Community Brag Posts

Tall Wood Planters

Very good plans to work from, and very adaptable! I modified the plan to add a sloping lip, which I think finishes the look. I was using old weathered cedar, so I contrasted that with cabinet style joinery (all mitered joints). I like the difference between the old distressed wood and the more refined joints. I set the skill level at "advanced" due to the compound mitered cuts required. I would be happy to supply the miter and bevel angles if anyone is interested.

One small suggestion: I found the diagram of the cuts for the sides to be confusing because the diagram of the piece of wood, which is rectangular, looks slanted in the perspective view. I would project the rectangle flat (all right angles) so that the angled cuts are clearer, and not confused with the "angles" of the sheet itself.

Thanks for a great idea!

Estimated Cost
$20 (wood already in hand)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
None
Recommended Skill Level
Advanced

Child's Bench with Arbor

Submitted by jennibee on Sun, 09/14/2014 - 08:57

This was a weekend build made from plans right here on Ana-White's site. There were a few changes made to make it sturdier since several (older) rambunctious toddlers were going to be using it. If anyone is interested in how much weight it can hold, two adults sat on this and it held up great. We have had this in the back yard for over a year now and it looks just as it did when it was first built.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Under $100. Not sure about actual cost since we had wood, primer, and paint on hand.
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Primed and painted with exterior paint.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Platform Bed

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 04/14/2017 - 19:01

We couldn't fit our box spring up our stairs in our house so this bed worked perfect. It took about a week and I followed the plans exactly, except just using all 2x6's for the headboard. I felt it would look more appealing. Thank you. 

Estimated Cost
100
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax Walnut and Jacobean
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Rustic X Console

Made a bit shorter to fit our decorative arch and opted for more different hardware.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Rustic Oak Stain with a wax finish.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

mitered corner farmhouse table - shiplap top.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 04/25/2017 - 13:07

Slightly modified the farmhouse table plans to build the top out of 6 inch pine shiplap, its thinner than the farmhouse plans (its 3/4inch), but I liked the rough cut on the top surface, and overlapping edges made for a great fit. 

I cut the outside edge boards down to 4inch wide, and then mitred the corners to act as a frame for the 6 inch boards. I will build copper corner protectors. 

Finish was: pre-conditioner on the wood, 3 coats of minwax weathered oak stain, 3 coats of polyurethane. Sanded the benches between coats, but not the table, as the table has a rough surface. 

benches are 2x6 fir boards, cut the long edges off on a table saw to make them join better, as I dont have a jointer.  Same finish applied as the table. 

Table is 8 feet long, 38 inches wide.  seats 10 comfortably.

It was half finished in my garage for several months, in which time I used it as a workbench - so it has plenty of authentic weathering dings and dents. 

It was my first project, as I have only recently moved into a house with a garage. 

Loved the construction part, hated the finishing steps. 

thanks!

oz

 

Estimated Cost
200 in wood, fasteners, stains, etc
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
minwax pre-conditioner, weathered oak and polyurethane
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Chicken Shed

I used the chicken shed plans to create the coop, with a modification to include two nesting boxes, one on each side.

I slightly modified the nesting boxes, using a U shaped frame and added hinges for the front to swing down and the pine shavings to be swept out.

For the siding, we found it easiest to do the tack and trace method. We tacked each full sheet of siding in place and traced the cuts for the window, roof line, doors, and nesting boxes. We then took them down, darkened the lines, cut 'em, and re-hung them. It made it a million times easier, IMHO.

For the inside, I designed several roosting bars with poop platforms. The water is a gravity fed chicken nipple/pvc setup, which I found online.

The food stations, also gravity fed, are (new) sewer pipes with wye connectors.

I used the roof and siding scraps to make shelves for storage inside.

