is it CHEAPER to BUILD your own FURNITURE (diy style) or to BUY from a STORE

In this video, I’m asking a question… is it cheaper to DIY your own furniture or to buy from a store?
I’m going to break down how much this table cost me to build and how much a similar table and size was going to cost from a furniture store.
#furniture #woodworking #diy
Dovetail Template ⬇️
designsbydonnie.com/templates/

[@Incognito-fe8cw]

Here's the thing: If you are as good as this guy, and have a lovely workshop, then yes, it is cheaper to build good furniture than it is to buy it ! But if you build a set of night tables with one drawer each, out of pinewood, and say it cost you $200 for materials, and you spent at least 10 hours on labor, do you think for a minute that if you tried selling them, someone will pay you $175 for each table ? No sir, they will likely offer you $75 each, if they even came to look at them !

[@joeredman9354]

Yeah, but how much did all those machines cost you?

[@TheGhost00sm]

Would I DYI it? If had all that equipment. But I don't think a lot of people would have access to kind of equipment you have.

[@gregblake2764]

Very cool piece. I'd rather build than buy. My Son and his Wife wanted a large butcher block dining table out of walnut, oak, and tiger maple. Over $3,000 from a store. I built them one for just under $500 by sourcing the wood from a local sawmill. You just proved you can make a show piece out of construction lumber. Fantastic job, thanks for sharing.

[@Abenteuerlich77]

I'm not sure how much it had cost me, but about 4 or 5 years ago I built my wife a rustic king-size bed for Christmas. (I found plans online.) It was my first major woodworking project. The thing still holds up and I've had complements on it.

[@rosswunderlich5299]

You have a lot invested in your woodworking tools. Any furniture making shop does as well. The cost of that equipment and workspace get included in the cost to make furniture. Also the cost of labor. People don’t work for free. Overall cost is more that just material cost.

[@ShastaOrange]

True, but those tools can be used over and over for years or even decades. Buying $5000 worth of tools to save $5000 on furniture doesn't make sense if you're only doing it once. If you do it twenty times, you'll save a fortune.

[@marieadams6416]

Let’s see spend $5k on a table you have a table. Spend $5.1k on materials and tools you have a table and $5k worth of tools. I buy tools all the time because I use them more then once even if the tools are 20% more then buying something.

[@fathogwoodworking]

Great build. I loved the buildup of color. Massive saving too

[@DesignsbyDonnie]

Thank you. I had so much fun making this piece and I agree, the finish came out better than I expected 👍👍

[@OzzieOzwald]

For $5,000 that table at the store better come with a time share, cruise tickets for 2, and a set of Hidari Ichihiro oire nomi chisel set 😂

[@DesignsbyDonnie]

lol 😂 right? I agree with you! $5k it better come with a lot of awesome stuff.

[@TheSleepyCraftsman]

I'd definitely DIY it, especially with all those professional woodworking tools!

[@garylawrence7547]

Dude you are working with $30,000 worth of equipment to make a $5,000 table.

[@philkugler2429]

That is not 30k worth of tools. Also, don't make excuses. He probably didn't start with the very best stuff. He got it over time. Lastly, even if you don't have all the same tools, part of being a woodworker is finding creative solutions.

[@malaciousmark3903]

@@philkugler2429that’s not the point. The point is he is claiming how much money he is saving when his set up is really nice. And he found literally the most expensive sofa table available. The sofa table his wife wanted wasn’t even 5k you can find it on arhaus. It costs 4k on sale for 2.7k. I’m not saying his furniture isn’t amazing but he is way over estimating the money he saved

[@JSaltyfabricator]

A poor craftsman blames his tools. An incompetent craftsman blames others tools.

[@timan2039]

I was taught millwork by my great grandfather, born in late 1800’s, using his antique tools. He had a bandsaw, table saw and jointer for power tools. Planing, decorative trim was accomplished with hand planes. As he said, I was lucky to have the power tools (had to the motor from station to station). Nice modern tools make the job quicker but not necessarily better.

[@suntzu6122]

@@JSaltyfabricator TF are you talking about? The video title suggests it might be cost effective to build stuff but if you dont already have tools / equipment you cant build it. How did this woooosh you?

[@erikm9768]

Love this video, yeah DIY is so much cheaper, i used to think the opposite even with a really good salary that I would just buy services but even half assing DIY is so much cheaper and better than paying someone. Knowledge is so much more accessible now thanks to videos like this :) be careful you are basically putting yourself out of business... kidding i know you'll get tons of business from people watching as well :)

[@username-mc7jw]

Nice work! Finished product looks amazing!

[@foxmoulder7724]

When the time comes for the wife and I to buy a house I intend to make nearly every piece of furniture myself 👍 plus it'll give me excuses to buy more tools

[@aarontiffany9101]

industrial sand blaster will work well to remove soft grain and age the wood

[@jonhaider316]

Amazing work on this one, definitely giving me ideas for my next build.

[@Luna23tic]

Good thing you already spent 5k plus on all those tools to pull it off.

[@danfisher616]

Love the build! great video too, i like your editing style. Gosh i wish i had a jointer and planer of that size in my shop

[@MCsCreations]

Stunning piece, Donnie! Truly amazing work! 😃 Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@DesignsbyDonnie]

Thank you!! Super cool piece to build

[@justincottingham3969]

This dude convinced his wife that a 5000 dollar jointer was a better investment and made the table for a couple hundred bucks. That’s a dad win if I’ve ever seen one.

[@ifollowjesus1667]

Beautiful ! I would DIY it but it wouldn’t be as nice as yours . Great job man 👍

[@MrFusselig]

"Since when in life did inflation get so expensive and through the roof to buy a simple table in a furniture store was going to cost 5000$? This is crazy but pushing these blocks through the planer..." Meanwhile me sitting in my rented 23m² apartment...

[@jsmxwll]

Can be done with less than $1k in tools. Standard hobby woodworking stuff. Just different techniques.

[@shauldvosis4693]

Great job point the table looks amazing. Could you please make a tutorial video on how to achieve that weathered look and the products that you use to achieve it. Thank you for this video.

[@The_Corner_WorkShop]

Beautiful work!

[@DesignsbyDonnie]

Thank you 😊

[@SmokinQuixote]

The possibility of it costing more to do it yourself is there. However, the satisfaction, pride and experience you get out of making it yourself is priceless. That's something you will never have buying it from a store.

[@jjgonzo13]

Looks awesome. What color was the paint you used?

[@Sly_Wolf_1]

I thought you were going to say..... "I went to the dealership and saw inflation on car prices, so I went to the auto parts store bought the parts and made my own truck" 😂

[@DesignsbyDonnie]

lol 😆 now that would be awesome. Don’t think that I have those skills but I can dream tho

[@MrPhilerD]

@@DesignsbyDonnie most of us are just dreaming... you spent 110 to make a 5,000 table, and you did a super fantastic job! Wait for it, you know it's coming, wait for it!........ BUT!!! you got 20-30,000 in equipment that us dreamers can't afford. Then there is KNOWING how to use that equipment without killing yourself, or a family member (now we are getting into woke territory). Not to mention SKILL (and I don't mean the saw); you simply have a talent that many never will. In my life I have rebuilt motors, transmissions, differentials, and transfer cases, electrical, A/C and more... but to build the entire truck, I could, but it just wouldn't be practical. I'm sure you could build an entire house, maybe even do the plumbing and electrical too. From the table, I'd say you could finish cabinets with great detail, but would it be practical? Love your work guy! Maybe you could build me a house, and I'll build you a truck... LOL!!!

[@frenkybigone5641]

Dude it looks so awesome!!👌

[@Cheeto_Duss]

Awesome job! Very nice 👍🏻

[@jamesrbrink9645]

Absolutely! I designed and built an entire dining room set complete with a 42” x 99” table, full length benches, end chairs, and a sideboard out of construction grade lumber for $500. Yo buy something similar would cost at least $10,000.

[@DesignsbyDonnie]

Wow! Now that’s an awesome savings, good for you. I love hearing things like this. Well done 👍

[@jonathanadams4169]

I did the same thing with an 8x10 Douglas fir beam that I bought off Facebook marketplace for $80. Took me about 3 hrs to make it. Only used a hand saw, angle grinder, radial saw, oscillating tool, and some chisels. Got a result that looks almost identical to the same picture you showed of the $5000 one.

[@Joethetoolguy]

This looks great 👍

[@gregoryc5989]

Great Job!!!!😀

[@jvgauthier]

You don't tell the whole story. The raw material is cheaper than buying new. And it's more flexible, if you need specific dimension, colour, finish, you are in control. And there is that pride thing of having built it yourself which is a non neglectable bonus. In the equation, there is the cost of opportunity. It's awesome to have skills in life. The time you spend learning woodworking is time not spent learning electricity, 2nd language, computer coding, investment, etc. No one can learn everything and at some point you will need the help of others, sometimes at a cost. Any skills is a hell of a lot better than to become an expert at video games. In the equation, there is also the cost of space and tools. If woodworking is your business, you need it anyways. Otherwise, unless you furnish the whole house DIY style, the price difference is not that straightforward. And let's face it, not every weekend woodworkers are frugal when comes time to equip the garage. So yes, time, space and tools are not free. But some poor souls don't get to have a hobby in life. It's a blessing of having the luxury of having hobbies and I am grateful for it. And I can think of some hobbies that are crazy expensive comparatively.

[@jlentztube]

Thanks for the wire wheel tip for weathering. I was wondering how to get that effect on some pine baseboard trim in my basement. I'll try that.

[@michaelgrahamdesigns]

I’ve built a few of these from 12x12 beams. Your’s looks just as good and looks way easier to build #awesome 👍🏽👊🏽

[@BobBob-eh5sb]

Depends on what you might buy at the furniture store, compared to what type of wood and how fancy you’re going to make it. Time is valuable too. You have to figure your labor just as you would for a customer build.

[@DesignsbyDonnie]

Thank you so much and yes you’re right 👍

[@theofarmmanager267]

I’ve been woodworking for over 45 years and I have to say that it’s been a life saving hobby for me over the years. But, it’s an expensive hobby. If you want pieces in beautiful timbers and to fit a certain pace, you need to go bespoke. Getting one piece made bespoke is cheaper than buying the tools, learning the skills and making that piece yourself. The equation balance alters if you want many pieces and you enjoy working with wood. If you want cheapest - certainly here in the UK - buy at auctions. You can get exquisite antique pieces for (almost criminally) low prices. George II sideboards in beautiful flame mahogany for £50; oak long case clocks for £80. Why? Because the styles and the “brown” furniture are just not fashionable. Try and buy a 1960’s teak coffee table and you’ll pay hundreds. Look for an antique flame mahogany Demi lune table, £50? Taste is personal. I grew up in the 50’s and 60’s and those mid century pieces don’t attract me.

[@Abenteuerlich77]

​@@theofarmmanager267You have way more woodworking experience than I do, but you are right about woodworking being an expensive hobby, but that's true for any hobby, depending on how serious and often you do it. Even the simple sport of running can be pricey.

[@theofarmmanager267]

@@Abenteuerlich77 I’d partly agree. At one level, buying used hand tools and cheap timber (such as pallets), it can be a low barrier entry hobby. However, as soon as you start getting the bug, yes, the cost rises. And rises. And rises. Where my fears lie is that newcomers are either put off taking up the hobby or think that they have to spend a fortune to get started. I’m afraid I started when there were no electric tools available for hobbyists (even before electric drills were commonly available), adhesives could be home made (boiling up hides and bones) and abrasives could be made from dried fish skin (we used dog fish skin which a member of the shark family). So my cost entry was about as low as you can get. Of course, I’d rather have today’s situation where good tools don’t have to cost much. As you say, it’s like any hobby

[@dave_ecclectic]

I have often heard the myth that you have to figure your time also. Maybe if you are a doctor making a $100 an hour or someone who can simply work as many hours as they wish or can work extra jobs. This implies that if you were not making something to avoid buying it then you would still be making money, but for most this doesn't happen. If instead you are sitting at home watching YT then it is cheaper to build something than to buy it.

[@SorobanWorld]

Most furniture these days are the carpentry equivalent of Taco Bell (barely functioning garbage). That said, sometimes an IKEA desk at $100 is everything that you need, even if it is pretty trash. It's sometimes neither economical nor practical nor time effective to do it yourself. Wire storage units have their place, too. As big box retailers continue to mindlessly drain value from their products, yes, you may need to DIY at some point in the future. But not everyone is suited to making something with their hands. Basic woodworking skills are no longer commonly taught at schools - just like Home Economics, Shop class became an "extra". The wife can't cook, and hubby can't build. I do not fault these people, as no one can do everything well. Let them hire out to them that can. And those of us that can, well, I like quick easy cheap effective solutions - when they are available, which isn't always.

[@singhivan]

Greetings from South Africa 🇿🇦. Man you really nailed this project ✌️. Kudos to you for not getting caught up in this purchase world of high inflation. Definitely I would D.I.Y. it. Well done it looks amazing. Love the weathered old age look 👍

[@kaznats1]

I built a steampunk sofa table using a chopsaw, drill, and sander. I won’t rag on you and over all your power tools because you use them on your job. I’d love to see more videos like yours doing copycat reproductions of high end furniture using basic off the shelf wood. Oh by the way, I built my sofa table using reclaimed, massive industrial pallet lumber so it already had the proper texture. I just added stain and iron pipe hardware. You rock sir, and I bet your wife agrees because size does matter.

[@sejalpandey8562]

What about the machine you used? How much would that cost🤔 ??

[@rickyspeakman4445]

Complaining about money when you have a 15000 planer and jointer! Priceless. Lol

[@robertaylor9218]

Working class? Dude that is tens of thousands of dollars in industrial woodworking equipment. Not knocking you for having it or using it, but this is kind of the ship owner pretending to be a deckhand. Either way, seems like a cool project.

[@terrymiller5028]

Whether you have tools or not this table can be made for less than $5000 if you have an area to work. This table can be made with hand tools which will cost way less than buying

[@JT_70]

Great job and finished product! It helps “DIY” projects come out so nice when you have experience, a shop full of expensive Bessey clamps, commercial size planer & jointer, power saws, cordless plunge router & bits, Lexan templates, a shop or garage to work in, etc. Hopefully you won’t get any twisting, warping or splitting of that big-box dimensional lumber. Not being critical; I’m impressed!

[@DeniseCone]

What stain and paint did you use? I love the end color.

[@MarshallMcQueen]

Nice work. Can you please share the stain and paint colors you used?

[@williamhayes9642]

What were the dimensions of the legs and top? I have some reclaimed 6x12 cedar beam peices i want to build some similar things with.

[@8FunGuy8]

You just need 20,000.00 in tools to do it.

[@matchstickdesignco]

No you don't. It can be made using only hand tools. How do you think people built things before electricity was a thing?

[@8FunGuy8]

You're right, I don't need my car either. I'll just walk.

[@mjf1036]

have to admit...you did well! No nails used.

[@neilconstantino309]

What color paint and stain did you use? It’d be nice if you mentioned those!

[@seanclark8541]

Everyone crying about the planer and bandsaw price. I have a 10HP 24” planer that I bought from a high school wood shop for a few hundred dollars. Before I purchased that, I used a router sled to flatten anything larger than my 12 planer could handle. My shop is full of commercial grade equipment. The only think in my shop that purchased new was my sawstop table saw. If you can’t build this using inexpensive tools found at a big box store, you shouldn’t try it.

[@wxdeen]

Knocked it out of the park! Looks awesome! If you don’t mind me asking, how thick did you make the legs? The proportions are spot on!

[@DesignsbyDonnie]

Thank you. This project was literally a blast to make. I really enjoyed it. Oh, and the legs were 7.5” thick by 14” deep by 32” tall

[@wxdeen]

@@DesignsbyDonnie thank you sir! Got my template ordered and will be knocking one of these out soon.

[@tjwaggoner1]

@@DesignsbyDonniethanks for the dimensions, ordering this template and planning to build one of these

[@esotericpriest]

But the finished work does look good dude congrats!

[@jrs2590]

Nice Shop, I couldn't do that in my shop without a "LOT" of Hours and Labor, all I have is a TableSaw and a Chopsaw and lots of cheap Ryobi tools for wood working, No CNC , No Planer, No Jointer, Its a Nice finished product I'll give you that

[@spencerpearson4659]

Can you give details or links on the two part stain that you used? Thanks!

[@glennryzebol4472]

Dude. You can't just count your materials on thiis. Part of DIY is having tools. You have some big tools there and they factor into the build. Building a one off DIY piece of funiture, there's no way it's cheaper to build your own. If it's a life style choice and you intend you build ALL your own furniture and other things, then....mayyyyybe

[@jeremytoepp8704]

That’s on you to figure out. There are many ways to build this with less expensive tools.

[@tdmallet]

​@jeremytoepp8704 exactly. I have a friend that can make the template for me. You can use a table saw to square up and on and on.

[@user-iy5wz1gu1x]

Very nice!

[@erichendrick3928]

I'm going out right now to get all of the equipment I'll need.

[@DaBulzRock]

do you use a cnc to build your templates

[@jimrosson6702]

Very cool great job

[@chrispokorney6801]

You can do that project with a nice worker stanley #7 handplanes, sandpaper, titebond 3, franing square, decent handsaw and most expensive the clamps. Doesn't really take much to make furniture or even fine furniture. Having a nice laguna bandsaw, tablesaw, chopsaw and planner are nice but you don't need them. You really don't need 20 grand in tools to make nice things. Nice build Really like the design.

[@Kruuskopp]

Well done, personally i am the dark colour fan, so i would have made it darker but all in all, very cool project 😊

[@virgiliustancu9293]

If you have skills, have time and machines it is cheaper to do it yourself, but 90% of people don't have that.

[@merlwhiteface2925]

I’m a framer by trade his planner set up costs more than my 05 beater, he’s clearly an independent contractor writing off his tools and saving $- I can’t afford 4 days off of recovery after cutting in and sheeting a roof, love to see if he could bang nails on a rough frame in CO in the winter.

[@Intothelight1981]

If I had the luxury of a workshop space and all the fancy tools and equipment like you do, then yes, it may be cheaper. It certainly won't be cheap setting up shop to get to that point, so I guess for me, its cheaper and quicker to buy furniture from a store.

[@JWick-ry7wf]

Nice !!

[@AB-ot3bc]

Yeh it’s cheaper if you have all the woodworking tools but for the Normal person no it’s not.

[@BenNawrath]

I think the savings also depends on time. Obviously there’s DIY guys like us that love a good project and consider the time spent to be time we’ll spent. But how much do you pay yourself as a carpenter? And how long did it take? Buying it online takes seconds… so ya gotta include that math too.

[@VultureXV]

Counterargument. If I'm just making $1000 worth of furniture in my home, is it worth it to sink $5000 into tools and machinery, and another $800 into wood, to make said furniture? I guess if i was making furniture for everyone else too and selling some it would be worthwhile.

[@ianwoods1384]

That's a hell of a tool kit, my friend! I'd think I could at least make a stool, if nothing else, with that lot!

[@andressepulveda7806]

Just wondering where i can get the template you’re using????

[@DesignsbyDonnie]

Hi, here is the link to the templates designsbydonnie.com/templates/

[@kevingaddis7276]

Nice job.

[@johng9562]

Ok "working class" how much $$$ for the tools in the shop???

[@dougmclaughlin8614]

Yeah I hope with all your equipment you can build a basic table

[@timothyalanogrady]

Looks great. Nicely done. I can tell you why that table cost 5 grand. Its a hand hewed beam from a log done with a broad axe. Close to 100 years or so ago. But very nicely done on the table that you built

[@davehaggerty3405]

I have not picked up anything useful to me. And I have a wood shop.

[@YESITSWILL]

Where I live (outside of the U.S.) unmilled hardwood is .92 cents per board foot for Cedar and Teak. Making all off my own furniture for the house I´m building. Couldn´t afford to do this if I still lived in America.

[@mdforbes500]

You have to amortize the cost of the machines and tools used as capital requirements. The more pieces you build, the smaller the cost of the tools, provided you use them. You provided the materials only - so not true cost. My guess, based on the tools used here, is that this piece (assuming you make 10 others over the 18 year life of a tool) is more in-line with $1200 than $120. If we factor in the cost of labor, billing you at a rate for your QOL, call it $20/hr, and it took you 16 hours of billable hours to work on this, you'd add $320 to that cost. So that is a total of $1520. This is still a substantial savings from $5000 still. My guess is that some of that cost is markup, and some of it is the wood used in the sold-piece.

[@carldavis6902]

Beautiful

[@ivannightly1919]

the reality of furniture store stuff you pay a fortune and its press board or worse. On a $2000 sofa they were delivering one of the structural beams broke it was cardboard wrapped in abs plastic, as long as it was never hit or bashed ya it worked but for 2k I was expecting wood. I got my money back found a used piece I liked and had it recovered with a fabric that made it one of a kind cost 1600 but its real hardwood and my kid could use it

[@dalepete2854]

Awesome job I don’t have your talent I want to try some projects since I’m retired what’s the worst thing that could happen I’m a first time viewer and yes I hit the subscribe button

[@peacefulscrimp5183]

You have a new subscriber 👍

[@CoffeeFiend1]

It's only cheaper if you have *1.)* the *Necessary Skills* (yes lots of people can do this but they are a tiny minority in relation to the general population), *2.)* the *Time* should be self-explanatory really but okay it'll vary quite a bit based on occupation and family, and *3.)* the *Infrastructure* to accommodate it... Millions of people don't have room for a basic wood bench, a lot of people don't even have a surface that they can affix a half decent vise to, hell a lot of people don't even have a box of basic tools (although it's very arguably a good investment for just about anyone).

[@robertwells1011]

Love it

[@amomentwithanimals7429]

How did you hide all those seams ?

[@Bibblebabbler]

Nice dust collector

[@stevenlengyel9701]

Your truck is dirty, not to bad of shape, you should take better care of it

[@jasonbourne314]

The "working class furniture" is called IKEA or wayfair

[@gedreillyhomestead6926]

And the cost of all the machinery used to make it? And that the ordinary householder might have ! 🤔 I would definitely DIY it but I would try and spend a little time in sourcing some used timbers not new finished stuff. Did the legs have to be solid? Using just the basic hand powered tools might have given it an old rustic appearance and more people might have agreed that "I can do that!" It is a nice piece though. 👍

[@godblessamerica99]

Came for the table. Stayed for the inflation rant.

[@Frisia-dd6ud]

You go girl😂

[@Electrichead64]

Cheaper to make your own, and you get to keep the tools

[@user-ee7jv7go6f]

Nice work….

[@DesignsbyDonnie]

Thank you!!

[@toddhines3422]

Funniest moment on the internet…”Does size matter? Let’s ask my wife.” Wife s shown shaking her head yes! Too too funny!

[@zengwenxin8402]

But you already have those fancy tools. I wonder how is the building process if you use that $5000 to buy tools and make this table.

[@troyqueen9503]

Watching from Vancouver Island 🏝️ 👍🇨🇦

[@Thatstonedbunny1488]

The store bought $5000 table was made from sold pieces of wood. You used cheap pieces of wood glued together. Not even the same quality or color.

[@hallowrant8091]

Do this all with $500 worth of Ryobi tools from Lowes(which I bet he could) and ill consider it a DIY project.

[@rickscarpellotherapy]

I don’t care what it is, I’m gonna make it before I buy it even though I know it’s gonna cost me way more money. Mainly, because I know it’ll last 100 years as opposed to 100 minutes and I get to narcissistically sit there and admire my own work.😂

[@bobbressi5414]

5 grand? I would have made my own too