Community Brag Posts

Farm table and two benches

Submitted by kllyhdsn on Sat, 12/23/2017 - 11:00

We made this table and two benches from the plans! We used 3” self tapping deck screws because we couldn’t find any in the 2-3/4” mentioned in the plan. Love the result! We used danish oil in medium walnut.

Estimated Cost
$150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Danish Oil in Medium Walnut
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Sewing table

Submitted by Firemedic on Fri, 12/29/2017 - 19:34

Great project and my wife loves it. I added a door, locking hinges, and made a custom cutout with shelf for the machine to sit flush with the table. I switched to piano hinge for the leaves and locking hinges for the 2x2 legs. Turned out great. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Dark walnut stain
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Daybed with Storage Trundle

Submitted by Crafty-Mom on Sat, 01/27/2018 - 10:38

This was my first project from Ana's website and I'm hooked! I'm a beginner, but thank goodness for my Dad's help because I have a lot of learning to do!

I wanted the drawer to be 1 drawer instead of 3. I feel like it looks cleaner (without having to adjust 3 drawers constantly to make it look good when you push them in). I was thinking the bed could actually be used as a trundle bed in the future too! I use this to store toys right now and it is Awesome!

I increased the bed size to fit a twin mattress and increased the height of the bed slightly so that the drawer would be a little bit deeper. We also added a back to the bed and carried around the trim to make all sides look the same. We added a bumper to the back and sides of the inside of the bed so the drawer is easy to push in and fits in snug. Finally we reinforced the bottom of the drawer with more 1x4 boards so that if a child does sleep in it, it would be more sturdy. I now have kids come over and jump into the drawer (literally) and I'm glad we reinforced it.

The changes we made did add to the cost and our time (as well as being newbies), but I think it's worth it and the bed turned out beautiful!

Estimated Cost
$180
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Behr Marquee (I'll have to find the name of the white color we used). We almost went with chalk paint, but after talking to the HD guy, he talked me into this paint and I'm glad we used it! So much cheaper and turned out beautiful.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Nisssc

Mon, 10/12/2020 - 07:51

This looks great! Any suggestion if I want cubbies instead of a trundle? Also, cubbies only on side as bed would be against the wall. Thanks for the inspiration!
Sandy

Quad Bunkbeds

Submitted by Newfey on Thu, 07/18/2013 - 19:29

This is a set of bunk beds that I made for my daughter Alicia for their getaway home at Canadian Lakes, MI. Now their children can invite their friends and have a fun place to sleep.

Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

JoanneS

Fri, 07/19/2013 - 02:37

Wow! This looks absolutely amazing! I like the light and shelf in each bunk too. Spectacular!

spiceylg

Fri, 07/19/2013 - 04:45

Newfey, these are awesome! I've seen pics of this type of bunk over the years, but never anybody attempting them as a DIY from a non-professional, unless you are one? Either way, they certainly look professionally done. Love, love, love!

In reply to by spiceylg

Newfey

Fri, 07/19/2013 - 07:56

I am not a professional by any means and have a limited tool supply. My daughter sent me a picture and asked if I could make them for her. It was a big project as their getaway home is 165 miles from where I live. It took quite a few weekends to complete.

kelleer

Fri, 07/19/2013 - 08:12

This is totally awesome. were there plans that you might have used as a base to go from or were you able to design it on your own?

In reply to by kelleer

Newfey

Fri, 07/19/2013 - 09:24

That was one of the problems, I had no plans, only the picture as a reference. It was a design as I went along and needless to say I gave a sigh of relief once that I saw the mattresses fit into their places.

Lasso the Moon

Fri, 07/19/2013 - 11:49

This is a dream room. They look so beautiful! How fun to have extra places for friends to stay the weekend.
Anna

momofour09

Fri, 08/30/2013 - 06:48

I've been viewing pictures of these style bunkbeds for a while. I'm almost certain I could come up with something but most definitely lose my sanity along the way. This would be great in my girls room and you did an awesome job!

meganhammon29

Sat, 07/25/2015 - 20:25

Ana I am looking to see if you have actual plans for a quad bunk bed? Also what about a quad corner bunk bed? We are trying to put our 4 girls in one large room and this would really help make it work!

Whitewashed Cubby Media Wall

My husband and I built this for our son's bedroom using all five of Ana’s series of plans for the cubby wall system. We did pretty well, especially considering that it was our very first building project. We made the media component of the wall unit the same width as the two sides since we didn’t need it to fit a wide screen TV. My hubby was thrilled that the drawers went together beautifully. The doors turned out a little “off” -- luckily the room has a beach theme so this piece fits right in with the beach shack look!

Estimated Cost
Approx. $475
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
1) Minwax Water-Based Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner
2) Mixwax Water-Based Wood Stain in White Wash Pickling
3) Minwax Water-Based Polycrylic in Clear Satin
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Guest (not verified)

Thu, 08/04/2011 - 01:55

Congratulations! It's gorgeous and an awesome organizational tool for the room...

Nicole Seaman (not verified)

Tue, 01/15/2013 - 17:20

Love your version of this! Very nice, especially with the white wash!
We've got our wood cut... now between unpacking, and caring for a newborn and his three siblings, I've gotta find the time to assemble!

Church Pew

Submitted by ndetermann on Fri, 10/18/2013 - 01:58

I redid a very old church pew fro one of my friends. It's origins is from one of the original churches in our home town. (There was SO much lacquer on it) This church pew was in bad shape, I had to take it totally apart and re-glue and pocket hole jig every wooden piece together because it was falling apart.

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

14 foot table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 03/24/2019 - 18:37

I made a 14 foot table using Ana's plans. I am remodeling my parents house that they built in 1966.  I was able to use some 4x6's for the legs from walls that I took down.  

Estimated Cost
300.00
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Briarsmoke
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

lisadrisco

Tue, 06/04/2019 - 20:07

Hi that looks amazing! I’m looking to make the same size table.  Could you please tell me the measurements of your legs?  Also what length support boards did you use.  Thanks

Twin Storage Beds with corner unit

When we moved into our new house, I figured it was time to replace my girls's mattresses on the floor with actual beds. so I set about making the twin storage beds with corner unit. I primed all the wood prior to cutting and assembling, and that made things go much faster. Assembling the corner unit was tricky, since i really didn't want to have sanding and much paint in their bedroom. (i loaded in the beds first and the corner unit a week later). I added trim that wasn't on the plan, and also used the magnetic paint on the center area, although it makes a weak magnetic surface. All in all, I LOVE the way it turns out and no one can believe that I built it and didn't buy it... (although it seems obvious to me when you look closely LOL)

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
~$500?
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

tannisg

Fri, 11/04/2011 - 11:42

It looks great, and I love what you did with the walls! Free hand with paint, or decals? Either way, its darling and clearly gives each girl her own space.

We have the same lamps - quite popular :)

I am trying to figure out a clever way to put three girls in a (huge) room and I think something like this or a bunkbed combo would make it fun and new for them..

Guest (not verified)

Sun, 01/08/2012 - 18:36

Where can I find the plans for the top half of the corner unit.? Your beds are exactly what I want for my girls. Thanks for sharing.

2x4 outdoor sofa

This was so fun to build!!  We finished in two days and then I took many more days to stain and varnish🤪 The plans were easy to follow and the finished furniture was just what we’d hoped for.  We bought our cushions from Ikea and they fit perfectly to Ana’s dimensions - we didn’t make any modifications.  

Canadian DIYers - Hockey pucks under the legs of the furniture to keep all the rain we’ve had from soaking up into the wood 🇨🇦 🏒🇨🇦

 

Estimated Cost
$150 for the wood and screws
$700 for the cushions
$50ish for stain and varnish
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

SofiaTaz

Mon, 06/07/2021 - 21:39

Are these the 24 3/8 x 24 3/8 cushions at Ikea? I am just starting this project and was going to extend the length to 74" instead of 72". But yours seems to fit just fine as is.
Cheers!

Thank you!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 02/06/2016 - 17:12

Thank you for the plans!  Love the shelves! 

Estimated Cost
$150
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

B&T - King Farmhouse Bed

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 10/04/2019 - 11:33

My wife wanted a new King bed frame, and we were searching around stores to find one that she loved. All of them were close. but not perfect, and also way too expensive. I told her I'd just build one! It was my first woodworking project, and it came out exactly what we wanted. We even had some fun Saturday nights sanding and painting together.

Estimated Cost
400
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
White paint & Kona Varathane stain
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Our new garden beds. Thank you!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 05/04/2016 - 07:00

I'm only moderately handy and these were fun and pretty easy.

Learned a lot and got better as I went along.

I found ways to make it as cheap as possible, probably did all three projects for 150 bucks.

Estimated Cost
Around $150
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Bathroom vanity

Hand made bathroom vanity check us out on Facebook marney Marie 

Estimated Cost
200
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)

Comments

Repurposed Barnwood top

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 07/10/2016 - 13:23

Built this rustic x coffee table from some 2x4's and repurposed barnwood. Finished it off with some white paint and antiquing wax on the frame and lacquer over the barnwood. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax special dark wax and Minwax fast-drying Lacquer
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Playhouse big build

I went a little out of control on the week of the 4th of July - I set out to build a picnic table, 4 sling chairs, a deck and a playhouse - and I did!!!! I owe Ana a great debt of gratitude for these amazing plans and empowering me to do it! I built the picnic table and the sling chairs as I was waiting for primer and paint to dry on the frame, inside and outside of the house. For the shutters - I scrounged around the garage and found some leftover wainscoting, and put a leftover 1x2 on them. The door frame wasn't straight - so I added a piece of leftover trim from my daughters bed I built. My only next step is curtains for the windows. I even moved the full kitchen set I built the kids a few christmas's ago into their. They have only been playing with it for 2 days and I can't drag them out of it!!!

Estimated Cost
$500-$550
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Primer and paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Seasonal And Holiday

6' Square Sandbox

I've been wanting to buy or make a sandbox for my son for a couple of years now. Since seeing this on Ana White I knew I had to make it. My son is 4 yo and I didn't think the 4' square sandbox would be big enough for him, so I made it bigger. Ours is 6' square. Materials: 4@1x8x6' 12@1x6x6' 2x4 - used leftovers from another project 8 hinges 4 handles decking screws Cut lengths: 2@1x8 cut to 71.5 (long sides of the box) 2@1x8 cut to 70.5 (short sides of the box) did not cut the 1x6 boards (top planks) - actually designed the other boards to fit their length to prevent cutting (saving time) (note that original plan uses 1x4 planks - I used 1x6s so I could use the same number of planks but cover a larger area) 4@2x4 cut to 11.5 (arm rests) 4@2x4 cut to 18.5 (back supports) followed instructions for assembly otherwise. At my husbands suggestion we put the handles on the sides and can easily open from either side - prevents having to lean over to the middle to open (back saver) I finished the project in 4 hours including clean up and a couple of small breaks. This is my first Ana White project. It was a lot of fun to build and I hope my son will enjoy it for years to come!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$190
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Sand and stain with sealer included
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Mrs. Chellebelle

Sat, 09/01/2012 - 20:59

Wow, this is just what I need! I've been wanting to make a sandbox for under the playhouse but the other plan was too small. This would be great for the little guys. Thanks!

DIY Outdoor Sectional

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 05/06/2024 - 13:25

I used the armless chair plan, and altered the one armed plans to make two chaises. Then I increased the size slightly to accommodate the 25x25 pillows I bought. This took about 12 hours with one person working. I am super proud of it! Finished today, and will eventually stain after the wood has dried out a little. Thank you, Ana, for making straightforward plans that gave me the confidence to do my first woodworking project!

Andrea in Michigan

Outdoor Sectional

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 07/27/2020 - 12:15

Modified the plans of the outdoor sofa and sectional piece to create this set, then added cushions from IKEA.

Finish Used
SuperDeck Cedar Tone Natural

Comments

Seasonal And Holiday

Pair of wood pet kennels

Submitted by Zack on Mon, 09/22/2014 - 20:55

Someone on Facebook reached out to me after seeing a gallery of some items I've built from this site. She asked if I could build a couple of the large pet kennel end tables from the plans posted here. This is the final result. This was a very fun project.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$150 for both
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Unfinished. Will be stained to match the rest of the furniture she is having built.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments