Just finished up my Murphy Bed project. Hope you like.
This is our 2nd project - we liked building the bookshelf so much, we decided we're gonna keep going and need a good workbench. Got these plans from the Family Handyman Website (http://www.familyhandyman.com/DIY-Projects/Woodworking/Workbenches/how-…). They claim the cost to be $50, but it was closer to $80 for us - still a GREAT project and easy to put together with the nail gun.
Sat, 04/16/2022 - 07:29
No working link. Cannot find this or the plans.
I have been wanting garage cabinets for a long time but couldn't afford them. When I saw these shelves I knew it would be easy to add side panels and create doors for the sections. The size is 8'x8' with the 4'x3' under the ceiling rack. I put a 2"x4" in the middle to divide each section, measured and cut doors from 5mm lauran plywood. I also cut the stiles and rails from the same material to give it interest but mainly to make it thicker to avoid warping as much as possible. I added 2"x4" to create a facing for the doors to rest on. Also used overlay hinges to simplify the hanging as much as possible. I was able to follow the design plan and the only thing I did was add a shelf at the bottom. The cleats were definitely not necessary, it's very sturdy.
Making the doors
The first thing is to learn how to measure for cabinet doors. There are plenty of sites and YouTube videos showing how to correctly measure. If you are doing the same type of doors like I have, with no middle divider, then be sure to pay attention how to correctly measure for those instead of a single door.
The easiest way to make the doors will be getting 1/2 in sanded plywood and use a table saw to cut each door to size. Skip the shaker style trim and put the hardware on and be done. Make sure the hinges will be able to hold the weight of the door.
Unfortunately, I didn't have a table saw but I did have a router and a jig saw, and found a great video on YouTube on how to use a router to cut straight edges without a table saw. I measured out one door and used that outline to cut two identical doors. It turned out that each section was slightly a different width so I had to do two at a time. However, if you have a circular saw you can rig it to make a table saw and make a guide to rip the doors. It all depends on what tools you have available to you.
I have a compact plunge saw and was able to cut the 3 inch strips for the shaker style with it. Honestly, that was the most tedious part and most time consuming by far. That also had to do with the fact that because the plywood is only 5mm thick I cut strips for both the front and the back to make it over 1/2 inch thick to help minimize warping and give the hinges something to grab.
I used the miter saw to cut the stiles and rails to size and a 23 gauge nailer with 1/2 nails and glue to get them on the door. I glued and nailed the front and the back of each side at the same time because the nails are a bit longer than two pieces of plywood. I then turned it over and nailed the other side. The great thing about using a 23 gauge is that I didn't have to fill any holes because they are so small you can hardly see them at all.
The last thing is to use your sander to ensure all of the pieces are even. I used a 60 grit and then followed it with a 220 where needed.
If you want to avoid cutting the strips but still want to have the shaker style, Home Depot sells 1/4 thick Polystyrene flat moulding that will add vertially no weight to the door but the cost can easily add up if you have a lot of doors.
Lastly, if you are wondering why I got such thin plywood that ended up creating more work. The reason is because I wanted to save money on hardware and I didn't trust the inexpensive hinges I got off eBay would hold a heavy door for many years.
Wed, 06/19/2019 - 13:20
What kind of paint did you use? Looks really nice, the whole thing!
Thu, 07/18/2019 - 10:28
This is amazing! Thank you for sharing so much detail on your project too.
Wed, 06/10/2020 - 13:14
Can we get detailed plan of how you made this from the start to end like a material list and cut list.
Based on https://www.ana-white.com/woodworking-projects/banquette-bench-flip-sto…, this custom U-shaped banquette works very nicely in my small breakfast area (especially all of the additional storage area it provides for lesser-used appliances). Next up: one of the tables to accompany it (I'm leaning towards a variation on https://www.ana-white.com/woodworking-projects/4x4-x-base-pedestal-dini…) - will send a brag post upon completion. - David P
My husband, Daughter and I built this loft bunkbed for our seven-year-old granddaughter‘s birthday. It turned out wonderful and she squealed when she saw it! Thanks so much for your online plans.
