Community Brag Posts

Simple Outdoor Table

Submitted by Kingsamui on Tue, 07/24/2018 - 17:24

Modifications to the simple outdoor table plan thanks to Finn’s dad. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$200 -Found a place that had Cedar shorts “B quality”, but very few knots for an unbelievably cheap price. I ran all to boards through a planer to start and saved a bundle.
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
3coats Spar Urethane. I’ve heard the Spar doesn’t hold up well, so would have used something rlse if I knew that at the beginning.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Poolside Towel Cabinet from Benchmark Cabinet Plan

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 03/23/2017 - 11:21

My father and I made this awesome poolside towel cabinet using the Benchmark Cabinet plans. A super easy 1 day build and it looks amazing on the patio. Bring on the pool weather! 

Estimated Cost
$60
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Chalk paint/Poly topcoat
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Cedar Garden Shed

We needed a way to get all of the lawn & garden stuff out of our garage and organized. I found Ana's plans for the Small Cedar Shed & adjusted them to fit our space. We used 2x4s as our studs & added front walls on the sides. Our shed measures 9.5'x30". We had a concrete slab poured for our foundation. We are experienced DIYer's but had never taken on a project of this scale from scratch. This project was much easier than I was anticipating, and we were able to complete it in one weekend! Similar shed kits were way more expensive and not the size that we were looking for. Thank you so much for the inspiration!

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Seasonal And Holiday

Simple Square Cedar Outdoor Dining Table

Submitted by Finns-Dad on Mon, 03/12/2012 - 17:58

I've been planning on building a patio table for this coming spring and summer, but didn't know where to begin. I found Ana's wonderful site and now I don't know where to stop! So many great ideas.
After seeing ewood's great table I decided to make one similar. I made my square table based on Ana's and ewood's basic designs. Thank you both. I also made a bench based on Ana's design.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
300--475
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Semigloss Spar Urethane
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

7CsShepherds (not verified)

Thu, 03/29/2012 - 07:37

I have a family of 7 (soon to be 8, I hope), and was trying to figure out how to fit us all on the rectangular table. This is the solution! I can simply make 4 benches to go with it! Thanks for the idea and the picture!

Guest (not verified)

Mon, 04/09/2012 - 07:24

Love this table and your modifications to ewood's table. I was wondering what size are the legs on your table - I can't tell if they are 4x4s...which is sort of what I'd like to have on mine. And they are under mounted, which I love because I want to make ours with the ability to remove the legs for reduced storage space in the winter. If you could would you mind putting a few close up photos of how the outside corner came out and the underside of the corners. It would be much appreciated.

K_W (not verified)

Mon, 04/09/2012 - 07:27

Love this table and your modifications to ewood's table. I was wondering what size are the legs on your table - I can't tell if they are 4x4s...which is sort of what I'd like to have on mine. And they are under mounted, which I love because I want to make ours with the ability to remove the legs for reduced storage space in the winter. If you could would you mind putting a few close up photos of how the outside corner came out and the underside of the corners. It would be much appreciated.

In reply to by K_W (not verified)

Finns-Dad

Sat, 04/14/2012 - 13:35

Hi - sorry it took a little while to get back to you. Yes the legs are 4x4's. I used knotted cedar 4x4's for the legs and made them 29" tall. I wanted to be able to disassemble the table and put it away for winter, so I attached the legs using carriage bolts, 2 per side (4 total per leg). I drilled holes using a pilot bit, then used a spatter bit to make the larger holes for the carriage bolt.

I didn't bother to counter sink them, but if I made another I think I would try that to make a more polished look. The legs are sturdy, the table doesn't wobble at all, but I am sure that someone with more furniture building experience might have a different/better idea.

I've added a couple more photos showing the corners, outside and underneath. I've also added my very basic plans that I used to make the table, one of these days I will study Ana's post of how to use sketch-up, until then this is what I worked with.

Joni

Wed, 06/06/2012 - 09:26

Can you tell me what size (width) boards you used on the frame pieces of the table, and what size on the inner boards? From your diagrams, it looks like the frame is made of 1x4s, but the inner pieces look smaller. Thank you !!!

Your table is absolutely beautiful. It looks like a very high-end piece of furniture. One of my favorite things is how the carriage bolts are installed -- I wouldn't change a thing on them!

In reply to by Joni

Finns-Dad

Tue, 07/30/2013 - 16:36

Sorry it took so long to reply - I didn't see your post. So far the table is holding up well.

You're right, the top is made from 1x4's, including the inlaid slats. To support the top, I cut 1x4's down to 1x3's so they remain hidden by the side 1x4's of the frame.

Aussie Paul (not verified)

Tue, 10/16/2012 - 18:02

Love the table - looks absolutely fantastic! I have been looking for a decent square outdoor table for ages and this one certainly fits the bill.

Can you please add a photo of the underside of the table and advise how you fastened inner boards on table top. Thanks.

In reply to by Aussie Paul (not verified)

Finns-Dad

Tue, 07/30/2013 - 16:40

I added a new photo of the bottom. Hopefully this will help show how I attached the top. I have a number of additional photo's I can send to you if you like - this site limits the number of photos I can add.

Everything is attached from the bottom to hide the screws. I used a kreg jig and it helped so much - i really recommend it.

Belmo

Wed, 08/14/2013 - 12:35

I love the look of this table, man - I think I'm gonna steal some ideas from this.

I have a question about your top, though. The slats look to be 1x4s, which I can understand, but the edges seem to be a bigger size.

Did you use 1x6 boards for the edges? 1x8s? Something else?

Thanks for your help.

Finns-Dad

Mon, 09/02/2013 - 11:03

Thank you - please take any ideas from it that you can. That is what I love that about Ana's site. You can take these great ideas and make them fit your own style...

You're right - the table top is made of 1x4's and 1x6's. When i put the top together I made the frame first. Then I added the exterior 1x6's. Next I added the center 1x6. Lastly I cut each 1x4 to size and added them.

livingston.140

Sat, 05/17/2014 - 07:15

This is an amazing table, it is beautiful! I am somewhat new to wood working and was wondering if there was a material list? I plan on creating this in AutoCAD first, so I have a visual to work off of. Also what did you use for spacing in between the boards or what was the allowance of space.

Thanks again, your work is beautiful!

livingston.140

Sat, 05/17/2014 - 07:15

This is an amazing table, it is beautiful! I am somewhat new to wood working and was wondering if there was a material list? I plan on creating this in AutoCAD first, so I have a visual to work off of. Also what did you use for spacing in between the boards or what was the allowance of space.

Thanks again, your work is beautiful!

leitaf

Wed, 04/22/2020 - 20:37

In looking at the plans and the underside of the table, there are some measurements missing that make it a little hard to decipher. It would be good to know the lumber sizes e.g. 1x4x8 etc. the underneath side seems to have some additional boards that don’t seem to be in the drawing. I was just wondering if it might be possible to get some additional details?

@njhorseplayer

Sun, 05/24/2020 - 08:05

This is a beautiful table and I'm going to try and replicate in a rectangular version. Primary question I have is what length screws you used to affix the framing pieces underneath to the top side so that the wood doesn't split and that the screws don't pop thru the top. Any help you can provide would be appreciated, if even you still look at this page. Thanks in advance!

Glider

Submitted by Seansg5 on Sun, 08/09/2015 - 20:24

The bench was easy to build with great instructions. I had Home Depot make my cuts for this first project and then I went and bought a miter saw and other power tools for future ones. So much fun. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Cross35

Mon, 03/14/2016 - 08:35

Great work.  DId you do anything different to the swing itself?  How did you build the frame.  I'm looking to do this exact thing for my patio.  I don't have anywhere to hang the swing.

 

Thanks for sharing any info.

mbarland

Sat, 06/13/2020 - 16:54

Made the chair and then built the glider frame for it just eyeballing the picture. I can't figure out how to upload a photo of my design, but can try to describe it.

I made mine with a 4x4 on the base of each leg, but a 2x4 would work as well, it was just what I had on hand. The base board on each leg I made 48". From there I put two 48" vertical boards. The vertical boards were centered and from the front edge of the first board to the back edge of the second board. Two 16" boards were then used at the top and bottom of the vertical boards to hold them in place. Cap it off with a 30" board on top of the verticals. This is where you'll attach your eye bolts. I put both eye bolts 3 1/2" back from the front (a scrap of 2x4 works well as a guide). To join the two legs, I used two 52" boards on top of the base 4X4 of the verticals (one in front of the legs and one behind).

Modern Patio Chairs/Love Sear

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 09/25/2022 - 15:57

Super easy and fun project! We altered the original plans to build a loveseat and had zero issues. We did add some extra support below.
I did not find 25”x25” cushions within our price range so I settled for 25”x22.5” and they work but ultimately 25x25 works best.

Modified to fit an Earthbox and mounted to a bench

Submitted by BJ D on Wed, 04/18/2012 - 06:16

I took the design of the planter and stretched it to accomodate an "Earthbox" (which is 29 x 13.5x 11 inches) to see if I could boost the results of my little garden. Both planters were made the same size so that if I'd like, next season ,I can use two Earthboxes.

The bench was built to keep out bunnies, our Husky, give us a place to put down the bowl when picking from the garden and lastly to give Georgia a place to climb up and get a better view or help. It is made using some treated 2x6's for legs aand support and untreated 2x4's for the actual benchtop.

I'll add a protective finish (and missing trim on both ends) to the bench part later this week when I have some toddler free time at home :)

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

2x4 outdoor couch

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 07/18/2020 - 18:46

I used cedar and added the extra boards so the cushions would stay put. We also made the arms 2x6 boards so we wouldn’t need end tables for the couch. The plans were super easy to follow. I mostly used pocket holes so the screws wouldn’t be visible. Love how it came out! Thank you for the plans, Ana!!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Nothing yet. Deciding on whether to let it grey on its own
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Chicken Coop

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 07/10/2022 - 12:26

Great for a small flock of 5 or less.  

Comments

Seasonal And Holiday

Easy Build Fence Picket Planters

Submitted by vendo on Thu, 05/11/2023 - 12:14

I've been wanting to build this plan for quite some time! Took me about 2 hours to build and 1 hour to finish. Giving these as gifts for Mother's Day! Total cost was about $15 per planter. I scaled down the design after I found the plants I wanted to put in them. Ana has the best and easiest plans!

 

 

Seasonal And Holiday

Two Story Rabbit Hutch

For my first woodworking project, I foolishly decided to build a rabbit hutch without plans for my daughters new Easter Bunny. So I literally scratched some ideas on my wood working bench and started going to work. I did some construction over a decade ago, but never attempted to build any furniture before, so I'm pretty happy with how this came out.

I spent a few days researching various rabbit cages and for our place we needed something that was ascetically pleasing and functional as it was going in our living room. I got some ideas from the web and decided the best thing for us would be to have an entry ramp, 2 sets of barn doors for each level (for easy cleaning) and an open roof. We went with linoleum floors since she's already litter trained. The floors could easily be modified to add 1/2" wire mesh if we decide to change things down the line. Also, we chose an espresso finish with silver hardware to accent the wire mesh

I pretty much crashed and burned on the staining as I've never done that before, but it ended up looking ok after all. I did a light sanding, but will probably invest in a planer and jointer to get my wood in better shape before assembling in the future. Also, I'll probably lightly dab some stain on ends of wood before final assembly as it made it difficulty trying to hide the white pine with the dark stain.

Other cages I saw ran around $200-$350.00 so i don't feel so bad about the cost. It's really the time that it took learning and making mistakes. I'm sure if I had plans I could of cut my time in 1/2.

Total Cost came out to around $150.00 but probably would of been cheaper if I had some plans to go by. I probably wasted a few 2x2s and accidentally mis-cut a scrap piece of 1/4"plywood which added another $16.00 to the bottom line.

Here's a breakdown of my total cost.

Hardware - $30.00
Includes 5 latches, 4 sets of hinges (8 total) and a 3' piano hinge

Stain - $8.00

Linoleum Tile @ ¢.69 sq ft - $16

Brushes, Stain Rags - $5.00

Screws - $6.00

Wire Mesh Roll $30.00
Needed 2 rolls at $15.00 each. I used 1" Wire Mesh measuring 2'x15'

Total Wood $50.00-$60
I used 2x3's for the legs - 2 @ 8' - $2.00 each ($4.00)
probably 15-20 2x2's - $1.52 each - can't remember how many I used to be honest ($30.00)
and a few 1x6's for the Doors - $2.00 each ($6.00)
Sheet of 1/4 plywood - $12.00

Estimated Cost
$150
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

ashinshaw

Thu, 05/03/2012 - 08:09

I also have been thinking with the idea of building a two story hutch for our rabbit. I love your ideas so now i have a new project to work on. Thanks for sharing!

Nicolene (not verified)

Mon, 10/08/2012 - 12:46

I LOVE your cage! We have 2 rabbits and 2 Guinea pigs which means we have 2 ugly cages in our living room. We are planning something similar, but a bit bigger (but lower if that makes sense). And we'll put a 3rd story on for our Guinea pigs. So we have everyone on the same patch of real estate so to speak. I was going to do 3 solid walls with wire "windows" too keep all the hay, poops and such contained. I am also going to put lockable wheels underneath, so I can move it to my office if I ever need to (parties and renovations).

Is there anything that you can now think of that you would like to change on yours? R my research purposes.. :) It looks awesome, I'm just picking your brain for "hindsight" tips.

Best Chairs Ever!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 06/09/2020 - 18:16

I made these modern Adirondack chairs for our business in Anchorage. GREAT and easy to build design by Ana - we upgraded the arms to tapered 2x6 and they're awesome!

Potting Bench/Stand

Submitted by MikeO on Tue, 06/16/2020 - 09:58

Built this for my girlfriend's birthday present. Added a 1x4 backsplash and a 2x6 for the top shelf to give a little more shelf room instead of the 2x4 called for in the plan. Stained with Varathane "Vintage Aqua" color and then 3 coats of Helmsman Spar Urethane for outdoor durability. Set the whole thing on caster wheels (not pictured) so she can move around the deck as needed.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Varathane Vintage Aqua
Helmsman Spar Urethane
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Seasonal And Holiday

Rustic Round End Tables

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 05/19/2024 - 10:52

I used the End Table plans modified slightly. I cut all of the boards from a 10’ walnut slab. My wife Julie, and I finished them with Danish Oil. A great project; ready to start the next one!!

Stephen Russell

Workbench

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 11/22/2020 - 05:47

Thanks for the simple plans Anna, they worked out great!. I resized the table to make maximum use of the material, still within the same quantity you specified in your plans. I glued the legs along the lengths of the table, and kept the table top and shelf screwed in, for easy dismantling, if necessary.

Finally I added pop down heavy duty wheels allowing me to move the table (not shown in this pic) easily. When the wheels are not being used they pop up, making the table very stable. The height of the table is about 1/2” lower than the table saw, making it an ideal outfeed table as well.

Great design, and fun build.

Estimated Cost
Cn$148 (went with a finished 3/4” 4x8’ ply board)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
None
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Used 2X2s to support the wings.

I essentially stuck to the main plan - except to support the wings I used 2X2 boards and standard hinges.

I was worried that there may not be enough space for my Ryobi 10" sliding miter saw because of the slide however, it fits nicely and there is plenty of space.

Thank you for the wonderful plan. This was my first project of this size and I am very happy with the results!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
More than I expected. $39 for the plywood (sanded), $16 for the 4 hinges, $17 for the 4 caster wheels. The boards I already had.
Finish Used
None
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

jennibee

Fri, 05/01/2015 - 08:10

This is great. I am currently getting my Dad's help to turn an old kitchen cabinet into a miter saw cabinet with wings like this. (it was a 1940's solid wood kitchen cabinet we took out of the house when we remodeled). I really like your 2x2 support struts. Have you considered putting a shelf in the middle of your box? It would add extra support and also more room to store stuff.

richsessums

Sat, 05/02/2015 - 09:09

Good idea. I did consider adding a shelf however I have now decided to use the lower area to store my small router table. I discovered that it would fit in the spot however it leaves not enough room for a shelf.

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