Community Brag Posts

Whitney's Turned Leg Farmhouse Table

I worked up the plans in my head for about a year before my mother finally got around to having me build her 10 foot farmhouse table. That's right, this bad boy is TEN FEET LONG! And it was one of the simplest things to construct!. I used 8 foot 1x8's for the length of the table (used 4, making the table 29" wide) and 1x12's for the breadboard ends. We also splurged and purchased turned legs for $15 a piece at Blue. It really made the table extra special. Totally cost, with finishing supplies came in under $150.

Things I would change if/when I do a table of this size again:
1) I would never make a BB end so large again. I would stick to a 1x6 or smaller. With such a large size we worry about children putting too much pressure on the ends.
2) I will make the legs removable. It was a bear trying to get this table into the house. Thankfully the width was just narrow enough!
3) I won't tackle this in the winter months! Construction of the table took only a few hours but finishing in freezing temps took weeks waiting for warm-ish temperatures.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Less than $150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Sand, sand, then sand some more! 2 coats of Minwax Mahogany Gel Stain. 2 coats of poly on legs/base. 4 coats of poly on table top with 0000 steel wool sanding between coats
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Easy to Build Workbench

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 09/06/2023 - 09:09

I was wanting a work bench for my outside shed to work on occasionally and help keep organized. This is the first piece of furniture I have built totally on my own! The plan was easy. I sized it down a little with no problem. I'm a little off on a couple of the cuts but will practice more! Overall, thrilled and extremely proud of it!

Lori B

Cedar Street Number Planter

I was looking for a way to give our house some better curb appeal and decided our stree numbers could use a facelift.  The majority of money spent on this project was for the numbers since I had enough spare cedar laying around.

house number planter

Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Sedona Red
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

Vinyl Record Storage

I've made another record cabinet, this time with a nice dark walnut stain.  To see more details and plans visit my blog.

http://www.woodworkingfourdummies.com/

 

Cheers,

Ian

Estimated Cost
400
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax Dark Walnut
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Four station desk (PB inspired)

Submitted by monty742 on Sun, 03/15/2015 - 08:58

I really liked the PB mega desk, but I didn't want to spend $1600 on it.  After seeing someone's post here (a couple years ago...) asking for plans on that desk, I decided to do it myself.  I took these two plans and made 4 base units.  They are 18" square at the top and 34" tall.  I used 2 IKEA table tops connected underneath for the top, to make a total height of 36" - counter stool height.  I constructed them a little differently than the plans, but no matter how you make them, the idea is the same.  The plan is to take them apart and make 2 desks once everyone is too old and cool to do homework/artwork together.

Estimated Cost
$500
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Kitchen and Bath finish paint (2 coats) - it's a little shinier than eggshell (I only used it because I had 2 or 3 gallons extra at home :) then 2 coats acrylic top coat matte finish.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

monty742

Sat, 08/15/2015 - 04:33

Just seeing your comment...sorry for the delay!  I got the stools and the light fixture at a Ballard Backroom (outlet) store near me.  3 of the stools ended up being about $40 each with the sale they had at the time, and the 4th was $60? - bought at a later time than the first 3.

AlisaH

Wed, 11/04/2015 - 07:40

How did you connect the table tops from the bottom so that the tables were secure together? I'm curious what's the best way to do this. Since two of the four seats will be where the seam is, I want to make sure I secure it properly so it's not wobbly. Thanks so much.

 

monty742

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 05:06

I'm just seeing these latest comments for the first time, so you may have long finished this project already!  The tops were surprisingly sturdy but I did reinforce them.  I placed the tops on the floor upside down and screwed some metal brackets (about 12" long each) across the joint in four places.  I just screwed them in through holes already in the brackets.  This wasn't the most stable because those tops are particle board and don't hold screws very well...  But since it was already pretty sturdy, I figured it would do.  It has been fine, even with standing on the top (kids who get up there and me hanging the light fixture above).

Once the tops were joined, I placed the bases so there was about a 1" overhang on the top.  To hold the top in place, I used small pieces of wood screwed to the underside of the top at the inside corner to act as a placement stop.  The top is pretty big and heavy even though they are IKEA tops, so they don't have a tendency to move or slide at all anyway.  I'm going to try to figure out how to post another picture of the braces and corner stops...we'll see if I can do it!  Let me know if you have any more questions...again, sorry I didn't see this in a more timely manner!

Pmprdwife

Sat, 01/02/2016 - 05:55

Is the photo above the Pottery Barn version or your product result?  I'm trying to figure out the dimensions for the drawer and shelf configurations.  Thanks!  BTW, I'm totally addicted to your style and personality...my husband loves the productivity inspiration I've received. :-)

 

monty742

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 10:17

Hi!

I'm glad you like the desk!  The one in the picture is the one I built, not the pottery barn one!  My dimensions were a good bit different than the PB desk - square bases instead of rectangular and counter stool height instead of desk/table height.  So, I have no idea if I have my plans for this anymore, so I went and measured it again for you!  