Jan Ott
My wrist has not taken well to the work at home requirement of the pandemic. So, I decided to replace my desk with a similar one that I have at work. Only, this one is much prettier.
Essentially, I built two desks using the farmhouse desk plans. One of them I made less wide than the plans by simply making the horizontal pieces 36" instead of the plan's 47 1/2".
For the middle portion of the corner desk , I based it off of the Office Corner Desktop plans. I made just the middle portion for those plans, but made the edges 46" instead of 38" for a deeper desk as well as to allow more room for my legs not to hit the uprights of the farmhouse desks. I made the corner desktop detachable, so it was easier to fit down the stairs to the office, using some small ~2" cubes placed on the bottom. They just serve to keep the desktop from moving around on the frame. The base of the middle portion I made up using the same ideas used to create the farmhouse desk frames.
I made plenty of mistakes along the way as I'm a software engineer, not a carpenter. I think next time I'll buy a miter saw, most of these cuts were by hand and aren't as straight as I'd like them to be. But, I like to work with my hands and this has made my day job less painful while I'm working from home.
Made with pocket holes to hide screws. Credit Unknown
Platform (Pedestal) with Drawers for front-loader Washer & Dryer. Cheaper than buying the manufacturer's plastic pedestals and more fun to build anyway! The drawers are also much wider and deeper than the manufacturer's pedestals. We can usually fit about 3 full loads of laundry in each drawer. (That's 6 loads of laundry before we have to start folding!) It's a very easy and basic DIY project. I made a 2nd one for my brother using these plans (sans the drawers). I gotta say, the drawers are SO nice to have though. But you could just leave the front open, without drawers, and slide some laundry baskets underneath for an even quicker project. We've been using this platform now for over 2 years and there is still no squeaking or rattling. The washer & dryer haven't moved from the vibration even in the slightest. They're exactly where I placed them on the pedestal 2 years ago. There's also zero problem with the weight of the washer either...it really is a strong frame. (After finishing, I jumped up and down on it!) A couple small tweaks I would make doing it over is raising the drawers a 1/2" in. off the floor to tuck a rug underneath (as is, they sit about 1/8" in. off the floor). Also, I would cut out a couple of square holes in the back panel to access those socks that fall behind (I can't access the sides of my W&D in our particular laundry room). Lastly, I would have painted with a quality paint (I just used a few cans of white spray paint to be quicker). Step-by-Step Plans and Materials List (PDF) and many more photos found at the Blog Link below...I'm certainly no professional "Plans Writer" so email if you have questions! Happy DIY-ing! Estimated Cost: ~$200 (2x6 lumber, plywood, drawer trim, nails, screws, paint)
Wed, 03/13/2013 - 10:12
I have wanted to do the pedestal project for quite a while. I am so glad I held off though. Yours are fantastic! I would never have thought of drawers to hide the dirty laundry! Love it!
Fri, 02/07/2014 - 17:05
Hello this looks great and for the amateur carpenter I am but one item I need clarified "the top measurement at 64" is .25" greater than the bottom at 63.75"
Please explain if I am missing something
Thanks
Mon, 02/10/2014 - 15:33
Not sure what measurement you mean that's 63.75" since there's no "bottom" to the pedestals. Or do you mean 1/4" wider than the sides? The top panel should overhang both sides by 1/4" each so that when the side plywood is attached, it will be flush. Hopefully that helps? (If I'm understanding the question correctly)
Mon, 02/24/2014 - 10:29
Could leave the back panel of plywood out so you could reach what may fall behind? Then you would just have to pull the drawers out?
Thu, 12/03/2015 - 06:11
Did you ever find out if you can leave off the back panel?
Wed, 06/22/2016 - 16:35
Back panel is very very structural and provides lot of strength. If i wanted more access than the 5-7 inch of duct space behind the pedestal gives me, then i would replace the back panel with a long 2x6, that holds the three legs from going in different directions due to all that weight.
Mon, 12/12/2016 - 14:58
This is the one modification I could make if i could redo these plans...I would still put on the back panel of plywood as it stabilizes the pedestal, I would just have cut out a rectangle (behind each drawer) so that I could remove the drawers and stick my hand/arm through to grab fallen clothes or vacuum the lint.
Mon, 12/18/2017 - 19:17
Rather than cut holes in the back, I just cut the back and side boards a little small and left a gap around the bottom the whole way around. That way I can get a vaccuum hose in there or reach through and get lost items. Because my washer and dryer seem to be deeper than yours (I needed at least 33" depth, so I went with 3'), that also worked out well in getting the most out of the boards. I could do the top, back, and sides out of one single sheet of good 3/4" plywood just leaving those small gaps at the bottom for clean-up and retreival.
Fri, 11/20/2015 - 05:23
Hello,
I downloaded the pdf but have exactly the same information that the website html, where can I find a solution step by step guide?
Thank you for all the interesting posts.
Mon, 12/12/2016 - 14:55
The original step-by-step plans are found on Ana-White:
http://www.ana-white.com/2011/01/sausha%E2%80%99s-washerdryer-pedestals
I built this outhouse to go with a dry cabin I'm working on, and also as an emergency backup for my house. I used treated lumber on the base/deck and splurged on T-111 for the siding. I wanted to use greenhouse polycarbonate for the roof, but found a piece of metal roofing in my shed that was exactly the right size so I used that instead. I thought about doing a fancy cutout on the door but ended up going with a half moon because it was easy. I'm thinking about cutting out stars of different sizes all over the rest of the door to let in more light. I'll trim and stain it next summer.
This was my first time building something big :) and im sooo happy with the results. Had been looking for a sofa table/console for so long but couldn't decide on what I wanted , when I saw this on the first page I fell in love. It was fairly easy to build. Took me 2 days, one day sanding, cutting, staining it and the next putting it together. I love how it turned out.
I didnt make the side 'X' bc I want to do something different than the original plan, just trying to figure it out what exactly.
Oh! And I still need to add the decorative hardware, I have it, just need to remember to do it.
Thank you so much for the plans.
Sun, 06/10/2012 - 22:06
One of my favorite things about building is being able to build it however you want. Xs or no Xs -- it is gorgeous. Great work! And it you staged and photographed perfectly. Really, really beautiful.
Mon, 06/18/2012 - 14:44
What kind of tea did you use ? And what do you mean by white wash ?
Fri, 06/22/2012 - 10:07
I used regular walmart brand black tea, let it dry and then applied the vinegar/steel wool solution after that i sanded a bit and diluted white paint in water and applied it all over with a lint free rag, you need to work on small areas and follow it up with a slightly damp cloth. hope that helps :)
Sat, 08/18/2012 - 23:06
Beautiful job!! Looks like a picture out of a pottery barn catalogue! BE PROUD!
We originally built the original console a while ago as an entertainment unit for underneath our television. We enjoyed the console so much that we decided that we wanted to do another modified console with a fireplace in it and make the other one into a buffet/storage area for the dining room.
Both of these are fairly modified from the plan, however the basic concepts remain the same. One big thing that we did was use 1x4s as much as possible to reduce the different sizes of lumber we were buying to both reduce complexity and end up with as little as possible scraps.
The frames are made of the 2x3s, The sides (4 deep), shelves, middle shelves and face frame are all 1x4s. The back and inside frames are scrap plywood. The top is 1x6s.
The addition of the fireplace was not difficult. What it did require us to do was to add the centre section and essentially create a box that is closed to the outside cabinets. If it were not closed off it wouldn't support the fireplace insert correctly. The important piece with the fireplace is to ensure you have enough clearance on the top and sides to allow the fireplace to mount safely without overheating. The nice thing about this setup is the additional shelf above the fireplace which we used for electronics. The wires go through the back of the cabinet and it looks very clean.
These are probably my favorite things I've built this year. They're simple to make and add a lot to any living space.
Tue, 01/12/2021 - 19:34
This is beautiful! Any tips on how your built the box around the fireplace?or pictures?
Love getting to watch my daughter play with stuff that i made her.
Wed, 12/26/2018 - 13:53
What a beautiful set! Thanks so much for building and sharing a brag post!
The need for a proper workbench in my garage/shop is a must, but. So is space! I already have a fold down workbench I’ve made with ¾ inch pipe & a door, but. I just need something that can handle all my tools. So, I stumbled upon these plans from the Family Handyman & couldn’t find a reason why this wouldn’t work in my shop. It has room for storage, can easily accommodate my tools & most importantly fold up to store. Easy to build too! Make sure you read all the plans first as some of the materials could be pricey, but well worth it. Technically it’s taken 2 months to build this bench, as I operate on a firefighter/teacher’s budget & during the holiday season no doubt. I ordered all the shelf standards & brackets through Amazon, $210.00 for those alone, but they hold so much weight to support your tools I figure it’s worth it. The rest materials (wood, screws) were purchased at Home Depot for around $150.00. The plans called for ¾ inch ply & it was $45.00 per sheet. However they did have a smaller thickness for $22.00 per sheet & was only a 1/32 inch thinner. I plan on topping all my surfaces with some ¼ inch tempered hardboard later on so I knew it would work. That also left me adjusting my screw size to mount my brackets. Due to the reduction in thickness of the plywood all my #8-1 inch screws needed to be adjusted to ¾ inch so to not screw through the ply. I also hit the molding isle to nab some pieces to use as furring strips to use under the shelves before attaching the brackets. This way I can sand each strip to match before mounting to make sure it lined up flat with the center top. One more thing; where it says “drill 1/8 inch hole in brackets make sure you use 1/8 inch pop rivets. I barrowed a pop rivet gun & was handed some rivets as well. Popped two & they had to be trashed because the rivet size turned out to be 5/32. So I stepped up in drill bit size & it all worked out. As I said, I’ll be topping it with some ¼ inch hardboard. I also plan to run it’s own electrical with an outlet on each post. I hope you all enjoy & this can help!
Thu, 11/29/2012 - 07:03
This is by far the best workbench I have ever seen!!! Thanks for sharing. And excellent choice of table saw and miter saw.
In reply to That is awesome! by Rusty Cottage
Thu, 11/29/2012 - 14:59
If I had it to do over I'd had gotten the contractor grade portable saw from Dewalt. The smaller version I have is the same 10" saw, but. It's maximum rip capasity is only 16. The other will at least rip a sheet of ply in 1/2.
Thanks for the kind words on the bench! I hope everyone that may find this valuable will. The plans came out of a 2005 issue & were hard to find on the internet.
Thu, 07/04/2013 - 18:28
I love this work bench and would love to build it but i cant find them. Could you post them or email them to me please. uniquetrio2000 [at] gmail [dot] com
Thu, 10/23/2014 - 09:04
After some searching, found the plans at http://us.readersdigest.com/images/offer/fh/project_plans/pdf/FH05DJA_W…. Hope that helps. This is on my list of things to make very soon.
Wed, 10/22/2014 - 13:31
I bought all the standards and brackets at Menards for $87.58 and this price included tax and shipping.
Mon, 12/10/2018 - 16:55
Thanks for sharing! Good job! Any chance you'd share palns? No luck on inet or with provided link. Thanks!
Wed, 08/07/2019 - 12:48
This is the perfect workbench that I’d like to build. Could I get the plans for it?
Thu, 03/12/2020 - 12:46
Were you able to locate the plans?
The link in this thread doesn’t seem to be active.
Sun, 07/12/2020 - 17:59
I found the PDF download for these plans, here is the link:
https://docplayer.net/28130746-Do-it-all-mobile-workbench.html
The only place where I could find them, FH doesn't have them online any more.
Tue, 12/08/2020 - 17:57
Great build. I would love to see an instructable on this. :) Thank you for sharing..
My bathroom has very little storage space. So during our recent remodeling of the room, I decided to add this cabinet. Changed the plan a little to make it recessed in the wall. I love how it turned out!
Sat, 09/03/2022 - 13:28
This looks amazing, love how it's recessed! Thankyou for sharing.
My laudry never looked so good! I love these plans from shanty2chic and anawhite. I spent a few days in the garage building, and now, my laundry can be hidden away in any room of my house.
Thanks shanty2chic and anawhite for your excellent plans.
http://www.shanty-2-chic.com/2014/08/diy-laundry-basket-dresser.html
http://www.ana-white.com/2011/04/wood-tilt-out-trash-or-recycling-cabin…
Although I didn't build this from a plan I wanted to be sure and share it as it is because of my experience building from Ana's plans that I felt comfortable giving this a shot.
My in-laws were just updated their lake cabin and wanted a storage headboard as space is a premium and it will be the only furniture in the guest rooms. It is unique as it has shelves on either side which can pull out to function as a small night stand, perfect for cell phones, books etc. The back of the piece is tongue and groove knotty pine which for the more rustic look they wanted.
I will probably do things a little different when I build the next headboard but overall I am satisfied with the end result. I chose not to do a lower storage area, mainly to keep the cost down. It could be done very easily but this piece is already very heavy and that there is plenty of storage.
Sun, 01/17/2021 - 15:15
Is it possible to get the plans for this headboard. My teenage son really wants a head board with storage.
Wood Christmas Tree Decor
I used Ana’s plan to build this great bench for the Master Bathroom. It works out great!
Sun, 09/04/2022 - 12:52
I really like the two tone finish, thank you for sharing!
I'm happy to share with everyone my IKEA hack 6" tray cabinet.
I found a 24" cabinet box in IKEA's As-Is section and took it home for half price ($23)! I would have preferred plywood, but my table saw is a little small and cutting large sheets of plywood is a little scary. When I deconstructed the cabinet, it sustained some damage (as its particleboard), so if you try this at home, be careful! I ended up changing the depth to 22" in order to cut off the damaged piece, but that shouldnt be noticeable with average trays and cutting boards.
I used Ana's 6" tray cabinet plan and modified the dimensions a little for my planned space. It still needs the back, face frame and door (which will be a replacement drawer front from the cabinet manufacturer). I plan on building the face frame at the time the cabinets are installed, since this will go in between the 36" corner easy-reach and the 36" sink base. Once its done, I'll post updated pics!
Garage Shelves Plan with Added Doors - Built and shared by Jeremy Doyle
Time to get organized in 2017....and what better way than with some custom shelving. This was not too bad of a project to complete. It only took about 6-8 hours to cut, frame, and assemble everything together (thanks to an interruption or two). 'Twas nice to have a project for once that I didn't have to care about finishing the project with wood filler, sanding, painting. I am sure my wife thanks me more as I would have been another week getting things just right!
A few changes that I made from the original plans:
- used 2x8 for the shelving runs as I only was dealing with a 10ft run and was a few bucks cheaper to buy 8 boards vs 16 boards. Plus less cuts!!!
-installed adjustable furniture feet in the supports to deal with sloping basement floor. Unexpected side effect was it was easier to slide the unit around in the basement as I assembled it.
Outside of those changes I remained faithful to the original design. I didn't bother filling the screw holes as we will be hiding the shelving unit with a curtain once we turn the room into a TV/Office area.
Also as it wasn't 100% clear from the original plans, but the height measurements for the shelf supports are to center... not sure why it didn't register with me right away... but just in case anyone else didn't realize that as well.
Comments
Ana White
Mon, 03/16/2015 - 12:11
Pretty sweeeeet!
Pretty sweeeeet!
deagsdan
Mon, 03/09/2020 - 20:30
Amazing. I’ve seen these and…
Amazing. I’ve seen these and have been looking for plans. May just have to dive in and interpret from pictures. You did a really great job, nice work.
schmanthony
Wed, 12/22/2021 - 14:06
The plans are for a…
The plans are for a different bed than the one in the picture.