Community Brag Posts

Barn Door Built-ins with Faux Mantle

Submitted by Silweb30 on Sun, 02/25/2018 - 15:59

We used the barn door console plans as a base to make the built ins and the faux fireplace mantel plans for the center! We love everything this site has to offer!! 

Estimated Cost
500
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Seasonal And Holiday

Mini Farmhouse Bedside Table

Submitted by jsle_bel on Sun, 06/05/2011 - 20:35

A *mini* Farmhouse Bedside Table

Built from Plan(s)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

rassyberries

Tue, 07/05/2011 - 16:23

Yes! I would also love, love, love the modifications of this as a nightstand from anyone. This is my favorite nightstand. Pretty please?

Kristi Southerland (not verified)

Fri, 10/26/2012 - 14:16

I see theres a cut list but not a shpping list? I know...I'm needy! I'm a beginner!!!! :)

Carmenh

Mon, 04/14/2014 - 11:45

This mini farmhouse nightstand was my first building project. Of course Ana's easy to follow PDF's made it doable but check the tips above for cuts on your 2x2's. One rookie mistake I made was forgetting to double check my pieces. My 1x2's were actually thicker than 1" so they protrude from the side of my piece a bit. A sander could fix that. All in all so proud! Thanks to Ana and to everyone else for your brags. 

P.S. A mini keg jig kit is SO worth the investment. I used standard wood-cost of about $20 including $4 for my drawer handle hardware. Kreg jig kit plus pocket hole screws were an additional $30 but I have plenty left for my next project;)

Simple white outdoor sofa & chairs

Submitted by Kammfam04 on Wed, 07/24/2013 - 08:59

Simple white outdoor furniture. Easy to assemble. Ordered outdoor fabric online @ purchased bulk outdoor foam & cut it myself! Much cheaper than pre made cushions.

Estimated Cost
Wood, fabric, paint, & foam $750
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Garden/Storage Shed

Submitted by Smokeydog on Mon, 08/03/2015 - 06:48

Building a storage shed was quite a jump for me but because of the confidence and experience I gained from Ana's  site I decided to give it a shot.  I acquired the plans online. It has 8 foot high walls and 3 feet of "attic space".  The shed is 8'x12'.  I used cement board lap siding.  It took about seven weeks to finish working a few hours here and there.  I really like it.  Even has a little window flower box.

Estimated Cost
2100.00
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Benjamin Moore Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Triple cubby inspired

Submitted by willowpond on Sun, 03/04/2018 - 15:04

I started with the triple cubby design, resized it to fit my space, added doors, and built three of them.  They run the length of the wall in the area where my pool table is, and provide both storage and seating.  In the process I used a multitude of Kreg items - the rip cut, the pocket hole jig, the hinge jig, the cabinet knob jig, and the corner clamps.  As this was my "starter" project, I made some mistakes, learned a lot of lessons, and can't wait for my next project!

Estimated Cost
Plywood - $210 (three sheets, very high quality plywood); mouldings - $26; hinges - $80 ; knobs - $23. This was my "starter" project so I also invested in a lot of tools.
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
White latex paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Mirror

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 04/21/2022 - 12:14

I was so excited to build this mirror using Ana White’s plans. I built it a few years ago and it’s still hanging in my entryway!

Comments

Child Beach Chair

Submitted by jsle_bel on Thu, 06/09/2011 - 21:39

Will be making MANY more of these, so easy and a fun gift! This one was for my niece.

Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

Altered thumb chair

Submitted by Dottie4977 on Fri, 07/26/2013 - 07:27

I wanted to make chairs for a vanity that I made for my 5 and 3 year old girls. After I finished the chairs I decided not to attach the back and upholster the seats instead. They love them and so do I!! I measured each cut multiple times and took my time. I think that helped me tremendously because it all came together very easily!

Thank you Ana White!!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
white gloss paint applied with a brush
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Adirondack Chairs with Table

Submitted by stevez8420 on Sat, 08/08/2015 - 13:24

I was inspired by DIY Pete's Double bench seat but wanted more of the traditional adirondack look, so I kind of combined 3 plans together to get this! For my first attempt at these chairs with a few of my own tweaks I think it turned out pretty darn well. Changing the legs to extend out the back and curve out the front posed small challenge and then mounting the chair backs at a comfortable angle. There are some imperfections that probably only I would notice but I can correct it for next time. This photo was taken just after staining when I noticed that I missed sanding some wood filler on the front of the seat. Building these chairs only took about 6.5 hours before the finishing process but the next time would go faster. I am currently in the process of adding a protective varnish to give it a semi-gloss finish. All together it cost me under $100 CDN or $80 USD.

Estimated Cost
$70-80
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax - Gunstock with a semi gloss varnish
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Memorial Urn

Submitted by Rkh81989 on Tue, 03/06/2018 - 04:49

Memorial Box

Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Graphic3211

Sun, 06/21/2020 - 07:09

This looks fairly straight forward but there is one factor that needs to be taken into account when you make an urn. You need at least one cubic inch per pound of the person whose cremains are going into it, so a 200 pound person needs 200 cubic inches.

Needed a special kind of storage shelf

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 04/21/2022 - 15:47

I needed an easy to access storage shelf for cookie sheets, roasting pans, and glass storage bowls. I couldn't find one I liked, so I built this shelf. I love building things. This one is very simple. It's built with 1x2s and 1/2" plywood. I made my own turquoise stain out of acrylic paint and water for the trim and side shelves, and the top and bottom shelves were stained with oil based honey oak stain. I finished it with 4 coats of polyurethane, which I hand rubbed.

Comments

Rustic Cooler

My father gave us a whole mess of reclaimed barnwood that a neighbor had given to him, and I knew just what to do with it! My husband had an old cooler that would be the perfect size to create a rustic cooler case from. We built a frame out of 2x2's, faced it with the old wood (which looked like old cedar fence pickets) and popped the cooler inside. I've got a whole step-by-step on my blog. Love the way this turned out! We used an antler shed to make the lid handle, and bought some great rustic looking handles for the sides, as well as an old rustic bottle opener. Can't wait to see it in action!

Estimated Cost
$30
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
None, keep it looking weathered!
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

sweetpea bed

I made this for my 2 young daughters. They love it.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$800?
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Paint from lowes. I suggest spraying as you cut. The longest part of the pro jest was painting after I built this.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

eliseaurban

Fri, 08/02/2013 - 10:38

HI! Great Job! i hope mine turns out just as nice! i have a question. how wide did you make the stairs on yours im looking to make my staircase narrower to fit in my spot but i wanna make sure i dont make them too narrow but yours looks perfect!

cmartinez

Sat, 10/03/2015 - 08:11

Hola Ana White, tu inspiras a hacer cosas increibles. Gracias por el tiempo que dedicas a inspirarnos!

DIY Outdoor Dining Table

I followed Ana's Fancy X Farmhouse Table to build my base, but switched her tabletop out for a split herribone design.  The tutorial for the tabletop is on the blog! 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

rbgreene04

Wed, 04/18/2018 - 22:46

Thank you for the inspiration on the table top. I followed your plans to make mine in the Chevron pattern as well. Well done! And the bench looks great, too!

Apothecary Storage Console with full overlay doors

Submitted by waltbs on Thu, 06/16/2011 - 20:04

I liked the apothecary plans and loved the look. My wife really liked it and needed somewhere for our daughter to keep her toys. For our anniversary I told her I would redesign it and make it as she liked. This is what we came up with and I think it turned out great. We used full overlay door to prevent the visible lines on the original and are really happy with the results.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
250-300
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
We used Aura in "Collector's Item", Two coats then sanded it quite a bit. Then glazed with Min-wax in English Chestnut. For the top we beat it with a hammer and some chains to distress it then stained with Pecan.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Pecan top dining table

this was the second table built using Anna's fancy x plan. The first used regular 2x6 pine boards for the top and was given to my son for a housewarming gift. This second I built for my wife and changed up the top by using 1x6 pecan we had milled and then I planed down myself. The outer edges were left with a live edge to give it more rustic character. I used slotted "L" shaped metal about 6" long to secure the top of the table to the supports underneath, to allow for any expansion in the boards. I recently made a new kitchen island to match.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Semi gloss black paint for legs and support. Minwax semigloss polyurethane on the top.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

AlexO

Tue, 08/25/2015 - 16:53

I love working with Live edge stuff!  Not this talented though!  Very Nice

Farmhouse Table - Modified

The Breakfast Nook is a small space with doors on either side.  The Bar-Stools are a little bit "higher than normal" and they have an obtrusive arm.  Very comfortable for sitting; but, cannot have an apron on a table or bar.  Needed room for 2 stools on each side.

To meet all these requirements, end up with a table that's long-ish, narrow, and tall.  Desired dimensions:  58 L x 28 W x 36.25 H.

Problems:  (1) worried about it being "wobbly" (tall & could not have an apron on the length); (2) needed to fit those bar-stools between the legs.

Solution:  I "merged" the plans for the Farmhouse Table with elements of the Truss Beam table for structural integrity.

Top is typical:  used pocket-hole jig / screws (Kreg) to join three 2 x 10's.  Final Width:  27.75".  Cut even with straight-edge and framing saw (used a 60 T Fine-finish blade - nice!).

Set the end stretchers into the legs; attached with brown-colored deck screws.  Attached length-wise stretchers to the end stretchers with deck screws.  Could have used pocket-holes; but, this way, it's symmetrical and everything matches.

Added 45 degree supports for stabililty - used combination of pocket-holes and deck screws.

Base is sized so that top has a 1.5" overhang all-round.  

Attached the top to the base with pocket-holes / screws - to top end stretchers and legs, and top length-wise stretcher.

Estimated Cost
130
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
First, pre-stain wood conditioner (oil-based). Then a 2-stage stain:  Special Walnut followed by Weathered Oak (the wife got this scheme from AnaWhite.com). Finished with Satin Polyurethane (Wipe-on). All Min-Wax products.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Farmhouse Bench

Submitted by tsibiga on Mon, 06/20/2011 - 09:59

I built the farmhouse table and needed a farmhouse bench to match. The building plan helped make it so simple and I couldn't have done it without the inspiration of Ana White. I used leftover 4x4"s for the legs and then pretty much followed everything else that the building plan said.

I've tried to document better at: http://www.tommyandellie.com/Site/Home/Entries/2011/6/14_Farmhouse_Benc…

Estimated Cost
$15
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
I distressed the wood a little bit and then used Dark Walnut stain and a couple coats of Poly.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

tsibiga

Thu, 06/30/2011 - 04:48

After building it, I realized that this would make a great bench anywhere. I could easily see this as an outdoor bench, around the pool, around a picnic table, along a deck, anywhere.

dmcarwin

Sun, 10/02/2011 - 21:05

It looks so beautiful with your table, great job! I am looking to build a bench for my counter/bar. Do you think it would work to build it counter height? I am totally new to building and building a bench for my counter is my first priority.

tsibiga

Mon, 10/03/2011 - 05:46

Thanks for the great comments! I think you could totally make this at as a counter height bench (approximately 24"). I would be a little worried that if it was too long it could topple over easily. So if you had about a 60" length to cover, I would probably build two 30" benches that can butt up to one another.

One other thought is to make some stools.....I posted some of those from an ana-white plan as well for you to check out; http://ana-white.com/2011/06/simplest-stool-saddle-back-style

Hope that helps....let me know if you have other questions.

Tommy

dmcarwin

Wed, 02/15/2012 - 18:14

Tommy, I appreciate your helpful comments. Like how I just got it today, some priority in getting the bench done! =) I am getting back it now however.... So, I love the stools you made! I am trying however to limit the amount of things (stools/chairs) that my little kids can push around the kitchen. I am considering the two smaller benches at counter height. If I could do one at 24" tall do you think 55" would be too long? I was thinking it would be good to put supports across the length (maybe 10" or 12" from the floor?) to help stability and to use for little ones climbing up. If that makes since? Anyway thanks for your help I really appreciate it!