The Sideboard

In 2022 the Sideboard was a popular build. I made 4 of this style and one of them is in my home unfinished. It’s kinda like the plumber with leaky pipes, well I’m the woodworker with unfinished builds (hahaha!) It just doesn’t have doors.

I honestly don’t remember where the design came from, but I think what happened was someone liked the Sliding Door Consoles that we make, but didn’t want sliding doors. Is it a console or sideboard? I’ve heard both, so I guess choose what word works for you.

A Sideboard I think can be used in different areas of the home. It can go in Living Room where the DVD player and video game consoles are hidden with all the controllers, games and random remotes. The Dining Room behind the dining table where you put all the holiday platters, extra silverware, cups and napkins. The Family Room where mine is under the TV holding all the random items in baskets like remotes, books, board games, charging cords and items that have no home.

Wherever it’s at, it’s holding all the things you may or may not want people to see. The size can be modified to fit the area you’d like to put it. You can even do glass instead of wood even. It can be painted or stained and three of them were stained, which on Poplar and birch looks good. The inside of wood is birch plywood and Poplar hardwood on the outside.

The doors have soft close hinges and also made of Poplar and birch. Hardware options are available as well. We do have just a standard hardware we use if anyone just wants what we have, but if there’s a color or style you’d like to use we can do that. Bronze and brass were starting to get popular in 2022, but it’s usually black that most choose.

Here we’re just playing with options.

This is the standard hardware (pictured above)we have on hand its black/brown in color. I believe this stain color is Special Walnut by Minwax.

Before we add any hardware though, we poly the whole cabinet, top and doors. My favorite Poly to use is General Finishes. I love the sheen it gives and it dries and cures so nicely. It took a while to find a finish that I liked after having to add so many coats from other brands. General Finishes is a little more than Minwax and Varathane, but it’s absolutely worth it.

My favorite sheen is Satin. I know some like a really shiny top and if that’s what you want, we can do that. The standard for us though is always Satin.

Before I show you the three stained ones all finished, here’s the unfinished one I have in my home that is a little different.

Besides not having doors, I added some moulding to change it up slightly. It’s also made of Poplar and Birch, just painted in Iron Ore by Sherwin Williams. Another one of my favorite colors. I love it so much we painted our house in September 2023 in it, with black trim using Black Magic by Sherwin Williams. No regrets, it looks SO good! My husband was hesitant, but he went with it and told me those beautiful words when it was done. YOU WERE RIGHT.

Here it is in September 2022. It still looks like this, but with more baskets and random items.

Here are the stained versions. This first one is stained in Varathane Antique White by Rustoleum. This was my first time ever using this stain color and I have added it to my favorites. It took the yellow tone out of the wood and just gave it this pretty look. I was amazed.

The second one is Special Walnut by Minwax. Probably the 2nd most popular stain color we use on builds. It’s a lighter brown, I think thats why it’s a favorite. This last one (bottom pic) is Dark Walnut, by Minwax. The most popular color we use in the shop. It’s not the darkest brown we have, but it’s close. I have to buy this color by the gallon, thats how popular it is.

You can have your own sideboard to hide all the things, just let me know when you’re ready.