Community Brag Posts

Cottage bedroom bookcase

Submitted by yhaas on Thu, 10/29/2015 - 20:42

I used 1 x 10s to make the bookcase a little shallower, and left the back open. Thanks for the great plan.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Varathane diamond finish water-based polyurethane, satin.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Flag Pole Planter

I wanted a place for a flag pole, but I didn't want to put one in the ground or screw into my siding, so I modified the cedar planter to hold a flag pole. It was a fun project!  Check out more here!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$40 plus flag pole
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
White Exterior Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Petra's Doggie Day Bed

Submitted by Joni on Sat, 08/25/2012 - 10:33

Yes, my husband and I share our bedroom with 6 dogs and an occasional cat (or 4). Our older dog (Petra) has slept on our bed for over 10 years, and she's getting too old to jump anymore. We didn't want her to feel like she was getting kicked off the bed, so I made Petra her very own bed at the end of ours so that she wouldn't feel left out. I was inspired by MurdaRae's dog bed (http://ana-white.com/2012/06/doggie-daybed), and thought it was genius to use a toddler/crib bed. So I went looking for plans on Ana-White, and came up with a mixture between a couple of twin bed plans. I love that the plans are easy enough to modify my sizes, and come up with exactly the custom solution that I need. This was my first big project using Bri-Wax. The last one was kind of a disaster when the wax changed the stain color to something not-so-great. With this project, I learned to wait at least 2 weeks before attempting to wax it. I was blown away with the results. It is a beautiful subtle satin finish that feels great to the touch. Plus, I can easily touch up all the dog fingernail scratches that will inevitably occur. When I re-assembled the bed in my bedroom, I actually nicked it in a few places. No problem -- slap on some more Bri-Wax! My Bri-Wax was 11 years old, and pure liquid. I tossed it in the fridge (per Bri-Wax's recommendation), and it was as good as new. The only real problem I had with this project was leaking sap from one of the 4x4s. I'm still fighting this today. In talking with Rustoleum/Zinsser reps, they said that no sap could penetrate their "Seal Coat" shellac product. After 5 coats, the sap is still penetrating, but only if I turn it on it's side or upside down. I'm still baffled. I made the mattress cover out of a dog blanket, and made the cushions from some remnant fabric (suitable for dogs and weekly washing), so this was a fairly inexpensive project. It was a success because Petra slept in her bed from the fist night and loved that she had all the room to herself, and no boston terrorists (I mean terriers) attempted to bother her.

Estimated Cost
$65 for Wood, $60 for Crib Mattress, $7 for stain, $9 for Decorative Clavos
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Combination of Minwax Water-based stains: 6 parts Colonial Pine: 1 part American Walnut, followed 4-5 Coats Bri-Wax (Light Brown)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

spiceylg

Sat, 08/25/2012 - 18:41

You did an amazing job! Looks professional and at first glance, you definitely can't tell it's a dog bed.

StacieM

Sun, 08/26/2012 - 10:24

It matches the woods in your bedroom so well and looks great! Also, I love the bolster pillows around the edges. That is something I need to make for our dog bed. Thanks for sharing.

Laundry Station

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 02/27/2017 - 10:03
We followed these plans, but instead of building two cabinets, we combined them with one side in the middle. We also used pine planks on top. The sides are painted with chalk paint, and the top is finished in dark wax. 
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Sandbox with built-in seats in our playhouse

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 09/10/2020 - 10:55

The base of our playhouse felt like the perfect spot to use the sandbox plan with built-in seats. The bench seats actually fold flat to create a lid for the sandbox when it’s not in use. I followed Ana’s plans exactly and used the list of materials she provided. The only modification I made was eliminating the back supports. It was not necessary for me to add the back supports since we have the playhouse posts to support the back of the bench.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$60
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Stain
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
Seasonal And Holiday

Chicken Run with Turkey House

Submitted by vendo on Wed, 10/13/2021 - 10:03

My daughter helped me build this enclosure. We used Ana's chicken run plan, but just made it taller so we could walk in easily. We added an overhang to store food and pellets under, for the supports we used Ana's easy shelves angle support plan, and finally we used the playhouse base plan for the base of turkeys house. All plans used are linked below. We ran the chicken wire out under the structure and still need to bring in some large rocks or pavers, but so far no issues with predators. Turkey was getting too big to fit in the smaller coop, so we decided to have fun with his house and used cedar fence pickets and some treated 2x4's, built a box and jig sawed the shape of a turkey. As you can see in the first photo the ladder for turkey wasn't big enough, all the other chickens were in his house, lol. So I beefed up the ladder and he happily can put himself up at night now:) Overall a super successful project, I wasn't sure what to do with the top and just at that point, the neighbor walked over and offered the metal, talk about a huge win and the perfect solution! We attached the run to the previous smaller structure and now they have so much more room and are laying like crazy:) Finally, I think this would make a great dog kennel as well...

