Community Brag Posts

Cute corner cabinet!

Submitted by rmurray87 on Sun, 06/02/2013 - 11:24

This project took me the majority of a three-day weekend to complete, but it was well worth it! I had the lumber store cut the beadboard panel for me so that it would fit in my car. This was also the first time I built something with doors on it, which was a bit of a learning curve, but came out alright in the end. I used pocket holes to build the face frame, and attached the shelves to the frame first before attaching them to the 1x8 back. I used 1 1/4" pocket hole screws and 2" wood screws. I left off the trim at the top and didn't bother to cut out the footer, but I think it still looks pretty cute.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$110
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Accent color: Appletini from Valspar
Main color: Earthy Mushroom Taupe from Glidden

Everything was given a good sanding and a healthy dose of primer before painting.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Harriet Chairs (by me)

Submitted by Medickep on Fri, 05/01/2015 - 09:01

 

I'm pretty happy with the way these chairs turned out.  It was a fun project as I did a few first, which included going to the fabric store (long waits) and got to tackle some upolstery for the first time!  I did end up with a few glue drops that did not take the stain, so I'll be researching tips and tricks to prevant that in the future!  

 

Also, I made these out of Popular, which pre stain was a must for cherry stain.  Next time, I would use Cherry!

Thanks to Joanne S for the original post and consults regarding the upolserty!!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
80-100/chair (depends on materials used)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Golden Oak Wood Classics stain from Sherwin Williams. Tinted to match my existing chairs.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

JoanneS

Fri, 05/01/2015 - 13:29

These are spectacular! Beautiful build! Love the finish and the upholstery. Also I'm super impressed that you can't see any of the filled screw holes. Would love to know the technique you used to hide them so well - I'm going to copy that! :)
JoanneS

Medickep

Fri, 05/08/2015 - 12:48

Thank you both for the nice comments. I was please with the way these turned out too, despite some glue spots not taking up the stain. I plan on getting more disciplined in this area. For hiding the screws, I finally upgraded to a real countersink like this one: http://www.rockler.com/8-pro-tapered-countersink-bit at Rockler.

Instead of always forcing a dull one in and getting a crooked openings, this razor sharp one cuts beautiful holes with no effort! But watch out, I cut myself just adjusting the depth of the drill bit. I discovered these the last time I made some wine oak barrel chairs!

Medickep

Fri, 05/08/2015 - 12:53

Since I use Kreg screws for almost everything, (even non-pocket hole stuff)because they are self tapping and won't crack the would I sure my countersink matched the head of the Kreg screws and than purchased a plug hole bit. Can be used on a drill, but better on a drill press. You have to keep the drill perfectly straight or the plug can break and get stuck in the bit!

Buzz Lightyear rocket shelf

Submitted by Kboshers on Wed, 09/13/2017 - 09:39

I used Ana's instructional as inspiration but changed dimensions. My little guy adores this shelf.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
100
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Behr flat premium paints with waxed finish
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Cabinet Doors

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 10/08/2021 - 07:58

I made these cabinet doors based on your Entryway Console with Open Shelves. I wanted something to hide the clutter from the cables, modems and hubs for all our smart devices as well as the circuit box. I modified these with open grills in the bottom half to allow for the Wi-Fi signal to travel without being blocked. I love them and am so surprised at how nice they turned out. I am not used to working with wood routers or table saws but found that it was not as difficult as I thought it would be. I used pocket wholes to join the stiles and rails and did use glue also due to the expected high usage.

Comments

Old Door Cofee Table

This table was built out of an old 5 panel door and some scrap would that we had lying around. old hinges and knob came from a local antique store. To finish the door my wife crackled the top and clear coated it. 

Estimated Cost
50.00
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Rustic X Farmhouse Table

We were able to finish this table after work one afternoon and stain it the next day. (we have a 16 month old also, so you can do it! :) ) I wanted a similar style I had found at World Market that retailed for $700 we were able to complete this entire table for $100 including all hardware and stain. LOVE it so much and get SO many compliments on it. Thanks so much!

Shelby
The Dandy Lion

Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
A satin poly with espresso stain in one
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Sturdy work table and tool box

The first project I tackled from Ana White's wonderful plans was a building a sturdy work table for my miter saw that I bought at a garage sale for $25. I was using cinder blocks and plywood as a makeshift work table, and wanted an improvement on that as my first project. So, let the fun begin!

I started the project on Saturday after lunch, going to the lumber yard and picking up wood and screws for about $50. It's about the lumber limit I can haul in my Honda Civic, in the back seat, with the window open.

I followed the instructions, but found that the supports for the top were 13" not 12", and I had 3 2x4s left over (for future projects). I had some plywood in the shed, which I cut 16x40 to make a shelf. I only filled the screw holes on top with wood filler, so sawdust doesn't accumulate.

I finished the table before dinner time. The kids are getting me a bench vise for Mother's Day. Thanks kids!

On Sunday I started my second project, a tool box made out of a dowel and a 1x6 (see it on the ground in the second pic?). I cut the pieces first, then rounded the sides with the jig saw I bought at another garage sale for $3.

Everyone loves the toolbox! I plan on making one for my oldest son, and filling it with starter tools.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$50
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Sweet Pea Cottage

What's a mom to do when she can't choose between the cabin bed, the little cottage loft bed and the sweet pea garden bed? Head over to google sketchup and sketch up a set of plans incorporating favourite aspects of all three beds! This one had been in the planning stages for over a year and I’ve called it “Sweet Pea Cottage”. It took me about 3 months to build in my spare time and I couldn't be happier with how it turned out. Of course our daughter loves it as well! Who wouldn't want to sleep in their own little house bed! :) I used spruce and 3/4" purebond plywood for the main build. To give the plywood panels a planked look, I cut the front into various size rectangles so I could run them through my table saw using a 1/4" dado blade before assembling the pieces together with pocket holes. The roof panels and dormer are 1/4" plywood glued and screwed to a frame and then I used construction adhesive to adhere the dormer to the front roof panel as well as adhere the cedar shakes. Painted with Behr Pure Ultra White and topped with a satin polyacrylic. I left the cedar shakes raw but if I built it again, I think I would top them with some sort of flat or matt sealer as the rough texture makes dusting them a bit difficult. One of the first questions I get is "how difficult is it to make the bed?". Surprisingly it's not that hard. Because the bed is so open on each end and we have it set up in her room with access on three sides, it's easy to manoeuvre the mattress a bit to change the bedding.

Comments

April1360

Thu, 02/17/2022 - 08:15

I love this bed. I would like to make one for my Grand-daughter. Do you have plans for this cute bed? I just signed up today so I wasn't able to see the comment section. I'm sorry if this has already been asked.

Cubby Bench

Submitted by dhenderson on Sun, 03/20/2011 - 17:57

This was a very fun project to work on.  One of my first ones, I chose this to replace the store bought cubby book shelf in my daughters room with something she can sit on as well as use for storage. 

 

 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$25-30
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Two coats total - each of a different color stain. Haven't added the poly yet, that is on my to-do!
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Castle Bed

A big thanks to FSMumford for drawing this in Sketchup. I had to re-draw it to take into account metric wood dimensions and bed sizes here in NZ, and also to remove a foot or so from the length.

We just gave it to my daughter today, and already I need to make some modifications. I immediately put some vertical grab rails at the top of the steps and slide. The steps are too big for a toddler (she's 3 today) and I didn't take into account how thick a pillow top mattress is! I really needed to make the end guards higher. In fact, were I to make it again, I'd probably make the towers taller and lower the height of the bed by 8-12 inches. While this would lower interior room, it might make the steps a more reasonable height for a littlie. If you're building for a 5 or 6 year old, this may not be an issue. Also, it would make the angle of the slide shallower (it's a bit steep, I reckon). I used 7 sheets of 16mm MDF but if I'd laid them out like FSMumford did in her plans I would have used less. Our (one car) garage is too small and the whole build process, including painting, was a royal pain in the bum. Fun, but a pain. Speaking of painting, next time (riiiiight) I'd try to paint as much as possible before assembling. I built mine in modules but even so it's hard to get a nice coat of paint on the insides of things. Edges of MDF need to be painted and sanded at least twice to look nice. Don't underestimate the time needed to get a good finish - I spent a third of my build time finishing (mostly, again, due to limited space). A narrow foam roller is great for cutting in but doesn't seem to get enough paint on to cover well on larger areas. In places I have three coats and can still see my pencil marks. I used Dulux Aquanamel.

Estimated Cost
Don't get me started....
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Dulux Aquanamel.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Chineselyons

Wed, 06/05/2013 - 10:47

This is gorgeous! I know there are modifications to take into account but it's stunning none-the-less.

inside corner wall cabinet

First cabinet in my kitchen remodel.

 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Sherwood by Sherwin Williams. Special purchase 5 gallon minimum. Water based lacquer. Dark Mahogany stain, HVLP sprayed on lacquer.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Alaskan lake cabin bench

Im building these for a friend to sell at alameda county flea market. It takes me a couple day to do one if its on spare time

Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
One was painted with chalk paint cut in half with semi gloss black and clear laquer. Other is all clear laquer
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Distressed Milk paint technique

My client wanted a distressed paint look for these custom doors that I built . Not knowing how to do this I immediately looked for some tips from Ana White . I found a link on your page to do this using gel stain and milk paint . It worked very well , I had to do a couple trial and errors do get the exact desired effect we were looking for but in the end I would have been lost with out your tips .

Thanks Tony Curtis
FB @ Rockwood Designs Rustic Furniture
Instagram @ Rockwooddesigns_TonyCurtis

Comments

Country Rustic Shelf

We just bought our first home a few months ago.  It is taking me a long time to decorate, because I am more picky about what goes on my walls.  I saw this shelf and I knew I had to build it.  It was really simple to do.  I even did it without my husband, and that is huge for me. I have step by step pictures on how to make this shelf on my blog.
supersaturdayldscrafts.blogspot.com

Ana's Barn Beam Ledges are very simular, but I turned them and added molding to the front.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
20.00
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
For the finish I used dark walnut gel stain, and then after the stain dried, I painted it with Home Depot Vermont Cream. When all the paint is dry, you sand the outside so the stain shines through to give it a more rustic country look.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

flag garden bench

wife and I call this our memory garden bench. our son passed away last year he was a SFC in the us army. we sit upon to remember all the good times.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
stain and 3 coats of spar
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Dresser with Changing Table

Submitted by dhoop31 on Sun, 10/15/2017 - 05:52

Was asked to build this with an added changing table on top.  Built it for my neice her first child.  

Estimated Cost
350.00
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Acrylic paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Toilet shelf

Submitted by Lukilla on Fri, 10/22/2021 - 17:54

We had someone ask us to make one of these for them, and we couldn't resist making one for ourselves. Fun easy build and adds some style to our bathroom.

Minwax early American stain on the finish

Comments

A bathroom cabinet for all that stuff!

Overall measurements: 24x40. I followed the same basic steps as the nursery armoire, but on a much smaller scale and with a 1x3 added to the back for hanging the cabinet on the wall. I sketched this out on my own and built it to fit above the toilet in my girls' bathroom.

For the first time, I used my table saw to route a space for the 1/8" MDF cabinet backing and drawer bottoms. I will probably use the same method again, but the MDF has to be absolutely square for it to work.

Also a first for me, I used a shelving jig to drill perfectly spaced shelf pin holes on the inside of the cabinet. I love the jig and the accompanying drill bit (from Woodcraft -- orange and blue do not carry it) and I'm looking forward to using it a lot more in the future.

The white latex paint finish is covered in Krylon "crystal clear" spray, which is (sadly) not actually crystal clear. I really like its durability and ease of application (re-coat after only one minute!), but will only use it on darker colored projects in the future. I'll have to sand, paint again, and recoat with my old standby, Minwax Polycrylic, to get rid of the yellow tones in the "crystal clear" Krylon spray.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$125
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Spray primer followed by Sherwin-Williams ProClassic semi-gloss white (which I applied in several thinned coats). Krylon not-so "crystal clear" topcoat.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Queen Size Farmhouse Bed

Submitted by Yodannos on Sun, 06/09/2013 - 13:28

Modified Queen Farmhouse for a rental unit that we have. I changed the heights of the head/footboard to give it a taller look.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax ebony (3 coats). Antiqued by sanding various edges. 2 coats of satin polyeurethene.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Full Size Bed Headboard

Headboard with tongue and groove boards for the face.

Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner