An increasing number of citizens are remodeling their houses more often than ever before in the United States. Many are doing it to make their properties cozier and up-to-date, while others are going the extra mile of becoming eco-friendlier. In 2018 alone, American homeowners spent a whopping $340 billion on home improvements.
A smart home is one of the home improvement projects that many homeowners, not only in the US but also across the world, have invested in. Typically, they opt for it for security, convenience, health, and sustainability purposes.
Despite the domestic bliss a smart home provides, studies have found out that it can potentially increase your family’s exposure to electric and magnetic fields (EMFs), which can be hazardous to one’s health. Good thing, recent research discovered how home materials could attenuate the radiation emitted from home tech gadgets—and this includes woods.
In this article, we’ll give you a few woodworking ideas that wouldn’t only reduce your smart home’s radiation, but also encourage you to do something fun while staying indoors this winter! Here are eight DIY wood projects for your smart home’s improvement and sustainability.
Wood Candle Holders
The woodsy and natural ambiance of these candle holders will surely go well with any mood, be it for Christmas Eve, romantic Valentine’s candlelit dinner, relaxing evening vibes, and many more. The best part is that they can be usable for years! Go to Oleander + Palm to know the full story behind these candle holders.
Coffee Table Made From Crates
Have you recently purchased food or agricultural products in bulk and have wooden crates piled messily in your house? Don’t throw them out! Recycle and turn them into a stylish, rustic, DIY coffee table! Try this Home Talk’s DIY coffee table made from crates. You’ll soon realize that these crate-made desks are way cheaper than those expensive rip-offs from many furniture stores.
Snack Table Made From Pallets
This snack table is another DIY furniture made from another transport material—pallets! Makers from Architecture, Art, and Design’s site designed this simple wood project while thinking about how parents would love to hang down their seats after having a long day at work or after taking care of the children.
Wooden Phone Amplifier with Hidden Charging Station
Chill out with this wooden phone amplifier! It can enhance the sound of any music into a megaphone style and boost its sound level by 8-10 dB. What’s more, it has a place to cradle your phone and a clever cable routing that can be used as a charging station. It can be a cool gift for music lovers! Check how wwgoa.com/article/wooden-phone-amplifier-charging-station/# did this project.
Wooden Sofa Sleeve with Cup Holder
Say, you’re checking a list of security systems reviews or streaming Netflix while drinking coffee. You want to lay down, so you want to put down your cup. But, let’s say there are no tables. Where will you put your cup? On the floor? Isn’t it somehow unhygienic? How about sofa table sleeves? This wooden sofa sleeve with a cup holder from A Beautiful Mess is as sturdy as a table. Plus, you can effortlessly remove it from the edge of your couch.
Wooden Coat and Hat Racks
Immediately after some minutes, you can clear up your entryway clutter with a few planks and coat hooks with this Family Handyman’s wood coat and hat racks. What you’ll have to do is just to fit the boards in your space, paint them, neatly put the hooks, and screw them on your wall. You can decide the colors and styles of your hooks. It’s easy and sleek!
Bath Caddy
Turn your me-time to be so much more enjoyable while taking a bath. There will be no more magazine pages that will get damped with this wooden bath caddy. The best part is that this project only requires a morning or an afternoon to be assembled. You can have tea or wine without reaching your bathroom floor at night. For some inspirations, Lemon Thistle has how-to instructions that you can easily follow.
Router Cabinet
If you’re looking for something that’s a little bit more challenging than the mentioned DIY projects, this DIY wooden router cabinet from Instructables Living is for you. You’ll be undergoing some cutting, drilling, sawing, painting, and nailing processes. If you want to go for the extra mile, you can do an acrylic glass handle with the help of a laser cutter. The handle is small, so it surely offers invisibility vibes.
Takeaway
Wooden furniture isn’t capable of shielding or blocking radiation 100% completely. However, they help in reducing the EMF emitted from any home tech gadgets and WiFi signals.
Additionally, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) asserted that the higher water content level lumber has, the higher their shielding properties would be. That said, it’s best if you would opt for fresher wood for your DIY projects to increase its attenuation capabilities.
Author’s bio:
Tyler Pack is a writer and a blogger. He loves to write about technology, business, real estate, and home security. In his free time, Tyler spends time with his wife and kids.
