Storage Workbench
I took the pony wall idea and went with it.
Mazda Mitch
I took the pony wall idea and went with it.
Mazda Mitch
This was a fun project to do. I am going to add a piece of 24 x 24 sheet metal to the top of it to serve as a smooth flat area to write on. I didn’t have any 1 x 3′s on hand so I ripped several 2 x 4′s down to 1 x 3 which is where I came up with the 1 x 2′s that are running across the top. I’m working on imagineering a chair to go with it, I will post pictures of that as well when I get it put together. If you have a questions or comments feel free to post.
I used the Vintage Bar Stool plans and modified the height and depth of each chair so that they would fit with an indoor bar height. At the time I didn't have a kreg jig, so I used dowels to connect everything. It took much longer since I had to wait for the wood glue to dry, but they are very sturdy and you can't see and drill marks. I used milk paint over stain to get the distressed look, and I love how they turned out!
Really enjoyed making this and the end result is impressive. Wouldn't categorize as a starter project because the frame is a bit more advanced.
Our bedroom closet was a DIY special from the previous owners of our home. We had upgraded the closet but were left with a dilemma - the door opening was not a 'standard' size. The two options were to purchase custom built bypass doors ($$$) or to live with the tension rod and curtain we were using. I came across this plan and after a few quick seconds we had decided we were going to try to build our own.
We followed the measuring instructions to measure our door (which we found (not surprisingly) was out of square which made things interesting) and set out to find our wood. My wife fell in love with this wainscoting at Lowes and that became the backing for the doors. We had to buy an extra piece so that I could ensure that the lines in the wainscoting matched the entire length of the door (we used 4x4 sheets rather than 4x8 because our Lowes didn't have full sheets of this particular wainscoting). The wainscoting backing gave it extra bulk and rigidity, making for extremely solid closet doors.
Everything came together and in one week (building and polystaining) we had the doors.
I've had the plans to this shoe dresser saved for months, and finally convinced my husband it was time to build it! In total, we probably spent about 8 hours on it, from cutting the wood to staining.
The instructions are a smidge vague, but if you really think through it, it's a piece of cake. Do not do anything out of order! My husband and I did, and we unfortunately had to redo certain steps.
This was our third project, and so far my favorite piece of furniture in our house!
This was my first Ana White project, I modified the plans a bit because I didn't want the 2nd stabilizing bar on the floor. I also went a bit bigger, my table is 10ft 5.5in.
Overall I am very happy with how it turned out.
Thu, 10/27/2016 - 05:59
Looks great. We were planning on doing a similar build where we get rid of the x braces in the middle and use the pedastals you built with the long boards in between. But the plans called for 3 of those pedastals. I was curious of the 2 pedastals/legs are stable enough? I like the look of just having 2 instead of the full 3.
We were looking for outdoor furniture for our deck, and for the size and amount we needed it would have cost us at least $2000. We really like the idea of having an outdoor sectional that we can also use for dining, and we had trouble finding a set we liked. We found Ana's plans for the 2x4 Outdoor Sectional, and i loved the look. After seeing what others have done with the plans, I thought I would be able to modify it to get everything we needed for much less cost than buying a set.
We ended up extending the size of the 2x4 outdoor sofa by one 24" section, for a total length of 96". I then used the same design to make two outdoor chairs, just reduced the length to 24". I modified the 2x4 outdoor coffee table plans to create two ottoman's that can be moved around to make the seating more lounge style Finally, I modified the coffee table plans to make a 5 foot outdoor dining table. All in all, it took about a week and I couldn't be happier with how it turned out!
Mon, 08/02/2021 - 09:44
Looks amazing! What method did you use (pocket holes, dowels, deck screws, etc) to join the visible portions like the arms?
Not the prettiest but extremely effective. I think my entire kitchen will be all Ana White by the time I finish….what an inspiration she is! Thank you!
I've always wanted a wooden outdoor table for our patio. This site has inspired my husband and I to finally make our own. We combined the 4x4 Truss beam table design with the Providence table design, and created this cedar table that can seat 10. My husband built it and I stained it with Behr transparent cedar naturaltone stain. It only took about 6 hours for my husband to build despite all our measurements are different than the original designs due to change in table size and the wood size purchased. Sanding took about hour to 2 and then follow by a wash. Staining took 3 hours since I did double layers. It turned out amazing and we can't wait to put it to use! Thanks Ana for making these plans available.
I loved this bed and after making Ana's fancy farmhouse table for my daughter, I couldn't wait to try this. It turned out beautifullly and even accomodates our three labs. Extra support added underneathe, of course! Love it!
It was my very first project. Took forever to find the perfect stain, which in the end turned into a shellacking. We decided to keep it natural.
Our local youth built a nature play area on our church grounds for local children. Jack was 16yo and he worked together with Geoff 85yo to build this bench for parents to sit on while their children play.
davechamberrs777
I have been planning on building a bed for Phaedra for a while now, and had figured I'd mix and match some ideas from some of Ana's other plans to get what I wanted. Then she came up with this, and it was perfect! Phaedra is not yet able to use a ladder to get up and down from a loft bed, so I was planning on stairs. Her bedroom is small, only 8'x10', and I hadn't figured out how to manage the stairs so that the bed wouldn't take up the entire room.
