Community Brag Posts

My first "build"

Submitted by dkarinen on Sat, 06/22/2013 - 21:05

This was my first Ana White project. It was really super easy! I love the way it turned out! I can play around and change photos depending on my mood or the holiday. We had them all together pretty quick. I sanded and primed them and my husband used the spray gun to paint them. I quickly learned there is a technique to that and I didn't want to screw them up! Great beginner project, now I'm hooked on this site!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$70
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
BEHR Rejuvinate
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Farmhouse nightstand

Submitted by mgibson on Tue, 06/02/2015 - 13:30

This project was very fun, and it was my first nightstand. The directions are so easy to follow. Thanks Ana : )

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Faux Fireplace Mantle

Submitted by KristineF on Thu, 12/28/2017 - 08:15

Thank you for providing the plans to this mantle. I had a lot of fun building it with my father while I was training for the NYC Marathon. We finished it the day before the race and was a great way to display both of my accomplishments! It was also a lot of fun to decorate for the holidays. Next I have to build a nice shelf to display all of my finisher medals! 

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Distant Gray paint with satin finish.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Seasonal And Holiday

Loft bed

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 12/26/2021 - 13:03

I used your loft bed plan and made some adjustments to better suit our needs. My daughter absolutely loves her bed and we love having all the extra room under her bed. Thank you and I will be using many more of your plans.

Justin

Comments

Single Simple Modern Outdoor Lounger

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 04/22/2011 - 12:18

Modified the double lounger plans into 2 single loungers. I liked the idea of the boards running the long way rather than from side to side like the single lounger plan. These were pretty easy to build. All assembled with a Kreg for hidden screws. Made with Sanded and super polyurethaned cedar (3 or 4 coats). turned out beautiful with the matching boards running from head to toe!

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Multiple coats of polyurethane with sanding between each coat.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Seasonal And Holiday

Workbench

My husband and I just bought a home that has a fantastic shed/barn in the backyard. I've been wanting a workshop ever since college and this is finally my time to make that dream come true. Enter ana-white.com!! My sister had recommended this site after her husband created an unbelievable loft bed for their 6 year-old. Looking through all the plans I became ecstatic and couldn't wait to get my first project under way. I've printed out MANY plans and can't wait to work on them all, however I realized very quickly that I did not have a space to actually "work" on in the shed. When I came across this workbench plan I knew it was the right one for me.

Some changes were made, since I already had a perfectly good table top that I purchased from IKEA years ago. The top came out to be 23 1/2 x 78 3/4" so I had to make many adjustments in the cuts. I also left the bottom shelf free of plywood since I couldn't fit a piece that large in my Toyota Corolla. All in all, I couldn't be happier with the table. It's sturdy, reliable and provides a TON of workspace for me. My back is already thanking me!!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
No finish
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

bullitt453

Tue, 06/25/2013 - 05:58

Good job on the workbench. Since you can't fit the piece of ply in your car, I would recommend cutting a 2x4 support to go between the leg supports. Then cut 1x4s to place perpendicular to the supports to create the shelf. Believe me, that shelf will come in VERY handy, so I would definitely recommend adding it. Its nice to be working on a project and simply reach down for the next tool/supply instead of walking away from your work area to get it.

Simple Stackable Compost Bin from Pallets Collars

Submitted by mtairymd on Sat, 06/06/2015 - 13:48

Build Instructions:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Simple-Stackable-Compost-Bin-from-Palle…

How it works:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tgtd88kKIn0

With one single unit as opposed to two or three bins, the space needed for composting is minimized. Each tier stacks on top of the other, latching together to make the bin. This setup makes it easy to turn and rotate the compost, since moving the collars is simple. Just remove the top collar and place in a new location adjacent to the original bin location. Turn the compost into the new location and stack the collars until finished. This is a great alternative to having multiple compost bins next to each other.

Estimated Cost
Free
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Cabernet colored stain from Varathane and a polyurethane from Minwax.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Table for barbecue

Submitted by Pjc6 on Sat, 12/30/2017 - 11:38

Modified plans to make it a little larger. Top is brown and bottom is ‘wild currant’ (red)

Estimated Cost
$80
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Top was Olympic paint / sealant. Bottom was SW enamel acrylic
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Bunk bed

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 12/26/2021 - 14:45

Great build, easy to follow, very affordable. Thanks so much.

Comments

Library Cart - First Build

This is my first build from ana-white.com and it was a success. I am glad that I started out with a beginner project as my carpentry skills were a bit rusty but eventually everything came back to me, the step by step plans certainly helped! According to my daughter, I am the best mom ever!

The dragonfly/butterflies I found at Hobby Lobby for 67 cents a piece, what a steal!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$30.00
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Ultra White Satin Finish
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Charging Station supersized

Submitted by eande03 on Tue, 06/25/2013 - 21:09

We wanted a side piece for our kitchen so we followed the revised plans to make it a little taller. My wife is really happy with how it turned out. Easy, fun project that was finished quick.

Estimated Cost
$40-45
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax weathered oak base coat topped with Minwax Polyshades Mission Oak Gloss. Used chip brushes, and Minwax pre-stain wood conditioner too. The gray from the weathered oak pops through just enough for our tastes.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Table and Chair for my Daughter "Hannah"

Submitted by toddh5902 on Wed, 06/10/2015 - 07:18

Such great and easy to follow plans. Even for a beginner like me. I did both projects in stages at my own pace and time. It probably could have been finished in a weekend, if I worked steady and straight through. Also if you are good and know exactly what you are doing, definitely in a weekend(haha). I just took my time and worked in baby steps, working through both plans. I am very pleased with the outcome. I did change a few things but that was my preference. I attempted to contour the chair seat, not bad but definitely not great. I used a handheld grinder with about 60 grit sandpaper to make the mold. If you are good and have a very very steady hand this can work. I have a router but not a jig for that type of pattern. All in all though I was very pleased with the outcome and so was my little Hannah. Thanks for this great website and keep up the great ideas.

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
No finish used yet at this time.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Rustic table

Submitted by jdawn1988 on Mon, 01/01/2018 - 16:05

We built our table from the rustic table plans and I am in love. I am a beginner and I was so scared but it turned out amazing!! Thank you for giving me the courage and confidence to start building my own furniture! 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax stain in slate
Minwax polycrylic
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

My new yellow cubby shelf

Submitted by kylihoot on Sun, 05/01/2011 - 11:59

Totally lovin' my new cubby shelf. I painted it bright yellow, but I may paint it a more nuetral color after noticing it does not math anything haha! This is a super sturdy shelf...LOVE IT! Thanks ANA!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$30
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Primer and Satin Paint. I sanded it with 120 grit, then primed and painted with two coats each.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Treehouse Bunk Bed

Submitted by Maymer on Thu, 06/27/2013 - 12:18

My kids are very into the "Magic Treehouse" books so my version of the Sweet Pea Bunk Beds is called The Treehouse Bunk Beds!
I made a few modifications, mostly for ease of access and airflow. I added windows for each bunk on the non-stair side of the bed because my kids room tends to be really hot so I thought they would appreciate more cross ventilation.
I made the side panel on the upper bunk removable (so that I would have access to put the fitted sheet on that end) by using pocket hole screws to hold the boards together, which make it one solid panel then I put 1x2s behind where the panel would go so it wouldn't fall in and used 4 slide bolts to hold it in place so it wont fall out. Also I made the two front panels on the lower bunk hinged doors so I could just lean in to change the sheets. The method for these was basically identical to what I described above but I attached them with non-mortised hinges.
I'd love to get the storage boxes made on of these days. Maybe after they start kindergarten!

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
I used primer and two coats of low-voc interior paint on the light brown and dark brown areas. The green trim and stairs I decided to experiment and I really liked the results. I just put one very thin (practically dry-brushed) coat of paint and it came out really interesting. You can still the grain of the wood so it almost looks like colored stain. For the stairs, I was worried about durability so I put 3 coats of clear satin polyurethane on top and it seems like it will hold up just fine,
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Natural Finish Cedar Planter

Submitted by benpryor82 on Mon, 06/15/2015 - 07:15

Great results from this plan. The additional mitered top is easy as long as you can get a good 45 degrees on your saw. If you decide to do the top piece, glue the 4 mitered pieces together and clamp for a couple of hours in order to make sure the angles set correctly. Once the glue is dry, then attach to the top of your planter with glue and nails. I built 2 planters, including the mitered top edges, in about 5 hours.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Less than $50 for two planters.
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Unfinished, but will likely seal with Thompson's
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Letter A shelf

Submitted by Knathu121 on Fri, 01/05/2018 - 20:14

I made this Letter A shelf for my daughters nursery with scrap wood I had.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Under $10 due to the fact that I only need to buy screws.
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Spray painted white and then lightly spray painted pink.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Farmhouse Bed- Queen Sized - Self milled wood.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 12/26/2021 - 19:46

All of the wood used in the project was milled in our yard, from trees on our land. The 4x4 uprights are poplar, and the rest is spruce, all originating within 500m of our house. The wood was sticker stacked for 2 years prior to planing down to the required size( last picture shows a not yet planed 1X6.)

Was a great project we have had many compliments on as it is the bed in our guest bedroom and has been used plenty during the Christmas season.

My only change up was using 1x6 for the side rails instead of 1x10 due to availability. Turned out amazing!

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Office makeover

It was time for an office makeover(at home). Sitting on the floor makes for a strong back and works those core muscles, so it was time to change things up. About a year ago or so I modified Ana's Flip Top Storage Bench / Coffee Table for my husband to use as a desk, as he needed to sit on the floor due to a back injury. Now it was time for mine. I instead modified Ana's Scrap Lap Desk. and it was truly built of scraps, with the exception of the hinges(which is odd, because I always have hinges lying around!)
I made the desk larger, and adjusted the height to fit me. I also omitted the side boxes and instead added a shelf on the bottom. Construction was simple and straightforward. Primed with whatever primer I had around, and even painted with a can of oops paint. The edges were lightly distressed, and will naturally distress even more, I am sure.
I had a green bookcase already, and the orange bins with I got on clearance at blue some time ago, and suddenly my color scheme was set--in the 70s. But I like it, as I need more color in my life. The printer stand I cobbled together out of scraps as well--essentially a box. A few boxes covered in paper, a rug from old tshirts, and two light fixtures-one a polyhedron from milk jugs, and the other a flower pot from the bullseye store, and I am set. Oh, and I finally got around to making my corkboard from all of the wine corks I've collected throughout the years. Or some of them, anyway.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
free
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

My First Build - Modular Bar

Submitted by SaraLodise on Sun, 06/30/2013 - 08:36

My first build from ana-white.com was maybe more intricate than I should have done for a first project, but we needed a bar so that's what I did. In the end I was able to learn so much: using the kreg jig, the saws, building doors and drawers, getting things square (or not and redoing it). Mistakes were made but I learned so much! In the end the thing stands up straight and looks pretty dern good in our dining room. I was able to complete this project in 6 weeks while working full time (my many learning experiences added to the time, lol).

Estimated Cost
Oak Boards: $600, Hardware: $30, Finish: $40
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax Gel Stain in Aged Oak (1 coat) + Miniwax Satin Poly
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

terdickison

Mon, 07/01/2013 - 10:17

Would you come to my house and build me a bar? This easily looks like something you'd have to pay $1000 or more for at Pottery Barn or Restoration Hardware. Nice job. Go have a drink.

Aubrey

Tue, 01/07/2014 - 08:30

This settles it. Woodworking is my new skill for 2014. I pick something every year to build upon. Last year was sewing and I love that. But this is the piece from pottery barn i've been salivating over for a few years. It will be mine!