Community Brag Posts

FARMHOUSE BEDSIDE TABLE

I have been working on this set of farmhouse nightstands for well over a month now. I have three kids and so I typically did a little here and there whenever I could find some free time. I love them now that they are finished!

I stained the top before I did any painting and then covered it with newspaper while I was painting the bottom. I'm not exactly sure why I choose to do it this way, other than I was just excited to see how it looked.

The knob I purchased from Hobby lobby.

This is the third project I've built from Ana. So I'm just getting started. But I will tell you right now that building anything with drawers is TOUGH!

Thanks Ana!

Here's a link to the plans:
http://ana-white.com/2011/01/farmhouse-bedside-table

Estimated Cost
$60
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

They see me rolling, my pedestal (I'm sorry ;) )

I haven't decided yet if I am going to use the under portion as storage or not, so I am leaving it unfinished until then. The plan was perfect for my house as the laundry room is relatively small. In order to make sure I didn't have to lift anything major in case the washer/dryer needed cleaning/repair behind them, I modified the plan to include 2 4" static wheels from the Home Depot. I am going to skirt the pedestal later, but needed it framed and functional for the dleivery of the washer dryer. instead of using 4x4 for the uprights, I laminated 2 2x4's and lapped the joints for additional strength. I also made the pedestal 22" total in hieght as I am 6' tall and wanted to minimize bending (spinal surgery 2 years ago)

 

Even the delivery men were impressed as I was able to pull the pedestal out for them to easily lift the washer and dryer on top of it and slide it back into place. The pedestal is perfectly stable and doesn't move at all during a wash cycle. I still plan on securing it to the walls once the drywall is completed with a pair of L brackets.

Estimated Cost
$80 to this point. Skirting will add another $30, Prefab drawers cost an additional $200
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Gloss white trim paint... eventually
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Red Oak Headboard with Herringbone pattern

Created a headboard for my guest room bed.  Used red oak slats to create the herringbone effect and regular red oak boards for the frame and legs.  Natural shellac and sealer used as the finish.  No real plans used, but can provide the dimensions to anyone who is interested.

Estimated Cost
$250
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Bullseye Shellac and Sealer (clear)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Little Helper Tower

Submitted by SecondWind on Thu, 12/08/2011 - 16:48

Love this site! I stumbled on Ana's site via Pinterest and have been hooked ever since! I used pocket screws to attach everything (the Kreg Jig is AWESOME!) Thanks for the great plans, and my daughter loves her tower! I stained it to match the cabinets in our kitchen and so our soon-to-be baby boy can use it in the future. The wood is just some cheaper pine from the local HIW.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Bombay Mahogany Minwax Polyshades
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

4X4 Truss Beam Table and Bench

I have been eyeing many tables on Ana's website for some time now. When she posted the plans for this 4x4 Truss Beam Table, I knew that it was the one that I wanted to build.
The hardest part of the project was actually picking out super straight boards for the table top and bench top. The construction of the table was really easy!
I finished it with Rustoleum American Walnut stain and 3 coats of Rustoleum Semi-gloss polyurethane.
My family loves the table! I am super happy with how it turned out!!

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

Comments

bclute

Mon, 11/04/2013 - 17:46

Table looks great, I am braving this project at some point, but have procrastinated trying to find the right look and plan. Yours looks great. What grade pine did you use? Did you use the douglas fir for the 4x4's?

brentlbg

Mon, 01/19/2015 - 18:52

did you use the finish Ana recommended or did you do your own version? I like the color of the finish.

Pantry hutch

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 01/20/2016 - 05:44

I built this pantry cabinet as gift for my son and daughter in law. Their kitchen doesn't have much storage space so this is what we came up with as a solution. I combined features I liked from a couple of Ana's plans. I wanited the piece to look a bit more like a piece of furniture than a cabinet.  It was built in 2 sections so that it is easier to move and position. The finish is an organge tinted stain with several coats of polyurethane for protection.

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Tinted stain with polyurethane top coat
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Queen Storage Bed

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 03/30/2023 - 19:19

I’ve been planning to build the Queen Storage bed for some time. Last year I took the plans and resized it to a twin for our son. For the Queen I made it s little higher to allow for two rows of drawers and to maximize 4x8 sheets. I also opted to put the end drawers facing the sides rather that the end. This gives two drawers that are 28” deep for blankets and sheets. The footboard is 1x4” resawed in to 1/2x4” and nailed onto the plywood carcass. Drawers are all 1/2” Baltic birch made in the 1/4 x 1/4 x 1/4 method with shaker style drawer faces. Next up is a matching headboard but I needed to get the bed out of the shop so I had room to work on something else.