So each base is 18" x 18" square and 34" high so that with the 2" top the total height is 36".

 

Each base was made of oak plywood that made with 3 sides, a top and a bottom.  All edges were rabbit joints (3/8" deep in thickness of boards and probably 3/8" wide - not 100% on width of rabbits).  It's kind of a pain to do rabbit joints if you don't have a dado blade for your table saw, so you could use pocket hole screws instead.  I glued and nailed these joints with a finish nailer, I believe.  

I figured a diagram with measurements would be easier than trying to write descriptions...so I'm adding another pic with the dimensions outlined.  Drawing is NOT to scale, so sorry about that!  I really need to learn to use SketchUp.  Let me know if you have any questions!  

Monty742

monty742

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 07:57

Hi!

I'm glad you like the desk!  The one in the picture is the one I built, not the pottery barn one!  My dimensions were a good bit different than the PB desk - square bases instead of rectangular and counter stool height instead of desk/table height.  So, I have no idea if I have my plans for this anymore, so I went and measured it again for you!  

So each base is 18" x 18" square and 34" high so that with the 2" top the total height is 36".

 

Each base was made of oak plywood that made with 3 sides, a top and a bottom.  All edges were rabbit joints (3/8" deep in thickness of boards and probably 3/8" wide - not 100% on width of rabbits).  It's kind of a pain to do rabbit joints if you don't have a dado blade for your table saw, so you could use pocket hole screws instead.  I glued and nailed these joints with a finish nailer, I believe.  

I figured a diagram with measurements would be easier than trying to write descriptions...so I'm adding another pic with the dimensions outlined.  Drawing is NOT to scale, so sorry about that!  I really need to learn to use SketchUp.  Let me know if you have any questions!  

monty742

Thu, 07/28/2016 - 14:13

No you can't buy them from Ikea.  I bought the table tops from Ikea, but I built the bases.  The dimensions for the bases are in one of the additional pictures with the post if you want to see them!

treverandamber

Mon, 10/10/2016 - 07:41

What are the total dimensions of the table top? Thinking of building something like this, but want to make sure it will fit in my space.

Simgre81

Thu, 12/28/2017 - 07:00

Are these just slide in drawers, or did you use some sort of hardware to have them slide in and out?

Providence Bench - Heavy Timber Version

Submitted by sawduster on Sat, 10/28/2017 - 15:37

My wife saw the examples of the Providence Bench on this website and thought we could use one on our front porch.  We had some heavy lumber from a huge pin oak tree that we had taken out of our yard, and that was used in the construction.  In one of the attached photos, you can see the cross-section dimensions of the two top boards are 6-3/4" x 3-1/4".   The legs, main beam, and angle braces are rough cut, full dimension 2 x 4's.  Due to the lumber dimensions not being the same as standard commercial lumber, I had to vary the dimensions slightly.  Because of the dense, thicker lumber, construction took longer than it would of had I used pine or other softer wood.  I used a Kreg jig attachment to drill the holes for the screws.  We painted it with Sherwin-Williams 1021 Hi-Tech Black exterior grade acrylic paint.  The final weight is about 105 pounds.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Less than $100; I used lumber from a tree that was removed from my yard, and a friend with a sawmill milled the lumber at minimal cost.
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Sherwin-Williams 1021 Hi-Tech Black exterior grade acrylic paint.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Seasonal And Holiday

Fireplace Wall Remodel

I needed a solution to my shelving problem. I wanted something clean looking, modern, and white to flank both sides of my fireplace. Count on Ana White to come up with a plan. Within seconds of sitting down to surf her site, I found that perfect plan to build four floating shelves.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Cedar Garden Shed

We needed a way to get all of the lawn & garden stuff out of our garage and organized. I found Ana's plans for the Small Cedar Shed & adjusted them to fit our space. We used 2x4s as our studs & added front walls on the sides. Our shed measures 9.5'x30". We had a concrete slab poured for our foundation. We are experienced DIYer's but had never taken on a project of this scale from scratch. This project was much easier than I was anticipating, and we were able to complete it in one weekend! Similar shed kits were way more expensive and not the size that we were looking for. Thank you so much for the inspiration!

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Seasonal And Holiday

Craftsman Style Playhouse

Submitted by aerialc on Fri, 10/02/2015 - 11:57

I mainly followed ana's plans for this playhouse. Instead of a plywood roof I used cedar shingles. I also added plexiglass to the windows.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$450, including deck.
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Ready Seal - Dark Walnut
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Barn Door Laundry Room Cabinets

Submitted by Ana White on Sat, 03/09/2019 - 19:58

Built by Kelly Flood Gugliemoni, shared on Facebook.

Sliding barn door hardware is DIY, cabinets are DIY - tutorials linked below.

 

Comments

Livb528

Fri, 03/06/2020 - 16:52

This looks like the exact width of my laundry room. (Tiny!) Is there a way I can find out the dimensions?? And possibly the plans? This is so beautiful and my laundry room needs some help! 

Bird Houses

I love this pattern of Ana's! My husband and I made these together. We have 3 very tall pine trees close together, planted by my Mum 50 years ago; one for each child. Now a cedar bird house for each tree. An extra for our cottage in Garden of Eden, Nova Scotia.

Thank you for sharing this pattern Ana.

Darlene & Garry

Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Custom Modern Chicken Coop

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 08/30/2023 - 08:49

I made this coop twice as wide like Ana suggested since I have 4 chickens and wanted to make sure there was some extra wiggle room in case “chicken math” got the best of us. I made a nesting box to mount on the outside. I also used plywood for the sides like Ana did in the video. I installed a Run Chicken automatic door that opens at sunrise and closes at sunset. I added some hasps and clasps to make sure all my doors would close tightly. I put hardware cloth across the top before installing the roof panels. I stapled and buried hardware cloth around the perimeter for predator protection. I also spray painted the hardware cloth flat black so that it would be easier for us to see inside the coop. I stained the rest of the wood with Varathane Semi-Transparent stain, color “Carbon Gray.” I also added some roosts and cedar shingle siding for some extra protection during our New England winters at to match our house. Working 2-4 hours a day, off and on, with a bum shoulder and weak hands, this took me about a week! Thanks for the great plan, Ana!

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Seasonal And Holiday

Mission Style Side Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 04/29/2024 - 09:36

Red oak mission-style side table with deer footprint inlays, golden oak stain.

Bob Zink

Daughters blue Playhouse

Submitted by rysos81 on Thu, 07/23/2020 - 08:55

I used the basic framing plan for the project, but extended roof overhangs, added engineered siding / trim and cedar shake roofing. I put 2x4 bracing on for the platform.

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Seasonal And Holiday

Basement Storage

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 12/27/2016 - 11:44

Thanks for the instructions! Here's my version. I haven't built much of anything before, but I needed it in my basement to handle kids' stuff. My version is 18 feet long. I combined a 12-foot and 6-foot 2x4 to get that length, which meant less cutting, which I had done at Lowe's (for free). I used the 6-foot 2x4s throughout the shelf to ensure it was strong (in other words, I didn't want a 12-foot "section" and a weaker 6-foot "section" added on).

 

I was able to get everything in my car but the ride home was slow. I also had to use my egress window to get the 12-foot boards in the basement.

 

Total cost for me was about $170 including a couple boxes of screws and wood glue. I could've easily spent double the cost on store-bought shelving. Thanks for the plans!

Estimated Cost
$170
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
None
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Queen Murphy Bed

Submitted by Jenga on Sun, 12/06/2015 - 12:59

Not too bad of a project but had to a good bit of guess work so I could changed the plans for a queen size bed and flip in on its side.

Estimated Cost
$200 if you already have the bed
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
White Paint and laminate flooring left over from the floor.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Arilie

Sun, 05/29/2016 - 18:50

Good evening!

I am new at wood working, and would be very interrested in knowing the different measurements you changed to get from a twin to queen murphy bed. If it is posted on this page, I tried but couldn't find it. Thank you for your help. Have a good day.

Marie-Julie

2 Person Picnic Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 07/14/2023 - 12:45

Made 2 of these for my coffee shop in Puerto Rico. Easy instructions. Thank you!

 

Javiel Cardona

Comments

Seasonal And Holiday

Pantry Cabinet

Submitted by JoanneS on Mon, 03/05/2012 - 16:57

Pantry cabinet, with lots of room, Ana-inspired. We combined ideas from the Momplex kitchen, simple armoire, and benchmark storage, and we are super pleased with how this turned out. We built it in 2 pieces, attached together and then secured to the base and wall studs so it’s a ‘built-in’. Then we added lots of trim and painted to match the dining room. The opening at the left is large enough to fit pretty much any size microwave, and there’s a dedicated outlet behind it in the opening. The shelves are spaced wide enough apart for tall cereal boxes, tall bottles, and chip bags to stand upright. Overall finished cabinet size is 48" wide and 95 3/4" tall. This took us several days to complete. Since the doors are tall and kind of heavy, we added the Blum cabinet door dampeners from Rockler (these things really work!). Ana, thank you so much for the inspiration. I don’t think we would have tried this if it wasn’t for you. We love our new pantry!

Estimated Cost
$600
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Ace Royal semi-gloss in Wishbone (front and bottom side), and in Crushed Peanut (upper side). We did 3 coats, sanding in between coats.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Debi_G (not verified)

Wed, 03/07/2012 - 00:05

Fantastic!

yogashell

Sat, 07/21/2012 - 07:44

It looks amazing! What a great idea to add it as a built-in. Nice modification for the microwave.

Bench

Submitted by Shellipsm on Sun, 11/04/2012 - 19:22

I chose to make the simple bench 2" shorter, and upholster it, using 4" foam and fabric.

Finish Used
black paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

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