Community Brag Posts

Small Upholstered Stool

We just purchased a rolling island to replace our old kitchen table. We wanted to make stools to fit under it properly at the right height. We used all recycled wood and it’s painted with and exterior black semi-gloss paint that I had on hand that I use for my outdoor barn quilts. I covered it with 1” foam, a layer of Dacron and some off white(to match our kitchen cupboards) heavy vinyl. We really like our new look❤️Thank you Ana for sharing all of your plans. We are going to be using more in the future. I just know it.

Mississippi Lakeside Creations.

 

Built from Plan(s)

Entryway bench and shelf

Submitted by susanuva on Mon, 07/30/2012 - 13:58

Here is my very first project.

Estimated Cost
$170.00
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Stained with Red Elm Gel stain
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

Family Tree

Loved Ana's original of this and we saw cedar plans on sale over the holiday weekend we had to give it a shot. Loved how it turned out. Thank you for the inspiration.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$10
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Early American
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Rustic X Console with 5 board bench

Submitted by Rifka on Fri, 08/26/2016 - 08:42

I wanted this console but not as long. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$20
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Annie Sloan white paint on base
Dark wax and sealer on top.
Light distressed
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Adirondack Chairs with matching table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 06/07/2020 - 12:08

My dad and I spent 2 weekends making his and her Adirondack chairs for my husband and I and a matching side table!

Estimated Cost
$140 total for chairs; $9.96 for table
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Cedar flower box teacher's gift

Submitted by Benjies on Wed, 05/28/2014 - 10:02

My daughter is finishing her last week of preschool. I wanted to make a small "thank-you" gift for her 3 teachers. I pieced together different ideas from ana's site and other places on the Internet. The printout is from shanty 2 chic's website. I created 3 boxes using 2 six-foot cedar fence panels. I cut mine down to size based on the dimensions of the flowers I used. Drilled a few holes on each edge and used 1/4" sisal rope to make handles. Used hemp to tie the label's to each box. Each box took approximately 15 minutes to make. Including the cost of the flowers, each box cost less than $5 too!!

Estimated Cost
$5 / box
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
No finishes. Just drilled some drainage holes. Cedar is great for outdoor use!
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

DIY Hay feeder Stuffed Animal Storage

Submitted by SweetAsh on Mon, 08/29/2016 - 08:12

All scrap lumber was used on this, cost was $0

3/4 plywood 2'x4'

1x6x24"

1x4x24"

1x2x13" front trim

Estimated Cost
$0-$10
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Dark Walnut
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

SweetAsh

Mon, 08/29/2016 - 08:29

My son loves horses, so I made him this Horse Wall Hay Feeder to keep with the theme but where he would have a place to put his babies! :)

Pony wall work bench

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 06/10/2020 - 09:22

Had to shorten plan due to garage size. Added drawer under miter station. Pined weather wash.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$450
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Pined
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Brookstone Desk and Hutch Combination

Submitted by JLW on Mon, 08/06/2012 - 19:16

I saw this plan and knew that I had to build it for my home office. The top of the desk is the perfect size for my HP printer/scanner. I added the cork backing as suggested in the plan - works great for adding notes and papers to the back of the desk.

Because I am taller I modified the plan by not adding the middle drawer to the desk. This gave me the knee room I needed to be able to get my desk chair underneath and close enough that I could type. I also cut a hole in the desk top to place an cable grommet in so that I could run wires for my electronics through it. I added two pocket holes in the back plate to further secure it to the desk bottom.

The only disappointment I had was not with the design but with the stain. While I like the color, at a distance it ends up looking like paint rather than stain. I don't know if the wood was drier than normal and soaked the stain more, or if it just stained darker than I thought it would (i.e. should have stayed with one coat rather than two). But, when I'm sitting at the desk I can see the wood coming through the stain so the dual character of the stain isn't so bad.

The design is quick, simple, and easy to follow. It came together in no time.

