Community Brag Posts

Modular Office Wide Bookcase Base

Submitted by solomonson on Sat, 07/07/2012 - 20:29

The toy room needed some attractive storage for the books and puzzles instead of the floor! Enter this plan. I shortened the shelves to 36" and fastened the shelves to 1x2 stretchers that I fastened to the inside of the sides. I hid them by nailing a face frame to it made of 1x2s. I used beadboard for the back, which I painted before attaching it.
I had a hiccup when I forgot to use my square and had to backtrack some, which made this project longer than I anticipated.

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Used some conglomerate for the back of lots of little samples of oops paint I had lying around. I used Valspar white everywhere else and Minwax spray-on poly.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Fancy Jewelry Box

Submitted by Matt L on Mon, 06/29/2020 - 19:52

Great plans and a fun build. I made some modifications. My drawers are 1.5” high and 10” long. It allowed for 6 drawers. Overall height is 13.75” and length is 17.5”.

I used rabbits and dados rather than butt joints. There is flocking in the drawers.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Garnet Shellac at a 2# cut. Wiped on. I used 4 coats sanding with 400 grit after coats 2 and 3. I used 0000 steel wool after coat 4. Then I applied Paste wax.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Farmhouse Bed - King

Submitted by SNukem on Thu, 07/03/2014 - 21:43

We built the farmhouse king size bed over the last week. We used 2x4 hangers to hold the 2x4's in place and used 2x4's to support the mattress. We put 7/16" plywood on top of the 2x4's to support the mattress. We struggled with how we were going to attach the side rails to the bed frame and finally came up with a way we felt would be strong enough. Please see the pictures included to see exactly how we attached the rails to the bed frame. We used lag bolts, and metal brackets.

Estimated Cost
200
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Glidden Antique White Primer and paint combo in semigloss, we did 2 coats.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

T's play kitchen

Submitted by Abby721 on Sat, 07/19/2014 - 21:38

I built this play kitchen for my daughter's second birthday during my newborn son's short naps or often with him strapped to me in his baby carrier. I spent more money on higher quality wood to save myself time and effort sanding the wood down. I splurged on a drinking faucet as it was the perfect size and a mini version of my real kitchen faucet. I used magnets on the fridge doors and oven door and a simple ribbon to prevent the oven door from opening too wide. I have built a few things befor-shelves, table, baby gate but consider myself a beginner who is still learning a lot about woodworking.

Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Dutch Boy Hawaiian Sky Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Basement Storage

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 12/27/2016 - 11:44

Thanks for the instructions! Here's my version. I haven't built much of anything before, but I needed it in my basement to handle kids' stuff. My version is 18 feet long. I combined a 12-foot and 6-foot 2x4 to get that length, which meant less cutting, which I had done at Lowe's (for free). I used the 6-foot 2x4s throughout the shelf to ensure it was strong (in other words, I didn't want a 12-foot "section" and a weaker 6-foot "section" added on).

 

I was able to get everything in my car but the ride home was slow. I also had to use my egress window to get the 12-foot boards in the basement.

 

Total cost for me was about $170 including a couple boxes of screws and wood glue. I could've easily spent double the cost on store-bought shelving. Thanks for the plans!

Estimated Cost
$170
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
None
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Modified kitchen island off Michaela's kitchen island

Submitted by Jessjeeper on Mon, 12/31/2012 - 22:51

My husband and I built this counter height with specs of 351/2" high x 25" wide x 48" long. We are using it in our kitchen as a prep island.

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
We made our own stain with vinegar and steel wool for the top and shelf, painted the body with Valspar Mermaid's Song. Poly over the stain to protect it from water and heat.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Jake

Tue, 01/01/2013 - 05:09

I think you guys did a wonderful job on the kitchen island. I like the fat legs and the 1x4 aprons. Did you consider adding a drawer since you have deep aprons? Is the top a butcher block or did you construct the top yourself? If you did build the top is it suitable for use as a cutting board?

