Sawhorses are great for when you’re cutting plywood or lumber, but when you’re using them to support finished pieces like a door, tabletop or anything like that, you could scratch up the workpiece.

To prevent this from happening, all you need is a strip of carpet.

I cut a remnant piece of carpet about 5 inches wide and a little longer than the rail of the sawhorse itself.

This sawhorse happens to have notches in it to hold 2×4 supports, but I am not going to be using them for a while. I will place the carpet over the rail and if I need to, I can always go back and cut out the carpet where those notches are.

You essentially put the carpet on top of the rail, center on top of the sawhorse, press it down to conform to the top of the sawhorse, and attach it with a few staples.

Tip: Make sure to staple it on the sides. You don’t want to staple the top, because if the staples happen to come loose, they can damage your workpiece.

So, with it stapled along both sides, you have a nice cushioned surface that will protect your work.

Watch the video above to find out more.


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Joe Truini

Radio Show Co-Host

Joe Truini is a contractor, author, and the host of “Simple Solutions” on Today’s Homeowner TV and the weekly Today’s Homeowner radio show. He has worked on both large commercial projects and residential remodeling, and has written for national publications such as This Old House and Popular Mechanics. He has also written eight books, including three best-selling shed-building books. Joe lives in Connecticut with his family and enjoys hiking, traveling, and baseball in his spare time.

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