By sourcing reclaimed materials, I built the coop, run, interior, feeding stations (5), and waterer for $550. I only bought 27 pieces of new lumber (15 2x4's and the 12 8 foot long 1x3's)

Even the paint was free! (We have a drop and swap at the haz mat recycling center run by the county. We have gotten 100's of dollars of free paint, stain, and varnish there. I even used a can of free spar varnish to seal the inside of the coop)

There are still a few pieces of trim to be cut and painted, but the girls are inside eating, drinking, and merry!

I did find that at the Home Depot, if you buy chicken wire, it costs way more then 150 feet x 36 inch "stucco netting". The stucco netting was $54 for 150 feet, and chicken wire is $76 for the same amount. It is the exact same wire.

I built the run out of resourced 1x2 furring strips. They were a pain to work with, very prone to breaking when not supported, but with the entire run costing $25 for wood and $54 (with half a roll left over) for chicken wire, I can handle some extra time and effort.

If anyone has any questions for me, feel free to contact me! I'd love to help!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
550
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Free paint !

I know several counties in CO have drop and swap places. Maybe your county does, too!

We got three cans of exterior rust colored paint and mixed them all together to make one color. This only works if the colors are pretty similar. It prevents one side from looking different then another.

The trim was a full gallon of blue-grey. Free and never even used.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

xman1x

Mon, 02/06/2023 - 08:12

Hi! Do you still have this coop? It's been about a decade now and wondering how it has held up, if you have any suggestions, or additional pictures of the inside. Thank you!

Patio cooler/Grill cart!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 06/22/2017 - 14:06

Great project! I'm new to wood working and have been looking for simple but challenging builds. Needless to say this fit the bill... This grill cart was a great starter build and ultimately became a Father's Day gift!  My Pops loved it! 

I did add a couple of custom pieces: a foldable table top extension and towel bar... things Dad will undoubtedly need as he's an outdoorsman who loves to BBQ!

Thanks for the idea/design plans! 

Estimated Cost
$150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Semi-gloss spar urethane (3 coats)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

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.

Seasonal And Holiday

Girls vanity

I built this off the vanity plans, but I wanted it to be larger for when my step daughter grew. The vanity height is 30". I also made the center removable so down the road she could use the 2 sides as bedside tables if she wanted. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$50
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
White paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Farmhouse X Desk

Submitted by Malka on Thu, 02/08/2018 - 11:12

My fiance wanted a new craft desk so I sent her some ideas from Anas site, and she loved this one.  I had her pick out paint  (bright white by behr) and stain (minwax dark walnut), then got to work.  Easy build overall, though I strongly recommend people measure the X brace angles they'll need before cutting them, because using the angles provided in the plan left gaps I wasn't happy with and had to redo the cuts. 

 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$120 for lumber, paint, stain and kreg screws.
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax clear gloss poly
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Murphy Bed

Submitted by Newfey on Fri, 07/19/2013 - 14:59

This is a Murphy Bed that I made for my daughter Alicia for their getaway home at Canadian Lakes, MI. Due to limited space i had to make it horizontal instead of the normal way of being vertical. It really comes in handy and takes up very little space.

Finish Used
Red paint mixed with Baking Soda
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

JoanneS

Fri, 07/19/2013 - 15:17

Looks great! Love the color and the trims you used. Where did you find your hinge hardware? PS- How did you like the baking soda paint? I've tried ASCP which was good but very pricey, and last time made my own with some plaster of paris. Your finish is lovely.

Newfey

Sat, 07/20/2013 - 18:47

I bought the spring hardware on line. I can't take the credit for the paint as my daughter did that part. She loves the way that the baking soda and paint covers everything and it is a whole lot less expensive than buying the commercial stuff.

Rolling Kitchen Island

Submitted by crewhead05 on Tue, 10/13/2015 - 22:25

Added rolling casters to the plan. Also decided to go with one big drawer instead of two small ones. The top is made from pine 1x2's that I glued togeter and then sanded dow. Do yourself a favor and go through the plans and sketch out your own plan and wood requirements ahead of time. There are a few mistakes in the plan when it comes to your buy list.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Paint and deck seal on the natural wood
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Garage shelf and work bench

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 08/10/2022 - 12:29

Used the plans from attached garage shelving to make a 10 ft, 24 inch wide shelf then used similar idea for workbench which I still need to put doors on. I love it! Such an easy plan!

Comments

Garage / Basement Shelving + Bonus Wine/Liquor Under Stairs Storage

Submitted by MJC2DIY on Wed, 10/12/2022 - 21:35

Using the guidelines for the “BEST DIY Garage Shelves (Attached to Walls), I added this to our unfinished basement area for additional storage. I plan to replicate it in our actual garage as well and build the freestanding shelves also!

As a bonus, I used this plan as inspiration and built directly beside it, which is an unused space under stairs, a wine/liquor storage shelving replacing the plywood with cut 2x4s for added weight capacity/stability.

Couldn’t have been easier!

Comments

MJC2DIY

Wed, 10/19/2022 - 09:14

Thank you!! I am so thankful for Ana White and team! These projects are helping me build a lot of confidence to continue endeavoring more challenging projects each step of the way :-)

Pallet Inspired Coat Rack

Submitted by thehallway on Sat, 02/09/2019 - 15:33

I built the coat rack along with the mail sorter and rustic bench for the long hallway to the garage since our new house doesn't have a mud room. I modified it to a length of 6'.  All but a couple pieces are made from poplar.  I burnt the stained pieces with a torch, then put a quick coat of Special Walnut on them.  The painted pieces are Rustoleum Weathered Wood.  Hooks are from Home Depot.

Estimated Cost
<$100 due to already have wood on hand
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
I burnt the stained pieces with a propane torch, then put a quick coat of Special Walnut on them.  The painted pieces are Rustoleum Weathered Wood. The mail sorter has Chalkboard Paint on the front pieces.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Flip Top Storage Bench

Submitted by Linda7 on Tue, 10/01/2013 - 15:40

So my sister's house is on a rural, sandy lot. Did I mention sand...lots of sand. Her tile doesn't react well to sand-covered shoes , so they needed a place for guests to take off street shoes to replace them with spa booties. I offered to build them a storage bench for that purpose.
I modified the bench to make it shorter as per my sister's request. She also wanted the lower shelf modified to place a boot tray on it to catch the sand. I suggested replacing the lower shelf with rails to place the shoes on so the sand could fall off onto the boot tray. We nailed finish nails into the legs under the rails and slid the tray onto them. Now she can remove the tray easily to dispose of the...sand.
The finish on the body matches the mirror, which hangs above it. The lid of the bench was stained to match the finish on the doors, posts, etc. I used wrap around inset hinges from here: http://www.rocklerpro.com/product.cfm?page=5135&rrt=1
I checked this as a weekend project because of dry time for stain and poly.
Thank you, ANA for the awesome plans.

Estimated Cost
About $65
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Express Color "Crimson" for body; Minwax "Ipswich Pine" water-based stain, followed by three coats of gloss poly for the top.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Trofast Toy Storage Solution

Submitted by CassieD on Fri, 09/30/2011 - 17:27

I had been asked a few times for these plans, but as someone else posted a similar one, I'll just stick to a blog post for now and describe my differences. I made this shelving unit January 2010, just after I found out of I was pregnant with my third child, and it's been a lifesaver since then. I desperately needed a toy storage solution (and purging), as shown in the 'eek' kids closet below. I didn't like the shape of triangular Ikea ones, as they spanned more floor space than I cared to give up. Plus, I wanted a place to put *almost* all of my kids toys, so I wanted it to be tall. I'm so glad we did, since we've moved twice (also, 'eek') since than, and it's made packing and unpacking the kids toys super (SUPER) easy. At first, I was afraid that the kids would go crazy and just tear down every bin at once, but it hasn't happened yet. Unlike the other plan that was posted, I used white sliders that ikea sold. I'm not sure if they still sell, as I don't see them online. It cost an additional $24 (they were $1/2), but seemed worth the extra money. I didn't have a router and wasn't particularly confident with our table saw skills. Plus the Ikea version had some really thin areas that made me nervous that it would break easily. I tried to keep it easy and just had to line up and screw the sliders in. Now that I'm a little more confident with a table saw, I'd give the router style a-go. I used two sheets of cabinet grade plywood, each costing about $30. I ripped down some pine boards to cover the front edges, which made the unit look loads nicer. However, I wish I would have used maple, instead of pine as they got dented almost immediately. Not a big deal though. The three shelves were sort of an afterthought, but turned out to be great for puzzles and other type toys. I didn't use backing or cross supports initially, but put some in after we moved. You can see them in the last picture below. The heater in our temporary house caused the slightly-bent sides to become very bent sides. That caused the drawers would spontaneously fall out, which was always quite the shock and disappointment. I put in some supports in the back, which I wish I did initially as it would have made manufacturing easier. Also, If I were to go back, I would put one cross support in the front-middle, as the boards are so tall, it needs something to help maintain the shape in the front. I've found that even in a perfect fitting slider, really heavy buckets would bend just enough to flex out of them to crash... so don't plan on filling one of the large buckets with matchbox cars and sticking it on the top. Regardless, we've learned our lessons, made it work better, and has been a huge success in our house for a while now.

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

Comments

Supermom77 (not verified)

Sat, 10/01/2011 - 14:22

Great work. Love the colors. Do you have directions on training the kids to put the toys back?

In reply to by Supermom77 (not verified)

CassieD

Tue, 10/04/2011 - 19:42

Haha, I guess a little. Picking up when they aren't motivated is an ongoing battle. However, I did find having a specific place to put items with labels helped a lot, albeit with screaming. Actually the labels would probably be the best motivation of all of it.

The ideal is to have the kids only play with one bin at the time, but with more than one kid, that theory very quickly gets muddled... One child wants to play with one toy and one wants play with another, then "lego houses can't be broken down" and "polly pocket is using those blocks for the house" and so on. So it's more of a end-of-the-day(week/month/year haha) pick-up routine.

However, there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel. My oldest (almost 6) seems to have caught on that the faster she picks up, the sooner she can move onto other activities besides playing (coloring, playdough, etc.), and is starting to pick up as soon as she's done without us even asking. I think getting an allowance has also helped with that.

That was way more than I thought I was going to comment, but I guess it goes to show you should never ask a Mom her opinion on something, unless your ready for a lecture :)

birdsandsoap

Thu, 10/13/2011 - 21:44

I love that your labels have pictures on them! I thought I should have done that way back when since my children are too young to read. Easy to find and easy to put away. Good job, Mom!

Modern Farm Table

Submitted by AnnieAtoZ on Sun, 10/06/2013 - 22:44

This project was a true labor of love by a first timer. We are first time homeowners and built our home, which was completed spring of this year. Like most wives, I wanted all the bells and whistles in this home. The bells and whistles add up, and next thing you know, we're eating most of our meals on our granite island upgrade, instead of a new dining set. My husband took it upon himself to purchase tools off of Craigslist and research online for modern farm table plans. He came across Ana's site and loved how she broke everything down in her plans. This was the plan he used http://ana-white.com/2009/11/plan-modern-farmhouse-table-knock-off.html The cutting, sanding, and putting the table together took about four to five hours, but staining and waiting around made the project about twenty hours. Also, everything cost $50 on our end, whereas, the West Elm table I wanted is $700. I'm one happy lady, especially since I think our table looks way better than the one from West Elm. I'm excited to report that my husband is currently refurbishing chairs to go with this beautiful table! Thanks a million for your easy to comprehend plans, Ana. You're the best. Here is a post where I featured my favorite piece of furniture http://www.AnnieAtoZ.com/2013/09/diy-modern-farmhouse-table.html

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$50.00
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Golden Oak mixed with American Standard. Satin polyurethane finish.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner