Community Brag Posts

Modern Dorm Mini Refrigerator Microwave Cabinet

Submitted by rachelcb on Sat, 07/31/2021 - 12:35

I changed plan to make deeper. I also modified the bottom trim and top. I put a ball bearing soft door drawer guide on modern door so it can slide back and forth. I feel we need more modern plans on here but with a bit of creativity and using plans you can make anything. I have never built anything before. I love General Finishes Milk Paint in Snow White and I brushed rolled it on (sanded between 3 coats). It’s basically self leveling and leaves a nice matte finish. Used door glide in picture bought from homedepot in the 24 inch and that’s how wide door was and it was 36” tall. Door glide I only used one on top of the door not on bottom as well. Door piece of fiberboard with just strips glued on and quarters spacing them correct.

Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Dorm mini refrigerator microwave cabinet
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

Evie's Garden

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 06/20/2017 - 21:20

   This was a great weekend project with help from my two nephews. My 4 year old daughter had been asking to grow a garden and has really enjoyed watering and watching everything grow!! She makes sure to check on everything daily!! Fun project!!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
None
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Lounge Chair

Modified the arm rest and the back to my liking. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

gmhurley

Tue, 06/23/2020 - 08:59

Hi, are plans available for this modified chair design? I like that the seat pan appears to be flat and the Adirondack style to the back slate.

King Farmhouse Bed

Submitted by peaches76 on Sat, 05/28/2011 - 01:34

I had been dying to make this bed for awhile but first I needed to convince my husband that it really would be okay to let his sentimental old headboard go. He doesn't like change. Obviously I eventually won. This bed is absolutely bomb proof! I built it as a platform bed and plunked a brand new memory foam mattress on it. We love it!

Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Primed. Painted in Behr Cotton Fluff - Satin finish. Sanded and stained with Minwax Dark Walnut stain. The stain was pretty dark but I wanted to use up what I had. I just kept plenty of paper towels and paint thinner nearby to thin it down to the shade I wanted.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Small raised planter stand

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 06/10/2022 - 17:04

Plan to use as a cooler :) adjusted dimensions to fit a bigger planter box and added some decorative details. It came out great!

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Kids Picnic Table

Submitted by bkb on Thu, 05/25/2023 - 05:27

I made the picnic table for my grandchildren. The plans were great and so easy to follow. The cuts, measurement are perfect. Table is sturdy and came out balanced! I used water based paint. Thanks for the plans!

Built from Plan(s)
Seasonal And Holiday

A-Frame Hen House

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 04/22/2024 - 10:22

Great easy project to get the bigger chicks out of the garage to integrate with the older hens. Made some modifications because we have a lot of critters trying to kill the chickens/chicks.

Built from Plan(s)

Sandbox with built-in seats in our playhouse

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 09/10/2020 - 10:55

The base of our playhouse felt like the perfect spot to use the sandbox plan with built-in seats. The bench seats actually fold flat to create a lid for the sandbox when it’s not in use. I followed Ana’s plans exactly and used the list of materials she provided. The only modification I made was eliminating the back supports. It was not necessary for me to add the back supports since we have the playhouse posts to support the back of the bench.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$60
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Stain
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
Seasonal And Holiday

Our new pantry

We bought a vacation home that has such a small kitchen. I knew we needed more storage. So I checked out Ana's plans and made this bad boy based on the Simplest Armoire plans.

The home is in the mountain/lakes area of northern New Hampshire, so I wanted to bring the outside colors in. I used Valspar Cabin Red paint and the Valspar Antiquing glaze over the top after distressing it a bit.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$200 +
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Valspar Cabin Red paint
Valspar Antiquing glaze
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Couch mods

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 00:09

My SketchUp of the Sofa I am going to build, modified from this plan. New features include wider arm rests, and a taller back that is at a 12 degree slant. I will post additional pictures after the build.

Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

My Simple Outdoor Lounge Chair with 2x4 modification

I modified this chair with 2x4's as the base and 2x2 for decoration on arms, this is prior to sanding and finishing

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$15-$20 dollars, depending on local lumber prices and finishing options.
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Unfinished
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

RandyW

Sat, 06/13/2020 - 16:33

I always take my sander to the sharp edges and round them off

Great weekend project...the "love swing"

Submitted by Don Ellery on Mon, 05/19/2014 - 15:49

A great weekend project...the "love swing"! I used the plan from Ana for the swing seat and added two arm rests from left over 1x6, rounded them off and sanded.

I cobbled together an A-frame to hang everything, made from five 8 foot 4x4s and two 8 foot 2x6s laminated together for the stretcher. Assembled with 1/2" galvanized carriage bolts and hung with 1/4" chain.

Definitely going to want a good miter saw for the A-Frame angles (the top ones are a bit tricky to get everything lined up)

Love it! Thanks for another great plan Ana..and of course..Shanty2Chic!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$200 ish..including the A-Frame... the hardware and chain can be pricey!
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Behr exterior weatherproofing stain - Chocolate.

Just 2 thin coats, dries fast...second coat can be applied later the same day.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Carpenters Daughter

Mon, 12/12/2016 - 17:09

Could you please post the plans to build the a frame as well? I really love what you did and would like to copy it! Great Job!

Don Ellery

Wed, 07/19/2017 - 11:31

Hi! I wish I could, but I didn't take any notes on the angles or lengths when I made this and I left it with the house when we moved. 

Junior loft bed

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 06/29/2017 - 09:55

My very first furniture build! Took me about 5 days, but as a beginner I found it very easy to follow the plans. I did buy a Kreg jog for this project, highly recommend it! Other tools used were a miter saw, circular saw, and drill.

Estimated Cost
$80
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Ebony stain
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Eagle Project Workbench - Ultimate Roll Away Workbench with Miter Saw Stand

Submitted by nelsoncc on Mon, 10/18/2021 - 11:32

My son chose to make a workbench for his high school theater for his Eagle Scout project, and selected the Ultimate Roll Away Workbench with Miter Saw Stand as the basis for the project. The theater teacher wanted pegboard for tool storage, so we extended the rear legs on each workbench and notched the top to allow them to pass through. We built two frames from 1x3s to fit inside the rear legs, then put a pegboard inside each one.

To secure the extended legs, we added a riser shelf from 1x8s. We put a storage station for drills at one end of the riser shelf.

We also made all the cart shelves adjustable and added an adjustable shelf under the miter saw, and added lighting and power strips.

We left out the panels at the end of the workbench to allow access to the shelves there without having to remove the carts. Once we had constructed it, we added a brace at each end of the workbench to better support the outside front legs.

This plan was the perfect one for the theater, giving a stable work area for the miter saw and allowing for tool and materials storage. The carts can be rolled around to where a work surface is needed. This will come in handy for years of set construction in the theater. So proud of my son and all the leadership and hard work he put into this project!

Comments

Pull-out step stool

I needed a step-stool in my kitchen to reach in my top cabinets. I'm rather short so I was constantly dragging a chair from my dining table over to find things. I did a google search for a step stool and looked at images. As soon as I saw the picture I knew I had to build it, the retailer selling the original one I saw has a starting price of $270 and goes all the way up to $680! It took me 2 weeks off and on and several times of putting together and taking apart to get Ito the size specifications on the retail website.

Estimated Cost
Around $50
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Stain and satin finish poly
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Bunnie1978

Wed, 10/09/2013 - 04:13

That's a cool idea... mix between nesting tables and stools! Great job!

Mrswhetstone

Sun, 05/31/2015 - 18:27

I just used the picture i found online as reference and built it through trial and error. Unfortunately I don't know how to create plans either.I can tell you the legs are 2x3's cut at a 5° angle and the tops are 2x6's. I ordered the drawer slides from amazon for approximately $12 a piece.

robear529

Fri, 08/21/2015 - 06:34

Hi, I've been looking for the original image that you used as your model in an attempt to find dimensions to start with, but haven't been able to find it. Could you perhaps remember what brand it was or what site you found it on? If you still have the stool, could you maybe tell me the width of your top step and I could maybe go from there? 

Thanks for the picture. This is a brillant idea and exactly what I'd like to create for my kitchen. I'm hoping to be able to use it as a counter height seat as well when I'm working in the kitchen.

Simple Outdoor Conversation Set

Submitted by cspires64 on Sun, 03/18/2012 - 13:13

Spring is around the corner and I had no outdoor furniture. My boyfriend had just talked me into a new weber grill, which did not leave much budget for new outdoor furniture. That's when I came across this web site and thought 'I can do that'. So I talked me boyfriend into helping build this Simple Outdoor Conversation Set. We used plans for the Simple Outdoor Lounge Chair and Simple Outdoor Ottoman and then followed the alterations by post for 'My Modern Outdoor Patio Collection' to make the loveseat.

The whole project came together over 5 days.
Day 1: Cut all boards (5 hrs)
Day 2: Sand all boards (5 hrs)
Day 3: Stain all boards (6 hrs)
Day 4 & 5: Assemble furniture (9 - 10 hrs)

The total project took about 25 hrs and cost about $350. Here's the breakdown wood and supplies $204 from Lowe's for pretreated wood. $145 on cushions (NOT ON SALE); $60 for the seat cushions from Home Depot and $80 for the back cushions from Wal-Mart. We were originally planning on only having the seat cushions, but the seats were long when you set in them with your back against the bear wood (I was setting so far back, my feet couldn't reach the floor) so we opted for thick back cushions to make it more comfortable. The project finished up just in time for our first BBQ party! (March 2012)

Estimated Cost
$204
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Redwood toner and sealant
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

Outdoor Sectional

Submitted by rachelmlee on Sun, 01/26/2020 - 20:23

This was my first real woodworking project and was so much fun! I use my deck much more now and am excited to build more!

Estimated Cost
$500 (with cushions)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Varathane Jacobean stain
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Simple Modern Outdoor Double Lounger.

Submitted by omahattan on Wed, 06/13/2012 - 11:52

Finished it in about two weeks, but that was during my sons daily two hour nap window and two days of staining. Had to make a few adjustments so the pillow from West Elm would fit, because the plan calls for 11 slats on the deck when it should be 12. I added some wheels to the back and will add pull out drink tables soon. It was a fun project and my wife is thrilled.

Estimated Cost
$175
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Cabot Semi-Solid Stain (Cordovan Brown).
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

New counter height planters in use

Submitted by jrbdmb on Fri, 06/20/2014 - 05:05

Using the counter height planter plans from Janettx. Thanks!

Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Janettx

Mon, 09/20/2021 - 13:24

Nice job!!! I'm still using mine. I ended up putting 12"x12" pavers under each leg to extend their life. After the 2nd year now we get bumper crop out of ours each season.

Garage Shelves - Freestanding (Modified)

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 09/15/2020 - 20:45

First project ever! I have been planning to build this for at least a year, and I finally did it! I had to modify the plan to fit my space, but it worked out well. They cut the wood for me at the store, so I did not make any cuts myself, just assembled all of the pieces together. I used all 2x4s, 8' and 10', cut down to my measurements. I did not finish the shelves since it is just for the garage, but I did sand rough board edges and some of the faces. I just used an palm sander and coarse sandpaper (80 grit). Please double check all measurements and lists because I forgot to add my shorter shelf supports to the list and had to go back to the store. I also forgot to add the width of the top shelf to those two shorter supports, so the shelf boards are resting on the top instead of nestled into the supports. It turned out not to be a functional problem, but a good lesson to learn. I also learned to make sure my driver battery is charged fully before starting - that took a large chunk out of my first day building and I had to finish the next day. My husband helped with some lifting and holding, but I mostly did this on my own in one weekend, so you CAN do it! Don't wait like I did - it is soooooooo useful and it looks great! All of my friends are really impressed and it feels so good to have made something like this! Thank you Ana!!

Estimated Cost
$180
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
N/A
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

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