-and-change, and need to wash their hands about 900 times a day. I could have bought a step stool for a couple bucks that would have gotten them high enough to stick their grubby mitts in the sink, but I like building little things for them, and this whimsical piece seemed like something they would appreciate. It’s a pretty simple design: a little two-step staircase with stringers (the sides that support the steps) shaped roughly like the sides of a chariot, including a winged horse design above the mock wheels.
Materials
The instructions called for nothing but a 10’ piece of pine 1x8 for material, and a scrap of 3/16” stock from which to cut the Pegasuses (Pegasi?). My goal, however, was to avoid buying any material. I had most of a sheet of 3/4” birch veneer plywood left over from another project, and I love the look of the stuff, so I decided I would use it. And instead of painting it as the book suggested, I would just stain the horse and wheels and put a clear finish on it. The book also called for rubber stair treads to be tacked onto the steps for slip- and water-resistance. But those proved hard to come by, expensive, and hideously ugly. So I figured I could use a textured stain that provided some grip for little feet.
I had noticed while skimming through the book earlier that the guidelines were quite vague, and there weren’t many diagrams, photos or even step-by-step instructions. For the most part, this meant I had to think about what tools and techniques to use, instead of being spoon-fed the information. It turned out not to be a problem.
NEXT: Step by Step
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