Community Brag Posts

Parson desk - Modified bar height

This was my first project. I made it tall so we could work standing, and made it longer so that two of us could work at the same time. The top of the bench was made from 1" MDF to ensure that it wouldn't sag with the extra length.

I meant to put in an extra shelf on each side, but I forgot to get the extra cuts done at the hardware store (oops).It's hard to find a pocket hole jig in the UK, so I opted for a combination of countersunk screws and dowels.

Thanks for the plans, Ana!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
£80 (includes finishing and some tools)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
A coat of spray primer and two coats of purple eggshell finish Dulux paint, and it was finished.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Farmhouse Bed Mod

Submitted by adck9d on Thu, 05/12/2022 - 14:01

Took the Farmhouse bed model and incorporated a geometric headboard. This thing is heavy!

Comments

Board and Batten

Submitted by kelli224 on Sat, 08/06/2011 - 10:51

Board and batten makes such a huge difference in any room for very little money and I knew this is just what we needed for our very small but very tall half bathroom. We did have to modify our boards at the bottom and cut them at an angle to meet our baseboards but it is still perfect. Such an easy way to dramatically change a room.

Estimated Cost
$60
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Just a semi-gloss white to match the rest of our trim and doors in the house. The walls are Sherwin Williams Plum Dandy
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

Ana White

Sat, 08/06/2011 - 13:41

What a beautiful transformation! I went to your blog and loved how you've put aside a little money each month to improve your home. Beautiful photos too!

kelli224

Sat, 08/06/2011 - 13:57

Thank you, Ana! We wouldn't be able to stay on that budget if it wasn't for you and all of your ideas! You've really changed how things are done at our house. We no longer "have to buy it right now"...but take our time to see if we can do it on our own and make it ours. That is a very powerful thing!

debandtom25

Fri, 08/12/2011 - 04:41

My husband and I just had to build a few walls to cover in a new furnace and duct work. Neither of us wanted to deal with the mud, tape, and sanding that would surely follow. So I suggested that we do a paneling like yours. I used furring strips vs. typical pine or moulding. It looks great!

kboarderchick85

Thu, 08/18/2011 - 13:47

I loved the bathroom so I checked out your blog, We have a mudroom followed by a small bathroom and then a small laundry room. I love your mud room area and the stripes, we are totally going to use your ideas to spruce our place up!

DIY Bailey Dog Chair for Dogs with Megaesophagus

Hello everyone, today I’m sharing details on something I built recently: a Bailey Chair for dogs suffering from Megaesophagus.

Dogs with megaesophagus have an enlarged esophagus. This makes swallowing food difficult. Eating while in an upright position helps and the task of keeping the dog vertical is easier when the dog is sitting in a Bailey chair.

This blog post is less of a detailed how to and more of showing in progress photos. Adam, over at Lazy Guy DIY, has put together a great tutorial on how to build the Bailey Dog Chair. I followed his instructions with very few modifications.

CLICK HERE to read my build details and see more photos!

Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
clear spray
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Easy planter boxes

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/16/2023 - 11:39

Loved building these planter boxes!
I was able to use my laser to addd some personalization.
I also added small wedges at two levels in all four corners. This not only made it very sturdy but with a half lap “x” it creates two levels to pick from for different size pots

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Simple Outdoor Loveseat with Storage

Submitted by kareylynn on Wed, 10/19/2011 - 10:20

I added storage to the bottom of the simple outdoor loveseat by creating one big board from 2 2x6 boards for each of the front, back, and side aprons using my KregJig. Then I added cleats around the bottom for a sheet of plywood, extra cleats around the top edge for the seat, and put the hinge on the original seat support board.

Estimated Cost
$120 for the lumber and $300 for the cushions.
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Provencial stain with two light coats of Poly.
Recommended Skill Level
Advanced

Comments

Seasonal And Holiday

Patio couches

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 04/27/2023 - 19:14

This project was fun to build with hubby said the shopping list and the cut list was perfect! Love all your designs! King bed is next!

Comments

Seasonal And Holiday

Garden Potting Bench

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 07/02/2023 - 11:18

Potting bench. I had some pressure treated darker wood around and used that for the legs and frame. Pine for much of the rest. Stained the frame cherry. Polycyclic for the pine and the frame. Three times. Lots of compliments. Highly functional as well!

Football Lockers DIY

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 09/11/2023 - 11:27

Here are a few pictures of the football lockers I built for our school. I used your mudroom locker plans and changed the dimensions to accommodate the boys' football gear. It worked great! I built 6 sets of 4 lockers, for a total of 24 lockers. I also used one of your plans to build 6 benches for the fieldhouse. Three for the home locker room and three for the visitor locker room. Each locker is 30 inches wide and 6 feet tall. 

Melinda Glenn

Porch swing bed

Submitted by Beaulook on Tue, 01/28/2014 - 16:29

Started off with the original design but enlarged it to fit an oversize single mattress. The mattress cost me $35 from a local faith farm, while the materials came in around $200. I decided to hang under my backyard pergola. Fun and easy project.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$250
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Cedar stain
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

bhammond

Tue, 01/28/2014 - 21:10

Wow this looks so inviting I might just have to make one too! Nice work-- it looks great!

Shorty

Tue, 01/28/2014 - 21:26

Really great job on your porch swing bed AND an awesome looking patio/yard. Looks amazing all around!

Debbie Perkins

Mon, 07/27/2015 - 22:45

I want this!  I just made a couple of plant stands for my front porch.  My husband asked me what my next project was, why, a swing bed.  (This was only my second project!)  I want to put cup holders in those big ole arms!  We have a house at the beach in South Alabama, so, you gotta "hydrate."  This is an awesome swing.  I can't wait to do mine...pillows to rest on, one foot on the concrete pushing me in a slow swing. Cold beverage in my hand or in my cup holder. Yep, southern girl has a new project.  Love it!

Rustic Coffee Table Success!

Submitted by Esquared34 on Thu, 01/30/2014 - 19:57

The plans were pretty simple to follow, I did change the way I set the bottom shelf in because it wasn't very stable and I was worried it would eventually dip in the middle. I screwed some pieces of scrap wood onto the back to hold it together better and then built a ledge for it to sit on around the bottom. After that I screwed it into the and BAM.. much more stable..

Estimated Cost
$85
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Provincial for the top(two coats) and shelf with a semi gloss finish(3 coats). Glidden Buttermilk matte(3 coats) for the frame.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

bwardwell02

Sat, 09/06/2014 - 05:41

I would like to have the detailed plans for this too!! I have looked everywhere for the perfect coffee table for my screened in porch and here it is.... I'm so excited!!! 

Full/Twin Simple Bunk Beds

This is a Twin over Full Simple Bunk Bed for my girls who share a room. The bottom bunk leaves plenty of room for even adults to sit down without hitting their heads. We mounted Large decorative flowers on the railing to match the room just in case my daughter woke up in the middle of the night and decided to look over the edge. We were nervous she'd hit the ceiling fan and it's too hot in South Texas not to have ceiling fans. The flowers work perfectly in that area and she loves it. We pretty much followed the plans found here: http://ana-white.com/2011/01/plans/twin-over-full-simple-bunk-bed-plans. We have not added a ladder yet, but are thinking about it. On a side note, the girls like to mount blankets and cover the bottom bunk to create their "own" personal space/fort and it's pretty cool. Special note: Untreated wood for this project was hard to find. Only one of the local home improvement stores had it and it wasn't from a large chain.

Estimated Cost
300-400
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Karli (not verified)

Wed, 12/05/2012 - 17:12

Hi! Your beds turned out darling. Is your total cost guesstimate including mattresses or just cost of building? Thanks!
Karli

Podium for My Wife's Classroom

This is my first try at building furniture. I've built larger things in the past like decks and a fort for my nephews, but never furniture. Even though I used the plans to build the main box, I did change up the bottom and added some new stuff. I added wheels to the bottom my wife could easily move it around her classroom. I didn't want to put a square base on it because I thought it might hit her ankles when she was standing close to it. So I sort-of notched it out to give an opening for her feet and I used some scraps to create a short shelf at the bottom. I also added more trim that the plans call for. I cut strips of the pine plywood for the base molding and topped it with quarter round. I used corner trim for the front corners, the self inside and the bottom notched shelf. I also used screen trim for the back of it. I think it came out nice and I've very pleased with it. I used 2 coats of Minwax PolyShades American Chestnut on it.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax PolyShades American Chestnut
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Modern tree house

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 06/14/2020 - 11:24

I modified the modern tree house plan and added some safety features for young kids. I did a spiral up ladder enclosed with a mesh net so they can’t fall very far. I also added more siding and put cross bracing in window wells to limit opening size. Finally, a full porch style railing and the main support beams are pinned at one end and have a self designed treehouse sliding bracket to allow for tree movement in the wind.

Estimated Cost
$1500
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

kmccrac2

Sat, 10/30/2021 - 07:09

Hi! I know this post was forever ago, but this is exactly how I want the treehouse to be for the my kids! I am trying to see if there was anyway you could show me how you did the modifications! I’d be forever grateful!

$40 Ping Pong table top game

With Father's Day rolling in, my sons and I needed a gift, stat! My husband thinks that Table Tennis is the quintessential father-son activity, so that was an obvious choice.
We needed something easy to make, easy to store, and budget friendly. With a 6, 4, and 2 year old helping out, I made a foldable mdf ping pong table that could easily be placed on our picnic table outside.
We had home depot cut the mdf in half, primed it, taped off some lines, spray painted it with chalkboard paint (bonus, you can keep score!), and screwed 4 small hinges to attach the 2 halves. We added a removable table tennis net, some paddles and balls, and have played nearly every day!

Estimated Cost
$40
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Chalkboard spray paint
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

Simple Playhouse

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 07/27/2020 - 12:06

My first big project and my kids couldn't be happier. I'm pretty proud too, just don't take a square or level anywhere near it :)

Comments

Seasonal And Holiday

First Bed

After making the farmhouse table and bench I was excited to try a bed for my next build. I wanted something simple for my 5 year old son that wouldn't necessarily be outgrown in a year or two. I truly like the simplicity of this bed and the price point for making it was even more attractive. His entire bedroom is white furniture but I did not want to completely cover the grain of the wood. At the same time, I wanted to ensure this bed was going to match with the rest of his room. I decided to do a white wash finish and then a clear coat. It turned out perfect; matches his other furniture and still displays the wood grain. The bed was beyond simple to construct. I had two worries prior to starting the bed: the curve on the headboard/footboard and how sturdy the bed would be given how the rails attached to the headboard/footboard. For the curve on the footboard and headboard, I used a scrap piece of cardboard to trace a curve for half of the piece. Once I was happy with the curve I cut out the cardboard and transferred the curve to the headboard and footboard. I did half of the curve so I could guarantee each side would be identical and made it easy to have matching headboard and footboard. I intended on buying some hardware to make the bed more sturdy based solely on the plans. However, once I had the entire thing put together and I (6 foot, 200 pounds) got on the bed and moved around rather violently without any movement. since this bed is for my 5 year old, I have no worries about the structural integrity. For the whitewash finish, I simply mixed a couple ounces of spare white paint I had with water (1:1 ratio). I used a rag to rub the whitewash into the wood and ensure even coating. I completed the project with a satin polyurethane.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
I already had the screws, paint, and polyurethane. The wood was $54.88 before taxes in my area. Out the door for under $60 is a steal in my opinion!
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
I had some spare white paint and made some white wash with it. Simply mix water and paint (1:1) and wipe onto the wood with a rag. One coat of white wash was all that was needed. I did add a layer of satin polyurethane to ensure it was protected.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Tilt Out Wooden Trash Bin

Submitted by paigers01 on Mon, 01/09/2017 - 11:27

Tilt Out Wooden Trash Bin

After 7 years of our trash can sitting out in the open, my wife decided we needed to do something about it. I saw the plans for this tilt out wooden trash bin, and slightly modified it using tongue and groove for the face panel.

 

Estimated Cost
$50-$75
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax English Chestnut
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
Back