1
My uncle told me to always use a story stick for built-ins, and I finally listened
He's been saying it for years, but I always thought my tape measure and math were fine. Last month I was fitting a set of pantry cabinets in a kitchen with walls that were not even close to square. I made a story stick from a piece of scrap 1x2, marking every shelf and divider directly from the wall. It took an extra 20 minutes upfront, but everything slid right in on install day with zero shimming or recuts. I felt like an idiot for not doing it sooner. What's the one old-school tip you ignored that actually saved your butt?
4 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In4 Comments
parker_hall51mo ago
Story sticks are a game changer. My stubborn self learned the hard way too, trying to force-fit a bookcase with just a tape measure. Looked like a toddler built it.
4
tessap9711d ago
Learned that one the hard way myself. Pro tip: make your story stick out of something thin like a paint stirrer or scrap lath, way easier to mark and transfer than a thick board.
4
charlieh741mo ago
Story sticks save so much time and frustration.
2
zaranelson1mo ago
Absolutely, they're a lifesaver. @parker_hall5 is right about forcing things with just a tape measure. I cut three pieces for a window trim wrong before I finally made a stick for the angles.
6