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Kids Play Kitchen

Submitted by julievic on Wed, 12/14/2011 - 11:28

Christmas 2010 my husband and I made our little girls a kitchen using Ana's plans. We used the materials on her cut list, and used paint for the finish. Used fabric scraps to sew the sink skirt, found the knobs at hobby lobby and habitat for humanity, and small bar faucet at Home Depot. It turned out amazing!

Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

julievic

Tue, 12/20/2011 - 16:04

Thanks so much for the compliment! Means SO much coming from you! I love your site and your plans, Ana you are amazing! Thank you for making me your featured builder this month, I had no clue until someone saw my face on your blog! I feel like a rock star now ;)

Farmhouse bedside tables

Submitted by TarheelTim on Wed, 11/06/2013 - 18:30

Made these out of left over antique heart pine flooring. Definitely not for beginners. Lots of small pieces, good for using up scraps! Made to match a Reclaimed wood headboard made from the same wood.

Estimated Cost
Next to nothing. Leftover flooring scraps.
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Mixed my own. Dark walnut, red mahogany, golden oak, and a little cherry.
Recommended Skill Level
Advanced

Wall Clock

Submitted by junkens on Thu, 01/21/2016 - 11:53

My wife wanted something to replace the wreath on our wall after Christmas and I was thinking of making her a large wall clock as a gift.  Plan meets opportunity and we just happen to be at Hobby Lobby at the time and so it began.   I used a piece of paneling for the face of the clock (same material as peg board without the holes about $8, enough to make two if I wanted) and built a wooden frame out of 1' X 2' s on the back that resembles a four pane window frame.  Painted the face and numbers, then printed our names and transferred them on to the face and followed up tracing them with a sharpie.  Affixed clocked to face and hung. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$50
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Modern Park Bench

Submitted by Ecorn on Fri, 06/28/2019 - 21:15

This is my second project using Ana's plan. Plans were easy to follow. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$40 CDN
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
double boiled linseed oil on bench and milk cans. I lightly sanded the milk cans to keep the patina.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
Seasonal And Holiday

Raised planter

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 04/08/2023 - 10:13

Nightstand

Submitted by Klem413 on Sun, 12/18/2011 - 18:05

Another project my husband worked diligently on! It took him forever because he's a perfectionist, but he finally got one done. He used a piece of 3/4" plywood framed with mitered wood instead of the planks for the top. Now, on to the other one.

Estimated Cost
20.00 each
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax Poly Shades Bombay Mahogany
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Debbie440

Wed, 01/22/2014 - 07:51

I love the way the top is done.......... I made a bed and stained it with the same stain as you used. I'm hoping my nightstand turns out like yours.

Reclaimed wood-look headboard

Submitted by TxDork76 on Sat, 11/09/2013 - 21:52

A friend found Ana-White, found the plans and asked if I could build this for her. I'm still new to building, so this was a great, easy project to work on. I went with slightly less expensive boards/furring strips. It means more searching/digging though.

Jaime_C mentioned having to use boards on the back to brace/even up the face boards as much as possible so I did this as well.

We were very happy with the finish. She painted a couple of coats of the base color (antique beige) then we glazed the headboard. We thought about distressing but the practice board looked great without it. I wiped on the glaze and she followed wiping it off to get the look she wanted. The picture really does the finish no justice.

Great plans, easy to follow and fun to build.

Estimated Cost
$80
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
base coat of ?Glidden? Antique Beige (satin) Rustoleum Java Brown semi-transparent glaze.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Student work table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 01/24/2016 - 16:12

I love this table! Made for my 5th grade classroom, I modified the plans to include a dry erase table top, magnetic strips to support dry erase marker holders and clips on each leg for microfiber cloths to clean the board. I also lowered the table by two inches so my vertically challenged students could still stand, wiggle, and work comfortably. Thanks for posting the plans!

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

Comments

Bedside tables

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 04/14/2023 - 04:01

Made for my granddaughter. First time doing multiple drawers.

Comments

Kitchen Table

I couldn't find an exact plan for the kitchen table I wanted, so I used a combination of the farmhouse table and pub table to create the perfect table for my space. I liked the look of the 4x4 legs, but my local lumber store did not have a good selection of 4x4 boards. So I used a 1x4 and 1x3 kreg jigged together in an L shape to get the look of the 4x4 legs. The overall table dimensions ended up 44" square by 31" tall.

Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Well, I asked for charcoal gray minwax stain. However, it turned out VERY blue, so I believe the paint machine must have made a mistake. I havent decided if I like the color, perhaps it will grow on me, if not, I'll be sanding it down and restaining it this spring. I used minwax satin polyurethane over the stain.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Erinski3 (not verified)

Mon, 04/16/2012 - 18:48

Great make, will you help with the dimensions and size of boards you used? What did use use for the top and aprons? 2x6? Any info would help. This would be a perfect fit for my place

MarioM

Sun, 10/27/2013 - 01:02

Is it necesery to drill holes on angle and what does it help (picture 3, under the table) ? Thank you

suedrakewest

Sun, 07/13/2014 - 05:43

Love the way the color of the table turned out and the size boards you used on top. Where did you find the matching chairs? This is the exact color scheme of my dining room remodel. Thanks!

Faux Fireplace

I tweaked the plans to fit the spot I had in mind- It's a little skinnier, but still super cute!

I eliminated some of the extra trim, but I don't think it suffers any for it.

It's super cute!

Estimated Cost
50
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
I sealed the knots with kilz primer and then used a paint and primer in one that I had laying around for the white.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

jackiemacrae

Mon, 11/11/2013 - 14:47

Thanks Ana!
I have this set up in my photography studio. The floors are just ripped 1/4 inch plywood painted brown, then the crackle stuff, and then a top coat of white, and a poly to seal it.

Pam the Goatherd

Thu, 11/14/2013 - 09:50

The "fireplace" looks really good! And I'm glad to hear how you did your floor. I've been trying to convince my hubby to do a 1/4" plywood floor in our trailer as a temporary fix until we can either afford to put down "real" flooring or build the house we have been intending to build on this piece of property for the past 17 years. I've pointed out that we can replace the almost 30 year old, worn-out vinyl and carpet in the living room, kitchen and main hallway for less than $300 including paint/stain and polyurethane. But he thinks it will look tacky. I'm going to show him your picture so he can see for himself that it can look pretty doggone good!

jackiemacrae

Thu, 11/14/2013 - 10:37

Hi Pam- try googling plywood floors if you haven't already. I know I've seen some bloggers use plywood floors in their laundry room , and rec rooms.

Loft Bed

Submitted by BGBuild on Tue, 07/16/2019 - 07:30

This is the first bed I built for my daughter when she was about 3 years old and we were living in Colombia. I was able to get the people at the hardware store to cut most of the wood for me which helped since we were in a very small apartment and I put everything together was a $40 starter drill kit. In the end it came out great and she was very happy with it. When we moved back to the US and I had access to more tools and workspace I built her a Little Cottage Bed which was a much harder build but worth it.

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

Outdoor Sofa plus ottoman came out GREAT!!

Submitted by Robster on Tue, 04/18/2023 - 12:30

Inspired by outdoor sofa plan I saw on the Ana White website... wanted to customize by using larger cushions (29" wide) adjusted the plans for wider cushions and more relaxed sitting posture so pushed the back support angle further back by 4 inches. Added legs since we were wider. My wife is super pleased and build came out really nice. Thanks Ana for the inspiration!!

Comments

Claras Table and $4 stackable chairs sized for 18" Dolls.

Submitted by pjhaan on Mon, 12/26/2011 - 07:48

I decided to make the Clara table and the $4 stackable chairs for my daughters for Christmas. They were not for them though but rather for their American Girl dolls. I had to modify the plans to work for standard 18" dolls.

The Table:
It is a little taller than it should be but it allows the doll to fit under the table/apron while sitting in an appropriately sized chair (5" seat).

I also changed the length from 18" to 15 1/2" so the cuts could be made from a 4ft board.

3 - 1 x 6 @ 15 1/2" (Top) (1 @ 4ft)
4 - 2 x 2 @ 10" (Legs) (1 @ 4ft)
2 - 1 x 3 @ 10 1/2" (End Apron) (1 @ 4ft)
2 - 1 x 3 @ 9" (Side Aprons)

The apron is 1 1/2 inches. a 1x2 would probably work for the aprons too. You could then shorten the table legs by about an inch.

The Chairs:
The over all dimensions are now 12" H (back), 5 1/2" H (seat) X 6" W X 6 1/2" D

Cut List:
2 - 1×2 @ 4 1/4" (Side Aprons)
2 - 1×2 @ 5" (Side Supports)
3 - 1×2 @ 4 1/2" (Front Legs and Front Apron)
7 - 1×2 @ 6" (4 Seat Slats, 2 Back Slats and Back Apron)
2 - 1×2 @ 12" (Back Legs)

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
White paint. I used some Valspar paint on the table and one chair then decided it would take too long to get all the cracks and crevices. On the other three chairs, I used Krylon Spray paint. I put two coats of the spray paint on the first chair for better coverage.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

KAD050209 (not verified)

Tue, 10/09/2012 - 17:19

For the dimensions you have for the chairs... Is that to make one chair only? I so0o0o wanna make this for my DD! She'll love it!