Community Brag Posts

Storage Chaise Lounge

Submitted by kristine on Sat, 01/26/2013 - 12:59

It took the husband and I a good 3 days to finish this project. You can read more of my experience with this chaise on our blog:
http://tonyandkristine.blogspot.com/

For the plans, I found them at Lazy Liz on Less blog:
http://lazylizonless.blogspot.com/2012/05/it-took-me-while-to-decide-wh…

Estimated Cost
Appx $220
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Waverly print fabric, Varathane Stain + Poly in Early American
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Modified desk into makeup vanity

Submitted by jlfreck23 on Mon, 12/14/2020 - 19:22

I built this for my adult daughter’s Christmas present. I modified the plan to have three drawers instead of the cubby. I also tapered the bottom of the legs. I added a back piece to hold a mirror. I also added door knobs to the back for necklaces.

The top and the back board are both 4 boards glued and clamped together. I finished the edges of the top, drawer fronts, and the back board with an ogee router bit.

Estimated Cost
$140 (lumber is expensive right now)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Mahogany stain on the top and drawer faces. It is a golden oak stain for the base. Finished with a satin polyurethane.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Classic Bunk Beds Re-Imagined With Stairs

Submitted by edeboode on Mon, 04/03/2017 - 07:57

I modified the plans for the Classic Bunk beds by making them 74" tall instead of 63" and added a fourth slat all the way around to add more protection from potential falls.  I created one opening in the front for my youngest to get into the bottom bunk, and built slats about 2/3's across the front to act as a gaurd rail. I created another opening on the side for my oldest to get into the top bunk with stairs instead of ladders to again prevent falls.  I had to modify the Sweet Pea stairs to accomodate for the extra height in the bunk beds, simplified the railings, and I created each cubby to be big enough to use cloth storage totes that were 11x11x11.  Sanded the whole bed and stairs so the corners and edges were all rounded and smooth, and put two coats of white Deck and Porch paint to stand up to the the boys running up and down.  I used brackets to secure the stairs to the bed, and sixteen 3" bolts to bind the bed together.  Precut and drilled 17 slats for each bed seperated them 2" apart.  Spent a few hours every night during the week measuring, cutting, glueing, drilling and assembling the bed and stairs.  Spent an entire weekend sanding and painting.  Very happy with the way these beds turned out.  Overall cost of the project including the paint was around $400.  

Estimated Cost
$400
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Porch and Deck Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Patio Furniture

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 10/04/2021 - 14:18

The Anna White patio set (2 chairs & love seat combo).
I added seat backs for comfort, painted them white and distressed the edges…
They are perfect for lake front-windy areas… They are heavy duty and will never blow away!

Comments

mh6558

Thu, 02/29/2024 - 07:29

I absolutely love the curved backs! I live in a semi-windy area and really like this look and the idea of more durability. Did you just add three vertical 1x6's and use a jigsaw to round them? Please advise as I would love to use this technique.

Chicken Run with Turkey House

Submitted by vendo on Wed, 10/13/2021 - 10:03

My daughter helped me build this enclosure. We used Ana's chicken run plan, but just made it taller so we could walk in easily. We added an overhang to store food and pellets under, for the supports we used Ana's easy shelves angle support plan, and finally we used the playhouse base plan for the base of turkeys house. All plans used are linked below. We ran the chicken wire out under the structure and still need to bring in some large rocks or pavers, but so far no issues with predators. Turkey was getting too big to fit in the smaller coop, so we decided to have fun with his house and used cedar fence pickets and some treated 2x4's, built a box and jig sawed the shape of a turkey. As you can see in the first photo the ladder for turkey wasn't big enough, all the other chickens were in his house, lol. So I beefed up the ladder and he happily can put himself up at night now:) Overall a super successful project, I wasn't sure what to do with the top and just at that point, the neighbor walked over and offered the metal, talk about a huge win and the perfect solution! We attached the run to the previous smaller structure and now they have so much more room and are laying like crazy:) Finally, I think this would make a great dog kennel as well...

Church Pulpit

Submitted by BBLinda on Sat, 06/08/2013 - 10:34

A good friend of mine, a pastor of a local church, asked me to build a pulpit for their recently finished church up in the countryside of Grenada. She showed me a picture of what she had in mind and based on that, I drew my own plan in SketchUp, and then built it out of Yellow Pine boards and Plywood.

Note to the dimensions:
After I drew the plan, and just when I was at the lumberyard to have the plywood and boards cut, I thought I might have had it estimated not wide enough, so I decided on the spot to make it 2" wider and the top panel 2" wider and deeper too. So if you'd like to build based on my plans, please consider if it's wide enough for your purposes.

This is what I used (corrected measurements here):

2x 2x8 26" long YP Boards (Base)
1x 18 1/2" x 6 1/2" Plywood (Base Support Panel)
1x 26" x 16" Plywood (Top)
1x 18 1/2" x 9" Plywood (Shelf Panel)
2x 45" x 9 1/2" Plywood (Side Panels ) - these are cut angled, see plans
1x 44 1/2" Wood Moulding (for the "stopper" on the top panel, and the "back" of the top shelf.

Estimated Cost
~ US$ 115 (material is very expensive here on the island, and I guess you could build it for about half or 2/3 of this in the USA)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
MINWAX Polyshades / American Chestnut Satin (375)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Full size Murphy Bed

Submitted by Hartung26 on Wed, 06/26/2013 - 20:07

Used the plans for the twin bed, just added the difference in mattress size to the measurements. Pretty simple really. Used a cam lock centered above the door and a sawtooth picture hanger on the inside as a locking mechanism.

Estimated Cost
$275
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
WinMax English Chestnut
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

spiceylg

Thu, 06/27/2013 - 12:16

Been thinking of building one of these. Yours looks beautiful, nice job!

campbelllsara

Tue, 09/30/2014 - 14:16

Hello,

I have been scowering the internet... I too would like to have my murphy bed raised off of the ground and be a full size murphy bed.  But everytime I try to do "adjustments" and get "creative" it ends in disaster.  I am better at following instructions.  Is there anyway that you could give me the exact measurements for your fullsize bed and let me know how it is that you propped the bed up at the end?

[email protected]

 

Thank you.

Murphy Bed

Submitted by Newfey on Fri, 07/19/2013 - 14:59

This is a Murphy Bed that I made for my daughter Alicia for their getaway home at Canadian Lakes, MI. Due to limited space i had to make it horizontal instead of the normal way of being vertical. It really comes in handy and takes up very little space.

Finish Used
Red paint mixed with Baking Soda
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

JoanneS

Fri, 07/19/2013 - 15:17

Looks great! Love the color and the trims you used. Where did you find your hinge hardware? PS- How did you like the baking soda paint? I've tried ASCP which was good but very pricey, and last time made my own with some plaster of paris. Your finish is lovely.

Newfey

Sat, 07/20/2013 - 18:47

I bought the spring hardware on line. I can't take the credit for the paint as my daughter did that part. She loves the way that the baking soda and paint covers everything and it is a whole lot less expensive than buying the commercial stuff.

Dog Houses

Our local Habitat for Humanity puts on an annual event where they get folks to restore discarded or worn down furniture and sell them at auction. My wife and I participated last year and this year I was asked to build 4 dog houses and then they were going to let local designers/decorators finish them out.

I figured it would be easy to find a good dog house plan, but I was wrong so I had to come up with my own designs. I did not want to use plywood becauase I wanted them to look good. So I used 1x4's and 1x6's. I built them all just a little bit different, but the same basic design on all 3. Since I am not very good with circular cuts, did not do any fancy 1/2 circle doorways!

There are "after" pictures on the Blog. Thanks for looking!

Estimated Cost
$100 each
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
I didn't finish them out, but did use screws to attach everything, so filled those in with wood putty and sanded down of course.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Cindy from Indiana (not verified)

Sun, 11/06/2011 - 16:10

Great job for a great cause!

Snowboard Display Rack

Submitted by LampAtFeet on Sun, 12/15/2019 - 13:49

My son wanted a way to display his snowboard, so I modified the pallet display rack plans to fit his snowboard. It's constructed with 2x4s for the sides and 1x4s and a 1x2 for everything else. The 2x4s have an angled notch cut out so the snowboard can slide in and out. I built a top and bottom shelf to display pictures, as well as provide storage. The hooks are great for hanging boots, gloves, etc.  He loves the way it came out.

Estimated Cost
$30
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Dark Walnut stain followed by a coat of wipe on polyurethane
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Moses Basket Rocker

Submitted by bd on Sat, 04/19/2014 - 14:15

Pretty much followed the plan, except I raised the height of the platform. I intended to make the legs longer, but I forgot and cut them to the length on the plan. It looks like the sides of the basket aren't supported as well, but the basket stays in just fine.

I also added little wings on the end to support the ends of the basket. I wanted to be able to remove the basket from the cradle without screwing it in, but also wanted the basket to be secure so I added the little wings. It was easy.

Overall a pretty easy project, except the rockers are time consuming. They're not hard to make, you just need to take your time.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Sample paint on the clearance shelf - can't remember the color name.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Converted TV wall niche

Submitted by Vol4Life1 on Tue, 12/13/2016 - 05:35

We bought this house about a year ago and we finally got around to removing this pointless niche!  The center divider and bottom were removed.  The cabinet and hutch were assembled seperately.  

 

This is still a work of progress.  I am looking for a nice decorative molding face for the top.  If anyone has any suggestions please let me know!  We will most likely paint it white to match the fireplace mantle.

Estimated Cost
300
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Sturdy DIY Farmhouse Bed

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 10/21/2024 - 11:40

My husband slightly modified the height of the footboard of the farmhouse bed plans. We truly love this bed. It’s extremely sturdy and we have friends and family lined up to have him build them one!

Built from Plan(s)
Seasonal And Holiday

Tack Box

Submitted by Evandgc on Tue, 12/30/2014 - 16:21

I made this box for my wifes christmas present. She has been riding horses for sometime and is planning on doing some shows. I built this box from Mimi's storage bench design, made it bigger, added a deeper box top and created the rest from looking at pictures online. Its all made of pine plywood and pine boards to keep it light. I added 4 castors to the bottom to make it easily moveable and hid them with the moulding around the bottom. Still has to be sanded and stained before it hits the barn. Its 39W X 24D X 29H. I used a piano hinge and routered the back to set the hing in. Added cove moulding around the bottom and to all the boxes around the front and side. Used a lot of pocket holes and finsh nails. Took me longer than it could have, because I planned everything as I went.  I will add more pictures when its finsihed. I would rate it intermediate to advanced depending on your skills with certain tools. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Will all the hardware, wood materials, screws etc, I think it cost me around $250-$300
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
not finished yet
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Gigantic planked sideboard

This was my second project and my first piece of furniture I built from Ana's plans. We have a vaulted ceiling in the hallway near my entry and needed a really big piece to fill up the large blank wall. I always hated the space but now I Love It. The Gigantic sideboard is perfect there. I finished it with milk paint and paste wax. If you inspect it closely it is not perfect but for my first piece... I love it and it's supposed to be rustic right!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
I did not keep track of how much I spent but I'll say roughly 200 to 250 .
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
I first used wood conditioner then sanded, sanded, and sanded. For the paint I used General Finishes Coastal Blue and topped it with minwax paste wax.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Church pew style entry bench

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 05/26/2017 - 15:02

The bench measures 54" wide x 21" deep.  We slightly modified the Rogue Engineer plans at the customers request to allow it to sit flush against the wall. 

Estimated Cost
99.00
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Stain is 1 coat Minwax Classic Grey immediately followed by 1 coat Old Masters Dark Walnut Wiping Stain immediately followed by another coat of Minwax Classic Grey. Topcoat is Gemini Gem Coat Matte Pre-cat Lacquer
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

DIY Murphy Wall Bed

Submitted by Dstor22 on Sun, 03/15/2015 - 07:05

Just finished up my Murphy Bed project. Hope you like.

Estimated Cost
280.00
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Weathered Oak Stain
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

End Tables

Submitted by RITWood on Sat, 09/30/2017 - 17:20

This is my take on the Narrow Cottage End Tables. Painted the bottoms and stained the tops.  Added the shelves towards the bottom for added storage and stability.  The bottom shelf is 'let in' around the inner legs.  The shelf boards rounded over to give them a batten look.  

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$35 each
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Sprayed on latex with two coats of clear water based poly.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Drop-Down Door Hutch Desk

Submitted by danicarby on Thu, 05/14/2015 - 13:47

I designed this desk from another desk I built. With this one, I wanted the overall foot-print smaller but still something that was able to organize all our office stuff and be able to close everything to keep it clutter-free. We have a small apartment, and although this desk is about the size of an up-right piano, it works perfectly into our living space!

I made it out of raw hardwood (Ash) and because I knew just the wood alone would make this desk heavy/bulky to move I made the top hutch removable. It's held in place by wood pegs (dominos). All the shelves are adjustable and the drawers are full-extension (something I've never had - wahoo)! The drop-down door is help up by 2 pull-out boards on each side (my first desk had chains). I spend a lot of money on this desk because I knew it was a chance in a lifetime to make and wanted it to be perfect and something that would last generations.

I built the main carcass off of plans/measurements I designed, but then all the insides, drawers, shelves, doors, etc where made as I built (because just a millimeter difference in building changes everything)!

If you want more pictures/descriptions of the building process I wrote about it in a 4-part series on my blog.

Estimated Cost
$1,000 for all wood & supplies
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
To achieve the ash gray color I used "General Finishes" brand water-based stains (equal mixtures of Walnut, Antique Oak & Whitewash) with 1/2 ratio of Pre-Stain Conditioner (bought from Woodcraft). I did 2-3 coats stain, lightly sanded and sprayed 2 coats of Ceramithane clearcoat using HVLP sprayer (sanding with 550 grit paper in between).
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Twin Sleeper Chair

Submitted by Hoff7.62 on Sat, 06/04/2022 - 15:20

This was my take on your Twin Sleeper Chair. I made it into a full. I used 2x4’s where there was suppose to be 1x4’s because I changed the width. This was a very fun project, my first project actually. Thank you for the plans and idea.

Built from Plan(s)

Comments