Community Brag Posts

Easy Build DIY Planter Box

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 04/18/2023 - 07:46

I was looking for planter boxes for my front door and these were easy and super sturdy. I absolutely love them and how they enhanced this area! Thank you Ana for this simple yet impactful plan!

Comments

Seasonal And Holiday

Corner Cupboard, Corner Cabinet

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 04/15/2016 - 21:33

I saw the plans on Ana White website and and used them to put this together. I changed it slightly to fit my needs. I made this for my in-laws and it was a lot of fun to do. Hardest part was using blue tape on stain and paint.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
125$ includes four cans of Rustoleum White Satin primer and paint from Home Depot, hardware, and lumber. Measure twice Cut once and all will be well.
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Min wax Red Oak
Min wax satin poly
Rust oleum White Satin Paint and Primer
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

John's Washer/Dryer Pedestal

Submitted by coveyjt on Sun, 06/12/2016 - 10:59

The wife has a hard time bending down so she wanted pedestals for the washer and dryer.  The metal ones with a drawer were too tall.  I showed her Sausha's and she really loved that design.  I basically used the same construction plans idea from Sausha's project and some tips from Ryan's brag post.  But, I wanted to beef it up some.  I didn't like the L-bracket to attach the top and 4X4 legs.  It didn't seem sturdy enough for me.  I used my table saw to square the edges on the 4X4 posts and the 2X6 rails.  Then I used my Kreg jig and glued and screwed everything together.  I liked Ryan's trim ideas, so I used baseboard trim for the bottom and flipped it for the top trim.  I made a 1/2" lip so if it were to vibrate, the washer/dryer would not fall.  I put the trim on the bottom of the legs and was considering putting on the top but I put some different trim all the way around the bottom of the 2X6 rails.  The wife liked that.  I also added some carpet on the top to cut down on vibration and to help keep the units in place. I also put some 4X4 pieces of carpet on the bottom to keep the noise down and to help in moving it. I primed and used an gravity sprayer to paint it.  Then I put 3 coats of polyacrylic to help in cleaning and to cut down on scratches from the laundry baskets. 

laundry pedestals diy

Estimated Cost
150.00
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

zoolander

Wed, 06/29/2016 - 14:31

I think you could probably drive a truck on top of yours.  :)  I was a bit concerned about the strength of the construction when I first decided to build it, but I decided that since it would be stationary once I have it in place and the only force would be straight down, it would be fine.  Once I got it put together, it was actually sturdier than I thought it was going to be...from a horizontal force perspective.  Virtically, that thing could hold 100 washer/dryer pairs...the plywould would give out before the 2x4s and 4x4s would even budge.

Anyway, nice work!  I love the Kreg Jig...I need one of those. 

2x4 sectional outdoor sofa

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 05/12/2020 - 08:10

My first Ana White project. My friend Shelley and I are RN's, and she got me hooked on woodworking. I started with cushions from Lowes ( in the sizes that you recommended)to see if I loved the sectional for a few years. I loved it so much I decided to have custom Sunbrella fabric ones made. Even though the custom ones were more expensive, it has been worth it. They go perfect with my California Mission style home. Now I want to add the armless one and make it a U-shape. I did add a piece at the bottom back of each sofa to hold the cushions in. The seat cushions would slide out the back when sitting on the sofa. I made the coffee table to match. Our family loves it!

Estimated Cost
building materials for sofa $250. Custom Sunbrella Fabric cushiosn $2000
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Stained with Carrington Minwax and sealed with spray Shellac
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Hidden Desk

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 10/08/2016 - 12:24

I shrunk the size and dumbed down the plans to fit my skill level.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
175
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Walnut
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Texastia

Mon, 10/10/2016 - 09:08

I love what you did! It looks so great! I prefer this style, which is more simplistic than the other. Great work!!

