DIY GIANT JENGA!

[@jhuff20]

Just finished the project! It was a hit at the party. Thanks for the awesome video

[@JT_70]

To reduce weight and bulk when transporting them, I cut the blocks on a table saw to 9” x 3”. Fortunately, I got about 50 pieces of 2’ pieces of knot-free #1 pine for free. Sanding with 80 grit on a belt sander took several hours. The blocks are really smooth but I may finish sand them with 120 or 150 grit on a DA sander, which will again be quite time consuming. I love the colors in the video but am going to start with Minwax Satin Spar Urethane (for outdoor use) but may also paint the ends of the blocks different colors. Automobile polish may provide a harder, slicker, longer-lasting finish than Johnson’s paste furniture wax. I’m making these for a family reunion next month.

[@mattandmauri]

My 8 year old son and I just finished the 60 piece set and the carrying case. It was a great father son project! I think the wax makes a big difference in the end, especially if you kind of buff each piece after the have dried. Also, we bought little tubes of acrylic craft paint at Walmart for 50 cents a bottle. They are two ounce bottles. We used about half the bottle mixed with 2 ounces of water. They turned out looking great.

[@AroundtheHouse]

I am wanting to build one for Father’s Day. Great tutorial!

[@dannieschannel5319]

This is soooooooooo dope!!!

[@ronsmith8434]

im going to do my set from 2x3s... a little less weight/ cost and less chance of hurting a kid, etc. great instructions !!

[@HighFidelityFox]

I just now saw this vid! I'm totally going to make this! Also that was some great info at the beginning about the 2x4s!

[@MrDiyDork]

Glad you liked it. It's a simple project. Have fun making it!

[@danclemens1760]

Currently working on this. Makes sense to me to sand the 2X4's first with a belt sander before cutting. Much easier to sand full 2 bys than 54 small blocks. Will have to sand the ends after cutting of course, but still, a breeze compared to sanding the smaller blocks individually. Brought to you by the laziest bastard on the planet!

[@danielpolk9808]

Efficiency is merely intelligent laziness.

[@jstarr3676]

Yup, this got you a new subscriber

[@ericburres2875]

Very nice. I really like your coloring technique. On my list of projects to do. Thanks!

[@MrDiyDork]

Thanks. The color wash is so easy, and I've used it for all kinds of projects.

[@haleyruiz4754]

how do you make the color wash?

[@jstarr3676]

Did you buff after applying the wax? Mine left a bit of a grimey feel after putting it on but I've been reading everyone buffs.

[@bitsy1984]

So I'm wondering what you mean about buffing out the wax finish. Super excited to tackle this project!!

[@MrDiyDork]

It's kind of like waxing a car. You apply the wax with a rag and let it sit for a minute or two. It'll feel a bit waxy/sticky at first, but then you buff it again real quick with a clean rag, and it'll feel really smooth & velvety.

[@alissacastillo4311]

Hi, I bought the giant Jenga from Walmart, painted the blocks and wrote on them...but some of the blocks are so rough that they won't come out, is there any clear coat I can put on top to make them smooth? I REALLY dont wanna have to sand them down after I already painted them

[@dbreezy1201]

Did it just take you one tub(1 lb) of miniwax paste finishing wax?

[@brucegz]

Better to use 2x3 and measure 7 1/2” lengths.

[@wanderingangelstudio1359]

great job!

[@MrDiyDork]

Thanks!

[@dzayn4263]

Im making this soon! Thanks!

[@MrDiyDork]

You're welcome. It's a pretty simple project and really fun to play!

[@dzayn4263]

hahhaa yes it is actually! I'm making few of your projects for school. Im working on the nail and number thing one right now but kinda ran in a trouble hahah but thank you for all your cool tutorials

[@BCdesign1]

Hey nice work!looks like a fun project!i am trying to come up with a project for some 2x4s I have for my channel!

[@MrDiyDork]

BCdesign This is a perfect use for old 2x4s. Another idea could be laminating them together along their faces to create a heavy duty 3-1/2" thick work table surface. I'm thinking about something like that for my basement work area.

[@TRYtoHELPyou]

6 bucks now.... 7.50 a few weeks ago. Talk bout prices!

[@virginiaryals8119]

Thank you

[@plo3358]

omg thank you so much!!!!

[@MrDiyDork]

+Pamela Lo You're welcome. It pretty easy to make and really fun to play!

[@emmadroeszler5790]

Does it matter what kind of paint you use?

[@travisskyski]

That looks great but is wax really necessary?! A little overkill? Bare fingers no gloves?

[@MrDiyDork]

The wax helps seal the wood from soaking up moisture outside and makes the blocks slide a little better. It's not totally necessary if you don't want to use it. Just finish sanding the blocks with fine grit paper and they'll slide pretty good.

[@MrDiyDork]

Hey! Have you ever made a big 'ol set of Jenga blocks like this before? It was a super simple project and really fun to play, too. My wife and I played it the other day and had it built up really high at one point (there may or may not have been a 'lil bit of cheating involved...) Plus, it was SO satisfying when the huge tower came crashing down!

[@lorencarey7161]

I actually have seen another giant jenga set but I don't think I've see a tutorial so good job it looks great and I look forward to the sequel. Btw Real jenga blocks are wax coated for easy sliding so good job on that too. I was slightly disappointed that you didn't stencil on the channel logo but no big deal thanks again:)

[@abbyschulte6346]

+MrDiyDork how long did this take you to make?

[@abbyschulte6346]

+MrDiyDork I am just going to cut and sand, not paint

[@MrDiyDork]

Abby Schulte It took a few evenings to finish it up. The cutting didn't take long, but the finishing is where most of the time went. If you just cut & sand, that would be fine as long as you don't store them outside where they'd get wet. But inside or even in a closed storage container in a garage or wherever would be fine.

[@abbyschulte6346]

MrDiyDork thanks. I have a party to go to at 4pm tomorrow and am hoping I can have it done by then if I start tomorrow morning

[@SensaiJOD]

making huge jenga now tomoz, jus wondering would a box to contsist all over mihgt be the best ut just in idea, nive job bro, but how long it take inall

[@SensaiJOD]

how long didi it taake you to make it n all/

[@Mjaymkay]

thank you for this

[@MrDiyDork]

+Moses Walker You're welcome. It's fairly simple to make and really fun to play!

[@davidkinsey6793]

Hey I am about 85% done with this project. Preparing for finishing I read the label on the MINWAX label and it say the wax if for indoor use only, am I looking at the proper product or is this acceptable for this project.

[@MrDiyDork]

Sounds like it's the same wax I have. If you're planning to use this set mostly outside (or even keep it outside) the furniture wax probably won't protect it enough. I'd probably look into something more durable like a polyurethane (or something more outdoor rated) that you could lightly sand to smooth and then buff back to a slick finish so the pieces slide easily.

[@dragonsfire12345]

Hello, I made me a 60pc set just as you did in the video. Sanded with 80grit orbital sander, stained and then used wax paste like you did. I noticed the center blocks slide out easily but the side blocks struggle a little. Do you have the same issue? Or is that just how they are due to pressure being put on the sides?

[@Pianofishdave]

in 2021 this project costs $60! Great video though thank you

[@MsMackintwenty4seven]

I am at the point of placing wax on my blocks. I just want to make sure I do this right. All I have to do is rub the wax on and then I am done?!?! This is my first project and I am doing it for a family reunion. I want to make it right. Thank you for everything.

[@MrDiyDork]

Yep, just rub it on, let it sit for a bit and then buff it smooth. Very similar to waxing a car.

[@MsMackintwenty4seven]

+MrDiyDork thank you so much. From one Nerd to Another. ✌🏾️

[@MsMackintwenty4seven]

+MrDiyDork I have another question. Please: after I placed my wax on the wood and "buffed" they still do not glad as nicely as I would like. What do you suggest?

[@MrDiyDork]

Hmm, if it feels like the wood is still kind of rough, they may need to be sanded smoother with a finer grit sandpaper and then re-waxed. If it's just the wax kind of feeling "sticky," sometimes it needs just a bit more time to dry and then buffed some more.

[@MsMackintwenty4seven]

thank you. sorry to keep bothering you.

[@knquicke]

Hey, where do you buy the finishing wax at?

[@MrDiyDork]

I bought mine at the hardware store right next to all the wood stains and polyurethanes. You could probably even use regular polyurethane with a little fine sanding once it's dry. (The wax is probably a little quicker & easier, although maybe not quite as durable as regular poly.)

[@bell1976]

What kind of paint did you use for the color stain?

