Community Brag Posts

We just purchased a rolling island to replace our old kitchen table. We wanted to make stools to fit under it properly at the right height. We used all recycled wood and it’s painted with and exterior black semi-gloss paint that I had on hand that I use for my outdoor barn quilts. I covered it with 1” foam, a layer of Dacron and some off white(to match our kitchen cupboards) heavy vinyl. We really like our new look❤️Thank you Ana for sharing all of your plans. We are going to be using more in the future. I just know it.

Posted the chairs recently. Here they are with the side table. Side table used 100% pocket holes.

This was my first project from Ana's site and I have to say I was quite pleased how it turned out. This is a very sturdy/heavy duty end table that I am sure will last a very long time. I made mine essentially straight from the plans except changed the X's a little bit to compensate for my limited miter saw.

I built these two end tables from the rustic x end table plans. I tweaked the original plan to make them smaller. I only used 4 - 2x6's for the top instead of using 5, and I used 2 - 2x6's for the bottom shelf instead of using the 2 - 1x12's. My top is 20x22.5 and the base is 18x18.

My 8 year old daughter and I decided we wanted a bench to the kitchen. Found this plan here and went to the local lumber yard. My daughter drilled and screwed about half of the bench. So much fun doing this together.

I wanted to say thank you for the inspiration.

I took the general idea, made it bar height and my own preferred size and beefed it up by doweling together the top pieces.

Given the size, I made the top removable with threaded inserts as well as the removable support beams below.

For the benches, I wanted something sturdy and a look that was similar to the table.  I added in a nickel support rod for the foot rest for both strength and a nice look.

All in all this project took a lot of time, probably more so with my perfectionist ways and wanting to  make the finish perfectly smooth.  It's like glass, which I just love against the dents and dings of the wood.

Some of the challenges were wood that warped.  After putting together the bench tops, the wood warped quite a bit, nothing that a few clamps couldn't undo but a pain nonetheless.

Using black stain really brought out a nice look and I'm taking that same look to the new trim and door that are going into the dining area as well.

I've not seen a bar height (not counter height) table in a full dining table size before, it's what I wanted and I couldn't be happier with the results.   Was it worth all of the time?   That's hard to say, I really love it, but it took a long time to get it to be exactly what I wanted it to be.

Thanks!

We needed something to hold our garbage cans and recycling.
We made this little shed with fence board floor and fence board roof a lot shorter in depth and height - We also used 2x4's as we already had them - fits perfect and was amazingly easy to do.

Looks fantastic in our yard - we are still working on the yard so ignore the extra fence boards and 2*4s laying next to it.

Thanks so much for the great plans.

We made smaller ones for each side of the closet. Love it!

My ex-marine uncle helped me build the modern farm table and benches. We bought pine from Lowe's. Not all of the pre-cut pine slabs fit the exact dimensions from the modern farm table and benches plans. We knew some of the wood would have to be cut again. A Lowe's worker was kind enough to use the store saw to cut some of the wood into the dimensions needed for the table and benches. He measured and remeasured.

Once in my uncle's garage, we first dry fit the furniture. My uncle started with the table. We dry fit the table on its back (in other words - we assembled the table upside down without drilling the table together). He then remeasured all of the wood for the table (while on its back). He wanted to be sure that all pieces would fit, once we started to actually assemble the table with drills. We did the same for each of the two benches.

Then we buffed out any dark marks or stamps on the individual pieces of wood. We did this by hand and not with an automatic tool. That part was BRUTAL.

Next we conditioned the wood. Wood conditioning is necessary, because pine stains unevenly. We waited 3 hours before applying the first coat of stain.

We applied the first coat of stain. Our stain was a mix of early american and golden oak. I did not intend for the table to come out as dark as it did. We mixed more of the early American stain than I had intended, because the table came out darker than I expected.

We waited in beween coats and we assembled the table and benches in between the first and second coat of stain.

We applied a second coat of stain to the assembled table and benches.

Then we applied polyurethane to seal and protect the stain.

After the polyurethane, we used wool to sand out any bubbles.

After the table and benches were assembled and everything drilled in place, we put wood putty in the places where holes were drilled.

Then, we stained the wood putty. The wood putty accepted the stain very well.

Duration

We built this table during the second week of August 2011. The project lasted between 28-30 hours over 5 days.

Make sure your boards of wood are fairly free from cracks. After inspecting them we put several boards back.

I love my table! I'm always complimented on its beauty. My materials cost around $230.00. I built this table, because the farm table and matching benches I wished to purchase totaled $2,000.00. Thanks to my ex-marine uncle, I have a fabulous table to last a lifetime. I mention his ex-marine status, because the military taught him perfectionism. Building a table with in 100 degree heat with a perfectionist was tedious and hard work. However, it clearly paid off in the end! Thank you Uncle!

Created my own version out this plan.