Master Closet System
Followed plans with slight modifications:
1. Made shelves deeper but narrower
2. Used 3/4" Birch Plywood for all
3. Built no base just mounted to floor & wall
4. No drawers just shelving
Followed plans with slight modifications:
1. Made shelves deeper but narrower
2. Used 3/4" Birch Plywood for all
3. Built no base just mounted to floor & wall
4. No drawers just shelving
This took approximately a week to build, but was fairly simple. Drew arm rests freehand and applied 3 - 4 coats of Helmsmen.
Sat, 12/06/2014 - 12:27
I built this at the local college woodshop and I am very happy with how it turned out. Our comminity is so very lucky to have a community college that has a wood shop and a huge spray booth. (Wood Shop 1 & 2 as well as Cabinet Building 1 & 2)
So this was a really fun project from start to finish, I wanted a storage bed with a place for my son to showcase his Super Hero collection!
The concept of hidden boot storage at the back is genius!!! I knew as soon as I saw your plan that I needed that in this space! Thank you so much for what you do!
Fri, 01/22/2021 - 11:42
May I ask how you would assemble if you wanted the hinge in the back as in this picture?
Thank you.
Wed, 08/25/2021 - 04:51
Hello, can you tell me how to find the plans for the Mudroom Closet makeover? I’m interested in doing the one pictured on this page.
Thank you
Unfinished pine bathroom tower shelves. I assembled all pieces with kreg jig and pocket hole screws. It was a quick and easy project.
A friend wanted a T-shaped desk, but I couldn’t find plans for it, so I was inspired by these plans to build this!
Tue, 12/28/2021 - 14:22
Do you have plans for this desk? I want to make the t shaped desk and I have been looking for something like this. I love how you modified it
I had my nephew build this outhouse for our new 70 acre lot - no neighbours in sight so I had him put in an acrylic window (with a view). I left off the deck and had him put the boards tight together so 'critters' didn't get in as easily. I made a sign for above the door - 'Waste Management' for a touch of humour. The plans were easy to follow and I love it. Thanks, Ana.
Thu, 04/20/2017 - 16:45
So excited to see this one built! Your nephew did a great job, love the window in the back!
I mostly followed Ana's plans but used 1 5/8 screws and had a problem with wood splitting so for the ceder I used a finish nailer instread which worked great. I also painted before nailing the ceder pieces so they would really stand out and I also cut a few inches off the front ceder piece as I think 5.5in is too high and covers too much of the entrance.
I have built some other stuff before, but not with paint and sanding and such. It was definitely a great learning project. There are imperfections, but it's a toy, so kids will be having fun and that is all that matters.
Mon, 02/07/2022 - 20:12
Did you attach the landscape fabric to the bottom of the side boards? Looks great.
I made these for my Mother's Day present to myself. I painted them the color of Carrots and Lettuce. Working on the third one titled "tomatoes today." Easy to build, fun and quick....
Sun, 05/19/2013 - 18:38
Love the colors! What a good idea! They look wonderful!
THE MOTIVATION
After a recent washer outage (that I was ultimately able to repair myself), my wife and I talked about eventually replacing our front-loading washer/dryer set. One of the bullets I hate biting is paying the exhorbitant prices for the matching pedestals for new washer/dryer sets.
Having just bought a good set of cordless powertools, and having watched my father when I was a kid build countless household fixtures, window dressings, furniture pieces, etc., I decided to try my hand and construct a permanent platform for our current washer/dryer set, thereby eliminating the need to ever buy manufacturer pedestals again.
The existing pedestals were a standard 15" high, with a storage drawer, which we felt was still not high enough for comfort. And, the washer pedestal drawer was entirely inaccessibl due to the 2" walls on the washer drain pan, so its drawer was totally useless, wasted space.
And, lastly, we really wanted more space for clothes baskets full of laundry, which we generally stacked (full and haphazardly) on top of the machines.
THE CHALLENGES
The largest challenges were mainly logistics, and gravity. The washer/dryer would have to be unavailable for at least 2-3 days while they sat disconnected in the next room waiting for their new home. So I coordinated with the family so they'd know when they needed to have their laundry done, or tough it out until I was done.
There was no way to know for sure what the drain connection for the washer pan looked like until I got the washer out. So it was a small gamble that I'd be able to get the parts needed to extend the drain pipe up to the new platform right when I was ready for them. Fortunately, this was no issue at all.
The biggest challenge turned out to be toward the end when it came time to lift our 230-lb. washer onto the new platform. I seriously considered disassembling the washer to the point that I could remove its molded concrete counter-weights, but instead (and arguably stupidly) elected to use a large hydraulic car jack to raise the washer. This ultimately worked, but I have to STRONGLY ADVISE AGAINST trying this.
THE SPACE
Our laundry room is also the "mud room" between our kitchen and the garage. It is only large enough for the two machines, and the walk way between the two doors--in total, about 70.5" square. Building the platform from wall-to-wall made the most sense, and minimized framing by fastening edge framing directly to the wall studs.
THE PLAN
Pretty basic: 2x4's all around for the edge framing--back and sides fastened directly to the wall studs, and front 2x4 supported by two, notched 4x4 legs. 3/4" plywood for the subsurface, and 1/4" laminate faux-wood flooring on top (left over from reflooring, so it matches the floor below). Bore holes for the washer pan drain and the dryer vent. 1" quarter-round molding on the sides, and 5.5" face piece flush with the top of the molding across the front (spare lauan I had looks perfect). I also made a point of putting the machines on the platform before the face piece since it might have been in the way or damaged.
Anyone will tell you that it's best to at least sketch out what you want to do so you can minimize surprises, forgotten parts, etc. I, of course, did virtually none of that, and made several course changes and corrections along the way. For this project, I was lucky that I didn't need to backtrack at any point, and probably won't learn this lesson any time soon anyway. However, you SHOULD.
TAKE-AWAYS
The main mistake I made was while gathering the platform dimensions for cutting the plywood. It was only blind luck that kept me from having to do it more than once (and having to buy more than one 4x8 sheet). I know that it's actually very unlikely that two adjacent walls are perfectly square, so I made a point to measure the width between the walls at the back and at the front--and, sure enough, found a 1/8" difference--wider at the front. But when I measured and marked the plywood for cutting, I measured both distances from the precut edge, and then cut. By doing this, I inadvertently assumed that one of the back corners was perfectly square.
What I should have done was used a carpenter's square in each back corner to extend a square line from the back edge to the front, and then measured from the square lines to their respective side wall. This would have accounted for neither back corner being square.
Fortunately, my mistake wasn't big enough to keep the plywood from fitting, but it was very, VERY close.
GIDDY
I honestly couldn't be happier with the finished project (or more smug). We've raised the washer/dryer 9" higher than they were (24" off the floor), and we now have basket storage underneath all the way across. I placed two 24" plastic cabinets on top, which still leaves room for the detergent right over the soap inlet on the washer.
And, most importantly, I got to use every powertool I own. Kinda beats "the quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog" thing, huh?
Fri, 04/17/2015 - 19:54
Thanks for sharing the ins and outs of your project! Looks great!
We wanted a bench for our daughter for our front porch, both for sitting and for storage of her rain boots, outdoor toys, etc. I'm definitely a beginner woodworker so I wanted something easy I could tackle in a couple of days with only basic tools, so I chose the Kids' Country Bench project. I liked the version posted here by a user named Jenny Anne, who modified the bench to make three cubbies rather than two on the bottom shelf, so I did the same thing.
It was easy, and the bench turned out great! I used no power tools except for a cordless drill to do the 40+ pilot holes & woodscrews. I don't own a jigsaw and I want to learn hand tools anyway, so I used a coping saw (a kind of miniature hacksaw) to do the curved cuts on the trim & the legs, and used heavy-grit sandpaper to smooth out the wobbles (there were a lot of wobbles).
For the rest of the cuts I used a Japanese-style pull saw (a cheap one from Ace Hardware). Cutting all the boards to length with a handsaw was probably the hardest part, and I had a tough time truing the edges. Next time I would probably use a miter box and miter saw to get perfect 90-degree angles, but I got better as I went along, and was able to finish the edges pretty well with a wood file and sandpaper.
I wanted to stain it a deep red color, but my better half insisted on a clear stain, so I used clear Polycrylic, four coats on the top & outsides, and three coats on the inner & undersides.
The bench feels pretty sturdy and is definitely strong enough to take my 3-year-old's weight. The trim on the front and back acts as a brace, so it's got some structural integrity. I don't know that I would trust it to hold an adult's full weight for very long -- I probably won't be dancing on it or using it as a stepstool or anything, but for a kid's bench it's solid and level.
The whole build probably took me four sessions in my "workshop" (i.e. my basement), at probably 2-3 hours per session. With woodworking it's definitely true that you learn by doing -- I gained confidence as I went along and am excited to try some more advanced projects!
I used Ana's tilt out trash bin plans to help me build this fabulous center for use in my kitchen. I love the way it turned out!
Sat, 04/18/2020 - 19:04
Can i get the dimensions from you? I’m wanting to create the exact same thing with two bins and drawers.
Hi Ana, I recently made two of your posts. First, the 2”x4” hall tree and then the house number planter. We found some unique hooks at Hobby Lobby for the hall tree. This is great to keep the kids’ backpacks off of the floor. On the house number planter I stained it with Antique Beige, but is more gray than beige. I then put 3 coats of spar urethane on it to protect from the TX sun.
Sun, 12/26/2021 - 17:58
Those are both great, thank you for sharing! I will need to check out that Antique Beige finish, just gorgeous~
This rustic modern version of a pub table has multiple uses - it can rest along a wall to make a 16 foot long bar, or rolled together to form an 8 foot long pub table. It is standard counter height 36" and will accomodate seating for 8-10 counter stools. If you don't have live edge wood slabs, you can also use construction lumber (2x8s or 2x12s) to achieve similar dimensions and versatile use in a more cost effective way.
Fri, 07/31/2015 - 04:10
Awesome idea! I think I will have to try for a dining table version of this table. Do you happen to have a way to lock the 2 pieces together?
We had a very limited area for these to fit, so my hubby had to change the dimensions to fit these square baskets. We needed enough spots for our family of 10! I LOVE THEM, thanks; Ana!
Wed, 01/11/2012 - 14:53
We are going to have to turn the baskets the same way due to the space in out laundry room. Do you happen to remember the dimensions of them? Thanks.
Thu, 02/09/2012 - 07:08
Do you have the dimensions for the square baskets? These would work much better in my home.
Tue, 02/14/2012 - 16:42
We did something similar when our family was 8 (6 foster children). We bought 4 baskets (2 people per room) and then just had them on regular shelves. I LOVE the look of these! Unfortunately baskets give out over time and I can't ever seem to find baskets that once again are the same size as previous baskets. Did you order the baskets on-line someplace that you can consistenly get the same size for when the baskets wear out?
Wed, 02/22/2012 - 12:35
I have all the same laundry baskets that I bought at wal mart for like 3 or 4 bucks a piece. I would think that just meausring out the size according to the laundry baskets would work out fine! they have never stopped selling the ones that I buy, i find them at every wal mart I go to
Thu, 03/08/2012 - 05:13
Seriously? $50 for these plans. Get real. Fine woodworking plans don't cost this much. Take some wood, make a box, and put slats in it to fit the baskets. The entire set wouldn't cost $50!
Thu, 03/08/2012 - 06:18
The plans are free. The build costs $50. See the plans on the link above the cost.
Thu, 03/08/2012 - 07:50
Thanks David. Didn't read well as you can see. My mistake, and apologies.
Sat, 03/17/2012 - 20:54
once again can anyone please give the measurements for this square basket design and the basket model number as well. i am very challenged when it comes to building things, but with the idea of home depot doing the cutting i think i could manage if i had the measurements. i need the square size to work for my space though. thanks in advance.
Sun, 04/01/2012 - 09:18
I have tried clicking on the link above the cost to get the Plans...however it brings me back to the ORIGINAL Plan rather than YOUR plan (skinnier and taller)...Im sorry if I am being dense but I would really love to get the dimensions of YOUR plan but am having trouble accessing them?? Help please!!
Fri, 04/20/2012 - 14:05
If you use the large wire baskets made by elfa they would not break like the plastic. The initial investment would be more but would save money over time.
Tue, 07/24/2012 - 04:34
Easy and awesome! My teenage children and I made these over the week-end! Super easy and great looking! Our first project was the laundry pedestal and these are a great compliment. We let Home Depot cut the wood due to time restraints and assembly was a snap! Thanks for the great family projects. My husband passed away in April and these projects have really helped us in the healing process (excellent for constructive bonding time).! Thanks again
I liked the variations of the simple table. Kept the same dimensions as the plan. Made chairs based on simple Harriet chairs
Added rolling casters to the plan. Also decided to go with one big drawer instead of two small ones. The top is made from pine 1x2's that I glued togeter and then sanded dow. Do yourself a favor and go through the plans and sketch out your own plan and wood requirements ahead of time. There are a few mistakes in the plan when it comes to your buy list.
I had been asked a few times for these plans, but as someone else posted a similar one, I'll just stick to a blog post for now and describe my differences. I made this shelving unit January 2010, just after I found out of I was pregnant with my third child, and it's been a lifesaver since then. I desperately needed a toy storage solution (and purging), as shown in the 'eek' kids closet below. I didn't like the shape of triangular Ikea ones, as they spanned more floor space than I cared to give up. Plus, I wanted a place to put *almost* all of my kids toys, so I wanted it to be tall. I'm so glad we did, since we've moved twice (also, 'eek') since than, and it's made packing and unpacking the kids toys super (SUPER) easy. At first, I was afraid that the kids would go crazy and just tear down every bin at once, but it hasn't happened yet. Unlike the other plan that was posted, I used white sliders that ikea sold. I'm not sure if they still sell, as I don't see them online. It cost an additional $24 (they were $1/2), but seemed worth the extra money. I didn't have a router and wasn't particularly confident with our table saw skills. Plus the Ikea version had some really thin areas that made me nervous that it would break easily. I tried to keep it easy and just had to line up and screw the sliders in. Now that I'm a little more confident with a table saw, I'd give the router style a-go. I used two sheets of cabinet grade plywood, each costing about $30. I ripped down some pine boards to cover the front edges, which made the unit look loads nicer. However, I wish I would have used maple, instead of pine as they got dented almost immediately. Not a big deal though. The three shelves were sort of an afterthought, but turned out to be great for puzzles and other type toys. I didn't use backing or cross supports initially, but put some in after we moved. You can see them in the last picture below. The heater in our temporary house caused the slightly-bent sides to become very bent sides. That caused the drawers would spontaneously fall out, which was always quite the shock and disappointment. I put in some supports in the back, which I wish I did initially as it would have made manufacturing easier. Also, If I were to go back, I would put one cross support in the front-middle, as the boards are so tall, it needs something to help maintain the shape in the front. I've found that even in a perfect fitting slider, really heavy buckets would bend just enough to flex out of them to crash... so don't plan on filling one of the large buckets with matchbox cars and sticking it on the top. Regardless, we've learned our lessons, made it work better, and has been a huge success in our house for a while now.
In reply to Very nice by Supermom77 (not verified)
Tue, 10/04/2011 - 19:42
Haha, I guess a little. Picking up when they aren't motivated is an ongoing battle. However, I did find having a specific place to put items with labels helped a lot, albeit with screaming. Actually the labels would probably be the best motivation of all of it.
The ideal is to have the kids only play with one bin at the time, but with more than one kid, that theory very quickly gets muddled... One child wants to play with one toy and one wants play with another, then "lego houses can't be broken down" and "polly pocket is using those blocks for the house" and so on. So it's more of a end-of-the-day(week/month/year haha) pick-up routine.
However, there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel. My oldest (almost 6) seems to have caught on that the faster she picks up, the sooner she can move onto other activities besides playing (coloring, playdough, etc.), and is starting to pick up as soon as she's done without us even asking. I think getting an allowance has also helped with that.
That was way more than I thought I was going to comment, but I guess it goes to show you should never ask a Mom her opinion on something, unless your ready for a lecture :)
Thu, 10/13/2011 - 21:44
I love that your labels have pictures on them! I thought I should have done that way back when since my children are too young to read. Easy to find and easy to put away. Good job, Mom!
After seeing the many posts on here about the great laundry basket dresser, my husband and I embarked on our first project. I knew I wanted the double dresser with the counter for folding on top. We love how it turned out! Since this picture, I have added shelves on the far left section. I also chose to use 1x2 for the slats instead of the "L" shaped pieces of steel.
Wed, 11/30/2011 - 05:42
Very nice blog!! I learned how to decorate site amazingly by visiting here. Informative, instructive and as a reader I enjoyed this post. See you on your next updates. :)
Comments
rhettar
Sat, 01/19/2013 - 04:43
There's stuff in there...
It's nice to see the closet system with actual stuff in it, so you can see how much it really holds. Good job!