Community Brag Posts

Simple 2x4 Bench

Submitted by jennibee on Sun, 09/14/2014 - 17:03

I made this in an afternoon. Loved this project. It is made with 2x4's using a Kregs Jig and mitre saw (plus additional tools like a drill and square).  This was my frist time using the Kregs Jig and I am sold!!

The free plans were taken from another website. They are very detailed and there is even a video (I recommend it as he gives a great tip for making sure the back stays equal/level to each other before putting the back on). Even though you can build this by yourself, I did have help for the heavier sides once they were assembled.  I plan to build the additional side table soon and finish them both with sanding and staining when the weather seems less iffy for rain.

If you are looking for a good beginner project that doesn't take forever or have complicated steps, this is your project.

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

8 foot long shelf with a little twist

Submitted by Daniel_ram on Mon, 01/03/2022 - 17:25

I just made this shelf using 2x4s 8 ft long wood. It is very strong and looks great. My garage size required the shelf to be max 16 in deep, so I used a 1 plywood sheet divided by 3 equal parts for the upper 3 shelfs. Since I made a 4th shelf, I used 3 1x2s for the 4th bottom shelf instead of a new plywood sheet and avoided having extra 2/3 of the sheet around and also saved like 30$ since the 2x1s were only 2$ea. That touch makes it look a bit stylish too so a win win. If you do that, here's a tip: use the outer 2x4s as rails - make sure that the cleats on the lower shelf are placed a bit lower ~ 1in. In such way, you can place the three 1x2 rails at the same level as the outer 2x4s and this you end up having 5 rails total in the shelf. Do use the wooden screws with star head if you can, they were muuuuuch easier to use compared with the regular ones. Note, this shelf is very strong, probably too strong for my needs. For a 8ft long, and my storage needs (camping, Christmas stuff, other lighter things), I'd probably use 2x2s instead of 2x4s. That would save costs, specially since wood isn't cheap these days( I spent ~$150 in materials Jan 2022).

Comments

Greenhouse

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 06/26/2023 - 13:04

I saw this greenhouse built on the Justin Rhodes YouTube channel and immediately wanted my own. My husband was a champ at making my dream come true!

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

nifof17547

Tue, 04/09/2024 - 01:43

What a great idea! Building your own greenhouse can be a rewarding and cost-effective project. With the right planning and choice of materials, you can create a sturdy structure that will last you for years to come. In fact, a greenhouse is a great way to take care of your health because the crops grown there are undoubtedly of higher quality and healthier for you. Speaking of health, if you want to improve your health, consider using natural supplements such as mullein. Mullein supplements are known for their potential respiratory benefits and can promote overall well-being. You can find organic mullein supplements https://www.amazon.com/USDA-Organic-Mullein-Drops-Lungs/dp/B0CKBPTPRL on Amazon. Adding them to your daily diet can complement the peaceful environment of your greenhouse. So, whether you are a gardening enthusiast or just starting out, remember to take care of both your plants and your health!

Seasonal And Holiday

Horizontal Murphy Bed

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 07/09/2023 - 17:49

We are remodeling our 3 bedroom house into a 4 bedroom. In doing so, my youngest is getting the smaller room. We decided to go with a Murphy bed to allow more play time space. I do not particularly like the fact that this bed doesn’t sit off the ground but overall love the simplicity of making it. We turned it horizontal and just love the overall product. I can mot wait to make something else from this site!

Tams

Girl Scout Troup Bird House Project

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 09/26/2023 - 08:19

Two Girl Scout troops combined to work on the Cadette Woodworking Badge and made this birdhouse (https://www.ana-white.com/woodworking-projects/diy-birdhouse-one-cedar-…). We used cedar decking, so some adjustments needed to be made to the plan. We looked up what types of birds in our area would use different size openings. The girls had a great time and worked together to make sure everyone finished in time. My troop has built a lot of projects, but this was our sister troop's first build. They did an excellent job! So proud of their hard work and I get the feeling we'll be building more in the future!

Sarah Eiseman

Comments

DIY Armoire Cabinet

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 01/04/2024 - 08:17

After searching for a long time for a storage piece to fit the space I needed I finally decided to build one! Thank you for the plans! (Of course I had to size it down and adjust it to fit my needs.) Absolutely love it!

Patricia Cable

Built from Plan(s)

My wife built a bed.

Submitted by AKMan279 on Sun, 06/02/2019 - 20:45

We looked for a simple plan for a bed and found this one on Ana’s site.  Easy to build in a weekend.

Estimated Cost
$140 with all lumber and stain.
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Poly stain
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Double Kayak Rack

Submitted by JamieLynn on Tue, 05/26/2020 - 09:44

I couldn't find a plan for this but found a picture of what I was looking for. It's a little too big but works. Took about 3 hours to make. Used mostly scrap wood.

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

Pool Lounge Chairs

Submitted by Fitnpink on Wed, 07/15/2020 - 17:00

Part of a huge order I did for outdoor furniture. Love how they turned out! Thank you!

Comments

Seasonal And Holiday

Modern Outdoor Chair with Backrest

Submitted by PoppaZotch on Mon, 08/17/2020 - 11:53

Per request of my wife, I opted to add a backrest to the chair. I feel as though my backrest design keeps with the style of the original build. I accomplished this by cutting the 2x4 vertical arms of the backrest at 13 inches with a 10 deg miter cut at the base. This allows you to keep with the 3/4" on the 2x6 backrest slats. I finished it off with a 2x4 top plate. I'd also note that I made slight modifications to the plans to accommodate 24" cushions.

Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
sanded to a 220 grit
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Pantry Door Spice Rack

Submitted by HR Dad on Wed, 09/02/2020 - 18:11

First I had to flip the pantry door from opening into my small pantry to opening out. Doing this allowed me to utilize back of the door for this spice rack. Frees up quite a bit of space in our cabinets, drawers and pantry for other items. Substituted braided picture frame wire for the wood dowels; still keeps all items secure on the shelves but also allows for more flexibility when dealing with canister sizes that are very close to the amount of space in between shelves. Already had the paint from doing some baseboards as well as quarter inch ply. So, final cost was for 1x4's and 1x6's coming out to about $30

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$30.00.
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Equal parts Behr Premium Plus Semi-gloss interior and Minwax Polycrylic Clear Satin
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

DIY Lift Top Coffee Table - Rustic X Style

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 02/04/2016 - 18:55

Just wanted to do something a little more original.

 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$230
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

kitteny

Tue, 02/07/2017 - 06:33

Could you please provide the plans for this table? Looks perfect for what I need. Thanks!

2x4 sectional outdoor sofa

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 05/12/2020 - 08:10

My first Ana White project. My friend Shelley and I are RN's, and she got me hooked on woodworking. I started with cushions from Lowes ( in the sizes that you recommended)to see if I loved the sectional for a few years. I loved it so much I decided to have custom Sunbrella fabric ones made. Even though the custom ones were more expensive, it has been worth it. They go perfect with my California Mission style home. Now I want to add the armless one and make it a U-shape. I did add a piece at the bottom back of each sofa to hold the cushions in. The seat cushions would slide out the back when sitting on the sofa. I made the coffee table to match. Our family loves it!

Estimated Cost
building materials for sofa $250. Custom Sunbrella Fabric cushiosn $2000
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Stained with Carrington Minwax and sealed with spray Shellac
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

lawn and garden shed

Submitted by brittanyj on Wed, 08/19/2015 - 13:17

Needed a shed to store bikes and mowers, etc, so I'd have more room in the woodshop : )  I made a lot of modifications to the plan to fit my space and make it much larger.  The completed size is 7 foot tall at the peak, 6 feet deep and 5.5 feet wide.  I made it as a 3 sided shed, using the wall as the 4th to save on cost, increase air flow, and make the exterior house wall accessible.  I also made an egress in the back of the shed in order to get behind the shed if needed. 

Instead of roofing shingles, I opted for ribbed metal sheets and one clear sheet in the middle to make a skylight, so there would be light in the shed.  This is my favorite part of the project.  It was a huge pain to attach the roofing from a ladder with very limited access, but it looks great and I love the light coming in.  We have very little rain in CA, so I'll have to wait until winter/rainy season in order to test out its waterproofing. 

Since the shed sits between the house and the neighbors block wall fence, and I wanted to use as much of the space as I could, I decided to design the shed to have the side wall against the house rather than the back wall, as shown in the plan.  This took a large amount of modifications, but with careful planning and measuring, it can be done.  This also meant blocking off access to behind the shed, so I cut an egress in the back wall and added hinges so you can lift the back cut out panel, and rest it on a stop block attached to the fence behind it in order to have access.  That's what woodworking is about- problem solving.  Love it. 

As you can see by the full shed picture, it fits a large amount of stuff- 2 adult bikes, mower, edger, trimmer, chainsaw, hedge trimmer, garden tools, shovels, etc, with plenty of room for more.  I now have a free corner in my garage that I've already filled with a DIY rolling workbench and more pegboard space for tool hanging.  Woodshop increased space= happy Brittany. 

