What Kind of Wood and How Much Do I Need for My First DIY Stool?

You definitely don’t need a planer for this. If you can buy pre-milled wood that’s 1.5" x 1.5" (which is the dimension after ripping a 2x4 in half), that would make things simpler for your first project. Then you'll just need to cut it to the correct lengths and finish it up with some sandpaper before assembling. Don't worry, we all started somewhere!

You're looking at ripping a standard 2x4 to get your legs. If you want the stool to be around 12" tall, you’ll need about 48" of 2x4 for the legs (4 legs x 12"), which translates to about 24" of material overall. It's always a good idea to buy a bit extra in case you need to cut off any knots or bad spots. Therefore, half of an 8' 2x4 will definitely be enough for your needs!

For this stool project, you don't need a ton of wood. A single 2x4 should do the trick. While the guide doesn’t specify the height of the legs, a standard 6-foot 2x4 should be enough. Just keep in mind that working with thin legs can be tricky; you might run into some challenges keeping everything level. Also, do yourself a favor and make sure to pick up air or kiln-dried wood instead of wet wood to avoid warping and cracking. Good luck!