Simple Outdoor Chairs for the Firepit

Submitted by Retta on Fri, 10/03/2014 - 19:27

I used Ana's plan and made ten of these for our firepit area.  The only thing that I changed was the back brace pieces....I couldn't get 1x2s so just used 2x2's.  

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$300 including paint
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Exterior paint.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Bike Storage

Submitted by vendo on Wed, 10/13/2021 - 10:10

I live in a smaller rental with limited garage space, so I needed a place for my kids bikes. This is what I came up with. It required minimal screw holes in the treated fence posts and I attached a rail system(rubbermaid fasttrak) for the bikes to hang from. I used Ana's easy shelves plan for the upright supports and then just added some corrugated roofing and cedar fence pickets (which I had on hand) to finish off the top.

A-Frame Chicken Tractor

Submitted by Tonya P on Tue, 07/09/2013 - 19:46

New to raising chickens, but eager to jump right in to it.
We bought a pre-made coop for the main home for our new chicks and it's very nice, not something I could do myself since I'm not yet at that level, but I saw this chicken tractor and thought it would come in handy for what I have in mind so I made up my mind to build it.
The lumber, chicken wire, staples, and wheels are all store bought new and came to about $75. The materials we had on hand were the screws, hinges, plastic coated metal shelving (used in the nesting area, I thought that would make it easy to clean), paint, and the corner piece of vinyl siding for the roof cap (hubby's brilliant idea, and I painted it green with spray paint for vinyl).
I did not try to build it quickly, I don't really know how much time it took me, but if I had to guess I'd guess total time would amount to about 3 afternoons, by myself.
I wanted to leave the top on the one side open with the option to slap on the other boards if/when the need arises. I have the other t1-11 panels that can sit right in those areas because I stapled the chicken wire in a way that would allow it.
I also added a flip up panel as seen in the pictures for access. I didn't want a small door that I would have a hard time getting to things in there. I'm so glad I added this feature, it sure gives plenty of room for me to maintain the food and water dispensers as well as get in there and catch the little chickies :)
I wanted it green to blend into the wooded background in our backyard. I didn't want to take any beauty away from the cedar greenhouse and fencing we added last year, and this tractor would be moved from time to time and I felt this green that we had on hand was perfect to help it blend in rather than stand out.
This thing is heavy! I have a hard time moving it around and usually need my husband to move it so I won't hurt myself. I am considering some options... I don't like the rope I have on it to pull it, any suggestions would be appreciated.
As with the other items I've made with Ana's plans, this was fun and pretty easy to make. I love this site! Soon I will take on my next project, I've bought and gathered the materials, I'm anxious to get started :)
Thank you for looking :)

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$75 - $85 for the new materials listed
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Green exterior paint we had on hand.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Simple 2x4 Potting Bench modified with inset tote for potting soil or water

Submitted by SusanStory on Thu, 04/15/2021 - 10:10

Made this for a friend who does cuttings of her plants for others. I used the Simple 2x4 potting bench plan and modified it to hold an inset 7 gal. Commander tote box with snapping lid with two 2x4 @ 22" braces to support the tote on each side attached to the front and back aprons. She wanted something that would hold a medium size bag of potting soil with a lid to keep snakes and other critters out since she lives in the country. There are plenty of hooks to hang tools and other items.

Estimated Cost
$224.00
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Thompson Water sealer
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Modified Simple Outdoor Dining Table

Submitted by ewood on Tue, 05/31/2011 - 08:04

Wanted a Patio table and when I saw the plans on this site I really liked it; I just changed the plan a bit. Everything was screwed from the underside of the table, also I attached the legs with 2" lag screws.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Reclaimed Wood Queen Size Headboard

The plans for this headboard are great. Very easy to follow and the cut list is spot on. I used some choice pine from Lowe’s ($63) and then used the vinegar with steel wool mixture to age the wood.  That’s where this piece is at right now. Trying to decide if I want to leave it or put a light satin clear coat. 

Thank you for the plans!!

OK.....I added 2 more pics.  I added 1 coat of Satin Clear Poly witch gave it a richer look. 

Estimated Cost
$75
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
1 Sheet of 0000 Steel Wool torn apart and left in a mason jar of vinegar over night
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Outdoor Sectional

I scaled back the length of the sofa by a few inches and I made the sectional only one seat to fit my space on the deck. This was my first woodworking project that I did by myself. I got the cushions for more than 1/2 off at Ikea so the whole project cost about $150 ($80 for the cushions). It took me about a week to complete but the total time was less than 10 hours to build and stain. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.

Estimated Cost
$150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Pittsburgh Paints Stain & Sealant in One for Decks, Fences, & Siding in Walnut. I brushed on the exterior stain just like a paint. I did the top part of the sofa first, then flipped it over and stained the bottom. Read instructions on the label.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Great Plan for Garage Shelf!

Submitted by edapina on Wed, 11/26/2014 - 07:35

This was an easy project to complete in an afternoon that does not require any advance woodworking skills

Estimated Cost
About a $120 bucks considering that I had to buy all the wood and a box of 2 1/2 In screws!
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
No finish used.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

edapina

Wed, 12/10/2014 - 09:41

This is my second completed project with plans and ideas from your website. Thanks for your good work!

Outdoor Sofa - Front Porch

Submitted by mclaudeg3 on Fri, 11/06/2020 - 16:47

This project was quite easy and did not require many tools. The plan allowed me to adjust the measurements easily so it could fit in that space. I used regular 2x4’s and treated the wood with Mountain Ash colour in a semi-transparent stain from Sherwin Williams, I just love the colour! I build 2 - 2 seaters exactly the same. The one side has no arm, as I wanted it to look like a lounge chair. I love to sit in the corner and stretch my legs 😊. I bought the cushion covers from IKEA, and got good quality foam.

Estimated Cost
Wood ~$300
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
2 coats of semi-transparent Mountain Ash stain from Sherwin Williams.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Seasonal And Holiday

Modern Farmhouse Bed Frame

Submitted by SofiaTaz on Thu, 01/06/2022 - 23:15

I love how this bed frame turned out! Everywhere that has stain is cedar and the rest is all scrap spruce. Thanks for another great plan Ana!

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Custom Sandbox with built-in seats

Submitted by Ljmommy on Sat, 09/28/2013 - 10:13

On this project we modified a few things like the arm rests which we cut at an angle to keep kids from pinching fingers in there if someone decided to move the bench back on them. We also modified the size which we made 6'x4' to maximize play sand space and kid space. Therefore this made our benches bigger so that big kids (my husband) could sit on the benches and play in the sandbox. Yes there was talk about putting cup holders but I won the conversation by mentioning sand in his drink and we would have to do a sippy cup. We notched out the handles instead of installing handles which made it look sleek. We used the template from the hinge so it matched the shape....clever huh? We decided to primer and paint this one sandstone in the brick and mortar sample book by Behr and had them put it in an exterior paint color for us. We used a wagner paint sprayer which made the project fast at the end. Overall still an easy project for anyone. I do suggest pre drilling all holes first before screwing in screws so the wood doesn't split when doing the slats on the top.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$50-$75
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Primer/Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Sturdy Workbench Sink

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 05/01/2023 - 09:57

Used sturdy workbench plans with 2x6 cedar top for outdoor sink. Turned out much better than I expected!!

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Poolside Hightop Deck Chair

I have used so many of Ana's plans, I decided to design my own chair! I wanted a high top patio style chair that the back was angled and had a footrest. This is perfect for my outdoor patio. I think I need to update the plan already to include a cup holder! Appreciate any feedback or comments.

Estimated Cost
$50
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
None
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Catio heaven

Submitted by bhoppy on Fri, 09/04/2020 - 15:43

Ana doesn’t have a plan for a catio but she does for a playhouse and a cedar shed made from 2x2’s. I sort of combined my knowledge from making her plans over the last 10 years and came up with this for my cats. It was fun to make!! My baby kitten is loving it. I used garden fencing and stapled it to the outside and pocket holes for the walls. I made each wall individually like the playhouse then connected them once in place.

 

Estimated Cost
$250
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Cabot semi transparent outdoor deck and fence stain. ($9 oops section)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Wifey

Wed, 06/09/2021 - 12:36

Thank you for sharing! My daughter wants a cat for her birthday but it can't be inside due to our son's allergies. Roaming outside isn't really an option because we have coyotes. We are going to use one of these in combination with an underground electric fence.

Seasonal And Holiday