Cabinet Style Farmhouse Nightstand
Bedroom DIY Suite
Paul Burdine
Built from Plan(s)
Community Brag Posts
Doggy Door or Baby Gate
I installed a half door to isolate our dog from the laminate flooring when he sleeps at night.
It was only $25 for the hollow core 6 panel door from HD, which got cut in half.
$25 for the passage knob.
$10 for top plate and trim
Less than $5 for the hinges.
Not having to replace the laminate flooring priceless!
Some Tips:
The $25 door is not prehung. Buy the $14 dollar irwin door jig to install the door "http://www.homedepot.ca/product/door-lock-installation-kit-carbon/904157" It will come in handy if you are remodeling and installing new doors to replace those old flat panel doors. You will also have to chisel out the hinges.
When installing and marking the hinge locations in the door frame shim the door a 1/4" off the floor.
Estimated Cost
$65 materials + $15 jig = $80
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
White paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Comments
8 foot picnic table
This picnic table was a quick build and turned out amazing. I modified the center base support by adding an extra table top support and seat support board to the opposite side of the center legs to give the table symmetry to accommodate an umbrella hole. I also shortened both cross supports by an inch to make sure the base wouldn’t be longer than the top boards. The space between the center table support boards and seat support boards is the perfect size to fit a standard umbrella. I used a 1 3/4” hole saw to make the umbrella hole. The build and stain/paint took me about 5 hours but additional time is needed to properly seal the table. I used untreated pine. Treated pine may give the table longevity but it would also add a lot of weight to an already heavy table. This was a relatively easy and quick build and is a great size to fit my whole family plus a couple guests! I’m happy with how it turned out and would recommend this build to anyone looking for a budget friendly and simple patio table.
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$75
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Varathane Briarsmoke for the top and Rustoleum Canyon Black Satin for the base. Sealed with 2 coats of Varathane Helmsman Spar Urethane
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
Comments
Sat, 07/18/2020 - 13:17
Thank you Abby!!! Your…
Thank you Abby!!! Your picnic table turned out amazing, I love the added umbrella modification!
Cedar Planter with Mitered Top
This was by far the easiest project. This planter is HUGE as well and makes a great focal point for your curb appeal. I didn't extend the sides but rather created a mitered edge for the top creating a nice clean finish.
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$20
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax English Chestnut with a Spar Varathane protective coat
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
Comments
Mon, 10/29/2012 - 23:02
This looks beautiful! I just
This looks beautiful! I just made one too, I will have to do the top like yours it's pretty that way. I love how the stain too!
:) Valerie
Sun, 09/22/2013 - 20:25
about the top....
how exactly did you attach the mitered top?? Finish nails or is there a way to use the kreg jig to hide joinery? These are beautiful, BTW. Thanks :)
Garage Shelves - Freestanding (Modified)
First project ever! I have been planning to build this for at least a year, and I finally did it! I had to modify the plan to fit my space, but it worked out well. They cut the wood for me at the store, so I did not make any cuts myself, just assembled all of the pieces together. I used all 2x4s, 8' and 10', cut down to my measurements. I did not finish the shelves since it is just for the garage, but I did sand rough board edges and some of the faces. I just used an palm sander and coarse sandpaper (80 grit). Please double check all measurements and lists because I forgot to add my shorter shelf supports to the list and had to go back to the store. I also forgot to add the width of the top shelf to those two shorter supports, so the shelf boards are resting on the top instead of nestled into the supports. It turned out not to be a functional problem, but a good lesson to learn. I also learned to make sure my driver battery is charged fully before starting - that took a large chunk out of my first day building and I had to finish the next day. My husband helped with some lifting and holding, but I mostly did this on my own in one weekend, so you CAN do it! Don't wait like I did - it is soooooooo useful and it looks great! All of my friends are really impressed and it feels so good to have made something like this! Thank you Ana!!
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$180
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
N/A
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
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.
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
General Finishes White Wash with Arm R Seal Oil Based Satin Finish top coat. (If you want the white wash to be more white and less amber, use water based.)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
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
DIY Modern Rustic Outdoor Chair
I made this outdoor chair by looking at a variety of plans and designs from Restoration Hardware and other stores. Check out more info on the project on my blog link. Thanks for looking!
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
Comments
Farmhouse Writing Desk with Turned Legs
I modified the Small Old English Style Farmhouse Dining Table plan to build a writing desk. I used five 1x6 boards for the top for a width of 27.5 inches. I made my desk 56 inches in length. I put the drawer on the long side like a pencil drawer. I did use the legs that Ana recommended in the plan. I love how it turned out. I used dark walnut danish oil and dark wax for the finish.
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
225
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
I used Watco dark walnut danish oil and Minwax dark paste wax.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Comments
Sat, 08/31/2019 - 05:18
Beautiful! What are the…
Beautiful! What are the brands of oil and wax that you used?
Fri, 10/04/2019 - 21:46
Thank you! I used Watco…
Thank you! I used Watco Danish oil and I used Minwax dark wax. I've tried alot of different wax brands and I always come back to Minwax. It dries the hardest in my opinion.
Little Boy's Platform Bed (w/ a twist)
So, I ended up altering the plans to fit a light. The light was originally an outdoor, hard-wired light, which I fitted with a cord and added a pull chain to. The legs were also changed...I doubled the width in order to have a more square appearance (2 2x4's planed and glued together).
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$175
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax Jacobean Stain
Minwax Fast Drying Poly (Satin Finish)
Minwax Fast Drying Poly (Satin Finish)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Rustic Computer desk with Shou Sugi Ban and Epoxy Top
I slightly modified the Rustic X Desk plan to make my L shaped computer desk with a monitor platform! The desk surface is Shou Sugi Ban with an epoxy finish. All made from stock lumber and a lot of pocket hole screws. Thanks for posting your plan Ana to give me the idea! Construct for around $200.
