Community Brag Posts

BBQ caddy

Submitted by Milhouse on Sat, 04/07/2012 - 22:59

I had some pallet wood laying around and felt like taking on a small project. The boards were warped, but after fighting with them a bit, it turned out well. I was going for the reclaimed, rustic look anyhow :) I find it a little heavy to actually use as a caddy, so it's more for decoration. I think I might plant a few herbs in it, for a little portable herb garden.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Free - made from scraps
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
I stained it with Minwax Jacobean, but it turned out super dark. So I dry brushed some white paint over it, and it turned out 'old and reclaimed' looking!
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

handystanley

Mon, 06/18/2012 - 13:26

How many times do you go outside to eat and have to carry everything awkwardly. This is a great idea...I love the rustic look!! Great idea on how to finish it.

My Bookshelf Dollhouse

Submitted by wmaughan on Wed, 04/11/2012 - 22:26

After much deliberation, I decided to make a dollhouse for my daughters Christmas gift. The aesthetics of the bookshelf-style dollhouse appealed to me over the more intricate and fancy designs. I took the literal meaning of the style and incorporated an actual bookshelf/DVD rack into the dollhouse. On the apposing side I built a magnet board for my daughters given that my refrigerator is not magnetic. About the project: I knew my design would end up being heavy so I started by building a basic frame out of construction grade 2x4's. The frame is placed on four casters and is concealed by the baseboard. When on carpet, the casters are not visible and have come in handy. Working upward, the majority of the construction consists of 3/4" cabinet grade plywood which you can find at Home Depot. The "carpet" I chose was an inexpensive bathroom rug that I purchased at Walmart. The scale & thickness of the berber seemed appropriate for the dollhouse and I attached it using carpet glue. For added security I tacked the perimeter with some staples. For the bathroom tiles, I cut some groutable adhesive tiles into squares on the table saw (use a cross cut sled if you have one) and attached them to the bathroom floor. Make sure your surface is free of dust, and a heat gun or a propane heater will accelerate the drying process and create a better bond. Make sure to use unsanded grout for the joints. To make the shingles, I cut a 4'x8' (used about 2/3 of the sheet) piece of 1/4" mahogany veneer into 2.5"x4' strips. The cuts were made perpendicular to the wood grain to give the desired aesthetic. This gave me a robust shingle construction with the look of shake shingles. I then cut about 3/4 of the way through the strips with approximately 1 1/4" separation between each shingle. Attaching the shingles was easy. I didn't want to wait for glue to dry so in addition to some wood glue, I also tacked the row of shingles in place with 3/8" brad nails. When placing the shingles, make sure to start at the bottom and work your way up to the pitch of the roof. This will allow you to overlap the shingles about 3/4" to cover the uncut portion to give it the appearance of individual shingles. You will also want to offset your rows to change the vertical alignment of the shingle spaces. I marked each row with a pencil prior to cutting the final width. You may also consider which side of the shingles you want facing up. I opted for the rough side to give it a more weathered look. With some of the extra shingle material I made hardwood floors for the kitchen.The veneer I purchased was mahogany on one side, and oak on the other which allowed me to alternated sides and give it a unique look. Attach the floor using wood glue and allow 24hrs before sanding. Place weights on the floor to secure it while drying. I applied both a stain (Minwax Golden Oak) and some wipe-op polyurethane for the finish. The storage bins are Ikea boxes that can be easily removed to allow for additional play areas. The piece of sheet metal I used for the magnet board was already cut to the desired size at Home Depot. I attached it using some 3M spray adhesive, then secured it with some poplar strips. I also used the 3M construction adhesive to attach the craft paper/wallpaper. With all of the chaos surrounding Christmas I wasn't able to quite finish it. Here is still what's in progress: - Painted white ladder to loft - Stained mahogany stairs to family room - Kitchen cabinets - Cobblestone chimney - Closet doors

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
120
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Stain for shingles & wood floor was Minwax Golden Oak. Wipe-on poly for wood floors. Paint was Behr paint.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

ferbit

Thu, 04/12/2012 - 08:29

Oh WOW!!! This turned out amazing! So jealous my kids are too old for a bookcase like this! You did a fantastic job!

