Community Brag Posts

Large beam cot rack

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 02/14/2017 - 23:39

For a few years, we used a normal wooden wall hanger (a normal wood wall hanger means a piece of pinewood plank screwed on the wall, which had 7 double hooks on it), we decided to find some new ideas. We found a nice idea, a pine beam that looks like it’s part of the structure, passing through the wall, on which a lot of wooden hooks are fitted.

 

Estimated Cost
$20
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Water based matte varnish
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Farmhouse Bedside Table

Submitted by DianeHibbs on Tue, 01/15/2013 - 15:27

This was my first DIY furniture project!

The materials cost less than $50! Of course, I did buy some fun new
power tools!

Thanks to http://ana-white.com for the great plans!

I learned quite a lot from this. The nightstand will go in our guest room but the next project will be Master-Bedroom-Worthy! I’ll try to share what I learned with you here so you can avoid my mistakes.

I cut all my pieces first. I used super cheap wood because I wasn’t sure how good I’d be at this. Needless to say, they weren’t all exactly straight so my “squaring up” didn’t work out quite as well as I’d hoped.
Lesson: buy straight boards

Then I went crazy with the Kreg jig and drilled all my pocket holes. I tried to use pocket holes for all the connections.
Lesson: just follow the directions

Another thing I'll do differently next time -- I'll sand and finish all the parts at this point before assembling the piece.

I can't wait to try my next project! Thanks Ana!!!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$50
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Polyshades Espresso - two coats
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Balin Console Table

Submitted by allchrome on Wed, 11/12/2014 - 07:55

So happy with the way my Balin Console Table turned out.  I altered Ana’s plan just a bit by adding 1x2’s to the sides at the top and bottom to recess the side panels and I added drawer slides for easy opening as well as trimming out the front of the drawers to recess the drawer fronts.  Thank you Ana for great plans!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$180.00 - $200.00
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Primed, lightly sanded and finished with 2 coats of Valspar Semi Gloss in Mountain Smoke.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Cubby desk

Submitted by Isabellev on Fri, 02/17/2017 - 00:43

I got the plans from the Cubby desk and made it for my son who started school this year.

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

Nesting Grill Station

I was tired of seeing my propane bottle on the porch and this project was a perfect blending of camouflaged storage with lots of potential countertop workspace. My grill station is smaller and shorter than the original plans to better fit our family size and the porch space we have available. My husband has a bandsaw mill. When he was milling boards this fall, I asked for some 1/2" thick planks just for this project. I also had the knobs and wheels leftover from past salvaging work. I have been trying my best to use up "stock on hand" during this pandemic. Though I spent some time sanding the rough cut lumber, it still absorbed lots of stain. I wanted two tones of color, so that's good, but I still had to mix two stains together to have enough for the lighter parts.

Now we are looking forward to some cold weather BBQ meals!

Estimated Cost
$10 for screws, all else salvaged.
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
I stained the wood before joining it together so the two shades of stain wouldn't run together. For the darker parts I used Minwax Red Mahogany. On the lighter parts I mixed Minwax Early American with Natural (because I was running out). After staining I put the table together and finished it with Minwax Polycrylic, until that ran out, then Bona Mega satin floor finish. I put three coats of finish, sanding between coats.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

mamasue72

Tue, 07/04/2023 - 08:38

Love this size. My deck is small so this is perfect. Thank you for posting the brag😊👌

craftsman chalkboard

I used scrap 1x2 and 1x3s, added a piece of chalkboard painted plywood to make a fun wall decor for my kids. I resized Ana's plans to fit my scraps, all dimensions are listed in my post link.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$0
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
1. Two coats Glidden lucky shamrock
2. Minwax Early American stain
3. Minwax clear satin poly
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

re-store design

Mon, 01/21/2013 - 15:09

I saw the brag post and was motivated to make my own chalkboard today. I was in a need of a message center and thought chalkboard would be a perfect addition. I was at home and had no scraps of wood and no chalkboard paint! Normally, that would be a problem!

Luckily, I had an old wood crate, paint, and non-sanded grout! Voila...enough to make a chalkboard message center! Thanks for the motivation!

Here is a link to the finished product!
http://re-storedesign.com/2013/01/21/wood-crate-message-center-diy-chal…

Next time I am in my shop I am going to make a craftsman style chalkboard for my studio!

Adirondack Minnie Mouse

Submitted by vangy04 on Fri, 11/14/2014 - 08:29

My daughter is into everything Minnie Mouse right now so I figured, why not!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$15
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
I used stickers for the white details, but my daughter promptly peeled them all off. I suggest paint.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

pr22joyce

Thu, 09/08/2016 - 12:08

I have looked, clicked all over this site to download the plans for the Minnie Mouse Adirondack chair.  Can someone please help?

KelHad

Sun, 02/19/2017 - 13:28

Has anyone been able to locate the plans for the Minnie Mouse chair yet?

I still can't find them.

My take on the brandy sliding door console

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 02/19/2017 - 16:37

Built the top out of reclaimed wood reclaimed from buildings in/around Chicago. Stained top and insides shelves with minwax hickory gel stain. Outside painted in chalky finish Dutch boy antiquainted lace. Custom made rail and hangers for sliding apparatus. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax hickory gel stain
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Farmhouse Coffee Table

Submitted by highwayk9 on Fri, 11/27/2020 - 19:42

I made the farmhouse coffee table using 4/4 300 year old pine that was on a local home for 150 years. The frame, I used recycled pallet boards. Very simple to build, everyone love this table.

Finish Used
Clear Gloss polyurethane

Comments

My Version of LL Bean Mission Underwindow Bookshelf

Submitted by Jake on Tue, 01/22/2013 - 16:32

A good friend of mine came to me a week ago and said she needed a console table to fit under her apartment window. She then whipped out the LL Bean catalog and on page 34 was the Mission style Underwindow Bookshelf and that is what she wanted. I told her I would give it a try and a few days later you see the final result in the photos.

It came out larger than the LL Bean catalog version as mine is 44" long, 28" high and 14" wide. You can see the catalog offer at this link: http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/13930?feat=504183-GN3&page=mission-under…

The center shelf is adjustable up and down about 4" and I added brass corner protectors.

I think it came out looking pretty good. Especially when you consider it cost at least $100 less than the catalog and it is not a kit.

Estimated Cost
$99
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Sanded to 320 grit level on all visible surfaces and 150 grit on others. Rust-oleum Ultimate Wood Stain in Golden Mahogany with some Kona mixed in to darken it a bit. I used two coats of the Rust-oleum polyurethane on the top and the remainder of the piece was finished with two coats of Minwax Antique Oil Finish.

I did use pre-conditioner but it did not relieve the blotching. I was not happy with the finish and think pre-conditioner has a lot to do with the problem.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Farmhouse King Head and Footboard

This was my very first woodworking project. It came out great! My wife did the distressed corners. Amazing how easy it was. Pardon the puppy posing for his dad.

Estimated Cost
$250
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Antique White applied with sprayer
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

buffet/sideboard with expanded metal

Submitted by lworthy on Tue, 02/21/2017 - 14:40

I really loved this plan of Ana's so I decided to build it for myself. I love the stain color on the one Mid Atlantic Rustic built and they were so kind to tell me the color and it turned out perfect! I will say if I ever built another I will make some adjustments with the doors and drawers and have them sitting on the outside of the facing. Those things were the devil for me!! I have only been building on my own for 6 months, so it was tricky for me. THE PIECE IS HUGE!!! I also added 2  2x4 supports under the bottom,

Happy Building

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax stain 2 step process
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Farmhouse Console Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 12/05/2020 - 11:13

I built this console table modeled from other diy plans on the Ana White website. The construction took 1 afternoon, but the project start to finish was 3 days to allow time for finishing. The overall dimensions are 49”W x 16 1/2” D x 30” H.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$70
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Pre Stain Conditioner
Verathane Brairsmoke Stain
Mini wax Satin Polyurethane
Behr Farmhouse White Chalk Paint
Behr Clear Finishing Wax
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

6 cube bookshelf

Submitted by lindsay on Thu, 01/24/2013 - 04:27

This was my first project that I've built and I feel really great about how it turned out!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
White paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

ACM

Thu, 01/24/2013 - 14:25

Great job! Your bookshelf looks solid and the color is crisp against the darker wall. Love the frames too!

Rainbow Poplar

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 02/25/2017 - 05:07

My first woodworking project.  

The top is poplar and I had the local lumbar yard cut them to uniform thickness, planed and jointed.  That made a nice close connection when it came time to glue and screw. 

Also since it was not dimensional lumbar the boards are cut to actual size so mine is a few inches wider than the original plans. 

I needed to modify the plans in order to make the top removable so I fashioned 4 blocks and attached them to the insides of the apron, and used a spade bit to drill out a 7/8" hole.  Then attached 3/8" hanger bolts to the top and attached to the base with wingnuts and washers.  Worked like a charm!

I wanted to keep all the interesting variance in the top so it's just natural with Minwax Satin Poly.

Estimated Cost
$600
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax ebony stain with 2 coats poly for the base and all natural top with 3 coats poly.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

First Build EVER!

Submitted by arowe10 on Fri, 12/11/2020 - 06:42

This was a great “gateway” build! This is easy to do and gave me the space to dig deeper into my newfound woodworking hobby! It’s not perfect but I love it!

Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)

American Girl Doll Horse Stable

Submitted by Dantana1 on Sat, 01/26/2013 - 08:40

So.....my Daughter has this American Girl doll, and she loves it. Then she saves up $75 to buy this HUGE Horse...why? I have no idea, but she loves it.

At Christmas time, Ana White was so kind to post diagrams for building a Horse Stable and with a few minor changes (shingled roof, golden hooks, some stain) I built it with my new Kreg jig (that was my Christmas gift from Santa).

Hope you enjoy the pictures . . .

Ana - Thank you, I enjoy your site and you certainly will be hearing from me in the near future.

Thanks for all you do :-)

Estimated Cost
$40.00
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Dark Chocolate Brown stain, shims for roof.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

dananryan

Sat, 01/26/2013 - 09:59

I love your modifications. What a great idea to use shims for the roof! I might have to copy this. Great job.

Ana White

Sat, 01/26/2013 - 10:15

Oh I love this!!!! I can't tell you how giddy up happy I am to see the horse stable! Love the roof and the gold hardware too - so cute! Thanks for sharing, truly made my day!

linseylouwho

Sat, 11/23/2013 - 19:18

Oh, I'm in love with the shingles!
My daughter is getting her third AG doll, Saige, for Christmas and my sisters are getting her the horse too. Well, you can't have a horse without a stable too, right?
I've got all the supplies to build the stable and now all I have left to figure out is how you attached the shims to the plywood for the roof. Any suggestions would be fantastic and much appreciated!

The Perfect Sideboard for Small Dining Room

Submitted by haydaze on Sun, 11/23/2014 - 13:10

I've been looking at all of these plans for awhile and finally decided to take the plunge. My son and I built the little Rhyan Console Table to use as a sideboard in my small-ish dining room. There's an 84" farm table, 8 chairs, and 2 corner cabinets. I hate to have to squeeze by people who are seated at the table, so I was looking for a narrow unit to use as a sideboard. We made the legs 4" taller than the plans called for to make it a better height for use as a sideboard. With Thanksgiving in just a few days, we put the hardware on today so it will be ready to put into service. We are already looking forward to our next project. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$80
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Valspar Signature Eddie Bauer Home Craftsman Bungalow Bayleaf
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

2 twin sized beds

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 12/14/2020 - 12:35

I submitted this build under anonymous on accident. Please assign it to my profile when posting if possible. Thank you.

Comments

Kid's Country Bench - stretched

Submitted by Bk32 on Sun, 01/27/2013 - 18:17

We needed a bench to hold shoes and bags on the foyer, and this plan fit the bill. I stretched the bench one foot so 3 kids could sit on it and to add one more cubby. I used pocket holes everywhere I could, so I had to modify the assembly order. We're excited to start using our new bench!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
I started with minwax pretreatment and used minwax Red Mahogany stain. I finished with varathane tube water-based poly, since it didn't require sanding between coats.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

outdoor end table

Submitted by DanGraves on Wed, 11/26/2014 - 09:40

I made this using the kreg jig and cedar. 12x12 tile.

Estimated Cost
$45.00
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Clear coat minwax
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner