Community Brag Posts

Wall Hanging Cabinet

Submitted by ananda on Thu, 08/07/2014 - 20:25

This cabinet is made of our local Torrey Pine: “the rarest pine species in the United States, an endangered species growing only in San Diego County and on one of the Channel Islands”-Wikipedia. It has special meaning to us because we love hiking at the Torrey Pine State Reserve! And the purple one is poplar, which I used on the sides.

The design is inspired by early American jelly cupboards and shaker cabinets. We wanted an open cabinet with shelves so we can see and appreciate those pretty bowls and potteries we love. We also love the charming country style of those primitive furniture pieces.

The entire post is here- http://www.apieceofrainbow.com/diy-make-a-wall-cabinet-from-scratch/

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
tung oil
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Farmhouse Kitchen Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 11/22/2016 - 18:28

This Farmhouse table and bench were made, stained, and painted over the course of two weekends. This makes a great project for a beginner woodworker to cut their teeth on.  You can make something fantastic while learning various woodworking techniques (i.e. joinery, planing, sanding, and staining). The chairs were purchased separately at the At Home store for $150 each. 

Estimated Cost
$150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Special walnut stain and 3 coats of satin clearcoat on top. The legs are stained, then painted with spun cotton paint (behr), then scuffed for a Farmhouse look, and finally sealed with 2 coats of satin clearcoat.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Simple and Elegant Stool

Submitted by Jake on Tue, 10/23/2012 - 08:36

This is the second of the Simplest Stool design I retrieved from Ana's site and built. I love the stool for its ease of construction and beautiful lines. Get your measurements spot on and it goes together in a flash. I did use a 15 inch diameter project round for the seat. I built it upon the request of a friend so they have to finish it. Lots of PHs in this small stool so I wish that Kreg or someone would produce PH inserts that easily fit where you have 11/4 inch ph screws.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Seat $7.50, Legs $4, 1x2 $6 plus misc or about $20 or a little less.
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
None, but if I were to do it I would paint the support a white satin and stain the seat a semi-dark gunstock or a really nice golden oak. Do them separately and then make the attachment.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Husky farmhouse table

Submitted by Dhoppe on Sun, 08/10/2014 - 20:11

My first DIY project that I built as a wedding present for my soon to be wife. Got my inspiration from Ana White's husky farmhouse table. I made the table a 4'x4' top and a counter height 36".

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$165
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax dark walnut base stain sanded, minwax classic gray stain, then paint and sand to finish the base. Table top is two coats of minwax classic gray with three coats of minwax fast drying polyurethane.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Mid century dresser

Purchased a dwell studio mid century dresser, and only the legs arrived. The company let me keep the legs since the dresser was out of stock, but I had it in my head that I wanted that dresser so decided to replicate it! These were my first drawers ever and getting the inset spacing perfect was challenging but fun! 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
200
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax water based wipe on poly, American decor maxx gloss paint in white.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Chunky Leg Bed

Submitted by thehallway on Fri, 10/26/2012 - 08:46

I built this bed for my sister's new house. I used aspen for the visible boards and furring strips and regular lumber for the rest. The only change from the original plan is that I used 1x6s for the legs so it would sit higher off the floor.

I painted it with Rustoleum Painter's Touch Metallic in Oil Rubbed Bronze and I really like how it turned out. I didn't use any primer, so you can almost see the wood grain which gives it the illusion of being stained. It also has a metallic sheen in the right light, but it's very subtle. The only downside is the metallic gives it a rough texture. I contemplated putting a couple coats of poly over it, which I may do later.

*Picture was taken with her old full size mattress

Estimated Cost
~$200 including headboard
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Rustoleum Painter's Touch Metallic in Oil Rubbed Bronze
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Francoise

Fri, 10/26/2012 - 19:44

Looks so gorgeous, the combo of headboard and frame, the chunky legs and the paint job is attention grabbing. It's a cohesive whole.

Sweet pea bunk bed

My husband and his father-in-law made this bed together for our daughter. It took about 3 months working every other weekend. My father-in-law is an engineer and he modified the bed so we could more easily assemble and disassemble it to get it up the stairs and into her room. My mother in law painted it, added the flowers and made the roof shingles out of craft foam sheets.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

booksnotbombs

Wed, 08/13/2014 - 11:55

What a lucky daughter you have! How old is she? I'm 28, and I'd LOVE to have this bed! ;) You can tell a lot of work went into this and the details. Great job.

White Bunk Beds

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 11/29/2016 - 21:51

This was a pretty straightforward project. The building itself was simple and quick, although the sanding and paint took a while. I wish I had sanded before putting the boards together to make a cleaner look. The bolts had to be awkwardly close to the edge to avoid the 2x6s on the headboard and footboard, but it ended up working ok with some serious pre-drilling. I used 9 1x3 slats to create the platform for each mattress (18 total). It would probably be better with 12 so they are closer together. 

Overall, the bunk bed is super sturdy (and heavy!) and the kids LOVE it. 

Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Modern Farmhouse Coffee Table Reloaded

Submitted by kellyd77 on Mon, 08/17/2020 - 08:34

I wanted to add a little country boy charm to this otherwise beautiful design. So I added a RFID locking hidden compartment.

Comments

DIY Crown Molding Shoe Organizer for Heels

Submitted by lbrown on Tue, 10/30/2012 - 18:52

I made this over the door shoe organizer for my heels using a pair of 6' 1x3s, a scrap of 1x4 and some crown molding. It was quite quick to make and I am really happy with how it turned out.

For detailed instructions, check out my blog: http://homeandawaywithlisa.com/blog/2012/10/30/diy-crown-molding-closet…

Estimated Cost
$25
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
White spray paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Nightstands Per Daughter's Specifications From Ana's Plans

Submitted by pondrider on Mon, 08/18/2014 - 13:12

Our newlywed daughter was searching for nightstands for their new home. When we gave her a Daddy gift card for the Ana-White plans Nightstands she accepted as she would be able to decorate per specification and not because of some store color. She also received a superior product to what she was shopping.

Estimated Cost
Estimated cost for both is less than $75.00
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Painted per our daughter.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

pondrider

Wed, 08/20/2014 - 09:43

I wish I had figured out how to post it better with clear linkage to your plans and a better picture but our daugter is happy. The locker I built 4- 5 moves ago is a real success story.

Piano Desk

Submitted by Jonesey on Sat, 12/03/2016 - 15:55

Step 1

Getcha a FREE PIANO and some help to move that heavy sucker!  You can find these pretty easy on Craigslist.

Step 2

Get a hammer, pry bar and a sawzall and start taking this piano apart.  Make sure to wear safety glasses and gloves because those strings will pop you good if you're not careful.

Step 3

Sand down the pieces you are going to use.  If the piano has laminate on it leave it if at all possible.  If it's already curling up then you're going to want to invest in a power hand planer.

Step 4

Assemble the studio station according to your equipment you'll be using.

Step 5

Stain, Paint or just poleyurathane to your liking.

Step 6

Make some music!  You can buy my album on Itunes or wherever you download your music.  FYI!  There are 2 Jonesey's.  One uses profanity.  This is NOT me.  None of my music will ever have profanity in it.

Jonesey-My Favorite Day-EP https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/my-favorite-day-ep/id1087791540 

Estimated Cost
$40
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Stained desk

Built a desk for my daughter to have a space to focus on school from home. Pretty simple build.

Estimated Cost
50
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Rustic Console Table

Submitted by RoxyRogue on Sat, 11/03/2012 - 13:11

I wanted something large to store my sewing fabrics and materials in a pretty and open way! Then I found the Rustic X Console from Ana-White and knew it was perfect. the dimensions were bang on an the open shelving allowed for very accessible, visible storage option.

I made it in a weekend and used the Jacobean Minwax stain. Only spent about $60 in lumber. Oh and I didn't end up doing the "X" on the side. My compound miter saw won't do a 60 degree angle and my manual attempts were not working :) Doesn't need it, though, its gorgeous without.

I just love how it came out! Thank you Ana!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax - Jacobean
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Adirondack Chair

Submitted by JD-LIN on Wed, 08/20/2014 - 11:14

This was my very first build by myself (besides cedar plank planters). I made this for my boyfriends daughter so she could have her own personalized chair to sit by the fire pit. I actually used the plans from Ana's Handbuilt Home book.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
32.00
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Olympic Paint in Florentine Pink
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

JD-LIN

Thu, 08/21/2014 - 08:38

I wouldn't mind at all. I just made a stencil out of an 8.5x11 piece of paper. The hardest part was hand painting it in. Brought back memories of coloring!

Modern wood dresser

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 12/08/2016 - 08:07

We didn't paint it, but I think it turned out well. We followed the plan almost exactly and it came out great!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Adirondack Chairs

Submitted by jdurham74 on Thu, 08/20/2020 - 07:49

This was built for my wife's 50th birthday. We are going to add another single and side table to allow seating for 4, and I will probably do like a fire pit or something.

Estimated Cost
$111.00
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Torch
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Side Street Bunk Beds (with modified ladder)

After building the playhouse loft bed, I found this project to be very easy. I built the bunk beds at 37/38 weeks pregnant, so that should tell you how simple it is to construct. The total cost came in under $300 and I was able to use some of the scrap wood I already had in my garage.

I did run into some trouble with the slanted ladder. Even though the pieces were cut to the exact measurements in the plan, the sides of the ladder were too short for the bed. Being very pregnant and impatient, I just modified the ladder so I wouldn't have to waste the pieces I'd already cut.

You may also notice that I didn't fill and sand my pocket holes on the end pieces yet. That was also me being very pregnant and impatient. I'll go back and do that later when I have more time. Despite the little bit of finishing work remaining, this was pretty much a 2-day project. Cutting and construction was fast (one day) and finishing took another full day.

I used Valspar "Blue Burst" paint from Lowe's to finish the bed. I used bolts to attach the side rails because we move frequently so I wanted the bed to be easy to disassemble. Overall, this was a very easy and fun project!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Just under $300
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Valspar "Blue Burst" interior paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

vpihoney

Sun, 11/11/2012 - 21:37

Love how you whipped this together! I stumbled upon your post as I started working on these bunk bed plans today (I can't read the dimensions on the diagrams from a printout, so i open up the plans on the iPad). I had to finish up the ladder and side rail today. I was stumped yesterday evening with the same ladder issue. Why was it coming up short? It was really annoying considering it took me a while to figure out a 60 degree angle on my miter. I decided to try changing my ladder angles to 22.5 and 67.5, as I still wanted a leaning ladder, but I thought a reduced angle would work better. Didn't have to scrap my boards either, whew. Love how quickly you put this together! Coincidentally, I'm 33 weeks pregnant, but moving terribly slow compared to you.

purpleheather79

Mon, 11/19/2012 - 07:25

I'm glad I'm not the only one with the ladder issue! I couldn't figure out what went wrong. I also tried to adjust the angle but my boards were just a tiny bit too short and I was not wanting to run to the store to get more. I do like the leaning ladder better though. Can I just say that I love that you're building this bed while pregnant too? That's awesome! :)

Jordan's Rustic X End Tables

Submitted by jcrist30 on Sun, 08/24/2014 - 06:04

After building the iTable coffee table, I decided the move on to building some end tables. I do wish I had modified the plan so that they weren't quite so wide, but I absolutely love them . I used Hillary's oxidized finish with the steel wool/vinegar solution about 4 days old, and I brewed 12 bags to 32 oz. of water for the black tea.

I just finished off the tables with Minwax Finishing Paste Wax, as it's a little bit more readily available than the items Hillary used. The wax really warmed the wood up; I was debated mixing in some Minwax Wood Stain with the wax because the raw oxidized finish was so gray, but just the clear wax did what I was looking for.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$125
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Hillary's oxidizing solution followed by Minwax Finishing Paste Wax in Clear
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

For my grandson's 2nd bday to match his new race car bed

I built this for my grandson for his 2nd birthday to go along with the new race car bed that he got.  I left off the pump handle and hose as a safety precaution since he is only 2 and a handful.  This was definitely the gift that everyone was talking about!  I love your plans Ana...keep 'em coming!!!

Estimated Cost
$120
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Kilz Primer - followed by Rust-oleum Painter's Touch Apple Red, Rust-oleum Semi-Gloss Black, and Rust-oleum Semi-Gloss White - the lettering was printed out and traced with carbon paper underneath and then filled in with Elmer's Paint Markers in White and Black
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Workbench

Submitted by MaryL220 on Mon, 08/24/2020 - 21:20

I needed a legit workbench and I had a bunch of wood to use up. I got a bunch of 1x8x6s from my local hardware store's scrap pile. There's a reason they were free... But I couldn't just toss them. I used all scrap, from the hardware store, my garage, and my brother-in-law's farm, except 3 2x4s that I bought new.

For this workbench, I used slats on the top and the bottom shelf. The frame is 2x4s. I had some idea I could use the space in between the slats to cut wood, but after adding 2in casters, it appears it might be a bit too tall. Even still, the spaces in between the slats make for excellent clamp storage.

And now I finally have a legit, mobile workbench to keep all my chaos somewhat contained.

Estimated Cost
$50-75
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
None. I sanded the whole thing down to reduce the splinters but didn't feel that my workbench needed anything else.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner