Community Brag Posts

Truss Shelves

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 10/17/2022 - 11:41

The entire project cost $70. Also, I finally bought a Keg pocket hole jig for $35.

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Low Loft Bed for Toddler

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 11/12/2022 - 17:08

I built this low loft bed following Ana’s plan as soon as I found out that I was pregnant with baby #2. We needed a “big boy” bed for our 3 year old, and I couldn’t find a loft bed on the market that was priced reasonably or looked sturdy. This the biggest challenge I have taken on to date, and I was certainly sore after building. I don’t have a workbench, so I worked on the floor of my garage and used a couple of saw horses that my dad had next door. I am so proud of this and can’t wait to build more after baby boy comes!

Comments

Farmhouse Bed and Night Tables

Submitted by frmoody on Tue, 10/01/2019 - 18:44

A friend of mine wanted a new queen bed in a rustic, weather grey look. I have built many projects from Ana's site and decided on the Farmhouse Bed. The plans were perfect and building the bed didn't take me long. The time consuming part was the finish. I really wanted an old, weather wood look so the entire bed and night tables were first stained with a dark Kona stain. Once this dried I applied two coats of a watered down (50:50) light grey paint. The thinner paint made it easier to sand. Once this was completely dry I used a medium grit sanding sponge and selectively sanded everything. This took a while. Once complete I carefully cleaned all pieces and then applied three coat of semi-gloss varathane. The bed is incredibly solid with the 2 x 4 slats and will last a few generations. As always great plans from Ana.

Estimated Cost
$300 for materials
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Varathane Kona, Beauti-Tone Designer Satin "My Favourite Sweater", Varathane Diamond Finish Water Based Interior Semi-gloss.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Custom Modern Chicken Coop

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 08/30/2023 - 08:49

I made this coop twice as wide like Ana suggested since I have 4 chickens and wanted to make sure there was some extra wiggle room in case “chicken math” got the best of us. I made a nesting box to mount on the outside. I also used plywood for the sides like Ana did in the video. I installed a Run Chicken automatic door that opens at sunrise and closes at sunset. I added some hasps and clasps to make sure all my doors would close tightly. I put hardware cloth across the top before installing the roof panels. I stapled and buried hardware cloth around the perimeter for predator protection. I also spray painted the hardware cloth flat black so that it would be easier for us to see inside the coop. I stained the rest of the wood with Varathane Semi-Transparent stain, color “Carbon Gray.” I also added some roosts and cedar shingle siding for some extra protection during our New England winters at to match our house. Working 2-4 hours a day, off and on, with a bum shoulder and weak hands, this took me about a week! Thanks for the great plan, Ana!

Comments

Seasonal And Holiday

Upsized

This is the first thing I've ever built and with a few minor imperfections, it turned out great. I wanted a rolling table for my laptop, but needed a larger one than the plan for my big laptop and to use a mouse. My table is about 26" x 18". Since I don't have the proper saw, I bought a sheet of MDF at Home Depot and had them do the cutting for me and it cost abut $35 bucks total. Casters were about $8 & paint was $11. I decided to do mine with the shelves so I'd have storage for laptop peripherals like usbs, external hard drive, and cords. I was really scared to get started screwing stuff in, but once I did it was pretty easy. I did slightly crack the wood on my first screw and read up about it and figured out I screwed too close to the edge. It only took a couple hours to put together, the painting was the long part.

Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Glidden interior semi-gloss & minwax poly clear coat
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Corner hutch and twin storage beds

Submitted by Chriss45 on Wed, 03/12/2014 - 01:47

This was my first build and it took me about a week to finish. My son has an L shaped room due his closet being the laundry room. This plan was perfect for his room and provided tons of storage. I could not find baskets that I liked so I just made bins using 1x2 for front and backs, left over scraps for sides and 1/4 plywood for bottoms then stained them. The approx cost for each bin was 5 dollars. I made my own chalk paint and painted them the same as the antique dresser i found on craigslist that I refinished.

Estimated Cost
450.
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Chalk paint recipe using Behr flat primer/paint= 4 parts paint-1 part water-1 part plaster of paris. Finished with a coat of wax.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

bellcynt

Wed, 03/12/2014 - 13:23

I love this room! The paint job is amazing and the beds look great!

Heather03

Thu, 02/05/2015 - 18:09

Do u still have the blue print to make this. I've been looking and it's hard to find. If so can u send me a link

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!!

Leaning Bathroom Ladder

Finally, after 21 months of having no place for extra rolls of toilet paper in the toilet area of our new home, I convinced my husband to make this for us. Now he wants one in his workshop bathroom! I've had the plans printed for almost a year!  

 

We couldn't find a 1x10, so we used the table saw to cut down a 1x12 into a 1x10, 1x8 and a 1x6 for the shelves. Also, couldn't find 2x3s for the legs and ended up buying a 2x6 and ripping it in half.

 

It came out more beautiful than I imagined. Almost done with the Squatty Potty, that we also found on Ana's site, to complete the room :)

Estimated Cost
$40
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Wood Finish in Espresso
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Art Studio Loft Bed

Submitted by Auntie LAD on Tue, 02/26/2013 - 08:26

After I built my nephew's AT & T Park bedroom, I had to figure out what to create for my 5 year old niece, Maggie. She loves drawing, so I settled on an "art studio," where she can work and display her art.

The bed was created using Ana's Camp Loft Bed Plans. I narrowed the stairs by 4 inches as one of the other posts had done. I also put shelves under the stairs like another post I read on this site.

I built a small drafting-type desk for underneath using my new Kreg Jig (Man, I love that thing!). I also made some curtains to pull shut in case Maggie wanted to escape from the world. Chairs, storage containers, flower light, and leaf above bed are from Ikea.

I bought some cheap picture frames, and put a bulletin board in one and a chalkboark in the other for above the bed, and the string hanging across the front of the bed is from Target. It actually has clips to hang artwork.

I painted the bed using Ana's antique finish with the Minwax pen. It came out fantastic.

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Antique White paint from Home Depot with Minwax pen finish.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

spiceylg

Tue, 02/26/2013 - 10:00

Your niece and nephew must be over the moon! Another awesome build!

Console Sofa Table

Submitted by naomi on Fri, 06/23/2017 - 06:51

Made from the modified Ana White Rustic X-Console Table.

I made this console table to fit the length of my sons couch. It's about 6 foot long.

It was really easy to make. My only tip is to sand all your timber before assembling. Getting into the tight spots with a sander is quite difficult. I hae now made 4 of these tables and sanding first saves so much time and headaches. The other 3 I have made were painted white and had stained tops. 

Estimated Cost
About $50
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Walnut Stain
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

kgoss5

Tue, 06/18/2019 - 08:46

Any way you could share your material list/plans ? Thanks 

An 'On Steroids' version of your idea

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/24/2022 - 17:19

6 years into a complete rebuild of a neglected old farm house built in just 1948. Your website was found after looking for 'Modern Farmhouse' stair rails. The look plays off the original brick chimney stack & the Woodstove it serves. It has turned out to be quite the focal point, which was never it's purpose. Thanks for the inspiration!

Comments

Modified Beginner Farm Table and Bench

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 06/28/2022 - 12:09

Altered the Beginner Farm Table plans to use 2x8s for the top and 4x4s for the legs. I used pocket holes for the table. I followed the bench plans almost exactly, adjusting slightly for the 2x8 tops. I am a beginner and I did it myself! The table and bench are beautiful and sturdy! Thanks Ana!

Comments

Narrow Console Table (Modern Farmhouse)

Submitted by kwildman on Tue, 12/03/2019 - 18:03

This is a beautiful console table built using the Narrow Console Table (Modern Farmhouse) plan.  This is modified to be slightly wider, longer, and taller than the original plan.  The dimensions are 68" long, 34" high, and 12.75" wide.   The plan was very easy to follow and it was simple to adjust the measurements.

I used Varathane Dark Walnut Stain and once that was dry, I went over that lightly with Varathane Classic Gray stain.   The final finish is Minwax Dark Wax and buffed.   

More photos available on my facebook wood shop page at the link below.

Estimated Cost
75
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Varathane dark walnut fast drying stain with Varathane gray classic wiped lightly over the dark walnut after it dried. A final coat of Minwax dark wax and buffed.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

ladybug'13

Thu, 12/05/2019 - 12:06

Beautiful! I really like the finish you did on this table, thanks for sharing the details. I may need to try this myself. 

Littler Helper Towerr

Submitted by Cuppy on Sun, 02/16/2014 - 10:42

My precious second granddaughter loves her tower!

I made a few mods:
1. Eliminated the curvy top: no band saw.
2. Used piano hinges for strength.
3. No need for anti-tipping legs; just lower the platform to lower center of gravity.
4. Kreg-Tool a MUST. Didn't like the KregTool white plastic hole plugs.

PS I built my precious FIRST granddaughter a toy box to match her bedroom furniture.
And a Cradle Boat:
http://www.clcboats.com/shop/boats/rowboats/dinghies/baby-cradle-pram.h…

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
+/- $200
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
1. LOTS of sanding!
2. Primer. More sanding,
3. High gloss exterior white paint; many coats with lot's of fine sanding. Not a great choice.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

The Fred-enstein Bed

Submitted by bookette on Wed, 05/30/2012 - 14:30

For my son's 7th birthday, I promised him a new lofted bed. I poured over different designs, drooled over all of the different things I could make, worried about whether or not I could actually do it. Nothing in the market fit my requirements or my budget... I was determined to make this for my son.

Over the long weekend, this bed was constructed... a little "Loft Bed", a little "Claire", a little "Cabin" and a little inspired innovation and ta-da: The Fred-enstien Bed :)

Claire guardrails and bookshelf supports
Modified Claire Desk (work in progress)
Cabin Headboard
Custom built storage shelf stairs (he didn't want a ladder)

Next weekend will be touching up the paint and installing the remaining bookshelves

Estimated Cost
$500 (includes shelf/stairs)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Valspar Semi-Gloss Swiss Chocolate
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
Back