Community Brag Posts

Crib Mattress Bunk Beds

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 07/06/2022 - 13:56

We took existing twin size bunk beds and modified the measurements to fit for 2 crib size mattresses. 1 for my 3.5yr old and the bottom for my soon to be 2yr old. It took us 12 ours to build from start to finish then about another 1hr to place in room and set it up completely. All in all they love them and sleep thru the night in there own beds lol. I also have a 7mth old in my room too...

Comments

My first build, the simple twin bed

As my daughter got older she refused to sleep in her crib, so I decided I wanted matching beds for her and my son. We live in a small 2 bedroom house so they have to share. So while looking up ideas for nice beds at a cheap cost I followed links until I reached ana-white.com and I was amazed. I sat on my computer for hours yelling at my husband to "COME LOOK AT THIS" (which I still do today). So I picked a plan and started on in. With some help cutting from my dad I had the first bed done in a couple days. Sadly I have not finished the second due to a random mind and trying to find a way to make my boy and girl room a little more grown up and uni-sex friendly.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$80
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

cdswhite

Sat, 07/30/2011 - 10:36

I did the same thing when I found this site! Sat on it for hours and constantly yelled for my hubby to come look at this. Lol

Parson desk

I adored this desk, but wanted a stainless steel top to match the vibe in the rest of the room. Thanks to another Anna white post about killer b designs (i think!) building her own dream kitchen, I realized I could get a local welder to fabricate a top, just like she got them to fabricate the top of her island. They built a sleeve that drops right on top of the wood top, and creating about a 3/4" overhang all the way around the desk; it cost about $275. Otherwise, I followed Ana's directions and painted it an off-white color that's the same as the trim in the room. Love it! Thanks Ana!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$300
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Benjamin Moore off-white color
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

brookifer86

Mon, 08/26/2013 - 12:39

You did a great job! And I'm brooke from Killer b. Designs, and that was my kitchen :) I really like the sleeve, it looks like a great desk

Rustic X Coffee Table Brag

Rustic X Coffee Table Brag! Thank you so much for the plans Ana! Keep building everyone :)

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$80.00
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Steel Wool & Vinegar Mixture
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Ecspronk

Sat, 10/10/2015 - 18:59

Did you use any tea before you used the steel wool? What was your steel wool and vinegar mixture rate? I really like the color of this! Thanks!

Media console

Submitted by jdawn1988 on Sun, 10/28/2018 - 10:36

We built this piece exactly to fit our space. We needed more storage and wanted something that would hold our TV so it didn't have to be mounted any more. We used Behr paint to finish it. It is made out of pine and is very sturdy. It took us about a week to build but could have been done In a few days if we could have dedicated 100% of our time to it. 

Estimated Cost
200 to 250
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Behr ultra
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Arbor bench from leftover trellis

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 07/16/2022 - 17:57

The previous owners planned to built a rose Arbor, and left the pieces in our barn. Using the Arbor bench plan I was able to use all the pieces to build this version. Great summer hangout!

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Shoe Bench

Submitted by jkp3897 on Tue, 08/02/2011 - 16:22

I saw the shoe dresser plans and liked the idea of getting the shoes out of sight! Then I decided to modify that plan and turn it into a bench that you could sit on while putting on your shoes! So this is what I came up with using a 2x12 for the top and 2x6's for the legs. The drawer part is pretty much the same as in the shoe dresser plans. It's 4 feet long and 19 inches high. It's already been in use and we love it! With 4 kids, the number of shoes can add up quickly! I have a second bench sanded and ready for assembly!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Polyurethane - 3 coats
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

Toddler beds,Toddler bunk beds,Toddler lofts

Building Bunk beds and custom beds is what i do. I router the corners so that they are rounded, plane the face's of the boards,and sand to perfection. then i glue and screw it all together. you can check out the site at http://www.dreamworksbunkbeds.com

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
all my products come with no finish just natural.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

For a co worker...

A co worker reeeeally wanted this and asked me to build it. It is only my second build.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
150-200
Finish Used
Varathane Spar Varnish in satin, Varathane Dark Walnut
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Doll House

Submitted by samueldodd on Fri, 11/02/2018 - 08:39

I made this house using oak plywood for the floors a using a straight edge and paper knife to score it to look like planks and made the lengths vary by using a chisel. The roof is made from 1/4" underlayment painted with red oil base paint and cut to make it look like shingles. It is on heavy duty 4" casters. I have made two identical houses for the same lady who purchased them for an aging aunt. This is the first of the two and was lost in a house fire. The second one was to replace this one. If I make another house I will be installing working lights in it. This is a very large house and fun to build

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Red oil-based paint, white paint and Special Oak wood stain
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Modern Slatted Bench

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 07/30/2022 - 15:39

Loved making this bench! Simple enough using a stop block on my mitre saw.
Followed directions except made it shorter in width. I got so many compliments!

Comments

Rustic Bench turned into an Entry Table!

Submitted by cclemons on Fri, 08/30/2013 - 11:49

I loved the look of the Rustic X Bench but wanted to modify to be an entry table. I took the exact plans, but made it longer and taller. The X bracing didn't match up exactly, but I like it with the separation. The stain is a Minwax Espresso finish. I added adjustable glides to the bottom so I could adjust if needed. It was an excellent first project and it fits in our home PERFECT! Thanks Ana for the inspiration to create, build and be a mommy at the same time :)

Estimated Cost
$150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Stain - Espresso Finish
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

mantel moulding headboard

Submitted by csnezz on Tue, 11/13/2018 - 12:13

Mantle moulding plan modified with a center 2 X 4 and used sanded plywood for the back. Finished with a few different mouldings but turned out great. Nice plan. With pre-stain, stain and poly, project extended to about a week.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$80
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Varathane Water based pre-stain, Varathane American Walnut fast drying stain, Varathane water based polyurethane
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Essential Outdoor Wood Chair for standard cushion

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 08/09/2022 - 19:09

I was so excited to try this plan! It was the perfect size for this corner! Now I need to make a few of the chairs for the deep seat cushions! Thank you for these great plans, Ana!

Comments

Vintage Style Step Stool - Distressed

Submitted by Radcrafter on Mon, 08/08/2011 - 09:58

I love this stool. I used the plan as is, except for creating the angles similar to those shown on the stool photos in the plan. If you follow the plans directly, your stool will be standing completely straight vs the slight angle shown in the photos. If you are not comfortable with cutting angles, I would definitely stick with the plan. I had to play around with mine until I finally got everything right.

The time allotted is more due to waiting for paint to dry versus actual build time. The stool goes together quickly, but sanding & drying time do eat up the hours.

Thank you Ana for the great plans! I have more of these planned for the future, so cute & they'll make great gifts!

Estimated Cost
$10-20
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
To create this distressed finish...one coat primer, one coat dark brown (oops paint sample, so I don't know actual name), then random thin layers of poly to keep next coat of paint from sticking in those areas, one coat teal (also oops paint sample), glaze in a dark brown & then clear poly on top. You sand in-between all paint layers & then do a final sanding to create distressed look before applying glaze or poly.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Guest (not verified)

Fri, 02/10/2012 - 08:12

This looks great. I really like the stool with the angled legs. What angle did you use?

Rustic X Console

Submitted by Jfox1128 on Sun, 09/01/2013 - 22:08

Followed Ana's plan w/ minor measurement changes to fit my needs but the Rustic X Console came together pretty good. First we were going with a blue stain but once we got the stain oh the wood it was just to much so we opted for a lighter paint and finished off with a light lacquer.

Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Rustic truss outdoor table

Submitted by aronbirkir on Sat, 10/24/2015 - 00:48

Build this one out of pine and used DIY Pete's handling method of the wood to make it look older ( http://www.diypete.com/how-to-build-a-farmhouse-table/ ) with vinegar and steel wool. 
The beams are halflap joined to the legs and no screws where used to attach the beams to the legs. It is rock sturdy. The leg frames are glued and screwed together with pocket holes. The planks in the tabletop are only put together with pocket hole screws and fastened to the beams from underneath with long screws. Finished with Chinese oil. This outdoor table was a gift to a good friend.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Stained with mix of white vinegar and steel wool. Let the vinegar stain the wool for 4 days in a closed jar. Then brush it on and the solution oxidates when it reacts with the wood.
Finished with Chinese oil.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

DIY Coffee Bar

Submitted by Liz Miller on Tue, 12/04/2018 - 10:37

This was my first time using my own measurements for an Ana White build. I was really nervous but having completed a few other projects by following plans exactly, I felt confident I had gained the skill to branch out of my comfort zone. I had been looking at coffee bars for my kitchen, but at $300 and up, cheaply made and in the wrong dimensions,. I just knew I could build something with better quality for a portion of the price. This project took me half a day to build the carcass and then another afternoon to figure out the door hardware and stain. I used all 1 x boards and the final bar is 12" wide so I used 1 x 12 boards for everything except the trim.  All in all you could complete it in a few hours, it was really simple. I made the door hardware by popping open two pulleys and attaching them with metal somethings (not sure what they are) that I found at Lowes. I then ran a flat bar across the front using spacers like Ana did in hers. I painted the hardware with Rustoleum Oil Rubbed Bronze spray paint and stained the top of the bar with Minewax Dark Walnut, the bottom is Minewax Ebony. I still need to poly. One thing I changed up was the top. Instead of using a piece of plywood, pine, or combining pieces together, I used a stair tread! It was a little thicker than a typical 1 x, and also had a rounded edge which I think gives the piece a finished look! This is a piece of furniture I will truly use every single day and I couldn't be happier with how it turned out! The grand total? $60 for the wood and $20 for the hardware. $80 all in all (I had the stain leftover from another project). There's no way I could have bought a piece this nice for that price! 

Estimated Cost
$80 ($60 for wood and $20 for hardware) I had the stain from a previous project.
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
The top is MInewax Dark Walnut, the base is Minewax Ebony, and the hardware is spray painted Rustoleum Oil Rubbed Bronze. I still need to poly the top.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

Son’s extra long farmhouse twin bed

Submitted by jendon on Sat, 08/20/2022 - 19:26

My son grew and needed a bed fit for a high schooler! We went through all of Ana’s beds and picked this one, but he wanted tongue and grove on his headboard and footboard. This was a smooth build and agreed with some other builders to have a bed breakdown framing system. I chose mine from Rockler. I have used their products before and have been very happy. My son also wanted it raised a little bit higher for storage. The stain is golden oak. We were so happy about this bed, so thank you once again, Ana!

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Tool box and Cleaning Caddy

Submitted by moemoore on Thu, 08/11/2011 - 00:48

I saw Ana's plans for a toolbox and thought that's great! Then I saw another members adaption for a cleaning caddy and I knew I had to build both!

I build on my lanai (porch) in Hawaii, so my work area is fairly small. It was easy to build these at the same time, and I made plenty use of my Kreg jig!

Estimated Cost
under $20
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
I had some really ugly "pumpkin" orange that the previous owners had painted the front door with. While cleaning out paint, I combined it with some white and off-white paint, getting a nice creamy color. I used that (2-3 coats) after priming the piece. I then used some mis-tinted brown paint for the trim. Finished with 2-3 coats of a poly finish.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

sgilly

Thu, 08/11/2011 - 15:02

Your work space may be small, but I think I'd take your view any day! Just beautiful. And, the tool box and caddy are really nice, too!