I decided against the stairs on this bed, since they would take up too much floor space. Instead I put a couple of 2x4s to make a ladder up to the platform. Phaedra loves her bed, and figured out getting up in no time at all. It took her about 3 days to master getting down.
I decided on paint instead of stain for the bed, because it was what I had on hand. It is CIL Smart from Home Depot in the melamine finish. Hopefully it will stand up well. The cutting and assembling took no time at all, but the painting took me two weeks! Next bed I make will be stained instead.
The best part, because I already had the paint, was that it cost less than $50 for the materials!
Mon, 08/13/2012 - 08:38
Love how the dollhouse fits perfectly under the "step". Nice job, it looks great! I love this plan and am waiting to see what the sex of baby # 6 is before we work on our bedroom arrangements. Right now the youngest has his own (small) room. If we have another boy, they will share this small room and a plan for lofting beds will be needed in a few years. If it is a girl then plans for triple bunks will be needed!
Mon, 08/13/2012 - 11:23
Thanks! The dollhouse fitting there was a total fluke. I had planned on getting a shelf to put it on under the bed, but then I saw that it fit there perfectly. I put some string lights around the rear legs of the platform so she can see well down there. She has played with it more in the last week than in the last couple years!
Tue, 08/14/2012 - 18:21
What a great idea to simply make a little ladder instead of the stairs. My son has a really small room that I wish to re-decorate now that he's starting school.
Love this bed with the small platform, and no stairs will make room for a drawer :)
Was planning on painting, but not sure if I will have the patience ...!
The fancy tree hall fits perfectly across from the coat closet in our entry-way. For the most part, I followed Ana's plans except for the trim and molding. First, instead of using crown molding at the top, I used scrap wood to cut out decorative patterns with my jigsaw. I also cut some decorative crown molding and nailed it to the edges of the bench. Finally, I covered up exposed edges of plywood on the bottom cubbies with cheap molding. I followed the plans to install base molding at the bottom.
Farmhouse table and benches
We used the plans from the Simple Outhouse to make a space to hold our porta potty. The door is a repurposed barn door and I think it looks amazing! These plans were perfect for us as we were able to build it in panels and reassemble on our property by the lake. Some screened windows to allow for ventilation and light were the finishing touches. Thanks Anna for the simple to follow plans!
This is my version of the Large Modern Porch Swing. I did a couple of things different. I wanted a nice finish so I cut everything to length then did 3 coats of high gloss exterior paint. It feels pretty indestructible and I know it's covering all the surfaces well.
Since I painted everything ahead of time and I liked the finish I thought about the screws and nails and was able to assemble it using only screws and having none of them visible. I pocket drilled most of them, although without a jig so they're actually toenailed. The seat slats are screwed down with angle brackets underneath and the back slats screwed from the back side. That way there is no need for finishing nails or wood filler.
Other than that's it's pretty much to plan. The structure we have may have been for a swing at some point so I had a pipe to attach to. To be extra safe I doubled up the rope and used a pedigree cow hitch. It's very sturdy and if and one line breaks there is another piece as a backup.
I'm really happy with how it turned out. Out of all the porch swings I've seen this one best suits our style and taste.
Wed, 08/15/2012 - 21:44
What is it hanging from? I like the idea of using something other than a wood frame, for increased strength.
Sat, 08/18/2012 - 23:46
We're not exactly sure what it is it's hanging from, it was here when we got the place. I don't have a picture but it's just 2 6.5' pipes cemented into the ground and one 7' pipe joined to them at the top with elbows. It's probably overkill, I think you'd be OK with a well built wooden structure but it's what I had available.
Mon, 04/27/2020 - 08:58
I am not a fan of those attachment point. I made the same swing and used those attachment points. When my son was sitting on the back and the dog jumped up it flipped over backwards. I moved the back attachment hook a few inches from the bottom of the back piece and it's much more stable.
Despite how it looks, this chair was actually pretty cheap and easy to build. The one caveat is that it really needs to be built from hardwood. The minimalist design of this chair requires the strength of solid hardwood. I don't think pine would cut it.
I started by building my angled legs. My chair is nice and lounge-y. If you don't like the relaxed, lounger style, you may want a slightly more shallow angle to your back. The total length of the back is 33". I wanted the leg portion to be 4" tall, so I first cut 2, 33" lengths. Then, measured 4", and cut at a 10-degree angle. I inverted the 2 pieces, and attached them together with glue, pocket holes, and screws.
Once I had my angled legs, I put together my back frame, front frame, and finally joined them together with the armrests and side supports. I used wood glue and countersunk, 3" screws at each joint.
To create the sling, I took two, 52" leather belts, and strung 19" wide slats, 1" apart. I attached the slats to the leather using a pop rivet gun. For this size chair, I used 17, 1.5" wide slats to create the sling. I then attached the sling to the frame using carriage bolts and nuts.