Community Brag Posts

Texas Style Home Bar

Submitted by Jann Antos on Mon, 07/01/2013 - 21:50

This is our Texas Style Home Bar.

It is build out of 2x4s, 1x6s. The Base is 1,50m x 0,50m. The Top is 1,50m x 0,60m. It was build as a Tribute to the State of Texas where we lived the last 3.5 Years. The Base is made of 2x4s and some Edge Glued Boards. The Posts are also 2x4 and i routed a notch in there to fit the Boards. Problem was to rip the 45 Degree Boards so they fit the middel part. The Sides a Red with a White Stripe to look like a Barn Door. Top is made of Edge Glued Board. I made "Texas" Out of old License Plates and filled the Top with Epoxy Ressin Glaze Table Top. Was quite some work. I used Espresso Stain for the Dark Parts and White Wash for the other Parts. I also used China Red Stain for the Sides. The Dark and Red Parts are covert with shellack. All other with Polyurethane. The Top looks fantastc, and i had some old Beer Towels accomondate it. Most Problem where to made it with no plan. I sketched up what we wanted and start building from that. Difficult and Nerv wrecking. Had good help from my Family. I put casters to made it move better. The Glas Holder are made from T Molds. Bottle Holder are from scratch Material. Some decorate items are still missing but for now the Beer tastes Perfect from this Bar.

To be honest - this was my Second Big Project after the Farmhouse Table..

Thanks for commends!

Jann

Estimated Cost
500$
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax Espeesso, White Wash, China Red. Shellac, Polyurethane.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Reclaimed wood loveseat - in-work pictures

Submitted by JoanneS on Mon, 06/22/2015 - 19:08

Couldn’t wait to share this one. I’ll post the finished pics on here once the painting is finished and the cushion is sewed.

This build is a reclaimed wood version of Ana’s Simple White Outdoor Loveseat. We’ll be using this inside. This started as a way to repurpose those blue vinyl cushions (which I made 11 years ago for a hot tub bench – these had been stored in the garage for a few years). Using reclaimed wood on hand – reclaimed 2x4 studs, an oak 1x12 shelf and some pine 1x12 scrap ripped to 1x6 for the aprons, plywood from an old entertainment center ripped to 1x4 size, some 1x4 that used to be trim, a left-over 1x2 and S4S, and some left-over 1x6, constructed the frame and back. After I got that together, Hubby suggested we add some wide arms so it wouldn’t need to have a side table. That was the only wood I had to purchase on this one – a 1x6x6 for the arms, and a 2x4 for bracing the arms.

So far this has been a weekend project, including re-sizing the plan to fit my 24” x 24” x 4” cushions, doing the math to use 1x4 size instead of 1x3 size for slats and rails, and sizing to use the 2x4 frame on their ends rather than flat, to save a tiny bit of space in the footprint. Originally there were going to be 8 1x4 rails for the back, but I was 1 piece short, so instead of having 8 rails in 1x4, I have 6 1x4’s plus the 1x6 in the center (now I have 1 piece of the 1x4 left over). And it’s very comfortable for sitting!

Still left to do: sand the filled screw holes on the arms and paint the arms, and sew the cushion. I got that high density foam with a 60% off coupon at JoAnn Fabrics. Also the fabric was 30% off (right now it’s just draped around the cushion for the photo). The fabric and foam was only $90, and I’ll have enough fabric left over for a few accents. Hopefully I’ll get to that during the week, if not, on the weekend.

Estimated Cost
Total spent: about $100 for foam, fabric, and 2 boards.
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
The bottom and back frame is painted with 2 coats of semi-gloss Clark & Kensington Paint + Primer in Crushed Peanut (my absolute favorite cream color). Once I get those filled screw holes sanded, the arms will be painted with that as well. Paint was already on hand.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

twin farmhouse storage bed

Submitted by DIYMomof4 on Tue, 01/09/2018 - 11:40

My daughter loves her new bed!  The plans were easy to follow and didn't take very long to build.  It took me about 2 weeks to finish.  I suggest measuring your mattress first and adjusting dimensions accordingly.  My daughter's mattress is a bit longer than usual, so I added about an inch to the length.  I added drawers to one side and left one side as open cubbies.  I also added a 2x4 base below the storage boxes for support.  Ana has plans for this in one of her kitchen cabinet plans.  I'm so glad I did, as I've already found 3 kids hiding on the cubby side, and one of them is 14!  I didn't run the 2x4 base all the way to the head/footboard, so it wouldn't show.  This changes the height where the storage boxes attach by 1/2 an inch.  The bed may suprise you at how high the mattress sits, but I think that is normal with a storage bed.  My daughter loves sleeping up high.  Thank you so much for this wonderful plan!  I love Ana's website and have learned so much!