[@MrDiyDork]

Brad Bell I used regular water-based latex like you'd use to paint the walls in your house. In the description of this video, I linked to another video I have that shows you how to make it & goes over proportions, how to apply it, etc. I used furniture paste wax to seal them, but if you wanted something a little harder or more durable, you could use poly (oil based turns a little amber colored, water based will be clear), lacquer (very clear, but obnoxiously smelly when applying... do it outside!), spray can clear, etc. You probably need 2 coats of any of these with a light sanding after the first coat using fine grit sandpaper.

[@allimorrissey4190]

Hello!! Is it possible to get the wood precut??

[@kourtneynewby6451]

A little delayed, but if you buy from Home Depot, they will cut thr 2x4s down to size for you.

[@johngriffin1589]

Do you recall how long it took you to sand all the blocks?

[@MrDiyDork]

Oh, probably an hour or so with the palm sander.

[@lorisheppard831]

Hi, I am hoping you can help me! Your tutorial was wonderful. I am having trouble though. We cut sanded (very well) and used the same wax you used in your video, but many of my pieces aren't sliding. The seem stuck in place. After setting up the game you really have to jab to get some to budge at all which makes the tower spill!! Any advice on what to do to get the pieces to slide better?? Hoping to play at the family Easter party but not so fun when they don't slide. Thank you for any help!!Read more Show less

[@MrDiyDork]

I'd make sure that they were sanded smooth with a high grit paper, so there's no snags. I'd also try buffing the wax once it's dry to make sure it's not sticking.

[@maribelbiedzycki8607]

:( What should have been a 2 day project turned into 2 weeks of stressing over these darn blocks. Im PRETTY SURE I DID EVERYTHING WRONG becasue my blocks stuck to each other and after the party the next day I found that the paint bubbled up. So Im stuck having to sand ALL 54 blocks ALL OVER AGAIN and staining them. HOPEFULLY they will slide the next time we play. BUT THANKS FOR THE TUTORIAL!

[@MrDiyDork]

Sorry to hear that. Sanding them should hopefully take care of it and make them slide nice and smooth.

[@muslimteensconnect3946]

Hi! Thank you for this tutorial. Do you have a list of materials/items needed? What are you using to apply the stain/finishing wax? is that tissue or a piece of cloth?

[@MrDiyDork]

+MTC I don't have a written materials list right now, but I've had a few people ask, so I should probably put a post on my site with all the info. I usually use a rag (old shirt, socks, sheets, etc) to apply my stains.

[@zakf3024]

+MrDiyDork thanks again!

[@lrschroeder1729]

were is the video on how to do the paint wash

[@enigmasky1680]

Tim Schroeder It's the same as making "white wash". He used two parts water to one part paint for a medium coverage. More water= a lighter wash. More paint= a more opaque wash. The links are also in the description.

[@ronieGirl327]

couldn't you use wood filler and mold the messed up pieces? I think I would do that and also fill in all the knots in it. just to make it perfect. ;)

[@MrDiyDork]

You could probably try that if you wanted to. Super smooth pieces would look pretty awesome! I wonder if the filler would crack when the pieces come crashing down though?

[@ИринаИвашкив]

This is the most beautiful Jenga I have ever seen! You have golden hands! Please tell me who the manufacturer of paint that you Jenga covered. Thank you for your answer!

[@MrDiyDork]

I just used some $3 sample jars of water based, acrylic latex wall paint from Menards that I watered down into a wash/stain consistency. I don't remember the brand though.

[@AntiMatrix7]

OK

[@johngriffin1589]

Great video! Do you know how much the finished product weighed?

[@MrDiyDork]

Hmm, no I don't remember off the top of my head. It was pretty heavy though! You could probably get a rough idea by looking up how much an 8ft 2x4 weighs, and then multiply that by how many you'd need to cut all your blocks.

[@HarpreetKaur-gu1yl]

MrDiyDork

[@jonesraphael3870]

10 1/2 cut creates unnecessary work because it is a lot shorty than the perpendicular stack above.

[@wolverine9632]

He mentioned that at the start, 2x4s actually measure 1.5x3.5

[@kimberlyoechsner5686]

How many sheets of the sand paper do you go through for this project?

[@kimberlyoechsner5686]

I am hoping Home Depot will cut the pieces for me in store since I don't have them at kind of saw.

[@MrDiyDork]

+Kimberly Oechsner I used my orbital palm sander that has velcro mounted sanding discs. I probably used about 2-3 of them.

[@BrandXsps]

Dude, wear gloves!