Community Brag Posts

Kids Step Stool

My sister wanted a step stool for her grand-daughter via her daughter-in-law. Like our mother and grand-mother before us, we stood by the sink with our hands in the wash water "helping" with the dishes. She asked it I could build a stool. After searching through several plans, I came across this vintage step stool and changed it up a little for the personal touch. I added the cartoon characters to fit with my great-nieces theme and she now has something that she can "brag" about as she grows.

Estimated Cost
Less than $20.00
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Oak stain, Minwax Provincial stain, latex paint for cartoon characters and 2 coats of Minwax Polycrylic. When using stain, I prefer to wipe on with old rag or t-shirt, it seems to cover better. As far as with the acrylic, I use a foam brush going with the grain whenever possible.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Poplar and birch expanded dog crate

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 02/24/2016 - 10:47

I saw this plan on pinterest and really liked the way it looked. I bought the wood, but let it sit for a year because it wasn't a priority. Well, we were getting a new dog and he needed a little more room due to hip surgery. So, I expanded the crate dimension and got to work. I added 6 inches to the width, and 4 to the length but turns out I was about an inch shy all the way around to fit a plastic liner tray. Next one will be better. I used birch plywood on the side panels and the bottom panel, but used 4 inch wide board to create a slatted top rather than a solid top. I put hinges on the top with a window latch style lock, and put 2 slider style gate locks on the door. the color was from using medium walnut Danish oil, finished with 3 coats of gloss poly. During the project, I took time to teach my 9 yr old daughter how to use various tools, from the drill to the power miter saw. It was a great bonding time for us, and for a worthwhile reason- the new dog.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$350-400
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Medium walnut Danish oil, glossy polyurethane
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Patio furniture

We modified Ana’s plans only slightly and we love our outdoor furniture we are going to make a second couch and a couple of chairs as well!

Estimated Cost
$50, with cushions $165
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

MITER SAW CART

Great Miter saw cart plans! Absolutely love how mobile my miter saw is now. I added adjustable shelves and drawers for a ton of storage.

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Modified Queen Stratton Bed

Submitted by APagano on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 11:57

After we built the first level, we decided we didn't like how low to the ground the mattress was going to be, so we made another level. Our master bedroom is very small so this gives us plenty of storage space! The floor throughout the house is wavy, so theboxes do not meet perfectly ( you can see a slight gap at the bottom) which drives me crazy, but I will have to live with it for now. We kept the drawer face simple (less work, and we like the clean lines). Our mattress is quite thick, so I see myself building a step stool in my near future! This was our first project and very easy to follow. Already working on my next project. I am addicted! Thanks for the great site, Ana!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
between 500 and 700, taking into account paint, handles, screws, etc
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Oil based ultra white from Lowes. I think it was Velspar.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Guest (not verified)

Tue, 02/14/2012 - 12:54

I too modified this plan with a second rob of drawers and im in the finishing stages of it (hardware and paint). How tall is yours?

APagano

Wed, 02/22/2012 - 13:05

Total height is 25 inches. I love how tall it is, because the dogs cannot jump on the bed! I wish we would have thought about the double drawer height before we started as it would have brought the cost and time down significantly. We live and we learn. Enjoy your new bed!

Marie421 (not verified)

Tue, 07/31/2012 - 19:48

Just wondering how you attached the double drawer layers together... Love the look of it...

APagano

Mon, 06/10/2013 - 17:41

Sorry for the delay in response. I haven't been on the site in awhile and I could not figure out my password! We used the Kreg Jig to attach the top level to the bottom. Looking back on it, we should have just built the walls as one piece, but since the top drawers were an addition, after the fact, we just had to deal. The 1x2 trim piece gave it a finished and less pieced together look. It has been so long since we built this, the details are fading!

In reply to by APagano

diy_lover

Sat, 08/06/2016 - 20:37

I'm new to furniture making and was wondering if you had plans for your work since I like the height, queen and twin size? Also, I was wondering if any drawers are for storage purposes, as I would like them to be?

natasha

Mon, 10/08/2012 - 08:00

Hi this is exactly what I need to do!
we just bought a new bed and I new I'd be making this not thinking I decided not to buy the box spring, now I realize my bed will be on the floor...

I would love it if you could share everything you learned in making it double decker! please
thanks
Natasha

APagano

Mon, 06/10/2013 - 17:48

Better late than never, I hope...
First thing we learned, the bed is a little too high, so we should have made slightly smaller drawers. Still happy our dogs can't get up there, but I have to actually hop up on the bed every night, and still have yet to get around to making my step stool.
Second, cut the side pieces for the height needed for two drawers, then you have a cleaner look with no middle trim piece. I don't mind it, but I would like it more without, I think.
That is really all I would change. The plans were easy to follow and made it easy to alter for our needs.

reneemwhiten

Tue, 05/07/2013 - 23:52

I am flabbergasted by this AMAZING bed you MADE over the WEEKEND! This is simply unbelievable! I absolutely could never do something like this. Are you willing to make a King size one exactly like this and sell it to me??
Oh please?!
Renee

APagano

Mon, 06/10/2013 - 17:53

Thank you for those kind words! I was a little nervous about taking on such a big project, but we had a fun time building it { I can't say the same for sanding and painting :-) } and are very happy with the space it freed up in our very small bedroom! Just take your time, invest in a Kreg Jig, and you can do it too!

Desk Bling accessory sets for Christmas

Submitted by JoanneS on Tue, 12/17/2013 - 14:28

These desk sets were made from scrap wood and left over finishes, and are the inspiration for the desk bling accessory set plan, the cedar 1-board desk accessory set plan, and the 1-board cedar 2 drawer desktop storage cube plan. I had a ball planning and building these 4 sets over the summer, and gave them to the girls at work today as Christmas gifts. They were a big hit!

The cube sides and drawer fronts are made from scraps of wainscoat paneling.

The gray set is a distressed finish (not shown - the matching cube storage included pulls painted in oil rubbed bronze). The Espresso painted set received pulls spray-painted in silver. The Onyx set was stained with Minwax Express color, with pulls spray-painted in silver. The blue set received 2 coats of paint, and a Walnut glaze. Those pulls were done with a gray paint wash, with sea glass pebbles glued on the fronts.

The pulls are all made from pieces of S4S moulding, sanded and then painted. These also received a poly topcoat before attaching with super glue.

Total time for each set is about an afternoon each. Each set received multiple coats for the finishes, but was well worth the effort.

For some added "bling," I raided my stash of sticky-back felt scraps and applied to the bottoms of each piece, along with the drawer bottoms.

Estimated Cost
all materials already on hand, except for the sea glass (purchased at Michael's)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Gray: 1 coat white, 1 coat gray (Ace, Greek Column), distressed with 100-grit sandpaper, 1 coat polycrylic satin.
Espresso: 3 coats Benjamin Moore aura paint in Wenge, 1 coat polycrylic satin.
Onyx: 2 coats Minwax Express Color in Onyx (brushed on), 2 coats polycrylic satin.
Blue: 2 coats Clark & Kensington tinted to Benjamin Moore's Blue Echo, glazed with Minwax Express Color in Walnut, top coated with Minwax Oil Modified water based poly in satin.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Rustic x + tryde combo media stand

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 02/28/2016 - 09:47

I saw someone else make a stand similar to this by combining the rustic x and tryde plans. I just used 1x for the sides instead of the x. Didn't take more than a few hrs to build but finishing took forever bc a couple boards were crowned so I sanded forever. If anyone has aby questions or needs help feel free to email me @ [email protected]

Estimated Cost
100-150
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Jacobean minnwax, semi gloss polyurethane
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

fancy jewelry box

Made this with my brother as a gift for my daughter 20th birthday . Wood is from reclaimed cypress and hand rubbed shellac finish

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Shellac
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Barnwood Frame - Variation

Submitted by Joni on Fri, 02/10/2012 - 08:48

Have you checked out prices at framing stores lately? Since I didn't want to pay $250 for a frame, I decided to make one out of some spare 1x4 Douglas Fir that I had. It's a single board with a router cut at the edge for detailing. I routed a rabbet onto the back, and kreg-jigged it together. I distressed the wood by beating it with a hammer and chain.

Prior to completing the frame, I took a sample piece to the framing store (who would be matting it) to make sure they could work with my rabbet size. I ended up having to make it deeper and wider to accommodate them, so I would advise doing this if you're taking it to a framer.

I never dreamed I could actually make a frame, much less a piece of furniture. Thanks so much to Ana for sparking all of this. I've found my creative calling thanks to her!

Estimated Cost
Free (spare wood!)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
1. Minwax water-based wood conditioner. 2. Minwax mix of Onyx & American Walnut water-based stain. 3. General Finishes Glaze in Van Dyke Brown. 4. Bartley's Satin Polyurethane (4 coats).
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Becky Smith (not verified)

Thu, 02/16/2012 - 04:32

That is really beautiful! I've been considering the same build for the same reasons. Framing costs are outragous! I've never used a router before and I guess I'm a little intimidated by them. What do you think? Are they too hard to use? Worth investing in?

Thanks!