Estimated Cost
$350-includes wood, paint, new comforter/sheets, hardware, and wall stickers
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Behr Marque satin in the plain white you get off the shelf. I primed it first, but this probably wasn't necessary.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Jelly cupboard

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 12/27/2021 - 19:11

Made from Ana White `s plan. Thanks for the help.

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Modified Version Of Tryde Coffee Table

Submitted by ddietz12 on Mon, 05/09/2011 - 09:45

This is my first project attempt from Ana's plans. I had to modify it greatly to fit my space accordingly. The room where it made its home only has a love seat and a recliner. The space also isn't that deep, so i made the table aprox 45" x 19" x 18" high. I also built a completely different top to this table as well. I felt this fit our personal style a little bit better. So being that this was my first project, it was a little more challenging due to all the measurements had to be changed. I wish that I could have just folloed Ana's plans to the tee, would have been a little easier. So after I assembled the basic frame, i assembled the top using pocket hole screws, glue and clamps. I used three coats of stain, with sanding between coats, two coats of clear Satin laqcuer and finished it off with a paste wax. Buffed the table with a cheesecloth and microfiber towel and then introduced my living space with a new, handmade table. My next builds should go a little quicker because I will follow the building plans exactly as they show. I hope you all like the table and look forward to hearing your comments on them, good or bad. Any suggestions to help me along the way would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for taking time out of your day to read this and again, I hope you enjoyed my first real, finished furniture piece.

Dennis

Check out all pics from this project in my Google Web Album by clicking on the blog link

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Around $150.00. That included materials and some new tools(sander, clamps, pocket hole jig)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
2 coats of Dark Oak stain, 2 coats of clear satin lacquer and wood paste wax for finish
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

bar stool

Submitted by Kris60 on Fri, 07/05/2013 - 18:12

Our Vintage bar stools that are not complete yet.

Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
n/a
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Tall trellis from coat tree plans

Submitted by bar1812 on Thu, 06/25/2015 - 18:38

I could not find a big enough, awesome enough trellis in stores, so I built my own out of cull lumber [the stuff on super-clearance no one else wants] for about $12 and a left-over post pocket. Thanks for the inspiration!!

Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
ebony stain and spar varnish to hold up to the elements
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Barn Door Console

Submitted by KKGaskin90 on Sun, 01/14/2018 - 14:58

I modified these plans to be a bit smaller and also added an upper shelf area. Overall dimensions for my finished product are 74” long by 21” wide by 37.5” tall. I stained the top, upper trim pieces, and shelves dark walnut. The rest of the project is painted in “Summer White” by Sherwin Williams. To complete this project you will need barn door hardware *plus* an extra door set. I did my best to provide sketches and dimensions, but all wood was cut to size by measuring its space first, so “cut list” may not be exact. In this project it is key to measure as you go and maintain a level workspace so that the furniture remains level. I also added 3/4” by 1/2” trim pieces to the shelves because I did not like the gap in the shelving pieces. I also drilled 1.5” holes in the back in order to accommodate electrical cords.

 

Upper and lower frames:

4 - 2x3 @ 65”

4 - 2x3 @ 17”

4 - 2x3 @ 14”

 

Sides:

2 - 3/4” plywood @ 36”x17 1/4”

 

Face Frame:

2 - 1x4 @ 70.5”

2 - 1x4 @ 29”

1 - 1x4 @ 63.5”

2 - 1x4 @ 18”

 

Shelves:

3 - 1x8 @68”

3 - 1x10 @ 68”

3 - 3/4”x1/2” trim @ 68”

 

Shelf Supports:

6 - 1x2 @ 10”

6 - 1x2 @ 7”

10 - 1x2 @ 17”

 

Trim:

1 - 1x2 @ 71.5”

2 - 1x2 @ 17 1/4”

1 - 3/4”x1/2” trim @ 71.5”

2 - 3/4”x1/2” trim @ 17 1/4”

 

Top:

1 - 2x10 @ 74”

1 - 2x12 @ 74”

 

Doors:

1/2” plywood approx 16”x20”

1x2 creates border and diagonal piece

 

Back:

1/4” plywood approx 36”x69”

 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$460
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
“Summer White” by Sherwin Williams
Dark Walnut stain by Minwax
Barn Door Hardware from Amazon (U-Max 6.6 foot basic barn door hardware track kit AND U-Max sliding barn door hardware basic hangers 2 P.C.)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Console Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 12/30/2021 - 13:58

Needed a new console that would match other living room furniture. We had inherited the electric fireplace and previously didn’t know what to do with it. I adjusted the plans slightly to fit it in and am happy with the results

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Liberty Wall Art

Submitted by karahart on Wed, 05/11/2011 - 09:09

I built this after going dumpster diving for pallets. We went through and broke up all of the pallets and basically made this entire big piece for the cost of the stain, nails, and backing.

Estimated Cost
$30
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
I used minwax's water based stain in red, white, and blue.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Farm House Table

Inspired by Ana and driven by a desperate desire to nest, I made this table in my first-trimester. We live at this table. It's where we eat, play, and craft. On special occasions we stand on top of it, and sometimes we even eat under it. We love the way it looks in our mid-century ranch house with modern chairs. Thank you, Ana!

Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
natural water-based poly
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

kids picnic table

Submitted by Annie D on Mon, 06/29/2015 - 17:05

This was a lot of fun to build. Took a few hours while kids napped plus a few more after bedtime.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$45
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Exterior green paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Sofa table

Submitted by kgclark31 on Sun, 01/02/2022 - 18:33

I built these sofa tables for my wife’s client. She has a interior paint business. Her client was talking about wanting she sofa tables, so she volunteered me to build the tables. I didn’t have a design for the tables, so I looked at several different designs and talked to the client on what she was looking for. So I just did some rough sketches and got some ideas from my wife. I used mostly 1 bys for the build, just depends on the size on what width and length of board you are going to need. The top of the large table is a 5/4 preglued board that Menards has in store, again depending on width and length on the size of board you use. I used the 5/4 board for better stability and strength. I used a red oak stain then applied several coats of poly to finish. On the top I used a 200 sandpaper after a couple of coats of poly to get the top smoother for more coats of poly. Over all the build was pretty easy if you have good woodworking knowledge. Used pocket holes (Kreg) to attach sides and frame to top. On the large top side I used two 1x8’s to get the width i needed. Joined them with pocket holes (Kreg). If you can dream it, you can build it.

Comments

Using Spindles; Shown with the Farmhouse Bedside Table

Submitted by melissa2 on Thu, 05/12/2011 - 14:47

When a plan calls for a 2 x 2, you may be able to add a little extra detail by including spindles. I was able to with the Farmhouse Bedside Table! The top of each leg is a plain old 2 x 2, to accommodate the drawer section. Just below that is a spindle with the top squared-off section cut off. The bottom of that spindle is attached to the top of another, where both were squared off and the same dimensions. This "ugly" joint is why the piece of furniture is painted instead of stained--even then, because of variable grains, this specific seam can be seen on close inspection. You can potentially stain furniture that has spindles if you can match the grains and are not connecting two ends that have exact dimensions, which would create an even more obvious seam on stained furniture. Where I joined two pieces of differing dimensions (example: circle to square), there is no visible seam.

To accommodate the specific spindles I wanted to use, the main dimensions that had to be changed were merely the height of the cross bars and shelf. However, with cuts, I waited and cut them (and had larger ones cut at stores) as I went, to help get them to be more exact since the 2 x 2s were slightly off from the spindles' squared-off area.

This all may sound complicated, but it wasn't!

