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15 Favorite Weekend Building Projects

By Justin Fink

When it comes to building and remodeling, there are projects that run the spectrum from simple to complex and everywhere in between. My personal favorite, though, are the jobs that take only a day or two, maybe a long weekend, from start to finish. Why? Because these weekend projects aren’t so short that they make you question if it’s worth taking out and setting up all the necessary tools, and not so long that halfway through you start to question whether it was a good idea to start in the first place.

There’s a certain satisfaction that comes with crossing tasks of a long to-do list, like touching up the paint on some trim, replacing a lockset, adjusting the fit of a door, patching drywall, or replacing a deck board, but I wouldn’t call those fun, really. And there’s a time and a place for bigger jobs, like finishing a basement, replacing kitchen cabinets, refinishing floors, or converting a tub to a shower, but they’re too long to satisfy that impulsive urge when Friday rolls around and you have a full weekend to spend making sawdust. With that in mind, here is a list of my 15 favorite 2-3 day building projects, in no particular order, curated from the Fine Homebuilding archives.

– Justin Fink, Editorial Director

  • Design 1
    Low-Voltage Landscape Lighting

    All 12v lighting systems are safe, but quality components and careful installation make the difference over the long haul.

  • How-To 2
    brick walkway
    Tips for Laying a Better Walkway

    Careful base prep is what keeps bricks or other pavers in place when installing hardscaping.

  • Design 3
    Yard-Sale Bureau Becomes a Bathroom Vanity
    Yard-Sale Bureau Becomes a Bathroom Vanity

    Learn how to transform an old dresser into a classy bathroom fixture.

  • How-To 4
    A No-Fuss Newel Post

    A frame-and-panel box, dressed up with molding, creates an elegant anchor for a stairway.

  • Design 5
    concrete fireplace mantel
    A Crown-Mold Concrete Mantel

    A stock crown profile and quarter-round form the mold for an inexpensive and unique fireplace surround.

  • How-To 6
    Rolling Barn-Style Doors

    Simple joinery supports inexpensive windows to yield jaw-dropping interior doors.

  • Design 7
    Build-a-Custom-Rollout-Cabinet
    Build a Custom Rollout Cabinet

    Pushed beneath the counter, it’s a kitchen cabinet with an adjustable shelf. Pulled out, it’s an extra work surface with a butcher-block top.

  • How-To 8
    drawing of custom range hood
    Build a Custom Range Hood

    Add a distinctive detail to your next kitchen with a curved-hood fan cover.

  • How-To 9
    breakfast nook area
    Make a Built-In Breakfast Nook

    This custom-built bench offers seating, hidden storage, and a whole lot of charm.

  • How-To 10
    dutch door
    Dutch Door Done Easy

    A layered assembly and clever installation make building and hanging this door a breeze.

  • How-To 11
    elegant fireplace mantel
    Easy, Elegant Mantel

    Build a fireplace surround from one sheet of MDF and some stock moldings.

  • How-To 12
    Rebuilding a Brick Chimney
    Rebuilding a Brick Chimney

    Temporary repairs are the common solution to a failing chimney, but often a better choice is tearing down and rebuilding.

  • How-To 13
    Build a Chinese Railing

    This alternative to balusters is attractive and easy to assemble.

  • How-To 14
    The beadboard paneling and exterior frame are made from pressure-treated pine to resist mold and insect damage.
    Building Custom Carriage-House Doors

    Sandwich-style construction offers strength and design flexibility without fussy joinery work, and is good for all sorts of doors—not just garage doors.

  • How-To 15
    build pex manifold
    Build Your Own PEX Manifold

    A homemade array of tubing and fittings can rival brand-name water-distribution panels.

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