 

Jessi_ites

Tue, 10/11/2016 - 14:56

Thanks! I wish I would of set up an account before I posted so I could get notifications.  I honestly didn't think anyone would notice it :)

Jessi_ites

Tue, 10/11/2016 - 14:58

I am so excited that people noticed this :)  Is there any way of putting this under my account?  I didnt make an account until today and I would like to get notifications.   I have my project on my facebook page and can prove that I made it with other pictures. Thanks!

crstorm

Mon, 01/20/2020 - 07:44

I would love to see this in a farm-house (rather than rustic) aesthetic along with drawers under the seats for extra storage. Maybe on casters with a fold up extension on the other side? So many ideas running through my head with this!

Cute DIY Pallet Potting Bench

Submitted by shampbel on Wed, 09/12/2012 - 20:33

Made from 2 pallets, 2 x 6 x 8, leftover trim from my house, wood branch from my backyard. Attached shelf with pocket holes.

Accents:
-Handpainted lettering; painted prior to glazing entire piece
-Finials made from 4.25 inch spray painted and glazed clay pots and saucers coated with Valspar clear finish and attached together with epoxy; buttons attached to pots with E6000 adhesive
-Buttons attached mostly with small screws; a few with holes too small for screws were attached with epoxy
-Plastic flowers made from mayo and water bottles and lids; sanded, primed, spray painted, coated with Valspar clear coating; attached with screws
-Faucet knobs sanded, spray painted, glazed and attached with screws
-Plumbing pipe filled with plumber epoxy puttty; insert screw into putty before it hardened, then screwed into wood
-Gardening tool hooks made from pant wire hangers with a few beads attached; wire simply wrapped around tree branch

Not sure that I will use pallet wood again since difficult to pull apart pallets, uneven and some split boards could not be used, and required tons of sanding for those boards that could be used. I think I paid more for orbital sanding pads than the cost of buying new wood. Will use pallet wood for other non-furniture projects not requiring a perfect finish.

Estimated Cost
$40.00
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Kids distressed with hammers, sanded with 80 grit, Kilz Primer (1 coat), Sherwin Williams Exterior White Latex Paint (1 coat), Behr Glaze tinted with Brown Latex, Spar Urethane (3 coats)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Simple Bird Feeder

Submitted by mtairymd on Thu, 12/29/2016 - 12:58

This is a simple project for the beginning woodworker. There are a variety of bird feeder designs available on the web but I wanted to try something a little different. Anyway, this is my try at a simple bird feeder.

Build Instructions:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Simple-Bird-Feeder-1/

Estimated Cost
$10
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Paint for pillars and perch
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Easy, cheap garage shelving

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 03/23/2017 - 20:12

I used 1x3 box pine instead of 2x4's for the bits that things sit on, and everything fits perfectly.

Originally I was planning on a 3.6m long x 0.6m deep X 1.8m high shelf.  At the lumberyard I found out that 2x4's came in 6m lengths as standard, so I adjusted this to 1.5m high instead, which worked out fine as I think 1.8m would have been a bit tall to get heavy things on top of.  Luckily for me my power points and light switches were just under this, which I didn't think about at the time!

Originally I was going to try and cut grooves for the 'rungs' of the ladder frames to slot into, hence the insets at the bottoms of the legs.  I think that the glue-and-screw construction will be plenty strong enough, though.

This took me about 4 hours to put together, and cost about NZD$170 all up, which is about USD$120.

I've got the bug.  Making things is awesome.

Estimated Cost
USD$120
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Frosty Garden Greenhouse

It was truly great for us to find a greenhouse design from a fellow Interior Alaskan blogger. We kept coming back to this design, enough times to where we decided to actually build it.

We would be the first to admit that tackling a gambrel style building was slightly intimidating and not what we had in mind for our very first self-built building! But, we faithfully followed the cut lists and directions. It turned out beautifully! If you're in the same boat, have confidence that you can build this too!

We love the options available for making it your own. We decided to stain the greenhouse lumber of ours to match our cedar sided home. We also built a semi frost-resistant foundation, since we're a little north of Ana at 65 degrees and sometimes experience frost heaving. We also added full climate controls to ours, adding both fans and louvers that keep our greenhouse at perfect temperatures.

The performance has been great! Building this greenhouse has been the single greatest thing we have done in our years of subarctic gardening. We might even consider building a second greenhouse down the road. No matter how big your greenhouse is, it's never quite enough!

Thanks for the great plans, Ana! We appreciate your work!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$2400
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Transparent cedar stain
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Outdoor Sectional

Submitted by jwhipp on Thu, 04/11/2013 - 11:38

We followed the outdoor sectional plan from Ana Whites blog to create this outdoor sectional. First we bought the cushions and custom built this sectional to fit the cushions. We used 2x4's and the kreg jig for pocket screws, then covered the base in beadboard and some pine trim, gave it a good sanding and a nice paint job.

Estimated Cost
900
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
bead board and pine trim
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Juanita_r

Thu, 04/11/2013 - 15:12

I just want to curl up there with a book and spend the day on that lounge, so pretty & inviting. where did you get the base and back cushions, they are a great colour?

jwhipp

Fri, 04/12/2013 - 05:46

Thanks! We built the frame according to Ana's design (customized dimensions for our cushions) and then covered the base in bead board and used pine trim around the edges. The cushions are from the Frontgate Outlet in Cincinnati.

Our Greenhouse:)

Submitted by lmckinney on Thu, 06/06/2013 - 19:43

Your plans made this project so much easier. We love it and have gotten a lot of compliments for it.

Estimated Cost
1000.00
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Joni

Fri, 06/07/2013 - 12:42

This is amazing! All of your finishing touches make this really special. I love every detail.

Kirsten.dehart

Sun, 05/01/2016 - 17:43

Do the gable style roofs and greenhouse panels hold up in a climate for heavy snow loads??

 

Thanks!

Sandbox (plus stage and puppet theatre)

I started with the original plans for the sandbox with the benches, and then just sort of took off with the modifications.

When it's open, it's a 4'x6' sandbox with a bench on one side and a canopy overhead. When it's closed, it's a stage complete with curtains, or can also convert into a puppet theatre.

I had to make several adjustments to the original plan to allow for enough support for the stage to be walked (and danced) on, including an extra armrest in the bench, and a few blocks built up from the base of the sand area. I also used 1x6 boards for the top instead of 1x4, to cover the entire 4' with only the one bench.

Thanks so much for the plans, my girls love it! (and thanks to KnittingEmily for posting the plans for the 6' sandbox, which gave me a jumping off point for the sizing I used.)

The story of how I built it can be found here:
http://www.thislemonyogurt.com/a-box-of-sand/

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

Comments

Lasso the Moon

Fri, 06/28/2013 - 07:51

Oh, this must seem magical to those little ones. It looks like so much fun. Great job!
Anna

Cedar Planter Boxes

Submitted by KaityJene on Wed, 07/17/2013 - 19:59

They were simple to make and the plan was easy to follow. The only modification I made was adding the 1x3 topper in place of the longer legs sticking out of the top.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$23
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Thompson's Water Seal which I just brushed on using a cheap paint brush.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Debi G

Fri, 07/19/2013 - 06:36

Adding these to my to-do list for spring (yes, I plan ahead). I'm thinking of elevating and elongating them to fit around a bay window.

Black and White Beam Table

Submitted by Landers15 on Tue, 01/15/2019 - 12:38

I have to shorten the design up a bit to fit my dinning room. I also did Epoxy Resin on top to give it the glass like appearance.

 

So ebony stain on white pedistole with an Epoxy Resin finish.

 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Lumber $80
Stain/paint/aprasives $30
1 gal Epoxy Resin $80
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
White paint, ebony stain,and an Epoxy Resin Finish, which took 5 days alone.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Double Loft Bed

I saw the idea for this bed on Pinterest originally. It linked to a blog that had the step by step plan (http://www.thehandmadehome.net/2011/08/how-to-build-a-loft/). However, I would have never even approached the idea or project without a few of Ana's plans under my belt first. I have gained so much confidence in my building on this site, and will always be a HUGE fan here :) Thank you Ana for all the fantastic plans you continue to share!

I still want to finish out and make the under bed area more fun and creative with curtains and such, but we LOVE having the full floor in the room for our play area. My boys absolutely love their bed!!

Estimated Cost
Less than $150 (a little higher than usual because of where I live)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
The hardest part about this project was lifting the bed platform up onto the legs in order to secure them in place. We built it with very little room to spare against the wall, and it made it very tricky to get up into place with some of the window frames and such. Be sure to have friendly neighbors or friends helping out when you get to that part, and lift with your legs...not your back ;)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

sgilly

Wed, 10/02/2013 - 13:07

I'll bet the boys are thrilled with this. It's great to have that extra play room!
I am curious, though, how the center of the loft bed is supported.

In reply to by sgilly

exuma_momma

Wed, 10/02/2013 - 18:38

Hey Sue, I went and found the old link to the plans for this and added it to the brag post. Or here it is also: http://www.thehandmadehome.net/2011/08/how-to-build-a-loft/ Underneath is a bunch of 2x4's spaced to support the platform, but the big 2x8's are the main strength. They are monsters! We've had a bunch of kids and adults up there for story time, and never once has it felt unstable or wobbly. Hopefully the link will help. It has way more photos that I have here.

bhoppy

Thu, 10/03/2013 - 16:24

Reminds me of the bed my dad made for my sis and I when we were little:-) SO sweet!

Ramholmes

Thu, 07/28/2016 - 15:47

I am going to attempt to make this bed in a couple of weeks for my daughters. The handmade home directions only show the rope ladder. We want to make the ladder similar to your pictures above. Could you tell me how you made yours please and thank you?

Factory Cart Coffee Table with Storage

I have been longing to make a factory cart coffee table for years after seeing one in a local antique store in Jacksonville Florida. I started by following the dimensions from Ana Whites table and then decided to make the table top with the ability to open up into storage. I followed the plans and updated with hardware that I (painstakingly) pieced together from various sites online. I love the industrial feel the cast iron hardware brings to this adaptation and cannot wait to start building matching end tables. Thank you Ana for the inspiration!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax provincial stain for the primary and minwax espresso to detail the distressing and edges. Finished with 4 coats of minwax water based polyurethane
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

jahnkekong

Wed, 11/06/2013 - 17:11

Could you share any details about how you finished the wheels? I have a cart I am trying to refinish but stalling out on the cast iron parts. I really don't want to paint them, and I don't want them to rust.

Just noticed the Kupo Nut reference! I love it!

In reply to by jahnkekong

TongueAndTeak

Wed, 11/06/2013 - 19:16

Thank you so much for catching the Kupo nut reference! Haha I only felt it was fitting to add a little nerd flair :) rust oleum has a hammered black paint that also doubles as a rust inhibitor so it worked perfectly to touch up the cast iron parts and keep that rustic feel to the hardware. I finished with a clear top coat as I'm sure that I will end up constantly kicking the wheels by accident haha.

Cyber Sapp

Wed, 12/04/2013 - 18:45

I know you mentioned it was painstaking to find all of hardware, but can you share where you found the front casters? Also how did you put your stamp on it? I'm knew to woodworking so please excuse my ignorance.

In reply to by Cyber Sapp

TongueAndTeak

Wed, 12/04/2013 - 19:18

Hi cyber sapp! I was able to piece them together from eBay and etsy items. I searched for key words: "antique cast iron caster" or "factory/industrial cart wheel" and you should be able to find ones that work. I held out for the best deals I could. Be prepared to search quite a lot if you want to find the best deal.
As far as the decal is concerned, I created the template on illustrator and used it as a template to paint the decal on. I checked online and saw a few examples of transferring images on to wood that will probably be easier than hand painting. Hope this helps!!

Cyber Sapp

Wed, 12/04/2013 - 22:25

Thanks for the update. I made one similar to your modifications. I'm using storage too, I will share once I get the soft close installed. I'm looking for something that want slam fingers when it is closed. I also used Walnut to build it. It is solid like a tank with the hardwood, but came out pretty good. I made a few minor mistakes and now want to make one closer to yours.

Mandymoochops

Mon, 12/16/2013 - 23:30

What an amazing job you did, I'm still holding out for my end wheels too and you are so right about search search search. It doesn't help being in Canada with shipping costing so much for these too.

Love love love, well done

TongueAndTeak

Tue, 12/17/2013 - 21:23

Thank you very much!! I do not envy you right now as the search took me forever to find the right wheel that matched one I already had. I have had good luck in the past asking eBay sellers about changing to flat rate shipping options. Not sure if they have that option for shipping internationally but it never hurts to try! Keep up the good fight as the wheels REALLY pay off in the end.

Farmhouse table

Submitted by AngelaJB on Fri, 05/08/2020 - 14:41

Prior to making this table I had never used a power drill in my life, and I was scared to death. I was intimidated by the power and scared to death to mess up, and in making this table I messed up A LOT! It was a big undertaking but I was determined. It’s rustic and authentic and full of mistakes and I LOVE IT!! Thank you Ana for modeling how to make such wonderful things. Up next is the raised flower bed.

Estimated Cost
$60.00
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Dark walnut
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Modern Outdoor Chair

Submitted by msnook on Mon, 05/11/2020 - 09:10

This is my first project. I loved how easy it was and I loved my husband’s reaction to the completed project.

Estimated Cost
80
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Behr Semi Transparent Stain in Sable
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

cypress providence table for screened porch

Provence table knockoff from restoration hardware (aka: providence) with 4x4s and providence benches

table modified to 90 inch length, benches to 42 inches

used lag bolts with a washer on 4x4's that show, kreg pocket screws everywhere else

note: the free-diy plans listed last have an issue with the table height. It came out 1 1/2" too high, so we made a change that I like better: we modified the table top to have a 2x4 skirt held together with kreg pocket screws that drops over the 2x4 frame above legs. we left about 3/8" gap between the skirt and framing so the framing would fit in easily. The top actually just sits on the frame so it is possible to move it in two pieces. It is so heavy and stable that we didn't worry about screwing it together.

we love it! perfect for 2 families to eat dinner together. my husband calls it Thor's table because it looks so tough.

Estimated Cost
330
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
I really wanted it to look old but hold up to my kids and the weather, so I used a chemical aging process followed by antiquing oil (from minwax)


Chemical aging solution is white vinegar (large plastic jug from the grocery store which cost $1.87) with a ball of steel wool shoved in it. Let it react for a couple days. Then drench the wood surface while you wear gloves (use paintbrush, roller, toothbrush or best: a sponge). It makes rust spots, so use a drop cloth and wear old clothes. The color shows up in a few minutes. Kind of like magic paint :) next day oiled it, one coat everywhere except table top which got 2 coats. rubbed surface with a cloth a few minutes after applying oil. Think linseed oil would work just a well.

It came out dark and old looking, kind of a grey/brown color with nice wood color showing through. The table top has beautiful knots. Our porch will get a little wet in blowing storms plus direct sun for a few hours each day, so I didn't want to put wax on it (would melt) or a stain (would make rings from water if sealer failed). Think we might have to reapply oil every couple years which is no big deal. The cypress should hold up nicely outside. So far it has not made any spots or rings since the surface is already pre-damaged with the aging solution. I don't think you can hurt this beast of a table.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

spiceylg

Thu, 07/05/2012 - 11:35

This is gorgeous! I definitely prefer the chunkier leg you used and love the hardware showing as well. That was smart the way you made the top for easier moving, too. Great job! I think you should have added the link for the plans, this way your picture will always show up above the plans in order for everybody to see it each time. :)

Swing Slide Playset for Grandson

Submitted by shellyward on Wed, 05/20/2020 - 09:22

We are used to seeing our grandson every weekend but during the 2020 COVID quarantine we were unable to do so. Instead, we filled our time building him a swing set for our backyard. He loved it!! We are going to add more to the swing side but the hardware I want isn't available right now (apparently there is a lot of swing set building going on during this time). I look forward to many years of playing on this with our grandson and hopefully additional grandkids in the future... Our cost was pretty high mainly because our first round of lumber came from a local lumberyard that was willing to deliver within a few days (big box was going to take several weeks) and they had what is supposed to be higher end lumber (not sure I am convinced of that)....also, i chose some pretty expensive hardware (brackets) just for the added security.....

Estimated Cost
1800-2000
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
not done yet but will be staining/sealing when the wood is ready
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Seasonal And Holiday