Community Brag Posts

We badly needed a new kitchen table since ours has been completely destroyed over the years. Not a bad table, but too "smooth and perfect" for our lifestyle. I wanted something darker a lot more rustic that would not HIGHLIGHT nicks and scratches so badly.

I fell in love with a table at World Market, but it was the wrong size. It's called the Napa Gathering Collection.  It comes in either a counter-height 3' x 3' table or a standard height 3' x 5' table.  Shorter table is too long for the kitchen and the counter-height one was too small.  *sigh*  Here's a photo of the set.  LOVE this!!!!  So upset it's so small.  World Market photo below makes it appear a lot more red than it is.

Anyway, it's made out of Acacia wood, so it was massively heavy and strong. I loved it so much that I bought the four gathering chairs and spent over a month trying to get Acacia wood without spending a fortune. No luck. So I decided the most similar table here on Ana's site was the Tryde coffee table.

I researched different hardwoods, but was so nervous to spend that much  money that I decided my first kitchen table would be a rough draft with super cheap wood.  LOL  If I love it then I didn't spend a lot.  If I don't love it, I will learn from it and can build it again someday with more expensive hardwood like maple. 

I used the 2x8 hemlock for the tabletop, hemlock 4x4 legs and finished hemlock 1x4's everywhere else.  I used cheap 2x2 studs for the support structure underneath.  This table was almost exclusively built using Kreg joins, with only a few exceptions where necessary.  No visible screw holes to fill ANYWHERE!  Yay!  LOVE my Kreg Jig!

Lots of sanding, Benite wood conditioner, red-ish dye, dark chestnut stain and three coats of poly later... and I moved it into my kitchen this morning!  So excited!!!  I love how it turned out! 

Ana's simple, cheap and easy console table, made entirely with repurposed and scrap wood, so it was free! The plan was great, and it was easy to adjust to the wood I had on hand. The distressed finish was fun to do too.

Made from scrap wood left in the empty lots besides me, from framing crews.

Cost me just the time, screws, sand paper and stain.

Made all the cuts with a skillsaw, by saving the $$$ I have now went and bought a mitre and table saw. YAY!

We made these chairs following easy instructions from AnaWhite!

This was a much faster build than we anticipated, thanks to easy to work with MDF and pre-finished bead-board backing. Had all the wood pre-ordered on line from Lowe's made pick up super easy - and then they did all the cuts for us!

I did it! Using your plans I made the doll crib. I had to improvise on the drawer as the drawer in the plans was to tall to go under the bed and I had already put it together before checking. Oh well. I also made the mattress, reversible blanket and 2 pillows for the bed. As this was my first woodworking project I am so proud of how well it turned out. Thank you Ana for this site. It is amazing and I am HOOKED.

wanted a big table for christmas, this is over 8 foot, and we couldn't afford a table like that so having seen the site thought i'd try and build one. thanks for the plans absolutely great
first project, no real woodwork experience but competent diy-er

made mainly out of reclaimed wood, the top and side apron are made of old scaffold boards and the main brace a chunk of wood form my neighbours shed.

i did have to buy some 2x4s for the legs and the cross braces

sides painted and the top waxed, looks a bit patchy in the photos but the finish is good.

all in all cost about £70

Choose the equivalent of 4 x2 here in Australia but as you can see the Depths were different. Painted in Dulux outdoor paint in Vivid White

A $10 Mirror framed out with some 1 by 2, 1 by 3 and 1 by 4.

Stained black and then 2 coats of white paint sanding after each to give a rustic/antique look.

Built this plan, added bolt hangars and flat face mounts, and corner braces to make it easily assemble or disassemble for moving

We used the Fancy X Farmhouse plans and matching bench to create a wonderful new farmhouse table and bench for the lake house. We distressed the tops of the bench and table and stained them Weathered Grey with the base of the table and bench stained Ash.  We absolutely love it!

This is my first ever build (so be gentle). My fiance has always wanted a Hall Tree and her birthday was comming up so I posted a request for a Hall Tree and that afternoon there was a post from Ana with Mimi's Hall Tree, so I figured that was a sign I HAD TO BUILD IT! So I took the lists went to the local Home Depot and bought all the wood, plus a Jig Saw, Kreg Jig, Sliding Compound Miter Saw, Circular Saw, Clamps.... a few weeks later just in time for her birthday this is what I had. I have to admit its flawed but we love it!

I can't thank Ana and company for turning me on to my new hobby and I am looking forward to my next build!

PS I will be putting the hooks on tonight, I will post more photos when the hooks are on and there is stuff on the Hall Tree

Check out my blog post for more on building this giant, hardworking piece! It took me about 45 hours to build it from start to finish (I work slowly) and cost about $400 in materials.

I needed a dresser to match the two farmhouse sidetables I built for the room and this design fit the bill. I really had to take the time to figure out where to place the pocket holes. Finishing is my least favorite part of the process, but I'm glad to have really taken my time. This was a really challenging project and I'm so pleased with the end product. By far, my favorite build yet!

Table and benches were made to plan, except I shortened the overall length and added another 2x10 to the top to give it some additional width. The benches were also shortened slightly so the legs of the benches slide between the legs of the table; which allows the benches to be pushed further under the table when not in use. Avoid my rookie furniture making mistake and go to a specialty lumber store that sells wood that is already aged (dry). Most everything you find at the big box stores will still be wet and shrink/warp on you if not completely dry first.

This was my first project and I am so pleased! The stain is beautiful and once I got the hang of it, so easy to complete. I am excited to try a new plan and keep going!!

Laura