Tip out garbage/storage cabinet

This little space by the back door has always made the kitchen look messy. We put the garbage can there, and other random stuff we didn't have a place for. I got the idea to build Ana's Tilt Out Trashbin cabinet, but I also wanted a place we could put things like pet treats, etc. to get them out of sight. I made the upper horizontal space to house cans of dog and cat food, and bring the cabinet up to the same height as the countertop. The right hand side has adjustable shelves with bins for things like onions and potatoes. Left side is the tilt out trashbin. Top is butcher block stained black to match my countertops.

Estimated Cost
$120
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Latex paint, food safe stain and poly varnish.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

My first build!

This locker cabinet was my first build and I learned a ton. For example:

1. Use the Kreg face clamps while drilling into the Kreg Jr.
2. Buy straight wood.
3. Buy wood that is not warped.
4. Do not try to buy wood with grouchy kids in tow.

Are you seeing a theme? Yep, your project will only be as square and perfect as the wood you buy.

I modified the locker plan to include apothecary-style drawers for our cell phones, sunglasses and chapstick. I also drilled through the back of one of the drawers to turn it into a charging station for our cell phones.

The locker has been super useful so far and is such a great way to keep my kids' backpacks and lunchboxes organized. The baskets are designated for my purse, stuff I need to return to stores, the dog's leashes, and library books. It's so nice to have all this stuff near the front door and never wonder where any of it is!

Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Ralph Lauren "Aged Mint" in flat. Distressed and coated with Minwax Polycrylic in satin.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Rustic Farm Table and Benches

Submitted by verymom on Mon, 05/23/2011 - 17:13

We shortened the table and lengthened the benches - you can see all our details and changes in the blog link.

Estimated Cost
120
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Paint & Minwax stain (finish took way longer than building!)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Adirondack side table ~ using recycled pallet wood

Submitted by Sharon L. on Sun, 07/24/2011 - 06:37

This was a very fun and one of the easiest projects I have made from Ana's plans! This makes me want to see if I can make matching chairs as well!

If you have seen my other projects, you know that I try to keep the lumber cost of my projects as close to free as possible. Living on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, pallets are not free, so I did have to pay $2 for each pallet, being VERY choosy about the slats being all the same size and straight. The hardest part of the project was taking the pallets apart! Check the blog link for more details.

I used 1 1/2 pallets for this project, and the following tools:

Jigsaw (to cut the ends off the pallet)

Pry-bar (to loosen the slats from the center of the pallet)

Miter saw

Drill

Table Saw (ripping the 2x4 sections of the pallet, to make the legs and spacers of the table)

Palm sander

Estimated Cost
less that $20
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Gripper Grey primer by Glidden (leftover from other projects)

Brilliant Red Acrylic by Benjamin Moore (also leftover)

I use the Gripper Grey primer/sealer on most outdoor projects because it is a nice one-coat sealer and great for underneath darker colors.

The Brilliant Red is an off-the-shelf color.

I would recommend removing and priming/painting the tabletop pieces separately(after assembly)so that you can assure great coverage between the slats, being careful to remember where each piece belongs.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Modern Adirondack Chair

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 08/13/2022 - 20:12

I made this with 1x6 since Home Depot didn’t have any 1x10 treated wood. All the wood I used is treated. I also used the exterior screws and put on a gray poly mixed stain for a little extra protection. I of course messed up the angles twice on the feet, but they just look like I gave them extra decoration now lol. Everybody loves this chair!

Comments

Greenhouse

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 11/15/2022 - 10:12

The plans from Ana White were excellent! I worked on this greenhouse through last winter and finished this past March. It worked perfectly for my needs through the entire growing season. I highly recommend this plan for a cost effective greenhouse, even if you have no prior building construction experience (I didn't before I built this). It only cost me $1,100 or so when all was said and done. The cheapest I could find a comparable greenhouse of this size to purchase was $2,500.

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Queen Murphy Bed

Submitted by Jenga on Sun, 12/06/2015 - 12:59

Not too bad of a project but had to a good bit of guess work so I could changed the plans for a queen size bed and flip in on its side.

Estimated Cost
$200 if you already have the bed
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
White Paint and laminate flooring left over from the floor.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Arilie

Sun, 05/29/2016 - 18:50

Good evening!

I am new at wood working, and would be very interrested in knowing the different measurements you changed to get from a twin to queen murphy bed. If it is posted on this page, I tried but couldn't find it. Thank you for your help. Have a good day.

Marie-Julie

Doll Bed and Wardrobe

Submitted by Robinwood on Mon, 11/21/2011 - 21:49

I love the Farmhouse Doll Bed, but because we bought a lot of doll clothes, I built a wardrobe to go with it.

The wardrobe is 21 1/2" tall X 14" wide X 7" deep. The inside shelf is 4" from the top. I'm having trouble uploading a photo of the inside, but will keep trying...

I made a mattress to look like the older striped "ticking" style. I still need to do a little more with the bedding because I'm not happy with the (muslin) pillowcase and want to do something brighter.

Cost was minimal because I'm still using up scraps from other wood projects and I used material for the mattress and bedding that I already had. That is what I love about some of the plans - they help me to use my leftover materials and still have something nice to give as gifts.

Thank you so much Anna for this plan - I also followed your suggestion and made a second one to donate. I love your site...

Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Cherie Heltne (not verified)

Tue, 11/22/2011 - 07:25

Beautiful! I am trying to do a wardrobe right now, too! I am making my second of this bed today. Great job!

Guest (not verified)

Sat, 12/03/2011 - 11:29

Where and how do I find the plans for the doll wardrobe?? I made the Farmhouse bed and love it. Thank you

Guest (not verified)

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 15:22

I'll trade you picture and info for a great doll closet for you plans for the Farmhouse bed. Our granddaughter loves the closet, so now I need to build the bed.
Thanks,

Robinwood

Sat, 12/03/2011 - 14:12

Thanks for your interest - I'm sorry, I tend to work by the seat of my pants and develop an idea as I go; so I don't really have plans. The best I can do is give somewhat of a cut list; which is:

Sides: 2@7"X19.5"
Bottom: 1@7"X13.5"
1st Top Board:1@7"X14" (hangs over 1/4in on sides)
2nd Top Board:[email protected]"X15"(hangs over 1/2in on sides and in front- it's even at back)
Doors: [email protected]"
Inside Shelf 1@7"X12" (Top of shelf is 4" below top of inside cabinet.

I just measured enough below to allow for doll hangers and drilled for dowel, but it came out just right for the longer dresses.

The front trim overlaps the left door, so that I only had to put one door catch at the bottom.

I hope this helps - I really need to learn the Sketchup program.

I used 3/4" plywood because that is what I had, but used 1/2" playwood for doors to make them lighter.

Stephanie (not verified)

Fri, 12/09/2011 - 14:41

What size dowel rod did you use? I have a niece who I've made a bunch of clothes for, and I'd love to make her a wardrobe to house new clothes!

Robinwood

Fri, 12/09/2011 - 21:14

I believe it was 3/8 or 1/2 inch - I took one of the hangers with me and just put it on dowels until I got the right size.

sgilly02 (not verified)

Wed, 03/14/2012 - 20:25

Just a suggestion for a quick way to "brighten up" the pillow case. Just find some ribbon to coordinate with the bedding and sew (or use iron on adhesive - really easy then!) around the hem line of the opening.

The wardrobe is darling. I love the flower knobs!

Stacking cube

Submitted by Joleene24 on Thu, 05/24/2012 - 13:41

Hi all,
This is my second project I have build from plans I have found here. I'm a novice at woodworking and only get a couple hours on the weekend to work on projects. So it takes a while to finish one. My daughter loves her new toy shelf. The hardest part for me was to attach the doors straight. I'm sure there is a secret I just haven't figured it out yet.
I primed the whole piece, applied three thin coats of latex paint and sanded with 320 grit sandpaper in between coats. I applied two coats of finish after 48 hours and sanded with 400 grit sandpaper in between.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$40
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
2 coats of polycrylic
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

DIY Sauna

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 02/15/2024 - 10:17

Outside sauna.

Charles

Cluckingham Cottage

Cluckingham Cottage wasn’t built in a day, but it WAS built by a DAME!
A-frame instructions were pretty helpful considering the builder knows nothing about construction. I made a few modifications to accommodate my 5 chooks + 2 bantams . Sturdy and tight structure.

Estimated Cost
Under $400
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)

X-style coffee and end table

My mother wanted something to match the table she got for under her TV, and I found the plans here for the x-style coffee table and small end table to be very fitting. The crosses were pretty difficult with just a hand saw, but with the help of my brother in law we got these done in a few days.

Estimated Cost
$100-150 for both with paint
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Valspar - the perfect white
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Doll Crib and High Chair, Modified

Submitted by Linda7 on Mon, 10/29/2012 - 13:17

This is actually the third doll crib and high chair set that I've built for a grandniece. It is inspired by the one Gina from Lady Goats built. She just used 1 x 2's for all of the rails. And since I am trying to make each bed a little different, this was a great option. Again, I used the vintage lamb theme on the crib and high chair from my first two sets.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
About $20 in lumber for the set for two. I already had the paint and pocket hole screws.
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
I used Kilz primer, then Olympia brand bright white semi-gloss interior wall paint. I spray painted them with my Graco sprayer, two coats. To protect the decals, I used several thin coats of Modge Podge.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Garden Tool Shed (based on plans for Small Outdoor Shed)

Submitted by aceecee on Tue, 09/22/2020 - 14:07

My husband and I built a garden tool shed using your plans for a "Small Outdoor Shed or Closet." We needed exactly this size for our available space. (THANK YOU! The video was really helpful and the plans were very detailed.) We are not handy at ALL, and are definitely beginners when it comes to woodworking. But, when the person who was supposed to build it for us was delayed, we thought we could try it, or at least START.

We bought a lower-end Kreg pocket jig and a secondhand mitre saw, and set to work, using T1-11 siding. We ended up building the entire shed ourselves, and were very surprised at the end result (and proud too!). The hardest part was building the doors, since we weren't really sure how to construct them to keep them from bowing. We ended up putting trim all around the edges of the T1-11 plywood doors, inside and out. (We were too far into building them when we realized we probably should have done it differently.) We also couldn't figure out how to get the double doors to stay tightly shut, but ended up using a rotating block (see picture) at the bottom and it works great, especially given that one of the doors had a slight bow at the bottom.

I think the only ways in which we deviated from the plan were that we added trim, an additional 2x4 up high across the back of the shed (for hanging long-handled tools), and two interior shelves on the left (from leftover siding). We used colored corrugated polycarbonate sheeting over the roof instead of asphalt shingles. (Unfortunately you have to use specific screws for the sheeting and one length was too short and the other too long and protrudes through the roofing slightly, into the interior. But we like the pop of color the sheeting adds, and REALLY didn't want to do shingles for such a small area, nor did we know how to do shingles.)

My final suggestions would be that a mitre saw and pocket jig are REALLY helpful and using star head screws is easier. I would also suggest that you paint everything (prime and color coat) before assembly and just touch up afterwards, especially if you use a lot of trim as we did. We primed and painted the siding but just primed the trim, and it was a real pain to put the color coat on all that 1x3 trim after construction.

This plan is listed as an "intermediate" project and I think that's probably a correct designation. As beginners, it just took BOTH of us to figure it all out (we work really well together) and to build it, and it took a much longer time than it would for someone with more experience.

Estimated Cost
I think we probably spent between $300 and $400 on lumber, hardware and paint, not counting buying the secondhand mitre saw and the Kreg jig.
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Primed and painted, green and tan. (We bought the green and had the tan on hand.)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

laurawelsh

Tue, 10/06/2020 - 15:56

Well done! I love this! Can I ask what dimension your garden tool shed is? And how did you decide on the new roof size/angle? I have a similar space and am contemplating something similar. Thanks!!

laurawelsh

Tue, 10/06/2020 - 15:56

Well done! I love this! Can I ask what dimension your garden tool shed is? And how did you decide on the new roof size/angle? I have a similar space and am contemplating something similar. Thanks!!

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