Community Brag Posts

Bath cabinet, my FIRST project!

Submitted by kim french on Tue, 02/23/2016 - 13:10

After contacting two cabinetry carpenters to do this project for me,  I came upon Ana's plan for the Momplex. I made some adjustments for my home abd surprised myself. 

 

My motto "what's the worse that can happen? I have to call someone! "

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$500
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Tinted kilz diluted with mineral spirits.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

Bench with A Frame Ends

Submitted by AndyH on Tue, 03/29/2016 - 17:54

Bench made with A frame ends. 5 feet long, 17 inches high and 14.5 inches wide.

Estimated Cost
$30
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Varathane Kona and three coats of satin protector.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Mudroom Bench with Easy Drawers

Submitted by GeekAthair on Mon, 01/06/2020 - 20:12

We've been desperate for more storage in our little house and this build really helped. The whole bench is 103“ wide and each drawer gives us 24"x17" of usable space. We had to do some custom shaping for the benchtop (two joined fir 2x12's) fit as the walls are not square but in the end we were really pleased.

The hardest part of the project was getting all of this built and in place while working around a busy family as this is our only meal space and the majority of cutting/forming was done either on the weekends or after bedtimes. If I were to do this again I'd prioritize sending the kids to grandparents for the weekend and know king everything except for paint out in one go. 

We could have spent less time with the benchtop by using plywood like in the plans but we wanted the look of a separate benchtop. We may replace the fir with stained oak down the line but this should be plenty sturdy for the next several years. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$300
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Valspar paint, minwax clear poly
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Rustic Countertop Organizer

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 09/12/2023 - 10:14

This is such a cute countertop organizer !  The possibilities for this are endless - maybe a tea / coffee bar or a hot chocolate bar - a breakfast bar or a snack bar ..... I may need to make another one...and definitely one for the bathroom !
.
The shelves slide to change the width or turn one and it becomes a corner piece!
 

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Rustic bookcase

Submitted by kschuck on Sun, 02/02/2014 - 15:41

This was the first project my husband and I built from scratch. We experimented with our brand new Kregg Jig for a little while until we felt comfortable with it, and then nervously got started. Surprisingly, the only mishap we had was that we (ok, I) accidentally bought 1X10's instead of the 1X12's. Nothing a quick trip to Home Depot won't fix! We followed Ana's directions exactly, and definitely recommend the Kreg Jig! Our neighbor is a contract worker, and he was pretty impressed at how sturdy the bookcase was. The only part that gave us a little trouble was that our planking on the back (from Lowes), was a little too wide, so we had to trim it down a bit. This was also my first time staining, but thankfully I was going for the rustic look, so I just sanded off the corners and any weird spots.

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Stained with Rustoleum Dark Walnut and finished with Minwax finishing paste wax
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Concealed Wall Desk for Computer

Submitted by Gabie on Mon, 11/20/2023 - 10:51

I built this fold-up desk, out of sheer necessity. It's rather unassuming when closed, yet fully functional when open, with built-in power outlets and light, a large screen, a nook for the laptop and the chargers, etc. It's tailored to my needs and specific size limitations, but I think you could make a great general plan of it for anyone needing a small-space hideaway desk.

Diy Upholstered Settee

I started off with Ana's plans and kinda went rogue from there. The idea of creating those curved back legs scared me so I thought I'd sacrifice an Ikea dining chair and use it as the legs. When I ruined one of the legs I decided that I'd come too far to back out and that I must continue. I adapted many conventional methods to make the settee but I'm super pleased with the outcome. For the full step by step on how I completed the settee, please check it out here Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Rustoleum Ultimate in American Walnut, Rustoleum Ultimate Polyurethane in Satin.
Navy Blue Upholstery Velvet, French Natural Nailhead Trim.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Pallet Wood Planters

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 04/01/2024 - 09:40

Did them for a friend that owns a bakery.
I don't have access to new lumber unfortunately.
The bulk of what I make is pallet. That's why there are four instead of 3 slats.
Same plan though. Pretty easy to follow.
I did add some handles to make it easier to move
since they will be brought in and out daily.

Yun

Outdoor sectional and coffee table

Submitted by Rynhffr on Mon, 07/06/2020 - 21:06

Loved these plans! Was my first project I tackled trying my hand with a new hobby of wood working to stave off quarantine craziness :-) finished project looked awesome and got me started working on other plans on the site.

**note**
Side table was just sanded and refinished, wasn't built just tried to match.

Estimated Cost
400
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Crib for Baby #3

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 10/17/2016 - 20:05

     My husband and father-in-law built this crib over many weekends. They decided against using pine since it is soft. Instead they used maple and the materials cost far more than the $50-100 estimate. The finished project is beautiful and is lovingly referred to as the bomb shelter because it is so sturdy and heavy. 

     They made it so the mattress could be raised and lowered as well as easily converted into a toddler bed. They used the crib mattress as a starting point to adjust the plans to ensure there would be no gaps between the sides of the crib and the mattress. 

      They used a router to put a dado at the top and bottom of the sides so the slats fit into the slot instead of just butting against the top of the rail in order to minimize the number of nail holes and create a nicer fit. They used one solid piece of maple plywood at the ends of the crib because there is a lot of temperature variation where we live resulting in a lot of expansion and contraction and they wanted to make sure that didn't cause any gaps.  

Estimated Cost
$450
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax Water Based Wood Stain - Slate (white tint base). After the maple was well sanded the pores in the wood got clogged up and it didn't stain well. It took a lot of coats. It would have worked better on a more porous wood. We were concerned about the finish being baby safe so we went with a water based stain.
Recommended Skill Level
Advanced

Cedar planter and 3 tier planter

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 08/04/2020 - 17:48

My very first attempts at wood working. My new COVID-19 hobby 🥰

Estimated Cost
20.00
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Custom size bathroom vanity

Submitted by Eliyahu on Sun, 11/25/2012 - 13:02

Hello, this is my first post and i wanted to thank Ana for this great website. my wife and i bought a new house and we renovated one of the bathrooms. i looked all around for a bathroom vanity and i could not find anything that was simple yet classic and elegant that would fit the place and compliment the space. so i started by ripping down a 4 x 12 beam that i bought from a salvage yard and turned it to the vanity. the vanity measures 38" x 24 "x 34.5" and it has a full size pull out shelve and a soft close hinges and it has an open bottom shelf. the finish is dark walnut and high gloss polyurethane. if you have any questions feel free to ask. Thank you.

ana white bathroom vanity

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
materials about $200
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
dark walnut
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Carra (not verified)

Tue, 11/27/2012 - 08:51

The vanity is very nice but I LOVE the shower!

Tilt Out Recycling Center

Submitted by ppavel on Fri, 09/18/2020 - 07:36

Tilt Out Recycling Center to match the floating desk and barn door in the same room. Great project from the recycling center plans. (slight modification)

Estimated Cost
$80
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Espresso Stain (Minwax)
Polyurethane Finish (3 coats)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Grandy Barn Door Fireplace and Matching Console

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 11/11/2020 - 17:38

We originally built the original console a while ago as an entertainment unit for underneath our television. We enjoyed the console so much that we decided that we wanted to do another modified console with a fireplace in it and make the other one into a buffet/storage area for the dining room.

Both of these are fairly modified from the plan, however the basic concepts remain the same. One big thing that we did was use 1x4s as much as possible to reduce the different sizes of lumber we were buying to both reduce complexity and end up with as little as possible scraps.

The frames are made of the 2x3s, The sides (4 deep), shelves, middle shelves and face frame are all 1x4s. The back and inside frames are scrap plywood. The top is 1x6s.

The addition of the fireplace was not difficult. What it did require us to do was to add the centre section and essentially create a box that is closed to the outside cabinets. If it were not closed off it wouldn't support the fireplace insert correctly. The important piece with the fireplace is to ensure you have enough clearance on the top and sides to allow the fireplace to mount safely without overheating. The nice thing about this setup is the additional shelf above the fireplace which we used for electronics. The wires go through the back of the cabinet and it looks very clean.

