Community Brag Posts
Cat Tree/Condo
I always wanted a cabin-type cat tree where my cats could crawl in and feel safe, but still have a great view of the birds out of a window. I tried to draw my vision on paper, but that had a hideous result. Learning Google SketchUp (at least the basics) was an absolute necessity. I could never have built this without drawing it in 3D first, and seeing how the boards would connect, etc.
For the scratch pad, I built a frame out of 2x4s on top of plywood, covered it with carpet, and dropped the standard size scratch pad in place. This is the cat's favorite feature. I put barn doors on the window with tiny hinges so that I can close for added privacy. The tree sits against a window so that the back side is totally open. I made cozy zippered cushions for the platforms (that can be taken off and washed). I covered the carpeted areas with spare carpeting.
Comments
Fri, 07/12/2013 - 09:36
I love this
Would you mind sharing your dimensions for this? It is absolutely beautiful!
Sun, 08/25/2013 - 08:10
This is great!
Do you have the plans somewhere? I really want to build this (even got the okay from the hubby!) but I don't think I could do it without some serious guidelines...
Fri, 08/30/2013 - 15:55
Dimensions
First, sorry for the late notice; I just happened to look and saw the comments/questions.
I don't have plans...all I have is a google sketchup diagram that I created as a guideline for my construction (which is included in the photos), which is not to scale. Actual measurements are:
* Base (green carpeted base): 33.5" x 19"
* 4x4 legs: 35" tall
* 'Mezzanine' scratch pad level: 22" x 17.5"
* Mid-level base: 18" x 32"
* Enclosed cabin: 18.25" x 22.5" x 17" high
* Highest point: 56"
This has turned out to be a fantastic hit with the cats. They use all 5 levels, but the scratch pad and cabin are their favorite spots. If you need anything else or additional pics, please contact me.
Fri, 08/30/2013 - 18:15
Thank you!
Thanks for the dimensions, Joni! I'm trying to learn SketchUp so I can draw up my own plans, also. If I can't figure it out, I'll hand it off to my 12 year old, who is a pro at it (go figure). I know my cats will love it if I can manage to get it built!
Fri, 09/27/2013 - 10:15
we made one!
I used your pictures and diagram Joni and made one for my friend for her cats! I used 2x4's for the cabin which makes this thing so heavy but so sturdy! It holds my 60 lb child without budging... here's a pic of it almost done. My friend was not finished wrapping the posts with sisel rope though.
https://www.facebook.com/stephanie.brooks1975#!/photo.php?fbid=10151788…
Thu, 10/31/2013 - 14:30
That's AWESOME!
Bhoppy -- I looked at your cat tree on facebook. It's awesome! The sturdiness of it shocked me too. And I was initially worried that my cats might knock it down!!
The worst part of building it was getting that lower scratch pad level on straight with the 3 posts. I'd never want to do that again!
Thanks for sharing, Joni
Fri, 01/02/2015 - 01:18
Great Job!
Funny, almost every time I'm looking for ideas or inspiration when I want to build something, I end up back on this site. I was searching for pictures of cat trees and this was the only one that made me say "Holy crap, that's EXACTLY what I want!" My cat will love it!
Mon, 04/27/2020 - 20:41
Outstanding Tree/Condo!
Not sure if anyone is still around to see this, but I fell in love with this tree the second I saw it. Wondering if anyone created a detailed plan and might have it handy or possibly a detailed sketchup and wouldn't mind sharing the save file?
In the event nobody has either... I'm planning on having someone else build this for me as I don't have the tools nor skill to do it myself. I have a few questions:
1. The tree base/platform, what's a good recommended thickness?
2. The platform for the scratchpad... is there any certain reason it's so much thicker compared to the other platforms?
Thanks.
Sun, 09/12/2021 - 11:51
Reverse engineering
Reverse engineering this project, using just 2x4s. None of the photos show the undersides. How are the plywood pillow bases attached for the top and bottom of the cabin? and the base of the top viewing platform?
Sun, 09/12/2021 - 16:42
Stains do not exist
There are no Minwax water based stain colors with those names that I can find.
8x12 Shed
My new garden shed built from your premium plans! I'm 62, never built a shed before, and worked mostly alone. My sons helped with some of the wall and roof sheathing. In the end, I did everything except for the shingling. I painted it to match my house main color and trim.
The video is very helpful - I watched it several times. My major change to the plans was using Simpson Strong Ties and hurricane ties to secure the rafters to the ridge pole and the top plates. Otherwise, I used all other methods. I recommend cutting the front wall sheathing before cutting the panels for the doors. I do not have a trim saw and thought my standard circular saw was too heavy for me to make the cuts like Jacob did.
Comments
Tue, 06/13/2023 - 13:57
Amazing Shed!
Really impressive, thank you so much for sharing and good for you to just go for it!!!
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.
Catio heaven
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.
Comments
Wed, 06/09/2021 - 12:36
Thank you for sharing! My…
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.
Clubhouse based on Ana's Plan
I used Ana's plan as a base.
I changed it from 8x8 to 8x12, made the 4x4x8's to 4x4x10' for a higher main platform and swing platform, and added a 12' long monkey bar set to the other side. Also, an 8' climbing wall and a plank walkway to accompany the two slides.
For the clubhouse, I used Hardiplank 4x8 sheets for the siding and an EZ-Framer kit for the structure itself.
The slides I purchased from Lowes, monkey bars from Amazon, and the swing frame braces from Amazon as well. The swing kits I got from ebay.
Outdoor Sofa Mash-up
My wife loves the X pattern of the Weatherly Sofa, but wanted the tilted back from the Simple White Outdoor Sofa. This was our best of both worlds effort!
Comments
Tue, 06/11/2019 - 05:25
Can you share where you got…
Can you share where you got your cushions please?
Wife's Kindergarten Classroom
Been a while since I had time to actually build anything worth posting about! My wife wanted some items for her Kindergarten classroom this year, so built several items, most inspired by the Farmhouse family.
Comments
Sat, 06/29/2019 - 05:47
U-shaped table
I love this! Can you give me the plans and list of materials for constructing it?
Sun, 06/30/2019 - 12:33
I am also a teacher and…
I am also a teacher and would love to build this desk for my reading class. Do you have plans?
Mon, 07/01/2019 - 18:05
Classroom Table ❤️
I love this table for my classroom. Can you share the plans or the dimensions?
-Stephanie
Sun, 07/07/2019 - 09:46
Classroom Reading Table
I would love plans/dimensions for this! I was thinking I could also paint the top with wipe off board paint.
Sun, 07/07/2019 - 14:59
I would love to make one for…
I would love to make one for my classroom. Can you share the plans and materials list for this table?? Thanks!!
Mon, 07/08/2019 - 19:11
Dimensions? Love the table
I am looking to make this for my fourth grade classroom - can you provide the dimensions you used? Thank you so much.
Wed, 07/10/2019 - 11:59
Love this! I would love…
Love this!
I would love this for my classroom! Can you share the plans and materials.
Thank You!
Mon, 07/22/2019 - 18:25
Anyone have any luck with…
Anyone have any luck with figuring out the dimensions??
Thu, 07/25/2019 - 17:20
Has anyone gotten the plans…
Has anyone gotten the plans for this table? I have contacted Ana White and tried other ways also. I would love for someone to share.
Thank you
Teri
Mon, 08/19/2019 - 12:09
kindergarten classroom desk
I am guessing the corner posts are 2 x 4s, the top is 2 x 10s. It looks like the width is 6’ (looking at the floor carpet tiles being 24” square). So 2 - 2 x 10s side by side for the main part of the desk top and 2 - 2 x10s perpendicular on each side of the chair. I guess the height is subject to choice and the length of each side would also be subject to choice or to the length of the 2 x 10s to be economical.
an educated guess would be 4 - 8’ 2x10s for the top and 6 - 6’ 2 x 4s for the legs?
Anyone else have any input here? Open to suggestions.....
Chicken Run with Turkey House
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...
Laundry Sorter
My laudry never looked so good! I love these plans from shanty2chic and anawhite. I spent a few days in the garage building, and now, my laundry can be hidden away in any room of my house.
Thanks shanty2chic and anawhite for your excellent plans.
http://www.shanty-2-chic.com/2014/08/diy-laundry-basket-dresser.html
http://www.ana-white.com/2011/04/wood-tilt-out-trash-or-recycling-cabin…
Sandbox with cover that folds into seats
See more photos and details here https://instagram.com/tom_morgan_nc?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Custom Modern Chicken Coop
I made this coop twice as wide like Ana suggested since I have 4 chickens and wanted to make sure there was some extra wiggle room in case “chicken math” got the best of us. I made a nesting box to mount on the outside. I also used plywood for the sides like Ana did in the video. I installed a Run Chicken automatic door that opens at sunrise and closes at sunset. I added some hasps and clasps to make sure all my doors would close tightly. I put hardware cloth across the top before installing the roof panels. I stapled and buried hardware cloth around the perimeter for predator protection. I also spray painted the hardware cloth flat black so that it would be easier for us to see inside the coop. I stained the rest of the wood with Varathane Semi-Transparent stain, color “Carbon Gray.” I also added some roosts and cedar shingle siding for some extra protection during our New England winters at to match our house. Working 2-4 hours a day, off and on, with a bum shoulder and weak hands, this took me about a week! Thanks for the great plan, Ana!
Comments
L Shaped Patio Couch
One day project with hubby! Wanted a wood set, but couldn’t find a reasonable price. Bought tools, wood, supplies, and cushions for under the cost of one online!
Outdoor end tables
I made these two Ana White outdoor end tables for my patio. Next up will be the matching coffee table
Comments
Sun, 01/29/2023 - 16:04
Great little side tables!
Thanks for sharing, they will be a nice outdoor additon!
Large Old English Style Farmhouse Dining Table
My wife and I were wanting a large outdoor farmhouse table that looked stylish, and like it could have been bought at Pottery Barn or another high-end furniture store. We found this plan that Ana white had made "Small Old English Style Farmhouse Dining Table". We often host groups from our church and will have 15-20 people on our patio or around our pool area, so we needed a bigger table... I just made some modifications to make it longer (7ft) in length to better fit our space and allow for more people to sit.
To make this plan longer, I simply adjusted the cut-list on the long 1x2s, 1x4s, and 1x6; and added a crossbar to prevent the longer tabletop from sagging. I also added the diagonal corner struts to make the table a little sturdier.
Adjusted Shopping List:
4 - 1x2 @ 8ft
5 - 1x4 @ 8 ft
6 - 1x6 @ 8ft
Waterproof 1 1/4" Kreg screws (for outdoor use)
Minwax Weathered Oak
Minwax Vintage Grey
Adjusted Cut-List
• 2 - 1x2 @ 26.5"
• 2 - 1x2 @ 76.5"
• 2 - 1x2 @ ~33.25"
• 2 - 1x4 @ 26.5"
• 2 - 1x4 @ 76.5"
• 4 - 1x4 @ 7.25" w/ 45º miter (diagonal corner supports)
• 1 - 1x4 @ ~28" (Crossbar - I forget the exact measurement)
• 6 - 1x6 @ 82"
For seating we just bought some inexpensive farmhouse weather resistant chairs from Walmart:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Yaheetech-Metal-Dinning-Chairs-Stackable-Cof…
(See more on outdoor use of stains: https://ana-white.com/blog/2019/05/outdoor-wood-furniture-finishing-secrets)
Comments
Tue, 03/02/2021 - 08:46
Beautiful!
Love the to see the increased length on this plan. thanks for sharing!
Pizza Oven Cart
Not quite big enough for Pizza Oven, but love the plans!
Comments
Sat, 06/10/2023 - 07:25
Not quite big enough for…
Not quite big enough for Pizza Oven but love the plans!!
Outdoor bar grill surround with 2 post pergola
I wanted to build an L shaped outdoor bar with a 2 post pergola over the grill. I couldn't find any plans online that would fit the space I had, so I decided to build it myself with custom dimensions. The top bar is approx. 7'3" across, and 15" wide, while the distance from the right edge (next to the house) to the end of the bar is approx. 9'1".
I framed it with PT lumber and the 2 pergola posts are sitting on top of the pavers and supported internally within some of the framing studs. Since the pavers sit on top of concrete, I didn't feel the need to dig up the existing pavers and achor them in the ground.
I used hardiboard for the exterior and tiled the lower section of the bar.
For the actual high bar top, I wanted to do something unique, and found a 900 year old scrap slab of Cypress at a local lumber yard. One side was smooth, but underneath was gouged out from different saw cuts and very uneven. I screwed a piece of 3/4" PT plywood underneath and trimmed it with 1-1/2" Cypress. I stained the whole thing with a dark honey colored stain and put a generous amount of poly on it once it was dry. There are a few cracks and nicks on it, but once it was stained, it looked awesome.
Comments
Wed, 06/19/2019 - 13:23
Looks awesome. I have been…
Looks awesome. I have been wanting something like this for a while now. Where can we can plans for this?
Sandbox with lid
This was my first EVER wood working project.
With that being said, it took me more than just an afternoon.
I used cedar, and all the materials on the cut list had to be sanded , since I didn't like the roughness of the cedar.
I also made the box 4x8. I didn't take into account that that would require a minimum of 48 inches for the top planks. So, some of my top planks are shorter.
I also wished I had a little more instruction from which side to screw the screws in. May sound a little needy for some of you, but I never did anything with wood before. The instructions simply read attach top planks to arm rests (or something int that manner) and I wish it would have told me from which side to screw in (or give me a picture). Looking at some of the brag posts helped a lot.
Because its larger size, I decided to make the seats 3 top planks wide (and also the back rest) and made another middle cover piece to bridge the additional gap when both seats are folded down.
Also, the cedar was VERY expensive, and all the screws, hinges, and handles almost cost me as much as the wood.
The sand to fill the box ran us another $80 (for good plays and), but that was because we made it so big.
All in all, a rather pricey sandbox, but worth it because of the large custom sizes, and the cute little seats.
Pictures show the sandbox without sand, and with some of the handles still missing. I also still need to fill the holes.
Will add a picture of finished box filled with sand when it is available.
12 year old built her bed!
Thanks Ana White for the awesome plans! My daughter decided she wanted a new bed, so I told her I’d help her build one. I am not a carpenter, by any stretch, but I thought it would be some good dad/daughter bonding time. She tweaked your plans, did all the cuts, drilling, sanding, and painting (well, most of the sanding and painting anyway), and tolerated her father with great grace. It turned out pretty well. We couldn’t have done it without your plans! Thanks again! —Gabe
Comments
Mon, 04/05/2021 - 10:10
Amazing young lady!
Thank you for sharing, what an awesome build! Love her vision and mods!
My Simple Outdoor Lounge Chair with 2x4 modification
I modified this chair with 2x4's as the base and 2x2 for decoration on arms, this is prior to sanding and finishing
Comments
King Size Farmhouse Bed with Dog Stairs and Storage
We have a frosty faced blind girl and an aging tri-pawed that we wanted to be able to continue snuggling with us so we adapted the Farmhouse Bed with Storage to make it a king size. We made the drawer boxes deeper which allowed us to get rid of our dresser to create more space in our room. And we added a flight of stairs for the pups.
Comments
Fri, 12/30/2022 - 07:53
This is exactly what I’m…
This is exactly what I’m looking for! Perfect for our dogs. Although, I wonder if a ramp would work or if it would be too steep? Hmmm