My daughter asked for a step stool for her birthday. We found a picture online of one she liked and went from there. This was one of the easiest projects I’ve ever done, despite there being curves involved.  The best part of this project is it was made entirely from materials we already had (except the paint & hinges).  So, it cost us about $12 to build.  Arguably one of the least expensive, best made stools ever.  Well, it was $12 unless you count the new sliding miter saw I got.  Then it’s probably the most expensive stool ever made.

I think it turned out really nice. Read on for plans & more pictures!

The Plan

The concept is simple.  Two steps.  As usual, we wanted to add a little flare & challenge to the project.  

 

My wife made a full-size paper template of the sides including the decorative curves on top.  She used a French Curve to make the curves.  In the end, I’m not sure the French Curve was helpful.  We cut out the template and used it to trace the design on to the plywood. 

The Sides

All the parts are just rectangles except for the sides.  The sides are even trimmed rectangles.  I cut out two rectangles for the sides, then clamped them together on top of my bench.  Since I had the outline from the template on the wood, I used a jigsaw to cut it out.  Then I used a belt sander to get the curves really smooth.  Since the two sides were clamped together, they were identical.

Here is a picture of the curves on the top:

Here’s the profile view:

 
Assembly 

Instead of screws, I used brad nails & glue to keep things together. It really sped up the assembly.

We added the brace under the first step to support the front.  We filled the holes from the nails & the edges of the plywood with wood filler.

The Lid

We used two small hinges, and I cut a semi-circle in the front so it was easy to open.  This should also help avoid pinched fingers. 

Additional pictures:

The not-so-hidden cabinet can be used for bathroom supplies, wash cloths, etc.

Painted!

Here it is.  Painted by mom & the birthday girl.

Maybe this will help you make your own stool!