Step Stool With LED

This is tutorial aims to construct a stool from the ground up. A LED strip is attached to the stool so the user can use this stool in the dark. The user can use a remote control to control the LED strip wirelessly.

Tools required:

• Clmap
• Hand saw
• Hammer
• Sandpaper
• Brush

The first step is to cut two of the 1”x6”x3’s in half to create four 1”x6”x1.5’ planks to be used as the stairs of the stepstool. A tape measure and straight edge ruler was used to mark and 1.5 foot mark on the board with a straight line for cutting. All cutting operations for this project were done with a hand saw, but a power saw would also work fine for this application. A chop, miter, band, or circular saw would be recommended for this step if a power saw is to be used.

The sidewalls of the stepstool are made from a single plywood board. Having the entire sidewall as one piece increases the strength of the structure considerably, but the process to make the needed shape is more complicated. The dimensions of the sidewall board are 22in by 11in with a 5.5in by 11in square hole cut in one corner (see below). The 2’x4’ plywood sheet provides more than enough space to comfortably fit two of these cutouts, and the exact orientation of the cutout template can be changed to accommodate the skill of the builder. A more cautious hobbyist might choose to locate the two templates at opposite sides of the board to make cutting easier, while a more experienced carpenter may choose to press the two templates close to save extra wood for future projects. Regardless of where the templates are placed on the board, the unique shape requires are more complex measuring process. To make the outline of the shape, choose one side to be the “long side” and one the “short side”. On the long side make a mark at 11in and another at 22in. Then with a ruler or triangle, make another set of points offset from the side of the board by 5.5 in. On the short side make two points at the 5.5 and 11 inch marks and then another set 11 inches inwards. Using a straightedge ruler, connect the points to create the outline of the sidewall.

To cut out the traced piece, start at one side and make your way around the perimeter. If starting a new cut after turning a corner proves difficult, a chisel can be used to break through the first few inches, giving enough clearance to start cutting. If the use of power tools is opted for, performing a drop cut with a circular saw is another effective way of starting these cuts.

Proper cutting of the cross members is integral to making sure the rest of the assembly goes well. It is of critical importance that these pieces are cut to the exact same length and cut in an even straight line. Angled cuts and differing lengths will make squaring the frame of the stepstool incredibly difficult, so careful work in this step is important. Using a tape measure and ruler, divide the board into two 16.5 inch long sections. For the best results you should measure each from opposite ends of the board so that the two sections do not meet. The width of the sawblade can interfere with the actual dimensions of the boards, cutting the two pieces next to each other would potentially cause one to be shorter than the other. Separating the cuts eliminates this problem. Once measured the boards can be cut in any manner discussed in Step 1.

Before assembly of the boards can begin each board should be sanded and de-burred. Burs are the splintered edges of wood boards that have been cut. They give the wood a rough edge and will interfere with fitting the parts together in the next step. Burs can be removed by simply sanding the edges and corners with course sandpaper. 120 grit sandpaper was used in our construction, but any sandpaper of similar grit will work fine. If the surface of the boards have a rough or unclean look, they too can be sanded at this time to create a better appearance. Sanding the surface will also help the stain or paint adhere to the surface of the board if applied.

Fitting the boards is a final check to make sure all of the pieces fit properly and tightly. The boards should be arranged in the assembly positions, being held in place with clamps if necessary, and inspected for correctness. A square and ruler should check that each component is the proper dimensions, and that all of the pieces fit correctly.

This project used nails exclusively as a fastener between boards. To maximize the amount of load the stepstool can handle, the nails are spaced evenly, with three nails at every contact point. For 5.5 inch x 1 inch boards this means one nail every 1 3/8 inches placed 0.5 inches into the board. Use a tape measure and ruler to mark the position of the nails for each part (six each step board, six for each side board). 

Before hammering in the nails, it is advisable to use a tap to indent the wood where the nails are to be placed. Alternatively, a small drill could be used to make a small guide hole. The purpose of these operations is to create a sunken area in the wood to guide the nail when it is first being hammered in.

The outside nails should always be pounded first to hold the workpiece in place while the other nail is hammered. The first parts nailed together should be the cross members and the sidewalls, as they create the platform the steps go on. It is recommended to use a flat surface such as a table to assist with nailing the first sidewall and cross member together. Flipping the assembly on its side gives you clear access to the nail locations and uses gravity to keep the boards in place. With the frame secured the boards can be nailed in relatively easily. Sometimes nails will bend within the board and emerge out of the side of the wood. In this situation, remove the nail and hammer it in at an opposite angle to correct the curve.

Finishing the surface of the board is entirely up to the direction of the individual. We used wood stain and a polyurethane clear coat to protect the wood in our example. To apply wood stain, use an absorbent wood stain brush and paint the stain onto the wood. Multiple coats may be needed to get the exact color you are looking for. Once the correct color has been achieved, wait several hours for the stain to dry before repeating for the clear coat. Unlike stain, only a small amount of clearcoat is needed to protect the wood, so only enough to cover the whole wood area should be applied. Leave the clearcoat to set overnight and then sand the surface until it is smooth and not sticky.

Our design has flexible LED tape wrapping around the base of the stepstool near the upper step. This placement is to maximize the amount of the floor and stool the LEDs light up, while not placing any LEDs on a contact surface such as the steps themselves. To apply the LED lights start by peeling the protective cover off of the adhesive backing. Place the start of the LED on one side of the front near the corner and press firmly until the adhesive sets in. Then begin slowly peeling off more of the backing while pressing the LED firmly into the board. Repeat this process until the entire stepstool has a “ring” around the base. At this point the LED bar can be cut using any kind of scissors. While this project did not use this feature of the LED strip, it is possible to rotate the strip 90 degrees by cutting the strip and re-soldering the positive and negative connections together, as marked on the strip itself.