Community Brag Posts

Outdoor Sectional

We have been looking for a deal on an outdoor sectional for a whole year. Nothing. The cheapest we could find was $899 for one that was much smaller than this one and with thinner cushions. So we upped and drove to the lumber yard and purchased the lumber on the list and got to building. The total cost of lumber was $200, the Spax screws we already had on hand. We used pocket holes for the joints. The wife made the cushions herself. She had most of the fabric on hand, we just had to buy 3 yards for the back cushions, which are made of standard size pillows. They have been sprayed with fabric protectant for outdoor use (I think she used the Scotch brand). The seat cushions are 5 inches thick (they are wrapped in silk film to protect them from getting soaked when it rains or when someone who just got out of the pool sits on them), around $100 for both. It took her a couple of days to sew the box cushion covers.

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

Modern Adirondack

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 06/10/2020 - 10:10

My wife and I were tired of the cheap plastic chairs but not wanting to spend a fortune. I came across Ana’s site and these great plans so I gave it a shot. Everything was pretty straightforward. I decided to use 1x6’s for the seat and back slats instead of 1x10’s. I also used dowel rods instead of wood filler to close all of the screw holes and I Roy fed the edge of the front seat slat one the router. I’m currently working on a partner for this chair with some adjustments (Making it 2” wider and using pocket hole and other techniques to hide the screws).

Estimated Cost
$40
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax English Chestnut stain.
Valspar clear deck/outdoor furniture sealant.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

http://ana-white.com/2011/06/large-modern-porch-swing-or-bench

I wanted a place to sit and watch the koi in my pond. I have a bi-level home and the bottom of my deck is about 5' from the ground; the support posts are 6'3" apart. The joist layout made hanging a 4' swing absolutely perfect. So, I took the simple design and modified it to be shorter to fit my space. This swing could hold a small car - I just hope the chain and connectors I bought will! I used treated wood and plan to use an opaque stain for lower maintenance when it has dried out (3 weeks). Now, to pick the color! Love this plan! Thank you!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$75 using treated wood
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Plan to use an opaque stain for vibrant color and low maintenance once the wood has dried
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Farmhouse X Table - Modified

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 08/31/2016 - 12:42

This was my first Ana White project, I modified the plans a bit because I didn't want the 2nd stabilizing bar on the floor. I also went a bit bigger, my table is 10ft 5.5in. 

 

Overall I am very happy with how it turned out.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
WATCO Danish Finish Oil for the tabletop, Gray paint for the base
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

DrOriginal

Thu, 10/27/2016 - 05:59

Looks great. We were planning on doing a similar build where we get rid of the x braces in the middle and use the pedastals you built with the long boards in between. But the plans called for 3 of those pedastals. I was curious of the 2 pedastals/legs are stable enough? I like the look of just having 2 instead of the full 3.

2x4 Outdoor Sectional with Matching Ottomans, Chairs & Table

Submitted by cqueiruga on Fri, 06/12/2020 - 21:01

We were looking for outdoor furniture for our deck, and for the size and amount we needed it would have cost us at least $2000. We really like the idea of having an outdoor sectional that we can also use for dining, and we had trouble finding a set we liked. We found Ana's plans for the 2x4 Outdoor Sectional, and i loved the look. After seeing what others have done with the plans, I thought I would be able to modify it to get everything we needed for much less cost than buying a set.

We ended up extending the size of the 2x4 outdoor sofa by one 24" section, for a total length of 96". I then used the same design to make two outdoor chairs, just reduced the length to 24". I modified the 2x4 outdoor coffee table plans to create two ottoman's that can be moved around to make the seating more lounge style Finally, I modified the coffee table plans to make a 5 foot outdoor dining table. All in all, it took about a week and I couldn't be happier with how it turned out!

Estimated Cost
$800 ($200 for wood, $600 for cushions)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Valspar Semi-Transparent Antique Oak Stain
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

jwood4

Mon, 08/02/2021 - 09:44

Looks amazing! What method did you use (pocket holes, dowels, deck screws, etc) to join the visible portions like the arms?

My Greenhouse

I went from a 6 x 8 Harbor Freight Greenhouse to this one 10 x 12. I added a few windows...

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Seasonal And Holiday

Leaning bathroom shelf

Submitted by Jill Marie on Fri, 09/09/2016 - 13:30

I saw this plan and immediately decided to make it!  My mom had been telling me for a while I needed a shelf in the bathroom she uses while visiting. She was coming the next day so decided I needed to hustle to surprise her. I left the lumber store at 8pm and finished painting the assembled shelves by 11pm. The next morning I moved shelves to the bathroom and when she arrived later that day she was so surprised!  She loved it! Thank you so much for the idea! 

Estimated Cost
$11 for lumber (I purchased 2 pieces 1-1x6 @ 8ft and 1-1x10 @ 8ft and cut to size). I already had nails, wood glue, and paint (you could purchase a sample size for $3 @Lowes and have enough for this project ).
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Scenic view colored paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Roll Away Workbench with Miter Saw Insert

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 04/11/2024 - 10:43

Modified these plans slightly for my needs. I kept the table saw open for easier dust collection and only had one side of shelving on the other bench to allow for storing larger items. I can’t get over how much storage in a small space you get with these and how multi functional they are.

Sewing/cutting table

Submitted by drc3924 on Thu, 06/19/2014 - 19:53

This has become my dream sewing/craft desk!! This project took about a week from start to finish (with work days in between). The shorter portion of the desk is used for my machine and sewing. The taller portion is used as a cutting table. The plans (dimensions) were tweaked some to get the perfect heights for me :).

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
After sanding I painted 1 coat of interior primer the about 2-3 coats of mint flat interior paint. I decided not to add a clear coat just because I wanted to use my amazing desk ASAP!!!
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

tamaralyn79

Wed, 03/25/2015 - 06:31

Your desk is GORGEOUS!!!! It's exactly what I've been looking to build for my space. I would love to know how you modified the plan to make it.

TaylorMade1205

Wed, 03/25/2015 - 07:23

I also wanted to comment on the thread shelf you build, that is really awesome, you can see all your colors right in front of you. Mine are in a drawer and I have to pull the whole thing out to see what I need. This is really giving me ideas.

kchess

Fri, 09/04/2015 - 08:45

Would you please send the plan instructions (with measurments).  It is perfect for me as I sew and embrodery both and have two machines.  

2-Person Desk

When my husband and I both started grad school, we needed space for both of us to work on our computers at the same time (after the baby went to bed!). I couldn't find exactly what we wanted to fit the space, so we built it! We got the Kreg Jig, which worked wonderfully! You can see some pocket holes in the picture, but they were hidden once we put all our stuff on the shelves. Our space was smaller than Ana's, so we made the two end units narrower (they still fit our CPUs and we used a doorknob hole drill bit to put cord management holes in the back panel). We love it! We built our deck before, but this was our first foray into furniture-making. We had fun and it turned out so well that we have a list of things to build next (we're thinking a murphy bed).

Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
MinWax Red Oak, 2 coats, with 2 coats of polyurethane on top.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Mud Kitchen

We live in the south so we opted for treated wood. We weren’t able to locate all the connectors to combine sink sprayer and water hose so we ended up just getting another garden hose and sprayer. Works just as well. We used Smokey Mirror exterior stain to add some color. Didn’t have all the tools handy so we opted for a farm style sink that sits on top of the wood. Kids loving it so far, they have been playing non stop. Thanks for the great plan.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
60
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Very easy garage shelving

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 11/05/2016 - 23:22

Wanted some easy storage shelving that didn't break the bank.  These were perfect!  $79 is what it cost for ours (which includes the $20 Kreg Jig).  Lumber was only $58.68 and I bought and extra 8 foot 2x4, so it could have been slightly cheaper!  

Estimated Cost
$60 for lumber
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Boxes, Totes, camping equiptment
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Side table

Submitted by sparkyht55 on Mon, 07/28/2014 - 17:06

My Dad wanted a table for his chessboard to sit on with the wood from the board to match the table. I had seen this design on the website and liked. It was different then the last table I built, so a new thing to learn. This is my 3rd wood project. Not an overly challenging build, but like anything, special attention to getting everything square and (lesson learned) drilling the 2x2 with the pocket holes, ensure they are lined up, centered and the correct depth. It came out very nice, and I'm sure Dad will enjoy.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
about $40
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Two toned oil based stain on pine. For the top used pecan stain and espresso and polycrylic finish from: http://ana-white.com/2012/12/minwax-two-tone-oil-based-stain-pine
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Cornhole Boards

Submitted by djsaffer19 on Sun, 08/03/2014 - 20:08

Custom cornhole boards, made with pocket joinery

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Spray paint, stain, decals, always covered with polycrilic
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Completed Parsons Desk

Submitted by mawiggins on Sun, 08/30/2020 - 12:13

Due to Covid we had to have a desk for our son and the options for ordering were limited and costly. I love Ana White's projects and found her plan for a parson desk. While I have read many of the plans and dreamed of actually building something this was my first completed project. This was fun and my son is happy that he was able to help with the painting.

Built from Plan(s)

Time Out Chair

Submitted by SherryLR on Sun, 08/31/2014 - 09:56

Kids stuff usually sells pretty good for us. Considering in our area, to buy kid size chairs are about $25 we looked for another option. This stackable chair fit the bill perfectly and was so inexpensive and easy to build!! Made the back part solid so I could paint on it and added some moulding on the side. Going to get my grandson who is being homeschooled, busy building some more as part of his wood shop class.

Estimated Cost
$6.00
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
We just painted with our own chalk style paint and used acrylic for the decorative part. Sprayed with a polyurethane when it was finished.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Modular office sewing/craft table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 07/25/2019 - 17:58

We built three base units-each with different storage options and used the corner desk plans. Then created our own long desk top using a 6ft long board and using a jigsaw to create an open space for the sewing machine. 

Estimated Cost
$300
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Semi gloss paint-behr paint and primer in classic silver. Polycrilic semi-gloss top coat-3 coats with wet sand before final coat.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

A More Traditional Modern Craft Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 01/26/2017 - 18:37

This is my more traditional take on the modern craft table (I guess that means it isn't technically "modern"!).  We call it the "Lego Table" at our house.  I doubled up the ends like others have so that my two daughters can have their own sides.  My wife asked that the there be backs on the side shelves so that items aren't pushed off.   I also added trim around the tabletop and molding to give it a bit more traditional appearance.  Finally, I made the shelves adjustable.  

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