Community Brag Posts

Big Kid Computer Desk

Submitted by AlohaMama on Thu, 08/22/2013 - 15:23

We needed a desk for my kid's computer. Something simple and functional but with a little customization.

Since we live in Hawaii ocean themes are everywhere in our home. I scrolled out the waves to make the shelf supports original and let light into the little cubby below.

24" across and 18" deep I built this off the rough plans for the Clara desk and customized it to be at a normal table height of 29" so my elementary school children will be able to use this all the way through high school.

Stained with a blue minwax wood stain on the legs and shelf support. Arctic white latex paint for the table and shelf tops.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$45
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Blue wood stain by Minwax
White latex paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

JoanneS

Thu, 08/22/2013 - 15:48

You did an awesome job on this desk! The colors are perfect, and the scrolled wave decorations are unique and beautiful!

yurra-bazain

Fri, 08/23/2013 - 01:05

I'm happy to see other Hawai'i builders sharing their creations. :) I love how you customized your table with the waves. I'd love to know how you made them!

AlohaMama

Fri, 08/23/2013 - 12:24

Great blog you've got going! I'm really impressed with your builds, beautiful home!
The waves were done on a scroll saw. It's one of most favorite tools.

Keep building!

Ladder shelf

Submitted by mltdblack on Tue, 10/16/2018 - 19:58

My kids desperately needed storage for their bathroom. The vanity is separate from their toilet and tub/shower. They were always forgetting to grab a towel before bath time. When I saw the wooden ladder shelf I thought it was perfect for the space. The only problem I had was figuring out the angle and height to place the supports on the front legs. With the help of my husband and a level it was a breeze. Once again it took longer for me to apply the finish than it did to build. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Not real sure. I had most of the lumber on hand.
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Rust oleum Dark Walnut
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

$20 DIY Cedar Planter

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 07/01/2022 - 06:09

This is the 1st planter I have ever made! Thanks Ana, plans were easy to follow! I shared with my brother, and he said "I'm impressed!", I said "Me too!"
It isn't perfect but I love it! Started 2 more, just 1 inch smaller on both sides. Thanks again, great project to help with fears and confidence!

Comments

Modular Desk

Submitted by SPA16 on Sun, 08/25/2013 - 15:08

This was my first major DIY build and I LOVED the way it turned out! I have wanted a large office desk for quite awhile, but never could find anything in a store that fit my needs and/or style. I modified the plans to fit what I wanted and it turned out great! The top is just a hollow-core door from Lowes ($19) that I stained with a Dark Walnut color. I added a file drawer to the right and just a hinged pull-down door on the left for more hidden storage. Purchased the baskets at Michael's for 50% off.

Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Dark Walnut - Top
Krylon Paint+Primer in Ivory - shelves (also distressed edges with Vaseline)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Cameron Dresser

Submitted by TMW on Thu, 10/08/2015 - 07:11

My son needed a dresser to fit in a specific space. I had a truckload of 1x6 sitting in the shop. I designed this to use all 1x6's. The sides were created by making rails and stiles using tongue and groove joinery. the panels were planed down to fit into the grooves. The panels are not glued in they are floating. I made a front frame that was pocket screwed together and attached it to the sides using biscuits. I glued up the top and made a simple cove molding with my router table. The drawers fronts were made like the sides using tongue and groove and a floating panel.

Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Stain and shellac
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Shed

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 10/26/2018 - 14:46

This took about a week.  I had several challenges but with the help of family, I was able to get it assembled. I use it for my tool shed.

Estimated Cost
$300
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Dinning & Hobby Table

I'm about to have bilateral knee replacement so I'm going about raising everything by at least 30cms.
This is the 30 year old lounge chair, once was a sofa bed, first up I removed pull out sofa bed and frame then made a heavy duty base using 75 x 75mm sleepers and whacked on a set of 150kg rated castors. I then made a inner support frame for the cushions to sit on.

Comments

The 5 Shelf using 1x8 &1x12 scraps

I wanted to make something using the plethora of scraps in my garage. I ended up making this shelf that calls for 1x6 pieces with 1x8's and I didn't even have enough for that so I cut down some 1x12 pieces and used those too. The long part of the shelf is actually two pieces screwed together using pocket holes. Check out my blog for more on this project!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Krylon Satin Black Spray Paint.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Harriet goes outdoors, dressed to impress!

Submitted by E.A.Y. on Tue, 08/27/2013 - 14:26

It took me a long time to finish the chairs, although the table was a snap. The time consuming thing was my desire for two paint colors. Painting is not my strong suit. But I got it done, just in time for our annual Labor Day house party.
I cut the lumber using our radial arm saw. I sanded with an random orbital sander, and used really great cordless drill and driver. My husband likes to buy good tools, but hardly ever uses them.
I had never used pocket screws before: I love them and found it very necessary to use the face clamp and right angle clamp Kreg sells to prevent splitting. My assortment of speedclamps were not getting the job done.
For the table, I tried masking off the white when I painted the red on the legs, which did not go so well as there was annoying paint-creep under the tape. I also decided that the red paint needed two coats to look good (it actually seemed to do better on bare wood then on primed wood.) So that took more time.
I finally bought a really good paint brush and that made a huge and positive difference.
I had intended to paint the chairs' slats red, but the back frame white, and the side supports red. To do this I intended to paint individual pieces and assemble the painted pieces, but the splitting (before I invested in the specialized clamps) was heartbreaking after all the sanding and painting. So I took a month off from the project, ordered clamps, recut a few pieces, and simplified my paint scheme. Much better!
I'm looking forward to starting my next project (NO paint!)

Estimated Cost
$70 (USD) for lumber, $37 paint, $25 for screws (leftovers)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Benjamin Moore exterior soft gloss in red and white
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Reclaimed Wood Headboard, Queen Size

Submitted by bcarter_1 on Tue, 10/30/2018 - 04:49

Made for a friend's son

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

Comments

Bench to match a table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 07/27/2022 - 06:42

A while back I salvaged a table from an apartment dumpster and refurbished it.
We really like it on our patio but with no included seating, I had to create my own.
I made a bench that matched several design features of the table:
Through tenons, trim attachments, leg angles, decorative kerfs.
Take a look! Thanks to all.

Comments

"nourish" crate

I made a version of this crate for the top of my family's refrigerator. I didn't have enough scrap 1x3s, so I used 1x2s as well. Instead of using chalkboard paint, I stained the 1/4" front and painted "nourish" with white paint. I also used old drawer pulls I saved instead of cutting out handles.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$0
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Natural wood + Dark Walnut front and back panel.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Kitchen Sideboard

Submitted by stavros85 on Fri, 10/16/2015 - 20:20

First time using your plans and I`m very happy with the result. I modified slightly to make a smaller unit and used a combination of jointing methods such as biscuits and mortise and tenon. I also used Scots Pine and a pine furniture board to make this and the worktop is oak. Hopefully hold me in good stead as I continue to fit out my entire kitchen. Next project is to loosely use these plans (no better alternative found anywhere) to make a unit for my belfast sink with a washing machine cupboard.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
£200 for carcass, £100 for worktop
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Danish oil for the worktop. Carcass still to be painted.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Deer Proof Garden Enclosure

Submitted by verarj on Fri, 08/05/2022 - 17:18

We used the plans from the Garden Enclosure, but built the sides twice as high to make for less bending. The only problem was this made our wire come up higher so we had to adjust the door height. We haven't produced too much yet, but hoping next year brings a quicker yield. The plans were so helpful and easy to use for us novices. *Sorry I couldn't get the pictures to rotate.

Built from Plan(s)

Photo Ledges

This was an extremely quick and easy project to complete. I really love how the ledges tie my dining room together and display all the great pictures of our family. Now I just need to get some more pictures and frames...

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$25
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
1 coat of white primer and 2 coats of Behr Glossy White Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Reclaimed beauty

Submitted by mkrgolf on Fri, 10/23/2015 - 07:13

I started the project on a Monday and moved the table into the house on Thursday afternoon. All wood used was reclaimed. I shortened the length of the table by 9 inches due to the length of the reclaimed boards. The dimensions are 87 x 38.5 x 30. I used a colonial maple stain brushed on then rubbed in with a cloth. Then I applied several coats of Polycrylic clear satin. The stain was $1.50 from the Habitat store and the poly was found in the house we recently moved into. I spent about $15 on wood screws.

 

 

Estimated Cost
$20
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Colonial maple and Polycrylic clear satin.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Wooden Slat Closet

Submitted by Twrenn on Mon, 11/26/2018 - 21:54

This was my take on Ana’s great idea and plans. My wife and I were in need of closet space in our small master bedroom and this worked out perfectly, plus it looks great! To gain some additional storage (and because I thought it would look cool) I decided to build the unit around our wall mounted tv and added 3 additional shelves. Sanding and staining all the board was by far the most time consuming. Assembly was a breeze. For anyone looking to build a large unit like this I recommend having a decent sized working area in order to stain all the boards and set them out properly to dry. Thanks Ana for the awesome design!

Estimated Cost
$200-$250
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Varathane BriarSmoke
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Modern Headboard w/ Sconces

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 08/16/2022 - 08:22

Love the modern look of the headboard so I adjusted the dimensions a bit to add more height. I built this for my daughters first college apartment and wanted to capitalize on space know that her room would be small - so I added the sconces for extra lighting in her room. I turned out great and was so happy to find the inspiration on Ana's site!

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Bathroom Shelf

Submitted by lizseburn on Wed, 08/10/2011 - 11:13

Another perfect shelf to decorate my little basement bathroom. Plans were so easy to follow! A little help from my hubby with this one... We had to drill into concrete to hang it. I love the end result!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$15
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Folding Chalkboard

I bought two pre-cut 1/4 inch panels and adjusted the dimensions of the trim to fit the panels, using 1x2's and 1x3's. I painted before I assembled, which was where the most time was spent. Thanks Ana for another great project!

Estimated Cost
I'm guessing $15 including the hardware and chalkboard paint.
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
left-over interior green paint and chalkboard spray paint (Rustoleum)
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project