These are probably my favorite things I've built this year. They're simple to make and add a lot to any living space.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$500
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
White paint for body
Minwax Polyshades Classic Black for top
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Potting Bench

I am a complete newbie to anything woodworking. I just turned 60 and used a drill for the first time about 9 months ago. Thanks to Anna and her plans and videos, I have developed some some self confidence in this art and absolutely loving it.

Farmhouse coffee table and king size bed is next.

Thank YOU Anna!!! You totally rock!!!!!!!!

Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Gate-Leg Sewing Table

My husband and I built this table as our first project. We followed all of the dimensions from Ana's "Small Sewing Table" project here: http://ana-white.com/2010/10/plans/sewing-table-small-spaces?page=1 The only thing we changed was the size of the table top and the legs. We were worried about putting my heavy sewing machine on top of the leaf called for in the plan, so we created gate legs to support the leaves. Since the legs were going to be folded up in between the base and each leaf, we extended the center portion of the table top to accommodate the change. After it was assembled and stained, I decided that I didn't like the solid color, so I stenciled on a pattern with white latex enamel paint (what I had on hand) and continued to paint the base. After lightly scuffing it up with the sander, I layered 3 coats of poly on top. It has held up well, even after many large quilt projects! I just LOVE my sewing table!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$120
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Golden Oak Minwax Stain
Polycrilic
Valspa Latex Enamel in Satin White
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

TinyHouser

Fri, 08/05/2016 - 13:41

Hi there. Could you please tell me what the brackets are you used with the gateleg? Do you remember where you got them? Thank you!!!

Sandbox w/ Built In Seats

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 06/14/2017 - 07:30

I have built some other stuff before, but not with paint and sanding and such. It was definitely a great learning project. There are imperfections, but it's a toy, so kids will be having fun and that is all that matters.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$100... but, the paint will be used on other projects, and I paid for better boards for on top.
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

DIY Backyard Climbing Gym

My very first woodworking project was Ana-White's farm house bed! I've made so many projects now, I decided to start fancy'ing up my backyard!. We took all pressure treated wood to make the wall foundation, painted it, sealed it, then used Screw on Holds to make the climbing portion.

I have a full tutorial listed here http://www.impatientlycrafty.com/2013/05/07/diy-backyard-climbing-wall/

Thanks Ana for helping inspire me to create more wood stuff!!!

Estimated Cost
$500
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
I painted with latex paint, and acrylic paint, then sealed it with rustoleum clear coat (4-5 coats)

we simply sketched out the design from ideas online..
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Church Pulpit

Submitted by BBLinda on Sat, 06/08/2013 - 10:34

A good friend of mine, a pastor of a local church, asked me to build a pulpit for their recently finished church up in the countryside of Grenada. She showed me a picture of what she had in mind and based on that, I drew my own plan in SketchUp, and then built it out of Yellow Pine boards and Plywood.

Note to the dimensions:
After I drew the plan, and just when I was at the lumberyard to have the plywood and boards cut, I thought I might have had it estimated not wide enough, so I decided on the spot to make it 2" wider and the top panel 2" wider and deeper too. So if you'd like to build based on my plans, please consider if it's wide enough for your purposes.

This is what I used (corrected measurements here):

2x 2x8 26" long YP Boards (Base)
1x 18 1/2" x 6 1/2" Plywood (Base Support Panel)
1x 26" x 16" Plywood (Top)
1x 18 1/2" x 9" Plywood (Shelf Panel)
2x 45" x 9 1/2" Plywood (Side Panels ) - these are cut angled, see plans
1x 44 1/2" Wood Moulding (for the "stopper" on the top panel, and the "back" of the top shelf.

Estimated Cost
~ US$ 115 (material is very expensive here on the island, and I guess you could build it for about half or 2/3 of this in the USA)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
MINWAX Polyshades / American Chestnut Satin (375)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Timber Cabin Chicken Coop

Submitted by Julie101 on Thu, 12/02/2021 - 19:14

I had to convert all the measurements from inches to mm, but it was worth the brain drain. I didn't add the garden, but extended out the chicken coop. I am thrilled with the results! Thank you!

Comments

Ana White Admin

Fri, 12/03/2021 - 07:39

WOW, definitely worth the extra effort, just beautiful! I wish we could offer metric plans, may need to figure that out.

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