Community Brag Posts

Bar height table with stools

Submitted by jsutton78 on Wed, 08/03/2016 - 09:41

This is one of my favorite pieces because the white contrasts perfectly with the walnut hardwood.  The base of the table is all standard 2x4 and 4x4s, and the tabletop is 100% walnut.  

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$400
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Poly Gloss, white paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Mailbox Base

Submitted by TxDork76 on Wed, 11/14/2018 - 20:27

my mailbox was hit by a vehicle so I decided I wanted to do something creative/different but also didn't want to spend much money as it may just get taken out again in the future :)

this is a good project to get kids to help you with

instead of cutting into the concrete easement, I installed 2 post bases & locked them with sleeve anchors.  They're sturdy enough but will give if hit again.  drilling the holes for the sleeve anchors was the hardest part of the project.

I used a left over 4x4x8 for the posts, scrap 1x4s, 1x2s up the sides (1/2" gap between boards), and a 2x4 scrap to attach the mailbox.  I eyeballed the width between posts using the mailbox itself. I left over stain from another project (almost bought a quart of oops paint at HD)

I figure the total cost would have been about $100

It's a super easy project that took about 4hrs. I've already had a couple of neighbors come by to take measurements to try something similar.

FYI: USPS guildlines for installing a curbside mailbox: https://www.usps.com/manage/mailboxes.htm

Estimated Cost
$75-$100 depending on materials/tools on hand.
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
valspar semi-transparent stain & sealer in "Pinebark"
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Tiered Planter

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 05/31/2021 - 16:24

Great planter plan. very easy to build

Comments

Seasonal And Holiday

Modern outdoor chairs

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 06/08/2021 - 08:01

Love these plans! Made a modification and added backs to the chairs. Also, built ottomans to match the chairs which can also be used as additional seating.
Many compliments on the set. Thanks Ana!

Comments

Triangular Rabbit Hutch

Submitted by Medeek on Fri, 05/03/2013 - 18:14

This is a rabbit hutch I created for my kids 5 rabbits. The thing that makes this hutch really nice is if you have a large lawn you can just move the hutch a little bit every day and the lawn gets mowed, fertilized and you don't have to worry about cleaning up all the rabbit droppings. I also mounted a rabbit feeder on the inside of the house door to keep the food dry, which has worked really well.

Here is a short blog of all the steps in its construction:
http://design.medeek.com/gallery/RH3080_COPALIS_2013/RH3080_COPALIS_201…

Estimated Cost
150
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Exterior Paint brush or spray. Choose your color.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Medeek

Sun, 05/05/2013 - 01:52

I apologize I haven't got the completed planset up for this project yet but I will try to get it up in the next couple of weeks as well as a very complete materials list. You will need to go to a farm/feed store to get the correct 1"x2" wire and 1/2"x1" wire for the floor. Do not go to Home Depot and use the cow wire they have or the hardware cloth for the floor, neither of which are the correct choice. Home Depot has the lumber but not the wire. If you have any questions or even improvements to my design I would be interested in hearing from you.

Medeek

Sun, 09/13/2015 - 19:18

Finally got around to uploading the plans.  I still need to create a material list for this plan but the basics are there now.   We've had rabbits in it for about a year but recently we've tried some guinea pigs and it works great for that as well.  The guinea pigs can pretty much live off just the grass and dandelions but you do need to move it daily to give them plenty to eat.

2x4 outdoor couch

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 07/18/2020 - 18:46

I used cedar and added the extra boards so the cushions would stay put. We also made the arms 2x6 boards so we wouldn’t need end tables for the couch. The plans were super easy to follow. I mostly used pocket holes so the screws wouldn’t be visible. Love how it came out! Thank you for the plans, Ana!!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Nothing yet. Deciding on whether to let it grey on its own
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Doggy loft bed!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 06/03/2017 - 17:31

My dog loves to people watch all day while I'm at work and she needed a new bed so I took the plans for the lower platform and modified them so it would stand alone. Took the platform and put it on the bottom so that her bed would sit inside instead of on top where she could more easily fall off.

I tried building without PH screws at first and all I ended up with was a lot of cracked and wasted lumber. Got the PH jig and finished the whole build myself in 2 hours. Sanding, staining, and sealing tomorrow but I'm just so excited about it I had to post now!

Estimated Cost
With the two sets of lumber, having to buy the jig, hardware, stain, and electric sander it cost me about $130
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Swing Slide Playset for Grandson

Submitted by shellyward on Wed, 05/20/2020 - 09:22

We are used to seeing our grandson every weekend but during the 2020 COVID quarantine we were unable to do so. Instead, we filled our time building him a swing set for our backyard. He loved it!! We are going to add more to the swing side but the hardware I want isn't available right now (apparently there is a lot of swing set building going on during this time). I look forward to many years of playing on this with our grandson and hopefully additional grandkids in the future... Our cost was pretty high mainly because our first round of lumber came from a local lumberyard that was willing to deliver within a few days (big box was going to take several weeks) and they had what is supposed to be higher end lumber (not sure I am convinced of that)....also, i chose some pretty expensive hardware (brackets) just for the added security.....

Estimated Cost
1800-2000
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
not done yet but will be staining/sealing when the wood is ready
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Seasonal And Holiday

modified bench swing

Luv your site. Took your bench swing plan and modified it a bit (shortened depth) and then created a small pergola to hang it from. Just need to stain/poly to finish it off. Thanks for your plan and website it is very inspiring.

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

Rustic Round End Tables

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 05/19/2024 - 10:52

I used the End Table plans modified slightly. I cut all of the boards from a 10’ walnut slab. My wife Julie, and I finished them with Danish Oil. A great project; ready to start the next one!!

Stephen Russell

Built-in Bookshelves

Submitted by seeca13 on Sat, 10/05/2019 - 13:34

I built this project in 6 separate pieces before installing it in our home. I pulled the baseboard and attached it to the wall to give it a built-in feel.  For the majority of the project, I used 3/4" plywood with the exception if 1/4" plywood for the back of the shelves as well as the centers of the cabinet doors.  For the trim, I used select pine boards.  I had to work around an airconditioning vent that was in the floor.  I was able to divert it to run out the bottom of the bookcase. 

This build is loosely based on the Willy Bookcase.  I actually found another brag post on the Willy Bookcase that was immensely helpful in constructing my project.  I'm so grateful for the brag boards!  Instead of fixing all of the shelves like the Willy, I used a Kreg shelf pin jig to make the shelves adjustable.  The shelf that lines up with the TV is fixed for stability. 

The estimate below covers all of the wood, paint, screws, hardware, etc.  For fun, I'm including an in progress photo to illustrate the process.  Thanks for looking!

Also, a note - this is a relatively easy project, however, I listed it as "intermediate" because of the cabinet doors.  They definitely made it more complicated!

 

 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
600
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Sherwin Williams paint custom matched to trim.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Chicken Coop

Submitted by Elloh on Tue, 08/11/2020 - 11:05

This was my biggest build yet and these plans along with being able to see a few brag posts with modicifactions made this project less intimidating. I extended the coop in order to add a walk in door. The drop down doors on both sides will give plenty of access and help with cleaning. I've added door latches to all the doors since putting it in place. My dad provided the cedar so that greatly reduced my costs. This project took about six days to complete. The fun part was getting it out of my carport : ) This was built for my daughter's chickens and she is thrilled with it. So am I! Thanks for the plans Ana!

Estimated Cost
Hardware, screws, hardware cloth and plywood - around $150

Workbench

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 11/22/2020 - 05:47

Thanks for the simple plans Anna, they worked out great!. I resized the table to make maximum use of the material, still within the same quantity you specified in your plans. I glued the legs along the lengths of the table, and kept the table top and shelf screwed in, for easy dismantling, if necessary.

Finally I added pop down heavy duty wheels allowing me to move the table (not shown in this pic) easily. When the wheels are not being used they pop up, making the table very stable. The height of the table is about 1/2” lower than the table saw, making it an ideal outfeed table as well.

Great design, and fun build.

Estimated Cost
Cn$148 (went with a finished 3/4” 4x8’ ply board)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
None
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

2x4 sofa and chairs

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 10/04/2021 - 15:08

Well, I had just bought a house. We had no furniture for our sunroom, so I took it upon myself to build some while materials were still cheap.
Hindsight, the chairs rear end should have been a level seat instead of trying to build an Adirondack style club chair. I modified the ends to match the modern style so they would match the chairs.
The sofa turned out great, all are solid and built with pocket screws. Sealed with redwood deck sealer, should last forever!
For the covers, we had them made from covers and all, and went to the local Joann and bought 4" thick foam.and wrapped it with with polyfill. Can't tell that they were made in a backyard, but they've been great for 18 months so far!

Comments

Shoe dresser

Submitted by RoseOfShaz on Thu, 07/04/2013 - 15:26

I didn't build this shoe dresser because I particularly needed one, but it looked so lovely that I couldn't resist.

- I modified the plans by building 3 bins instead of 2 so it could hold more shoes.
- I decided against the dowel stick and opted for hinges instead, which were surprisingly not too difficult to assemble. I found that I didn't even need the magnets after installing the hinges as the doors stay closed.
- I used 7" chains on both sides of each bin instead of a belt to make it extra sturdy.
- I added two back legs.

Et voila! This is the end result. I'm very pleased.

PS. Those flopping bins are a pain when you're trying to build!! An extra pair of hands is definitely recommended.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$150 (with extra bin)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Walnut (can't remember the exact name of the stain, but it's the one Shanty 2 Chic always uses!)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

SoCaliforniaMel

Fri, 07/05/2013 - 22:49

Pretty :) Good Job. Now if I only had the space for one thats 10 rows high :P I like the stain color too. Shanty 2 Chic always uses Rust-o-leum. I think its called dark walnut. Dont quote me though. I love the stain and spray paint combo colors they use.
~Melody

8x12 Shed

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 06/13/2023 - 03:26

My new garden shed built from your premium plans! I'm 62, never built a shed before, and worked mostly alone. My sons helped with some of the wall and roof sheathing. In the end, I did everything except for the shingling. I painted it to match my house main color and trim.

The video is very helpful - I watched it several times. My major change to the plans was using Simpson Strong Ties and hurricane ties to secure the rafters to the ridge pole and the top plates. Otherwise, I used all other methods. I recommend cutting the front wall sheathing before cutting the panels for the doors. I do not have a trim saw and thought my standard circular saw was too heavy for me to make the cuts like Jacob did.

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Seasonal And Holiday

Simple Composting Toilet Outhouse

Submitted by Emillie on Thu, 06/18/2020 - 13:36

We built this composting toilet as one of the first things we did on our piece of vacant land. (How can you build anything else without somewhere to go when nature calls?)

An eco-friendly design was important to us, so we used cedar fencing instead of plywood. Otherwise, we followed Ana White's simple outhouse plans. It came out perfectly! It even has a rain barrel for hand washing.

Estimated Cost
800
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
We stained the outside with a semi-transparent stain and varnished the inside with an outdoor varnish.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
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