Joni

Tue, 02/21/2012 - 08:11

Becky -- thanks for the feedback. The router is hard for me, but I don't think I know all the ins and outs of how to use it. For making the rabbet on the back, I've found out that a table saw works SO MUCH BETTER than trying to use the router. I believe that a dado blade for the table saw could make the decorative cut (and much easier, faster, and cleaner than trying to use the router).

Wood block pyramid

Submitted by Lsh108 on Sat, 12/21/2013 - 06:35

What a great little gift idea and made this in about 4 hours. HD had 2x2 poplar turning blocks that were perfectly straight and pretty smooth to start with. Required minimal sanding. Each board was $1.98 but was 32 inches long. So you have to buy 15. Start with the larger cuts first. The end of each board will produce one or two of the smaller cuts. Used the food coloring and also coconut oil on the blocks.
Great project, had fun doing it.

Estimated Cost
$32
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Food coloring and coconut oil
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

2x4 Truss Bench

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 02/29/2016 - 18:07

I made my bench a little shorter (54") and did not need the center support.  I also cut the top and bottom of the leg horizontals 3/4" shorter so the legs tucked under the bench top more.  It was a great bench and looks good with the Fancy X Farmhouse Table I also followed from Ana White.

Estimated Cost
$20
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Frame: Off White Paint
Top: MinWax Early American stain with a Spar Urethane gloss finish.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Bunk Beds

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 10/10/2019 - 17:26

A lot of fun to build and not that hard at all. Thank you for the great plans.

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Polycrylic Semi gloss
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

DIY Toyboxes!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 06/29/2023 - 09:54

I love the toy box plans!! I've done some woodworking previously, but this was my first larger project. The first one was so simple and easy to make that I decided to make more!

Tiffanni

Built from Plan(s)

x bench

Submitted by sidman on Tue, 02/14/2012 - 02:41

I loved this bench when I saw the plan and had to try it. Thanks Ana!

Estimated Cost
20.00
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Red oak stain on top and painted the botton black.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

Tiny House Ontario

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 03/04/2016 - 12:43

I looked at all the sofas that people built and took bits out of a lot of them to decide what I needed to fit my needs. I am in a tiny house and I wanted the sofa to be super versatile as well as being good for storage. I decided to build it the size of a double bed, but to divide this into three sections so that it can be used as a sectional, a seating area for meals and a bed for overnight guests. It was a lot easier than I thought it would be.

Thank you for this, I would not have known where to begin.

I decided on brightly printed outdoor fabric because the interior of my tiny house is all wood and I though the bright colours would be a nice addition. The outdoor fabric was chosen so that it would resist water and stains as well as pet hair.

Estimated Cost
$487.
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
water proof outdoor fabric
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Built in dining bench

Submitted by aahmad79 on Sun, 10/13/2019 - 09:14

I used the mudroom bench plans and modified them slightly to account for the wider space and air registers underneath. Thanks Ana!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$450
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Daybed Mash-up of Plans

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 07/03/2023 - 12:35

I mashed together several twin bed plans - farmhouse bed, simple twin bed and Hailey Storage bed to create this farmhouse style daybed. It's a very sturdy and heavy piece of furniture.

Built from Plan(s)

Cedar Garden Bed

I made this garden bed in one evening. I love it! I bought 6 6' cedar fence pickets and two cedar 1x2s. I don't have a table saw, and they wouldn't rip a fence picket for me at the store, so I had to buy the cedar 1x2's but the project was still very affordable. I wanted it a little wider than the original plan, so I just cut the 6' pickets in half for the sides.
It is 6' x 3' and I didn't bother to cut the dogears off. You probably wouldn't even be able to tell they are there. I didn't trim the top out because that would add on about $6, and I like it just the way it is.
Now, lets see if I can actually grow some plants in it!!
I'm a beginner, and this project was really easy.

Estimated Cost
$20
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

Lisa P (not verified)

Tue, 04/03/2012 - 08:08

This is exactly how I was going to modify Ana's plans as well. Have you started growing anything yet? Looks great!

Tara Kirkland

Tue, 04/17/2012 - 20:55

Yes, I've started "trying" to grow a few things. I don't usually have much luck, but maybe.... just MAYBE this will be the year!! :)

Lindyer0523 (not verified)

Mon, 04/23/2012 - 07:13

What would you have used for the top trim?

counter raised beds

2 - 2x12x8

2 - 2x3x8

2 - 4x4x8 (cedar, fur is cheaper and will work fine also)

16 - 5/16x4 lag screws 

16 - 5/16 washers

3x10 feet 1/4 hardware wire

20 - 3inch wood screws (outdoor rated, deck screws or the like) 

you will have left overs if you buy extra lags you can make some other boxes depending on how high you want these, or set them on ground without legs. and use the wood screws 

Estimated Cost
$75
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
no finish
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner