This no-sew woven ottoman is a stylish and budget-friendly DIY project perfect for beginners. The star of the design is the woven pleather strips, giving it a modern, high-end look—without any sewing required. Whether you’re adding extra seating or a statement piece, this ottoman is functional, customizable, and fun to make.
Tools
Kreg Tools
Other Tools
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Sander
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Circular Saw or Table Saw
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Drill
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Staple Gun
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Miter Saw
Materials
Wood Products
- 2 2" x 4" , 8'
- 1 3/4" Thick Plywood , 2' x 4'
Hardware & Supplies
- 1 Pocket Hole Screws
- 1 2" Wood Screws
- 2 1" Upholstery Foam 16"x16"
- 1 Batting
- 1 Staples
- 1 Black Fabric
- 1 Spray Adhesive
- 1 Pleather
Directions
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Cut Your 2x4s
Start by cutting all your 2x4s:
(4) pieces at 8"
(4) pieces at 13"
(4) pieces at 16"
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Cut the Plywood
Use a circular saw or table saw to cut your plywood down to a 16" x 16" square.
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Drill Pocket Holes
Drill two pocket holes on each end of the 13" pieces and each end of the 8" pieces. Sand pieces as you drill pocket holes.
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Build Two Square Frames
Take two 13" pieces and two 16" pieces. Use pocket hole screws to join them into a square frame. Repeat to make a second identical frame.
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Attach the Frames Together
Take your four 8" pieces and use pocket hole screws to connect the two square frames — one at each corner to create a cube.
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Attach the Plywood Top
Place the 16" x 16" plywood square on top of your frame and secure it with wood screws.
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Add Foam Padding
Spray the plywood top with upholstery adhesive. Layer two 1" thick foam sheets (or one 2" thick) to create a cushy top.
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Add Batting
Staple a piece of batting over the foam top, smoothing it out as you go. Then wrap batting around the sides and staple it in to the corner and at the bottom.
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Add a Black Fabric Layer (Optional)
To prevent any gaps in the weave from showing the batting, staple a layer of black cotton fabric over the top and wrap a piece around the sides stapling at one of the corners. This gives a cleaner finish.
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Cut Fabric Strips for Weaving
Cut pleather (or other non-fraying fabric) into strips between 1"–2" wide. Make sure they’re long enough to wrap around the sides and go up and over the top of the ottoman. Take your time to cut straight lines for a clean weave.
Picking Fabric
Pleather works great because it doesn’t fray — no hemming needed.
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Attach the Side Strips
Start with the horizontal strips. Staple one end to a corner, wrap it around the ottoman, and staple again at the same corner. Alternate your stapling pattern at the corner to help hide staples later during weaving.
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Weave Over the Ottoman
Now begin weaving the vertical strips through the horizontal strips. Start at one side, weave over and under, then go up and over the top and weave down the opposite side. Staple all vertical strips to the bottom of the ottoman.
Covering Staples
Start at the corner with staples. Weave the first vertical piece to cover the staples.
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Finish Weaving
Continue weaving across the remaining sides, adjusting spacing and tension as needed for a tight, uniform look. Weave up one side, weave across the top and weave down the opposite side.
Covering Staples
Since you alternated the staples of the horizontal strips. Repeat the step of covering the final staples of the horizontal strips first.
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All Done!
You just made a no-sew, custom woven ottoman — time to kick your feet up and admire your work.
