Community Brag Posts

Bigger Kids Art Center

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 03/20/2016 - 14:22

Ana sized her plan for 2-6 year olds, but a friend asked me to build this for her 9-year-old granddaughter as an art table that would live outside, on their covered patio. I made the table top 28x48, and set the top at 28 inches off the ground. The bookcase part is 42 inches tall, in keeping with the "rule of thirds."

In light of the larger size, I decided the legs needed some braces, so I added a cross brace at the bottom and some curvy side braces.

I considered adding some cupboard doors to keep the dust out, but decided to leave it open so it wouldn't become a haven for spiders. Doors don't really keep dust out anyway, the way the wind blows around here.

As shown, the birch ply top has natural stain on it. I'm going to finish the top with spar varnish. For the rest, I'm going to primer it, and deliver it with a few pint cans of water-based outdoor paint in basic colors so the girl can paint the rest of it herself. 

Thank you, Ana, for another enjoyable project!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
I spent $30 on wood for the bookshelf part, but I used a lot of scraps and leftovers from other projects, so it's hard to really estimate.
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
pre-stain conditioner, natural stain, spar varnish, primer, water-based outdoor paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Garage shelves

Submitted by papadog on Thu, 10/31/2019 - 11:46

Added some storage to the garage. Wife got some more room for her canning. Looks much better than older metal shelving. Thanks for the ideas, again!

Estimated Cost
240
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
None
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Toddler Canopy Bed

I designed and built this canopy bed without knowing Ana had already done a toddler canopy bed! Talk about reinventing the wheel. I should have known she already had plans up. ;)

Full plans are on my site, but I thought I'd add this as a brag post instead of a project plan since Ana's plans are already here. They're different, but the end result is very similar!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$20-50 depending on paint and finish supplies on hand
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Zinsser water-based primer, semi-gloss latex paint, and polycrilic topcoat.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Worked great. Followed plans exactly..

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 03/23/2016 - 08:10

 Followed the plans exactly and all worked out perfectly.  I designed my own ladder and rails.  Kids love this bed.  Took about 1 gallon of valspare 2000 paint to paint everything.  

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$175 total. including paint ($20) and nuts, bolts, and screws ($30).
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
White gloss valspar 2000
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Kids Wooden Play Grill

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 11/03/2019 - 17:10

Built this toy grill for my nephews first birthday. Went together without many hiccups. I will say these plans seemed less detailed than other Ana White plans I have worked on...but for the better I guess, as it forced me to figure somethings out on my own. I opted to add the drawer behind the grill plate, like the blogger who also made this grill did. Kept the same color scheme as well. Pretty proud of how it turned out.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$40
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Desk Hutch

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 07/24/2023 - 10:24

Built this for my desk at work.

Buck Roop

Boys Bunkbed Makeover

My hubby and I took the weekend to remove the loft and twin bed that was squeezed underneath it to give our boys more space in and around their beds. Thanks for the idea Ana, we like wood, but we also like color so the beds where stained two colors one for the frame and one for the slats. The boys chose red and blue, and green and black. We decided to hang the beds with chain from a stud in the ceiling. They were so exicited to sleep in their new beds that i believe bedtime will be much easier! Thanks Ana

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
2 X 4 pine
1 X 3 pine furlings
Stained with color tinted Minwax stain and clear polyeurathane sealer.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Corner Cabinet

This was such a fun project. I had been shopping for a corner cabinet for months before I decided I either couldn't afford what I liked and didn't like what I could afford. So I built it! I added the top doors... I didn't need one more thing to dust.

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

LOVE these....

My mom moved into an apartment and had a bar that needed some bar stools so I made two of these bar stools that she loves.

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

Doll Stroller

Submitted by DIYMomof4 on Fri, 11/15/2019 - 06:50

I made this stroller to donate to a charity fundraiser.  I'm very pleased with how it turned out!  I routered the edges with a small round over bit, which I think makes it a bit safer for little ones.  I attached the 1x2's of the handle 3" above the stroller bottom, which gives it a height similar to other doll strollers.  I also decide to change the way the wheels were attached.  In the picture, the wheels are attached as the plan shows.  I decided I would use (2) 3/8" metal rods as axles, washers for spacers, and an axle cap on each end.   This works really well, and the axle caps look nicer than the painted bolts.  Unfortunately, I donated the stroller without taking updated pictures!   

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Behr Ultra Ceylon Cream and Radient Rose
Valspar satin polyurethane - on the wheel backs and edges
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Seasonal And Holiday

Farmhouse Dining Table

Submitted by keribeth on Sat, 03/17/2012 - 13:28

I used the basic construction of the turned leg coffee table, but used 2x4s screwed together for the legs, added a couple of supports, and made the dimensions larger (38.5" x 62" for a dining table that seats 6). I used pocket holes for all the joints and it came together pretty easily. (One day, though, I am going to build a project without drastically altering the plans. One day.)

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
~$180, including finishing
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax wood conditioner followed by two coats of Minwax stain in walnut, and then, because the stain looked splotchy, one coat of Minwax gel stain in hickory. The gel stain evened things out a bit and was great to work with. Then a few coats of wipe-on poly on all that.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Closet tower from scraps!

Submitted by arkep on Tue, 01/07/2014 - 17:41

I needed some organization in my small closet, which originally only had one rod and one shelf. This is what resulted, and I made it from scraps from other projects, which is why the closet rods are mismatched...they'll be covered up with clothes hangers soon anyway. I had to buy the drawer slides and one more set of closet rod holders. I had some copper pipe straps and decided to use them as pulls on the drawers. I plan to make some crates out of cedar fence pickets to fit the shelves.

I just got the Kreg Micro Jig and used it on the drawers, which were made out of 1/2" plywood. I prefer to make drawers by using the table saw to create overlap rabbets and then use the nail gun to put them together, but it was 15 degrees outside today so I opted for the micro drill. It went pretty well...definitely caused less splitting in the 1/2" plywood than the regular kreg jig.

Estimated Cost
$40...I already had the plywood and closet rods
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Polycrylic in Satin finish
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

lizdischert

Fri, 08/22/2014 - 21:34

I just wanted to give you props on your organizer! It's so cool! I love the drawers and are those casters on the bottom? I looked at yours before I did mine and your comments helped!Thanks for posting this!

JoanneS

Wed, 08/27/2014 - 16:43

I love projects made from scraps - yours is awesome! You did a great job on all those drawers, and the idea to use the copper pipe straps as drawer pulls is so creative!

Pokemon Center

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 03/29/2016 - 11:15

My son is obsessed with Pokemon, and has amassed quite the collection of Pokemon plush toys. I wanted a simple way to keep them contained but accessible, and this was the perfect solution! I changed a few things in my build to make it shorter and square, and used shock cord instead of rope for more give. My son loves it!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

New Dining Room

New dining room with a board and batten, farmhouse table and six parson chairs.
Thanks Ana!

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
wengue stain and white paint.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

JoanneS

Mon, 03/19/2012 - 18:15

This room is absolutely gorgeous! You did an awesome job- love all the finishes and colors, and the fantastic chairs!

Cindy from Indiana (not verified)

Tue, 03/20/2012 - 12:43

Wow! This room turned out great - really fantastic job!

claydowling

Wed, 03/21/2012 - 05:14

I'm with Ana on the chairs. That's really amazing. The last time I made a chair it took a very full and tiring day to build the frame, and another evening to build the seat. Do you have tips for speeding the process up?

alamanda973

Wed, 03/21/2012 - 09:16

Thank you for all these compliments. I don't speak English very well because I'm french but I will try to make me understand. I built a chair with the modifications to see the result, then, I made all the cuttings with my miter saw for the 5 other chairs, then I made every chair within half an hour. I cut all that it was necessary foam and fabric in one step and I sewed everything for covers. To make covers, I made a paper pattern, then I sewed them in 10 minutes.
I am very happy I found this site with all that wonderful projects. It's my favorite site . Thank you Ana, you changed my life!

Milca (not verified)

Fri, 06/15/2012 - 07:44

Je suis impressionnee :)

kaytrishjr

Tue, 08/21/2012 - 13:16

I'm totally amazed, talk about getting busy! Your room is beautiful!

Angela Kempf (not verified)

Thu, 11/29/2012 - 14:24

Does your slip cover come off? I would like to make a couple of these to use as accent chairs in my living room. Yours look amazing.
I have one little boy, two cats, a large dog and a ferret. I need something that is WASHABLE =)

sugarhigh1605

Thu, 07/18/2013 - 12:37

I love your chairs and especially like the extra height. How tall did you make the backs of the chairs?

Coastal End Tables

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 03/31/2016 - 17:53

We changed the finish of the tables from the original plan, but everything else was the same. We loved the slats on the bottom of the table, and they turned out even better than expected. The two end tables are the first pieces of furniture we ever built, but the plan was very easy to follow without much knowledge needed. The kreg tool and screws are truly magic.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$150 for 2 tables
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Walnut stain for the top (2 coats)
A bright white paint we had from painting trim (2 1/2 coats)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Round Farmhouse table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 11/28/2019 - 05:48

I took on a little bit more than I could chew with this one, but after a little R&I(Resourcefulness, and Ingenuity) I was able to figure it out. I love how it turned out though! Thanks for the inspiration!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$120
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Dark Walnut with Matte poly top coat
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Back