DIY Sofa

By Ben Uyeda

SKILL
easy

This is a really easy sofa to build! It is similar to some of my other DIY sofa designs but designed to be easy to build with just 3 basic power tools. I used my No-Sew method for making cushions using some leather I bought online. The most expensive part of the project was the leather used to make the cushions and the steel hairpin legs. You could reduce cost but using 2x4s or plywood for the legs and canvas or felt for the cushion covers.

Tools

  • 18V ONE+ HP Brushless 7-1/4" Circular saw
  • 18V ONE+ 5" Random Orbit Sander
  • 18V ONE+ HP Brushless 4-Mode 1/4" Impact Driver

Accessories

  • 65 PC. DRILL AND IMPACT DRIVE SET
  • 7 PC. 5" RANDOM ORBIT SANDER SAND PAPER

Materials

  • 1/4" Grommets
  • 3/4" Plywood
  • 32"x96" 3/4" Plywood
  • Cord
  • Cushions
  • Leather or Faux Leather Hide
  • Polyurethane
  • Wood Glue

Steps

STEP 1

Cut three 8”x18” pieces out of the ¾” plywood.

Tools

Circular Saw
Cutting wood

STEP 2

Draw a diagonal line down the middle of all three pieces, then cut using the circular saw.

Tools

Circular Saw
Cutting triangles

STEP 3

Glue two of the triangles together and allow time for the glue to cure.

Wood attached to each other

STEP 4

Use two 32”x96” plywood pieces glued together to create the base. Screw the two pieces together at multiple points to keep the pieces attached. Create an additional layer of plywood only around the frame of the base for extra support.

Tools

Impact Driver
Constructing base of sofa

STEP 5

Attach the hairpin legs to the base, with one leg in each corner.

Tools

Impact Driver
Attaching the sofa legs

STEP 6

Sand the edges of the base piece to smooth it out.

Tools

Sander
Sanding sofa base

STEP 7

Use the triangular supports as a guide for the angle to cut the back rest piece at

Tools

Circular Saw
Adjusting circular saw

STEP 8

Cut the back rest piece to size using the adjusted angle from the previous step.

Tools

Circular Saw
Cutting the plywood

STEP 9

Coat the base piece with polyurethane to seal.

Applying polyurethane

STEP 10

Attach the triangular supports to the back rest, then attach the backrest into the base piece using wood screws.

Tools

Impact Driver
Attaching backrest to the base

STEP 11

Attach pieces of leather to cushion pads using grommets and cord. Cut holes in the leather to attach the grommets and a hammer to secure them into place.

Materials

Hammer
Placing a leather cover over the cushions