I should also mention that building the frame and adding the pickets was quite a quick and easy job.  The hardest and most time consuming part was the roof (I didn't have metal cutting tools), rolling each very heavy wall to the site (I was alone) and the previous 2 weeks in which I built the paver patio the shed sits on.  Hard work, but worth it.  I love it!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$280
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

brittanyj

Mon, 01/25/2021 - 13:15

It has been incredibly useful for storing! One thing about the skylight- Over time the sun has warped it and there is now a hole and crack there. So I wouldn't plan on the clear roofing being a long term solution- I will be replacing it with either thicker clear roofing or 2 layers.

Workbench with Drawers and Carts on Casters

Submitted by vendo on Tue, 03/19/2024 - 07:38

Using Ana's Ultimate Workbench Plan and her easy drawer method I built this. I decided to do storage carts that roll in and out for small scrap lumber storage. The Kreg Foreman got it's own cart, I made it so the deck of the machine was at the same height as the work surface. I added a drawer so all of my kreg bits and screws can be in one place. I had batteries and chargers laying all over my small shop, so I incorporated a battery charging drawer. I'm excited for the projects to come using my new set up!

Farmhouse Storage Bed With Hidden Drawer

Submitted by Beekeeper on Wed, 12/10/2014 - 17:35

Ana, thanks for these plans! They inspired me to make my first bed build. I also want to thank all of you that added brag posts! They gave me ideas for some of the modifications that I made. I did this build by mixing your Queen Farmhouse and Queen Farmhouse Storage bed plans. I also added a number of modifications to suit my own preferences. The drawer boxes I changed by building a faceplate (I didn't want the plywood ends exposed), and by increasing in depth to maximize some additional storage. Since I increased the drawer sizes, I went with the euro roller bearing slides. I increased the foot-board height to be slightly higher than the mattress. I also designed the footboard to have a removable inner section with hidden latches on the inside. I did this because I wanted to make use of the "dead space" between the drawer boxes. I then used this space to house a hidden drawer, that is approx six feet deep (I couldn't help myself-I love hidden drawers wink). Because I added the hidden drawer, I changed the opptional center support to 4X4 blockes that were pocket screwed under the center of the boxes. I ended up using birch plywood and fir for this build. For my first bed build I'm fairly happy with how it came out. Thanks again!

Estimated Cost
I didn't keep exact track of the cost of this bed, but I think it was about $800.
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
I haven't got there yet, but I am planning on putting a mahogany stain and then a polyurethane. All
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

spiceylg

Thu, 12/11/2014 - 07:41

This is your first build and you did all of those awesome modifications?! Really impressive and it looks perfect! Congrats and welcome to the community!

In reply to by spiceylg

Beekeeper

Sun, 12/14/2014 - 06:03

Thanks for the compliments! It was a fun learning experience. Making all the modifications definitely slowed down the build, but also made it more rewarding!

beckbg

Fri, 12/12/2014 - 13:18

I just started my bed (mostly out of Baltic Birch) and am wondering where you were able to find such nice 4x4s. Your bed is gorgeous! No luck here. I bought redwood, but really wanted fir for the sharper edges. It's my first project, too. I also bought same drawer slides, but the soft close. Didn't want the slam. I figure building it will be the easy part compared to procuring nice 4x4s! Hope you can help!

In reply to by beckbg

Beekeeper

Sun, 12/14/2014 - 06:01

Thanks! The 4x4s I found at a place called Better Living Building Supply. They had a pretty nice assortment of fir, including the 4x4s, so that is why I chose it for the build. Finding the 4x4s slowed down my start on the build. Our local Lowes only had them in treated pine.

athingvall

Sat, 09/05/2015 - 20:47

Thank you for the pictures, the bed turned out Awesome.  I was wondering about the latching system for the foot of the bed.  Do you think a piano hinge on the lower would work too?  Also on the center drawer did you use rollers or is it just friction?  Can't wait to start the build.

Thanks

Codding58

Mon, 02/15/2016 - 14:11

This is excellent!!!   I really like this, so much in fact that the wife is going to have to get used to it too. lol   But really, GREAT work!    Any chance you could post a pic and or comment about how you attached that removeable end?    i think this is the best part!    Cheers!

Kmaynard19

Tue, 12/10/2019 - 08:42

Beekeeper,  Awesome build!!!  Have you posted your altered plans anywhere?  I'm very interested in your build, I was wondering about some aspects of it and how you approached it.  Plans would clear it up instead of bothering you with all my questions.

NinjaPinky

Sat, 06/20/2020 - 09:06

I, like many others, have been wondering if you'd share your plans for this modification. It just looks so great!

tammis50401

Mon, 11/16/2020 - 15:42

Bed turned out awesome. I was wondering if you have the plans for the bed with a list of supplies it took to make this bed. I so want this bed it's just what we are needing

Great job

Back