Community Brag Posts

While out shopping with my 4 year old son we came across a picnic table that he absolutely adored. I had wanted to purchase a kids picnic table last summer but never got around to it. After checking out the price tag on this little gem I decided I would check out Ana White’s collection of plans before I spent $80!!! I made a few alterations in size and added extra support for those changes, but even with the added lumber I got it ½ off the $80 store price!!

Last winter, our friend's boss built our kitchen cabinets. We've had cuts of plywood leftover, sitting in our garage since then.

Our home needed a media console, so I thought to give building one a shot now that I own a circular saw and am only slightly afraid of it. I didn't follow a plan, honestly, but I did look at Ana's Classic Storage Wall, Extra Wide Media Unit as inspiration.

The console is actually a slate-indigo-black, called Napoleon. The top is made of reclaimed 1x6s that I mixed and matched with scrap 1x6s and gave one coat of Dark Walnut. We ordered handles for the doors and it needs another coat of paint (we ran out of the quart we had on hand), but we love it!

We used the Build a Simple Bed plan and the Bunk Bed from Simple Bed. I modified the plans to build a double bunk bed. We needed a way to fit up to 6 small children in a long, narrow room. Although we haven't built the trundle beds yet, each bunk will also have a trundle bed. The kids especially love their "privacy" curtains!

I built this table and two simple benches, inspired by the farmhouse table plans. I modified the plan slightly, in that I didn't add the center 2x4 on the bottom, or the two 2x4's between the legs. I also added a second "bread end board," and customized the corners with some "L" bracket accessories. It took me a week to build everything, then add the finish. It would have gone quicker, had I had time to do it all at the same time, but I had to make time after work to do everything. All, in all, this is probably a weekend job, at most. 

This plan was a breeze to put together (go out and buy some clamps if you don't have any!!) until I finished it, then looked at my wall and saw the baseboards. I really wanted it to be screwed/nailed into the wall, so it needed to be flush. That's where the nightmare being. Eventually (over a week later) I got that finished, however, and am loving my little one's new bookcase! I just can't decide where to put it now, in her bedroom or in her playroom. Maybe I'll make another and she'll have two! :D This plan was very simple to follow, and the materials weren't expensive, so I could definitely do that.

Modified back to match my adult chairs. Armrests are also cut out like adult chairs you just cant tell in picture. Also put an arc on faceplate. Then i couldn't resist routing her name into it. Enjoy!

This console is perfect as is or it can be customized to your needs. Very sturdy.

This table was inspired by the pocket screw table. only I did not use pocket screws. it is constructed using loose tenon construction and dowels. Notice the middle stretcher  and the wooden nut and bolt that holds it together

We modified this project to fit our space. We also made the shelves sturdier by cutting a groove for the bottom of the shelves to slide into. This project is much easier when completed by two people.

This is one of the easiest woodworking projects ever. It only took 2 cuts and 8 pocket holes.

This is by far the biggest project I've completed yet. It actually surprised me how easy it was to complete. It did take me about 4 days to build the project and an additional week to sand and paint the project.

I followed the playhouse loft plans and the storage stairs plans, adjusting only the back to allow for the additional length of the slide. I didn't add the windows to the sides (I didn't see any point in having them there). I also used the castle loft plans for the slide. When I first started this project I was planning on making the slide completely separate. I changed my mind mid project after I had the side wall cut to length at Lowe's, so I just added that small piece to the left of the slide to make up for the gap. I also made this project in 4 separate pieces (stairs, slide, front wall, back) so I could put it together in her room in one evening and not have to kick her out. Once we moved it to her room all I had to do was screw the four corners in and attach the back wall and bed slats.

I definitely recommend not using particle board. I had no idea what the difference was between particle board, mdf and plywood when I started this project. Particle board was less then half the cost of plywood, but looking back I would pay the extra for the plywood. I don't feel like the screws hold well in the particle board and it also chipped on the bottom some. I actually had a chunk come off in the corner where I must of screwed to closely to the edge. I'm sure this is basic knowledge for most, but for those newbies (like me) just a little tip.

I had a lot of fun building this bed (not so much sanding and painting) and learned a lot. Now off to browse for my next project :)

This was a really fun project. I altered the dimensions slighly to fit my space. I also used a piece of 1/4" ply for the bottom shelf instead of thicker common board. You can keep the cost way down if you rip 2x6's into 2x2's. A single 2x2 is about $10 whereas a 2x6 is $6. You get three 2x2's out of the 2x6, so you're basically getting triple for half the cost. Pick REALLY straight 2x6's though! 

Finally I drummed up enough courage to try a project ... the leaning wall shelf. My husband and I had a great time working on it together.

This was a great way to keep my five year old daughter busy on a rainy afternoon. I had a scrap piece of 1x4 and bought some clothes pins and 10 cents clearance wooden figures at Joann. We also used some left over acrylic paint and some glitter nail polish. Thanks for a other great idea Ana!

Easy excellent project for That odd room you may have that needs a corner tv stand.

I use pre made 16" wide 3/4" MDF shelving from Home Depot for the Shelves, Used 1" x 3" for the top, and sprayed it all with Rustoleum Industrial flat black which dries in 15min, was the large size cans for $5.40 and and only useds 3.25 cans to paint the whole thing. 

TV is a 55" Class so it actually works perfect, because the tv stand is two legs and not the typical center mounted ones. so  put the tv toward the front of the console and the console is as far as you can go into the corner.

I have two power strips screwed to the back of the console, along with a cable amplifier, my wireless router for the house sits right behind the TV and you can see the blue status lights under the bottom of the TV.

Have  my speaker bar in the added shelf #1 below the tv, comcast cable modem in the right side square, TIVO in the center top, DVD Player in the center bottom, and loads of extra shelf space for whatever else I can think of....

7.5' long cabinet, made with pine boards. Hardware purchased on Amazon.

Our guest room had to be ready for some friends coming in town for the week. Before this room had no shelves and worse yet; no head board. Turned this boring room into...well a less boring room. In the picture are my first two projects; the Ten Dollar Ledges and the Reclaimed-wood headboard.

My 8-year-old and I built a shelf for his room, based on the Rolling Cubby Bench plans. (The paint job is all him. He originally suggested trying to paint a picture of an eagle on it, we ultimately settled on a partial flag.)

I'm fairly new to woodworking, and this was my second of four projects I've built using plans from this site so far. Cutting and assembly was just a couple of hours, but finishing stretched this out into a several-night project.