We are finally glowing up our living room. Recently, we purchased our first couch that wasn’t a hand-me-down and bought accent chairs on a whim. We also got this funky ottoman, but it isn’t going to be here for a few weeks. The room is finally getting a personality and I’m really excited about it.
So excited, in fact, that my enthusiasm for building furniture has been reignited and I’ve decided to revamp the remaining pieces in our living room to create a cohesive and grown-up look. I’m going to be starting simple with some easy speaker stands. If you only want to make one of these, they make a great side table too!
When it comes to optimizing the audio quality of your home theater or music system, having the right speaker stands can make a world of difference. Not only do they provide a stable and secure platform for your speakers, but they can also help to reduce vibrations and improve sound clarity. However, if you’re like me, finding the perfect anything for your space and budget can be a challenge. I’ll show you how to make your own customized stands that not only meet your specific needs but also add a touch of personal style to your setup- as well as a little bit of added storage! Whether you’re an audiophile looking for the perfect acoustic solution or just someone who wants to upgrade their home entertainment system, this guide will walk you through the step-by-step process of building your very own speaker stands.
PS: We’re not going to use a single screw with this one.
Let’s get started!
Supplies:
- Wood (x4 2x4x92 5/8)
- Miter saw
- Dowels (3/8 in and 1/4 in)
- Drill
- Drill guide
- Wood glue
- Wood filler (stainable)
- Clamps/corner clamps
- Sander
- Electric planer
- Flush cut saw
- Rubber mallet
- Ruler/speed square
- Stain/paint
- Safety gear
How-to:
The first thing to note is the odd-sized wood I bought. I found the cheapest 2x4s that Lowe’s had and they happen to be 92 5/8-in long instead of the standard 8 feet. I thought this was weird, but it ended up working out fine in terms of the sizes of pieces I’d need to complete this project. It also kept my costs down to about $13 total for the wood.
Step 1:
We’re going to be cutting a lot of wood today. We’ll need six pieces at 24-in long and six pieces at 11 1/4-in long. These will make up the sides, top, and bottom of your speaker stand. I used a ruler to measure out all of my pieces and a speed square to draw a straight cut-line on my ruler marks.
The shelf consists of two 2x4 pieces each 8 1/4-in long.
The “spine” on the back of the speaker stand will be 20 13/16-in long. Be sure to double-check all of your measurements before cutting. I cut the spine piece after building the frame/base of the stand since I sanded and planed the wood which will alter the measurements.
I cut all of my pieces to length, then pivoted my miter saw to 45 degrees and made the angled cuts into all pieces EXCEPT those used for the shelf and spine. Be sure to cut slowly to minimize chips and splinters.
Step 2:
This will be a time-consuming step. We’re going to plane and then sand all of our pieces. This wood is kind of cheap so it’s gnarly and damaged. The planer will help with broad-strokes smoothing and then sanding afterward will get rid of tiny splinters and debris. I typically keep my hand planer on the first tick after zero so it’s only taking a thin layer of wood off after each pass.
Take your time to make sure all of your pieces are nice and smooth.
Step 3:
Time to glue and clamp (most) everything together. Let’s grab two side pieces as well as a top and a bottom piece. Add some glue to the 45-degree cuts and clamp them together. We’re going to make three of these frames. I realized I need a lot more corner clamps during this project. They really help with lining up the 90-degree angles.
Go ahead and glue the two shelving boards together along their edges and clamp them.
When the large frame pieces have dried we’re going to drill pilot holes for our dowels to fit into. Use a drill guide so you’re able to drill straight into the wood. We’ll put two dowels into each corner join. Use the same size drill bit as your dowels, in this case, 3/8-in. Glue the end of the dowel and hammer in with a rubber mallet. You can use a flush-cut saw to trim off the excess dowel after they have dried.
Next, glue and stack the three completed frame pieces on top of each other to make the bulk of the speaker stand. Make sure the individual frames are level and fit flush against one another. Sand and plane as needed and you can repeat as necessary when dry. Fill in any gaps you don’t like with stainable wood filler.
Step 4:
Once the base of the stands has dried, you can add the spine to the back. Add wood glue to the top and bottom and slide it into place. Clamp down and let dry.
When it has, I added a 3/8-in dowel into the top and bottom using the same technique as the base.
I flipped it around and slid the completed shelf where I wanted it, adding a little wood glue to the spine. This went in very snuggly so I didn’t wait to add the dowels along the sides. This time I used 1/4-in dowels because I ran out of the larger size. These holes ended up being easier to drill, but the dowels are more fragile. I added four dowels per side. Be sure to measure where your shelf starts, stops, and where the middle of the boards are.
Step 5:
This step is all sanding and planing. I didn’t film a lot of it because it was so time-consuming and I feel like I was sanding after every step. This will be the final plane/sand to make sure everything is level and help make the boards look more flush. Again, feel free to use stainable wood filler to close up any unsightly gaps. I know I did!
Step 6:
Almost done! All that’s left is to stain or paint your speaker stands. I went with a transparent black by Minwax. I used a rag for most of the application but grabbed a brush for the nooks and crannies. I will say that this project would be easier to stain before you assemble it, but I wasn’t sure what color I wanted to stain it and wanted to get it built at least. Coat with a couple of coats of poly and let dry. I usually set projects outside for 24 hours to let them air out before bringing them in to use.
Finished project
With just a few basic materials and some simple tools, you can create a customized set of stands that will enhance the audio quality of your home theater or music system. Not only will these stands provide a stable platform for your speakers, but they will also add a personal touch to your setup. Remember to take the time to measure and plan out your design carefully, and don’t hesitate to experiment with different materials and finishes to achieve the perfect look and sound for your space. With these tips in mind, you’re now ready to create your own DIY speaker stands and enjoy the full potential of your audio system.