Community Brag Posts

Wooden Sandbox with Convertible Bench / Cover

I make and sell kids picnic tables on craigslist and a buyer asked about making one of these. I took it on and found the plans on here very easy! I now list these on craigslist also and hope to sell more before the summer is over.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
~$100
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
none, until PT has dried
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Tiled Bar & Bar Stools

Submitted by iChristee on Sat, 04/04/2015 - 13:08

This was my second Anna project! I changed this one up quite a bit (size and style) so it would fit the area were I wanted to use it. I just love how it turned out!

The tiles were left over from my kitchen backsplash. They are inset so that they are practically flush with the wood on the top. 

Total cost: ~ $150.00 for the bar and 3 bar stools. 

 

Estimated Cost
150.00
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Antique Walnut Gloss - stain & poly in one
I found the stain & poly in one to be hard to work.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Tmoules

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 01:54

Is there a cut sheet on the material used to make the 3 tiered top.?

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

Custom Retail Counter/Bar

Submitted by ksmith311 on Wed, 07/31/2013 - 18:02

This is our first original design! We had a request for a custom bar/retail counter for my mother in law's children's re-sale store and this is what we came up with! After we found a ridiculously awesome deal on 3/4 inch hardwood plywood (the only down side was that it was already cut into 2ft by 4ft pieces) we quickly got to work. Using our trusty Kreg Jig we turned 4 pieces of plywood into one large piece to create the front of the bar. From there we attached 1x3s and 1x2s to cover any seams that were caused by the different plywood pieces.

The finish was kind of a struggle but I love how it turned out in the end. It looks like the piece was made 100 years ago and definitely has a lot of soul. I started with Early American but it made the wood too red. So from there, I layered on Kona stain, lime wax, and dark wax and this is how it turned out! Which was not exactly what I was going for, but I LOVE it!

We are so happy with how it turned out. It is being picked up by its new owner tonight and I'm soooo sorry to see it go. We're happy that the piece will be functioning beautifully in the store with TONS of storage in the back. We're very proud of this one.

oh and it cost us about $130 for all lumber and finish materials.

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Early American then Kona then lime wax and then Dark wax.
Recommended Skill Level
Advanced

Comments

Small End Table from 2X4's

Submitted by jbknakal on Sun, 04/10/2016 - 11:55

I made a smaller version of the Tryde End Table with Shelf. I made 2 of them from 6 2X4's

Estimated Cost
$30
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Black Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

6'x6' Box

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 04/20/2016 - 19:22

I found these plans online and was just waiting for the kids' grandpa to come out and build it. Could be built in one afternoon (depending on how many trips to your local Home Depot, and availability of the correct tools)
Modifications from original plan:
6x6 instead of 4x4
Brackets to hold patio umbrella for shade
Added seat gussets for additional support
Added "wooden flange" around bottom of box to run lawnmower on
One additional center back support on each bench
One centered handle (instead of a handle on each end)
Stapled landscape weed barrier fabric onto the bottom
Sanded all exposed edges

Materials:
4@2x10x8'
12@1x6x6'
2@2x6x12'
8 hinges
2 handles
3 1/2" decking screws (for attaching 2"x boards)
1 5/8" decking screws (for attaching 1"x boards)
2+ 1 1/4" 2-hole straps for metal conduit (for attaching patio umbrella*)
*Our patio umbrella pole was 1 1/2" diameter, but 1 1/2" straps had too much play, so we used 1 1/4" straps and misc flat washers to adjust the snugness to the pole
Cut lengths:
2@2x10 cut to 72" (long sides of the box)
2@2x10 cut to 69" (short sides of the box)
Cut one each of the following out of a 12 footer:
2@2x6 cut to 75" (long side "flange")
2@2x6 cut to 64" (short side "flange")
No cuts were made to the 12 1x6's
Used one leftover 2' from the 2x8x10's ripped in half cut to 11.5" for arm rests
Used two leftover 2' sections from the 2x8x10's ripped in half cut to 21" for back supports
Used the last 2' cutoff to make two seat gussets (cut about 9 1/2" off and then ripped it at 45 degrees)
Used the remaining piece (ripped in half length-ways) to attach to the center of the backrest for additional support and as the attachment point for our handles
We decided to do one handle in the center of the backrest so one reasonably strong adult could open the lid
The bottom "flange" was assembled with the box upside down. Basically a 2x6 screwed to the bottom edge of the box allowing 1 1/2" overhang all the way around
After making cuts, but before assembly, we recommend using a quarter-sheet pad sander (or similar) with 60 grit paper to break all of the edges and round over any ends or corners that will be in contact with sandbox users
Followed other general assembly instructions

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$300 with umbrella and sand
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
We live in a very arid climate (Utah) so we chose not to varnish or paint this project
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Poolside Towel Cabinet from Benchmark Cabinet Plan

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 03/23/2017 - 11:21

My father and I made this awesome poolside towel cabinet using the Benchmark Cabinet plans. A super easy 1 day build and it looks amazing on the patio. Bring on the pool weather! 

Estimated Cost
$60
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Chalk paint/Poly topcoat
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Simple 2x4 Potting Bench modified with inset tote for potting soil or water

Submitted by SusanStory on Thu, 04/15/2021 - 10:10

Made this for a friend who does cuttings of her plants for others. I used the Simple 2x4 potting bench plan and modified it to hold an inset 7 gal. Commander tote box with snapping lid with two 2x4 @ 22" braces to support the tote on each side attached to the front and back aprons. She wanted something that would hold a medium size bag of potting soil with a lid to keep snakes and other critters out since she lives in the country. There are plenty of hooks to hang tools and other items.

Estimated Cost
$224.00
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Thompson Water sealer
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Storage Cubbies

I used 1x8 instead of 1x6s and added an extra column to fit the exact space I wanted my cubby. It is perfect for storage of my Sizzix dies! The more corner clamps you have, the faster this will go.

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

Repurposed bed frame dog kennel

Used the inspiration of Ana-White dog kennel and made ours with an old bed frame that wasn't being used anymore. I'm very happy with how it turned out. I just need to paint and stain it. You can see the side is from the bed headboard and footboard.

Estimated Cost
$75
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Deck Chairs

Submitted by mgb11184 on Thu, 07/21/2022 - 19:54

I made a couple of additions/modifications

I also made a couple of side tables and foot stools for the chairs. A total of four chairs, two tables and two foot stools for the deck set.

Comments

Reclaimed Wood Queen Size Headboard

The plans for this headboard are great. Very easy to follow and the cut list is spot on. I used some choice pine from Lowe’s ($63) and then used the vinegar with steel wool mixture to age the wood.  That’s where this piece is at right now. Trying to decide if I want to leave it or put a light satin clear coat. 

Thank you for the plans!!

OK.....I added 2 more pics.  I added 1 coat of Satin Clear Poly witch gave it a richer look. 

Estimated Cost
$75
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
1 Sheet of 0000 Steel Wool torn apart and left in a mason jar of vinegar over night
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Smiling Mudroom

I fell in love with Ana's Smiling Mudroom plans and knew it was just a matter of time before I built it. I just made one tiny change, I substituted 10' deck boards (stained and sealed) for the seats instead of plywood, because I wanted a thicker surface. Check out my blog to follow along with the rest of the laundry room/mudroom renovation! www.thecottagegray.com

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$130
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Painted white. Stained Dark Walnut and sealed with Waterlox clear coat.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

fanofana

Thu, 03/01/2012 - 15:02

It looks great! I am hoping to get this made this spring and was going to do the same color combo you used. Like the idea of the thicker board for the seat that will work to stain. Thanks for the idea.

JessiW (not verified)

Thu, 03/08/2012 - 15:06

I just love this the two toned and I am thinking about doing this what stain color did you use for the bench part?

5 tator tots (not verified)

Fri, 03/30/2012 - 09:27

Wow! The "smiling mudroom" has been on our to do list for a couple of months. I love the look of the stain with painted wood. We have 5 children so a stained surface will hold up much better than a painted seat.

I'm just trying to decide on color...it's a laundry/mud room and I want the "Sausha's Washer/Dryer Pedestals" to be black. Black might be too dark for the mudroom cubbies and I'm not sure if it would clash to have black on one painted piece and white on another.

Your mudroom is gorgeous, too pretty to be associated with the word mud!

lacarlson

Mon, 12/23/2013 - 10:21

Can you share any more information about the wood used for the seat? We're looking to do something similar with a flip top bench and don't want to use plywood for it. Thanks.

Rhyan Console Table

Submitted by Stacie on Wed, 01/15/2014 - 10:37

I built this console table for my son's room, and added a matching hutch for additional storage and display. It's a versatile piece of furniture. He uses it for games, books and collectibles, but it would be great for a tv and game system too. Thanks for the plans!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$75
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Ebony stain with several coats of polyurethane
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

moosmani

Wed, 01/15/2014 - 12:52

Great! Thank you so much! I think this will be the perfect size for what I need. Yours looks so nice that I'd like to copy it. Did you use any plans to build the hutch or did you just make it up? I just love how yours looks! Thank you so much for posting!

Stacie

Wed, 01/15/2014 - 14:09

Moosmani, I made it up just based on a very simple hutch. Two days later, Ana posted plans for the School Desk Hutch. :/ A plan to follow would have been nice but honestly, the hutch was a very easy build. Good luck building yours and I look forward to seeing pics.

Modern Outdoor Patio Set

Submitted by dlangford on Sat, 09/05/2020 - 16:08

Built this over the weekend for my girlfriends sister. It was a great project and the whole family was able to work together on it, sanding and waterproofing it before assembling. The loveseat plans need a little tweaking. We ran ran the slats the same direction as the chair plans call for so we added a middle support for extra stability. We also pitched the seating down towards the back by 5* to make a more natural sitting position.

Estimated Cost
$300
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Behr Cedar Natural Tone Waterproofing Stain and Sealer
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
Seasonal And Holiday

Sideboard / buffet table

My husband built this buffet table as a mother's day gift, for me. It matches my farmhouse dinning table, that he also made from Ann white's plans. He Installed soft closing drawers. It took him  about 17 hours. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$260
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
I used a dark walnut stain.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Sawhorse Desk

I love this desk! My husband loves it too. He was surprised to come home from work one day and find it sitting in the office. Cutting the notches for the shelves was tricky. I bought the cheapest jigsaw from Home Depot, which would have been ok had I bought a decent blade to go with it. The blade it came with was terrible, but after much trial and error, and power sanding, it all worked out. I'm really happy with the finish. In person, it looks like the pit of an avocado, which is exactly what I was hoping for.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$60
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Mixed my own. Watco Danish Oil in natural, Watco Danish Oil in dark walnut, and General Fishes Gel Stain in brown mahogany, mixed together. I just started a blog and wrote the details there.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

spiceylg

Thu, 03/21/2013 - 05:45

Very nice build. Love the finish and everything is staged so pretty!

jackiemacrae

Tue, 12/03/2013 - 16:08

Beautiful! I must ask, did you diy the map? It's gorgeous and matches so well

First nightstand

Submitted by juliec on Sat, 04/02/2011 - 13:24

We used ana's plan but modified the top

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$35
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
We will use espresso general finishes and several top coats of poly.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

bridgetschaefer

Thu, 05/30/2019 - 13:00

This is EXACTLY what I'm looking for but I can't find the plans that were used to build it. Do you happen to still have the link for them?

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