Estimated Cost
$80
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax River Stone tinted stain, Minwax satin wipe on poly
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Pedestal base and Concrete Top with L.E.D. Lights and a Built-in Cooler

Submitted by petesveen on Fri, 05/30/2014 - 10:37

I wanted to build a really neat table for the patio and came up with the idea to do a concrete top with LED lights and a built in cooler. I loved Ana's plans for the pedestal base and so I used her plans to create the base. I did modify the plans a bit to help it hold up the the heavy concrete top. I have the modifications listed on my blog. There is also a complete 17 minute tutorial showing how to do the concrete top.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$350
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
MinWax Dark Walnut Stain with 3 coats of Minwax Outdoor Spar Varnish
Recommended Skill Level
Advanced

Comments

spiceylg

Fri, 05/30/2014 - 11:47

What an awesome build! Also, where do you live with such a gorgeous view?!

Sweat Pea Garden Bunk Bed

Started this about a year ago, working for an hour or two at a time, all nights. Then the little one started talking about having sleep overs once the bunk bed was done. Luckily i had a week of vacation this summer and spent most of that time completed the bed. I still have to complete the storage boxes for under the bed, and just need to find some nice hinges to mount the upper window shutters. We let the girls pick out some stickers and decals, hence all the awkwardly placed Elsa & Anna Stickers. Girls love it. 

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Wood Filler, Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

2x4 Outdoor Sectional with Matching Chairs, Ottomans and Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 06/12/2020 - 20:51

We were looking for outdoor furniture for our deck, and for the size and amount we needed it would have cost us at least $2000. We really like the idea of having an outdoor sectional that we can also use for dining, and we had trouble finding a set we liked. We found Ana's plans for the 2x4 Outdoor Sectional, and i loved the look. After seeing what others have done with the plans, I thought I would be able to modify it to get everything we needed for much less cost than buying a set.

We ended up extending the size of the 2x4 outdoor sofa by one 24" section, for a total length of 96". I then used the same design to make two outdoor chairs, just reduced the length to 24". I modified the 2x4 outdoor coffee table plans to create two ottoman's that can be moved around to make the seating more lounge style Finally, I modified the coffee table plans to make a 5 foot outdoor dining table. All in all, it took about a week and I couldn't be happier with how it turned out!

Estimated Cost
$800 Total ($200 for the wood, $600 for the cushions)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Valspar Semi-Transparent Antique Oak Stain
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Huge butcher block cutting board - my very first build ever!

Submitted by kendikat on Thu, 08/09/2012 - 14:37

This was my very first build ever! I enrolled in a beginning woodworking class at the local community college and our first assignment was to make a cutting board. All that was required was a super simple cutting board with some wood strips glued together then cut into a shape of some sort. But I decided that if I was going to bother making a cutting board, I was going to make something awesome and useful. I wanted to make a butcher block style cutting board. My boyfriend's only input was that he wanted something "big enough to hold a tri-tip". This was the result! It's made of PC maple and measures 23-1/4" long by 14-1/2" wide and 2-1/4" tall with the feet (1-1/4" thick cutting surface). It took me way longer than most of the other people in the class, but I love it. For this project alone, I had to learn to use the table saw, the compound miter saw, the planer and jointer, the router, an assortment of machine sanders and palm sanders available in the school's shop, the glue scraper (oh goodness I hate glue squeeze-out), and how to do clamping set-ups. At the very end, I finished it with mineral oil, and we broke it in with an amazingly delicious prime rib at New Year's ;D

Estimated Cost
$20
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Mineral oil, just a regular bottle from the drug store. Apply a liberal coat, allow to soak in, apply again, allow to soak in, and so on, until it goes for at least a few hours without absorbing any more, then wipe off the excess.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Old Deck Wood Laundry Crate

Submitted by dmcarwin on Mon, 06/02/2014 - 07:56

I have been in love with Ana's laundry dressers since she first posted them. When I helped makeover my sister's Closet/Laundry room I knew she had to have one! Only problem? We were out of funds. I wouldn't let that stop me!! With some free old deck wood I modified Ana's laundry dresser into a rustic awesome laundry crate! Talk about bringing cute to the laundry room, this totally fits the bill, and it is of course useful. She uses the top as a folding station too. To make it taller I cut small pieces of the deck wood and stacked them for feet, which I love! Then I added casters so she could roll it around the room. For a full tutorial check out my blog post, you won't be sorry!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Free! (ok, I spent $4 on casters, they were on sale at Harbor Freight)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Three coats of poly on the top.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Ikea inspired outdoor storage bench and rack

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 09/04/2016 - 17:29

This project is based on the outdoor storage bench at morelikehome.net, which was based on an Ikea outdoor storage unit.  I used 100 year old lath that I recycled from a remodeling project.  The lid of the bench lifts off, it will eventually hide the timer for a drip irrigation.

Estimated Cost
less than $30 due to recycled wood. The most expensive item was the wood glue.
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
redwood stain, brand is Preserva Wood
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Modern farmhouse console table

Used Ana’s modern farmhouse console table plans to make this pet food station 😍

Estimated Cost
$40
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Used varathane briarsmoke
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

A's Full Size Loft Bed

Submitted by Hulsberg on Sun, 08/12/2012 - 14:58

My son needed more room in his bedroom...and to be rid of the very girly furniture he inherited when he moved into his "big boy-ish" bedroom. At 10 yrs old, it was high time he got a bed that wasn't pink-tinged, white washed pine with 4 posters and enough curlicues to choke a forest. He also needed a desk which I couldn't really fit in his room with the armoire and chest of drawers that came with the Queen sized bed.

So off to Ikea we went and I saw a black loft bed for $300, but it was really, really high which meant I would have to cut it down and it was not sturdy at all. I looked at PB and saw the $1800 bed. Um, no - that wasn't happening. So, off to Ana-White I went and I'm so happy I did!

I built the full sized version of these plans and, to keep costs down, used wood I had on hand. This meant I had to work a bit at the cuts, but it all worked out.

Mods:
1) I modified the railings to have the ladder at the end of the bed to keep away from the ceiling fan.

2) Because I put the ladder at the end of the bed, I got very nervous about having a soon-to-be teen climbing on to a ladder secured to a 1x10 that was only connected to the side railings with glue and screws. So I sandwiched extra 1x3s over the bottom rails and attached them to the top railing.

3) I was very nervous about making sure that the bed was adequately supported so I put a 2x4 down the center instead of the 1x2.

4) I went a wee-bit overboard screwing things together to the point where it's a bit embarrassing and now I have to paint over the screw heads.

5) I made the ladder treads with 2x4's, modifying the inside spacer board cut lengths.

Because I had quite a bit of lumber on hand, the bed only ended up costing me about $90.

For the bookcase, I did end up buying the 1x12s and the adjustable shelf railings. I made the book shelf the entire width of of the bed and split the two sections based on width of the 1x24 board I bought for the desk. I only put the backer board up half way so that the daylight could get underneath the bed and make it not so cave-like.

The book case cost me about $70.

The desk was the easiest...but most costly item. A 1x6x24, 4 table legs and the table leg mounts ran me about $80. The plexiglass top that I had cut for the top cost me about $80.

Time wise, this would have taken me a lot less time than the 4 months it took - but I worked on it as I could and when I could, by myself. I got some friends to help me bring it upstairs and put it back together, but it was mostly done when I could fit in some time.

My son LOVES this and it really does give him so much room!!! Thanks Ana - I really appreciate it!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
with paint, screws and bookcase hardware, about $450
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
gloss spray paint / primer in one.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Jennifer P (not verified)

Fri, 01/18/2013 - 07:38

Hi!

To modify this to be full sized, I just added 15" to the width of the bed. Ana said this in the plans:

Cutting Instructions:

Converting to Full Size This bed can easily be converted to full size. You will simply need to add 15″ to all boards that run parallel to the ends. This includes the planks, end top pieces and the slats. Shopping list will need to be adjusted as well.

So I modified the cuts to the head and foot board parts and the full size mattress fits perfectly.

For the shelving underneath, I just looked at some of Ana's other plans for shelves and winged it.

Craftsman Frame

Submitted by pde00311 on Tue, 06/03/2014 - 08:50

Our new house has an imposing exposed brick wall over a fireplace and mantle. To fill the big wall, we wanted to post enlarged pictures of our baby/family, but did not want to spend to money on a massive frame. Executing these plans turned out awesome. We blew up a photo, had a matte and glass cut to size, and then I built the craftsman frame to fit around everything. The framing probably would have been better/easier if I had a router to cut out an indent on the backside, but I ended up framing the photo/glass/matte inside some plain molding I nailed to the back.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$10
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Ipswich Pine with Polycrylic
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
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