jeff womack (not verified)

Fri, 04/13/2012 - 15:18

How did you make the railing? It looks great, but wouldn't it be fragile? What did you use for trim and molding throughout the house? Did you use a dremel to work with the small details? This is an amazing looking doll house that my daughter would love. I just may need to do this sometime before Christmas.

birdsandsoap

Fri, 04/13/2012 - 20:38

Looks like an intricate design, and whoa! All of those little shingles by hand? Good job. I love how you incorporated the bin storage into the bottom.

wmaughan

Mon, 04/16/2012 - 17:32

It gives the appearance of individual shingles, but I actually just cut strips with grooves in them. I have seen several dollhouses with shingles that have fallen off so I wanted to avoid that :)

Milca (not verified)

Fri, 06/08/2012 - 20:32

Super duper good job on it :) Wish I had time to make one like that for my 4 yo. She's so particular, can't let her see the pictures ah ah. Lucky girls! Talented mama!

New Room for Hayden

I promised my daughter that I would build her a new room for her birthday (in February). I finally got around to it in late March and I couldn't be more excited! She picked out the paint color (blue) for her room. And I got to work! Every time I go in her room I smile and feel so incredibly accomplished! I did the whole project myself! The only exception was carrying it up to her room. I overcame my fear of the circular saw which was awesome. The only problem was my oldest took one look at the room, fell to the ground in tears and wanted to know why her little sister had a "better" room than she did. And where her bed was! So I told her we'd get her a desk - she looked at me and said "No Mommy - I want you to build it!" I love that!

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Prime and painted.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

dananryan

Sat, 04/21/2012 - 09:11

You have every reason to feel accomplished! The room looks stunning. And you've already inspired your daughters to DIY. Time to build some memories ;-)

Abdul Wahid (not verified)

Sun, 04/22/2012 - 02:48

thankyou very good idea

barnes7483

Sun, 07/12/2015 - 19:31

Okay I have found the plans for the bed, the towers and the hutch on top but i cannot find plans for what the hutch is sitting on.  I know its non on the bed or that would shorten it.  Where can i find plans to build the headboard that the hutch is on?

Farm House jewelry Cabinet

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 01/28/2020 - 12:23

The plans were simple to follow. Made some small changes, used some pine wood wall paneling from Lowes. The pine paneling was used on the back and door. Both were inset with a routed step the same thickness as the panels.

Estimated Cost
$50
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
minwax stain espresso
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Jewelry Cabinet

Building this Jewelry Cabinet was really fun and easier than I expected. I made one to give away as a birthday gift, could not resist making another to keep. I don't really have that much jewelry, I just think its gorgeous! I loved the look of the original posted project, that I wanted to duplicate it just as it was.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$35 for wood, hardware, and hardware cloth
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Rustoleum Weathered Gray, then sanded for weathered look
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Pergola Project

Thank you for the plans! They were easy to follow and my girlfriend and I are very happy how the pergola turned out. I used the 2x6's and 2x4's due to being in Nebraska with heavy snow and high winds often to give it more durability. I can't wait to start on the sectional. Total cost was about 350 dollars...so cheap in comparison to what they sell for.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Jade (not verified)

Fri, 05/11/2012 - 14:43

love this

taylorgdaddy

Sat, 05/12/2012 - 05:22

Thank you Ana, I have had multiple people say it looks like it is on fire...hilarious :) We will be adding outdoor fabric over the top for shade and gathering outdoor curtains on the posts. Will take another pic when that is complete. This site is awesome and I will continue to support you as much as I am able.

Thanks for the comment Jade!

lipstickandsawdust

Sun, 05/13/2012 - 06:03

Very nice Pergola, the color is perfect and the construction rocks! This is on my list of to- do projects for my mom. I have not really made any "outdoor" projects yet. So, I'll keep getting my feet wet with indoor projects.

taylorgdaddy

Thu, 05/17/2012 - 08:31

Thank you lipstickandsawdust! I can send the other plans that I combined with Ana's which showed how to do the cut out notches if you like this construction better. Have a great weekend.

Forrest (not verified)

Tue, 08/28/2012 - 09:24

You mentioned that you combined another set of plans when it came to cutting the notches. That's one of the hang ups I have getting started is that I'm not sure how best to do that. What did you do? The pergola looks great!

jdlemmons

Thu, 05/17/2012 - 11:45

My husband is DYING to have a pergola. I showed him the plans and he is down to build and is really excited for it! That's our next project as soon as I finish our bed (haha!). Did you paint or stain this?

taylorgdaddy

Sat, 05/19/2012 - 05:01

I is the Behr weatherproof stain and the color was "coffee". It took two gallons which was two coats. Post pics when your husband is done I would like to see them. Good luck with the bed.

YankeeBelle

Fri, 05/25/2012 - 18:54

Great job! I want to build one too! The original plans say advanced, but on this post it says beginner.....watcha think? Can I do it? (so far I've made a picture frame and framed out some trimwork). Thanks for posting....btw, I love the twinkle lights!

slee (not verified)

Wed, 06/27/2012 - 17:00

You did an awesome job! I'll be showing my husband these pics and hopefully they will inspire him to make us one too! I'd love your modifications to the plans also since we have heavy snow etc.. up here in Quebec too. Thanks for sharing!

jeremy bales (not verified)

Thu, 09/20/2012 - 06:47

Im trying to build a 10x10 just like this but im trying to figure out exactly what wood dimensions I should order before i do. Im going to use cedar and I know i want to use 6x6 posts and I want to use 2x6 on top like yours but i cant figure out what exactgly I need to order. My wife wants me to do the decorative around the posts as well.
Please help!

sully82384

Sun, 04/28/2013 - 11:27

Hi I was hoping you would share your plans with me I live in oregon I wanna make one of these but I plan on using 12 ft 4x4 posts putting them 3 ft in the ground and I like the way you used 2x4's and 2x6's id like to know the dimensions you used if you modified anas plan what was your spacing and what degree did you cut the outside piece's on the 2x4's and 2x6's I love the design you created from anas plan

Radiator Covers

Submitted by pde00311 on Mon, 02/24/2014 - 22:15

We loved the radiant air in our new early 20th century house, but as our daughter learned to crawl, we needed to prevent her little fingers from touching the two radiators that were still uncovered. After I finished my first few builds, I custom designed these radiator covers with 1x2s, 1x3s 2x2s and 1x12s. Needless to say, I got a ton of use out of my Kreg Jig. On the middle panel of the larger cover, I used a bit of decorative metal that they sell at the Big Box stores (of course, it would have been easier to use more of it, but I am a bit paranoid about little fingers touching a metal cover). For a final touch, I covered the top of the larger cover with decorative glass. For the smaller cover, I matched the distressed pink throughout the rest of my daughter's nursery.

Estimated Cost
200
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Behr camembert paint (for the larger living room) and Behr Kashmir pink paint with distressed w/Martha Stewart vintage gold specialty finish (for the nursery)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

King size Farmhouse Bed

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 04/19/2020 - 15:59

This is a plan that My 16 year old son chose to do for a project to fulfill a goal to learn some woodworking skills during our unexpected downtime from School.
Mom is thrilled with the new space.
He adjusted different sizes based on what lumber we already had. He used 1x7’s and routed a 45deg on the edges to give the tongue and groove look. Posts are 4x5 and top railing is 2x7.

Estimated Cost
$40 in paint and supplies. Wood was free from a friend.
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Valspar Furniture Enamel.
Color - Web Grey
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Small X End Table

This was a fun project spread out over 3 weeks to enjoy working on while quarantined at home. It was the first project I worked on featuring mitered corners. It took some practice and many "polishing" cuts to get everything to line up right, but in the end they looked great! I went with a Birch interior plywood instead of you typical (pine?) plywood because it looked a lot more furniture esque. I trick when using a circular saw to cut the plywood is to keep the desired side up when cutting in the direction with the grain and the desired side down when cutting across the grain. When cutting across the grain, the blade can fray the edge of the top ply. I also added braces attached to all 4 legs flush with the top of the legs using 1x2's. This allowed me to glue and screw (1" screws) the table top to the base from underneath so it was hidden rather than nail from the top. I didn't want to have nail holes on the table top because, even with wood filler, they would stand out from the rest of the wood.

I chose to go with the cheap pine that home depot sells instead of the Select Pine because the cheap pine has a lot more character and offers a more rustic look. The pine can be pretty beat up so it takes a while of digging to find the straight boards without any major defects or cracks. I just figure it's part of the experience. Once I have my straight boards I sand everything down so the boards are completely smooth and have softened edges. Clamps are a must and a HUGE help with getting everything lined up during the assembly. I neglected clamps in some of my first builds because I didn't have them and didn't want to invest. I had a real hard time getting things level and straight. Never again.

Other pieces I've build from Ana's plan include (in order of build):
Ana's Adirondack Chair (4x)
Reclaimed-Wood Look Headboard, King Size
Modern Outdoor Chair from 2x4s and 2x6s (2x)
Simple White Outdoor End Table
Rustic X End Table

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
One application of Varathane Early American Premium Wood Stain
Three applications of Varathane Crystal Clear Matte Water Based Ultimate Polyurethane

Patio Table

Submitted by Rennie82 on Wed, 06/13/2012 - 17:42

Project took a lot more time and patience than the last few little ones that I have done. I like the simple outdoor table but wanted a little bit more. I used the basic concept and mixed it with a patio table from PB that I really enjoyed but didnt want to pay $800 for. The table looks fantastic and am still debating on what type of finish, if any, to use. Hoping to make the matching bench soon for one of the sides of the table.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Around $120 including the carriage bolts so I can take off the legs.
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
None as of yet, leaning towards Thompsons clear waterproofer
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

We Built a Greenhouse!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 05/05/2020 - 15:28

When the Covid quarantine hit we decided to build a greenhouse - it's been on our To Do list for 9 years. The DIY Greenhouse was the first design I found via Google search and it looked so easy and has all the materials listed so we just had the materials delivered and dived right in! It took us 5 days, about 4 hours per day. The smartest thing we did was borrow a mitre chop-saw. There's a lot of 22 degree angles to cut. Other than that it was easy peasy as long as you follow directions. Also got a skill saw blade that cut both the plastic and the tin. It cost us about a grand Canadian, but the closest kit I found online was smaller and was $1500 US. I'm already growing stuff in it and the temperature here in Northern BC gets below freezing at night (around -1C) but everything is ok. The current temp outside is 15, but it's 30 in the greenhouse. We cut a few vents in the back wall panel to allow for airflow and I'm going to purchase a solar muffin fan to move the air a bit. Highly recommend this unit!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$1000 Canadian
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
None
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Holiday Fence Picket Planters

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 01/03/2024 - 07:36

I built these picket fence planters with my husband. They were very easy to build. I can use them all year around. I’ll add flowers in the spring and summer and mums in the fall and Christmas trees in the Winter. I’m definitely building more for my back porch. Happy building! - Celines

Seasonal And Holiday

Kitchen Island

We had an area in our kitchen where the washer and dryer use to be, and we wanted to build a cabinet that would fit in that spot. We took these plans and adjusted the sizes to fit the space we needed. We made the depth deeper and we cut off one of the side drawers and doors. We found a pre-made 1 1/2 inch butcher block counter top at a local wood supply warehouse that fit our needs perfectly. The countertop was about a quarter of the price of the whole cabinet, but it was worth it. In the drawers we used wrapping paper that we found at Cost Plus which fits us to a "T". We painted it with General Finish Milk Paint in Bayberry Green and used a clear coat with a satin finish. My biggest advice to someone making this cabinet is to take your time and make sure everything is square.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$600
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
General Finish Milk Paint Bayberry Green, Satin Clear Coat
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

vabvive

Mon, 07/02/2012 - 10:10

You've done a beautiful job! What did you find was key to getting everything square?

This is lovely & has inspired me to make my own. I need a piece for my master bedroom that I can use as a TV stand and also to conceal my laundry baskets. Originally I'd planned on adapting a sideboard and using a tip-out door like Ana's trash bin for the laundry -- but this piece is so beautiful I may just ensure that my laundry basket will fit inside and build as-is so that I can easily have the option to use it differently if I want to.

Schweizerfamily

Wed, 07/04/2012 - 06:59

Thank you so much. We purchased a couple of Clamp it Assemby Sqares from rockler.com. These helped a lot for getting everything square. We also took our time and did not rush.

Dustin (not verified)

Wed, 07/11/2012 - 19:42

Love your modified sideboard! The color is gorgeous and the butcher block is a great addition!

I was wondering what kind of hinges you used. I looked for flush mount hinges at Lowes today and they are not going to work. I want it to look like yours where you can barely see the hinge.

Do you remember the name of it? Where you got it? Pic? Any help would be appreciated!!

Dustin Roberts
[email protected]

Schweizerfamily

Wed, 07/11/2012 - 20:15

Thank you very much. We had a really hard time finding hinges also. We tried Home Depot and Lowes and came up empty. We finally went on to Hillary Louise's blog and follow the links to the website where she bought her hinges. http://www.cabinetparts.com

Here are the links that she posted.

http://www.cabinetparts.com/p/amerock-traditional-cabinet-hinges-AMCM31…

http://www.cabinetparts.com/p/amerock-traditional-cabinet-hinges-AMCM31…

We just bought ours in a different color.

Becka (not verified)

Sat, 09/08/2012 - 13:14

My husband & I are looking to build our own too but the dimensions of the original plan would make it too big for our dining area. Yours would be a perfect size though - would you mind posting the size adjustment for yours? Or could you email it to me? I would be forever grateful :)

Love the color you painted it too....very nice choice!

Becka Krikorian (not verified)

Sat, 09/08/2012 - 13:18

My husband & I are looking to build our own too but the dimensions of the original plan would make it too big for our dining area. Yours would be a perfect size though - would you mind posting the size adjustment for yours? Or could you email it to me? I would be forever grateful :)

Love the color you painted it too....very nice choice!

rhettar

Sat, 01/19/2013 - 11:37

This is exactly the size down I had in mind and was wondering how it would look with one door off by itself, it looks great! I even thought about incorporating one door to actually be a tilt or pull out for trash. You guys did a wonderful job and it looks like it was built in where you ended up putting it in your kitchen... Are you going to do a little something now to match on the other side of the stove?

Schweizerfamily

Fri, 01/25/2013 - 09:12

Thats a great idea. We were thinking one our next projects would be a mix between this and Ana's recycling center with the tilt out for dog food.

Simple 2x4 potting benxh

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 05/24/2020 - 16:10

Loved this project! The plans were so easy to follow, even for a begginer. Thank you so much!

Estimated Cost
$55
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Walnut stain
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
Seasonal And Holiday

Double Kayak Rack

Submitted by JamieLynn on Tue, 05/26/2020 - 09:44

I couldn't find a plan for this but found a picture of what I was looking for. It's a little too big but works. Took about 3 hours to make. Used mostly scrap wood.

Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Modern Adirondack

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 06/01/2020 - 14:55

Lots of room for improvement but I'm pretty excited for my first time following plans.

Thanks, I love your videos and have learned a lot.

Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Rolling laundry cart

Submitted by smitcher on Wed, 06/03/2020 - 13:48

My husband and I have been inspired by your website and are getting started with wood working projects. We did this cart on the weekend. We used MDF board for the front, back and shelf bottoms because we had it laying around after replacing our garage shelving. I’m pleased with how it turned out given that we are just beginners. I do think we’ll have to invest in a table saw. Not a fan of working with MDF board. We used the example found on Infarrantlycreative.net but changed it up slightly. (Sorry about the first photo, I can’t seem to delete it)

Estimated Cost
Under




Approximately $35 CAD because we had the MDF, paint and nails
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

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