Built from Plan(s)
Comments
Tue, 03/14/2023 - 18:34
Superb desk!!!
Love your modifications, additions and finish! Thank you for sharing.
Outdoor Sectional
This was my first real woodworking project and was so much fun! I use my deck much more now and am excited to build more!
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$500 (with cushions)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Varathane Jacobean stain
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
2x4 and 2x6 Chairs and Couch
I used the Modern Outdoor Chair from 2x4s and 2x6s plans and slightly modified then to make a 3 seater couch. My cushions(most expensive part) were 24 in x 24 in and purchased from Lowes for $40 per seat. The couch is 79 inches in total length. I also dropped the seat down to the lower level to allow more room for my cushion backs to sit further down into the seat.
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$400
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Thompsons Waterseal Teak Oil Walnut Semi-Transparent
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
Modern Adirondack Chair Set
I used 5 5/8 fence pickets I had in the scrap box to give the chairs a wider arm rest. I wanted something wide enough to safely hold a paper plate and drinks.
I planned them, routered the edges and put a coat of oil based polyurethane on them.
The table is just something I put together and the top is a 1.5 inch thick 16x16 concrete paver.
If you like the wide arms, use wood glue and clamps, not nails or screws. Saves you from having to fill them and it looks better too.
Enjoy
And thank you Anna for a great build!
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$60
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Exterior paint and oil based polyurethane
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Cedar planter boxes
I used the main plan for ideas, but opted to use 3.5 inch pickets instead, which allowed for a smaller planter that wasn't as big. Also chose to miter 1x3s for the top which I think really finishes it off. Sanded everything with a belt sander to 220 grit. Used min wax golden pecan plus three coats of poly inside and out. Finished size was about 17x17. Tile spacers work great to keep the gaps even!
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Min wax golden pecan
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Comments
Nesting Office Station
So loving this nesting office station❤️! We will have a sofa sleeper in the office as well. So we needed a desk that could be moved to the wall when the sofa sleeper is being used by guest. I saw a post from Ana for her Nesting Grill Station and I came up with the idea to make this nesting office station. The cabinet includes a file folder drawer (which is from Ana's mail boss plans), a regular drawer, cabinet doors with shelves. One of the shelves is a pull out shelf for the printer. I think it came together great! Design for nesting desk inspired by these plans: https://www.ana-white.com/woodworking-projects/nesting-grill-station https://www.ana-white.com/woodworking-projects/mail-boss
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Golden Pecan
Valspar Signature Ultra White in satin
Valspar Signature Ultra White in satin
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Comments
Wed, 07/15/2020 - 04:40
Great work!
I love this! Very creative and practical design and oh so pretty. Nice job!
Mon, 08/31/2020 - 09:47
This looks so good. Great…
This looks so good. Great work. Do you mind sharing how you concealed the wheels? Do you have wheels on both pieces?
Sat, 10/03/2020 - 08:35
Hi, Thank you! Actually I…
Hi, Thank you! Actually I didn't add wheels to the design since this will be in an office with thick carpeting. I added adjustable metal foot pads to the bottom of the desk.
Console table
Made this to match the Tryde coffee and end table I made for my other half. She loved them, and loves this. We added the bottom piece which wasn't part of the plan. Using the 2x4 in different direction gave it a unique look. We love it.
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$60
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Dark walnut with poly finish.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
Classic Bunk Beds Re-Imagined With Stairs
I modified the plans for the Classic Bunk beds by making them 74" tall instead of 63" and added a fourth slat all the way around to add more protection from potential falls. I created one opening in the front for my youngest to get into the bottom bunk, and built slats about 2/3's across the front to act as a gaurd rail. I created another opening on the side for my oldest to get into the top bunk with stairs instead of ladders to again prevent falls. I had to modify the Sweet Pea stairs to accomodate for the extra height in the bunk beds, simplified the railings, and I created each cubby to be big enough to use cloth storage totes that were 11x11x11. Sanded the whole bed and stairs so the corners and edges were all rounded and smooth, and put two coats of white Deck and Porch paint to stand up to the the boys running up and down. I used brackets to secure the stairs to the bed, and sixteen 3" bolts to bind the bed together. Precut and drilled 17 slats for each bed seperated them 2" apart. Spent a few hours every night during the week measuring, cutting, glueing, drilling and assembling the bed and stairs. Spent an entire weekend sanding and painting. Very happy with the way these beds turned out. Overall cost of the project including the paint was around $400.
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$400
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Porch and Deck Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
Comments
Board and Batten Fireplace Surround
There was brick above my fireplace. I decided that I needed to lighten it up, but didn't want to necessarily paint the brick. Instead, I decided to panel above the fireplace using a board and batten style. I am so happy with the results! It is lighter and brighter in the room and goes with the style in the rest of the room (walls have board and batten as well).
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$50
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Painted white ("Linen White")
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Comments
Backyard Patio Set
Used Ana's plan for chairs, coffee table, sofa and lounger. Stained and clear coated. Wife is happy. What can be better!
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
SPAR Urethane
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Comments
DIY Vintage Step Stool
Several years ago, the first woodworking project I finished was the Vintage Step Stool built with plans by Ana White. I use the step stool just about every day. I had some scrap lumber taking up space in my garage, so I decided to use it to build another step stool. Check out the blog link for more project details.
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint in Boxwood and Ironstone, ECOS Paints WoodShield in Special Walnut and their Satin Varnish
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
Comments
Cedar Raised Garden Planter
This was my first building project ever! It was so easy to do...the only problem was that we didn't have enough room for all the veggies we wanted to plant in our garden because we only built two! The plan is to build at least two more this summer!
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project