To get the correct leg height, I first cut one end off two spindles and put them together with the two intact ends meeting. The resulting dimensions were subtracted from the required leg height of 26 1/4", leaving the length to cut the 2 x 2 at. This required a lot of measuring, being sure that the legs would be "squared off" in the areas for the drawer and shelf.

To make the "joints" between the legs--each of which is three pieces (!), I used 1/4" x 1 1/2" dowel pins. These are readily available even in craft stores. These aren't the same as dowel rods--they have grooves in them. Next, drill holes the dimensions of the dowels in the exact middle of each leg piece, and put glue inside the hole and around the top of the smallest-dimensioned piece. Connecting and clamping as you go, this will create stronger joints than just using glue.

After the legs were made, I followed the instructions as indicated, being careful to measure before each cut and adjust the measurements where needed.

For another example of how you can use spindles, here's a cat feeder I designed and built back in January:
http://flattops.webs.com/petfeeder.html (Purchased ones in real wood are usually over $100!)

Though it's far from perfect, I'm really happy with how the table turned out--and hope that my experience may inspire you to give spindles a try! I'd love to know how you use them!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Under $100
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
1) Paint on primer, and use a roller to smooth (with all paint coats);
2) Paint on Painter's Touch by Rustoleum in "Heirloom White";
3) Sand;
4) Paint;
5) Spatter on black craft paint;
6) Sand edges down to bare wood, and some surface areas;
7) Put water in brown craft paint, and use as a stain in sanded-off areas, wiping off excess with paper towels. Use some to make stains on other areas;
8) Hammer in random spots with a meat cleaver;
9) Varnish with one coat of semi-gloss
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Lydia Puppy (Toddler) Bed

Our puppy needed to move out of our bed, and I love the looks of the Lydia toddler bed, so we made this one for her!! It's fantastic and I'm so happy with how it all turned out! It was Mike's first time using a Kreg Jig and he loves it!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$60
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Ebony Miniwax Stain, one coat of poly
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Miniature kitchen for a 2nd birthday

Submitted by lswenson on Fri, 07/03/2015 - 14:41

I made this for my son's second birthday last year.

I made a few changes to the plans. Instead of a shelf in the oven, I put in a wire cooling rack to resemble a oven rack. I put knobs on the back of the stovetop instead of the lower front. I added doors to the lower half on the sink.

The sink is a 9" loaf pan. The stove knobs and faucet were salvaged.

Toy food and realistic pots and pans are from IKEA.

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Great table idea

Submitted by eburt4 on Sat, 01/20/2018 - 09:01

Made a few design changes as I went along, but overall the plans were great. And with my wife's finishing we have an antiquey farmhouse table. 

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Early American stain on top with two coats of semi-gloss poly. Gray first paint coat and antique white on top coat for base. Lightly sanded with orbital sander to bring gray forward.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

My sons stool - first project

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 01/11/2022 - 21:21

I used the plans for the simple stool, and put my own twist on it by adding my sons initial “J” on the sides and adding an avengers themed top with an epoxy coating for protection. This was my first project and the plans and cut list made it super easy!

Comments

I Love Reclaimed Wood from Pallets

Submitted by texasjuju on Tue, 05/17/2011 - 07:41

My husband and I made a toddler picnic table for the grandbabies out of reclaimed wood from pallets. I have a bench sander that I used for a lot of that wood, but wow what a lot of work. So for Mother's Day, I asked for a Dewalt thickness planer, and I have to say I think that's been one of my best purchases in a while.
I had no idea how beautiful some of that pallet wood could actually be until I started running it through the planer.
I needed a book / magazine shelf in my guest bathroom so I used a plan submitted by a guest, modified it a little and used my reclaimed wood.(Flat Wall Bookholders) I used an oak poly stain in order to bring the grain out some. I couldn't be happier!
Thanks Ana!

Estimated Cost
Free, I had everything I needed.
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax PolyShades Classic Oak
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Teal Blue Picture Ledges

Submitted by KaityJene on Wed, 07/10/2013 - 21:58

At first I was going to stain these ledges so I only used pocket holes to attach the back of the shelf and I attached the front using small finish nails. The back and the bottom are made from a 1x3 and the front is a 1x2.

Check out my blog post for more information.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$15
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Eggshell Interior Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project