Community Brag Posts

Firewood Shed

When I decided to build a woodshed I was freaked out because I've never done anything even remotely like this.  I struggle with precision and patience, which made this project seem overwhelming as I knew I had to do a lot of prep work to properly level the ground, measure the wood, learn how to operate a saw, calculate angles to cut, etc...  I did a lot of research online and found this simple blueprint a great starting point.   I made some adjustments since i needed a much bigger shed, it's 11.5' x 7' x 7'.  Also, I already had the wood resting on pallets so I just build this shed around the wood with no built in floor.  Overall, I'm thrilled with how it turned out!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$500
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Kitchen Island with pallet wood

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 01/23/2021 - 19:35

After following Ana Whit and other bloggers for a long time i figured my skills were at a level to try an advanced build like the Kitchen Island.. But i also wanted to challenge myself even more and was determined to make it from as much reclaimed wood as i could, mainly pallet wood.
With a lot of modifications to make it work i think I got a good result from these plans.

While i used as much reclaimed wood as i could, i still needed some clean 2x4's , 2x2's

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$50
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
I burned the top and used a cup wire brush on an angle grinder to get the effect of barn wood. then a couple coats of lacquer on the top. And a spray finish of polyacrylic for everything else.
chalk pain ( linin) to do the White wash
Recommended Skill Level
Advanced

Mudroom Bench with Hutch

Submitted by calliher on Sun, 09/12/2021 - 18:45

This is my laundry room and it is about 12x10. It looked so bare with only the washer and dryer. So I thought making this a mudroom also. I live in the mountains and have snow 3 to 4 months a year. This will be perfect. I purchased an IKEA cabinet built it in and added the Ana White plans with two bays.

Comments

Simple Daybed/Farmhouse-Bed-Hybrid

Submitted by uli on Mon, 06/06/2011 - 08:05

I needed a bed for my guestroom and decided to build a mixture of the simple daybed and the farmhouse bed. The back and the front rail are attached with bed brackets for easy disassembling.

Estimated Cost
175 $
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Acrylic paint in antique white
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Guest (not verified)

Tue, 06/21/2011 - 09:42

Dear Uli, I love the daybed you created and I'm planning to build my own next week for our guest bedroom, which doubles as my project room. Could you tell me what height you made the bed? It looks lower than the average headboard height, but higher than the average footboard height. I'd like to make mine close to your, which I think is just perfect.

Thanks,
Sara

In reply to by Guest (not verified)

uli

Tue, 06/21/2011 - 13:30

Thx :-) I've made the panels 19,5" high, and the legs measure 31,5". On top of the panels I screwed and glued a timber, which is a little bit thicker than a 2x4. So the overall height is 33,5". If you like I could send you my sketchup file.

Uli :-)

Guest (not verified)

Tue, 06/21/2011 - 19:42

Thanks Uli,

Those dimensions will be a big help. I've constructed more than 30 pieces now, thanks to Ana, so it's no big deal for me to design my own plans and dimensions now. I'm hoping to complete this project before my sister comes out for a visit. Wish me luck!

Sara

Miss Martina (not verified)

Fri, 08/19/2011 - 23:58

Hi, Uli! Do you think you could please help me out by sharing your sketchup notes for the "Farmhouse-Daybed-Hybrid"? This would really help me to get a handle on building this project.
Thank you from Martina.
P.S.-Though we now live near Palm Springs, California, we lived in Sachsenhausen for nearly 2 years & office was in Wiesbaden. Though I prefer the climate here, I still miss Germany.

Rockin'Robin

Wed, 06/20/2012 - 21:00

Dear Uli,

I am brand spanking new here on Ana-white and I love, love, love your daybed. I would like to give it a go for my daughters. Is it possible to get your sketch up notes? This will be my first build and I am so nervous about trying something without having a plan in front of me. My email is [email protected]
Blessings, Robin

Guest (not verified)

Wed, 09/14/2011 - 07:56

I would LOVE it if you could send me your sketchup file too. I want to build this for my guest room.

Helleni (not verified)

Wed, 08/31/2011 - 14:27

I would love to make this for my son's room. I am a beginner, can you provide the file for me to look at too?

Guest (not verified)

Fri, 09/23/2011 - 12:39

Uli,

I absolutely love this daybed and have been searching for such a bed, even to buy, but have found nothing. My husband is super handy and loves wood-working, so I think I am going to put him up to the task! :) Could you e-mail me your sketch-up file as well? My e-mail is [email protected].

Also, is there room to put a trundle underneath...this is a must-have for us. Do you happen to have any plans for a trundle? If not, hopefully my husband can come up with something for that!

Thanks so much for sharing your great idea and plans!
Amy

Siobhan (not verified)

Tue, 11/08/2011 - 17:56

Hi Uli,

Would you email me the plans for this bed please? It's perfect and exactly what I have been looking for!

Thanks so much,
Siobhan

kharrel

Wed, 12/28/2011 - 20:50

Hi Siobhan, I was wondering if you could possibly send me the plans for this bed in a Word document or through email. I tried to access the plans you attached above but my computer wouldn't allow me to open it. Also, I saw where someone else asked if a trundle would work with this bed and if you had plans for that, if so I would love to see if we can try to tackle that project as well. My email address is [email protected]. Thank you so much!...you have inspired me!!!!

Cheri (not verified)

Mon, 01/02/2012 - 09:58

I LOVE this bed. Would you mind sending me your sketch up and plans as well? Thanks so much and have a blessed and happy new year!

Jenny Briggs (not verified)

Mon, 01/30/2012 - 06:12

Hi, your bed is beautiful, could you please send me your dimensions, I would like to attempt, making this but kinda do an L, with a twin, and then a toddler mattress, at the head, the smaller mattress, would be like the short side of the L! Very new to this, but I would like to give it a go!

Guest (not verified)

Sat, 02/04/2012 - 09:35

Uli,

I love this so much and as others have said...it is the exact height I think I would need. This is my first solo project (without help from the man in my life) and i would love all the help I can get. Could you send me your plans for the hybrid? email address is [email protected]

Thanks much,
Raven

RachaelA (not verified)

Thu, 04/12/2012 - 10:31

Do you have a mertials list you used to buy the wood, etc for this bed. We are wanting to build a similar bed and add a trundle drawer underneath. Any guidance you can provide would be great!

Rach

RachaelA (not verified)

Fri, 04/27/2012 - 10:54

We figured it out and added one more layer to the project. We are combining the simple daybed, farmhouse daybed and trundle. So far so good.

Kris Frye

Wed, 02/25/2015 - 20:15

That's exactly what I want to do. I cannot download Google SketchUp, (It requires Windows 7 or newer. I am still running XP.) so I cannot access the plans provided. Could you please share yours? I also need the bed to accommodate XL twin mattresses (upper and lower beds). I could make those adjustments to your plans if need be.

Judith (not verified)

Wed, 05/09/2012 - 01:39

Hi Uli, I just love your bed, I'm new to building your own furniture but since I saw your bed I wanted to build it so I'm doing it. So far I have made the laterals and the back panels and now I'm putting it all together. I have some questions and maybe you can help me... you used bed brackets for the back panel, how did you put these so that they won't be seen? did you put them in the top and bottom of the panel?

Thank you very much

Judith

kad050209 (not verified)

Thu, 06/28/2012 - 10:14

Hey! I love the way you used the farmhouse bed for this daybed. It's perfect for what I'm looking for. I wanted to make my daughter the farmhouse bed but, we always wanted a daybed at the same time. This is perfect. Do you have any plans you can share with me so I can start making this? Thanks! [email protected] is my email if needed

SerinaDee (not verified)

Tue, 07/17/2012 - 10:26

I absolutely LOVE this bed and it is exactly what I want. I know many people have asked for the sketches, sooooo if anyone has received them, could they please forward them on to me??? (of Uli, if you see this and you have them) I would greatly appreciate it. You should definitely post this as a plan post because I'm sure many others would love it!

my email is [email protected]

THanks so much in advance!!! :) :) :)

Jason Lebo (not verified)

Thu, 07/19/2012 - 12:58

Hi Uli,

Outstanding work. I am going t make this for my 2 year old son. Quick Question.

I am confused about how to attach the posts to the panels for the head board. I assume you drill in from the far left and right of the posts? Do you use wood putty to hide the holes later? Could you use pocket holes? Or would that not be as structurally sound. Any advise would be appreciated.

From the instructions:

Now attatch the 4x4 posts to the panels. Make sure you pre drill half way through the post and use the 4 1/2" screws. Line the top edges of the panel and the post, keeping everything square as shown. Screw into the panel where it is sandwich 3 boards thick. Put at least 6 screws in each post.

Renee Glaze (not verified)

Fri, 10/12/2012 - 20:37

Can you send me a copy of the plans for the daybed. Does it have a regular mattress or just covered foam. Thank you

Val Manchuk

Sun, 04/07/2013 - 10:27

This is a great idea for a spare bed in our home office. Under bed drawers would be a good place for oir storage, too.

josie.a.richard

Sun, 09/28/2014 - 06:43

I LOVE this. Could i please get a copy of your sketch/plan? I am very new to this, and I don't think I could recreate one myself just yet!

Thanks

J

Essential Wood Outdoor Chair Frame for Standard Chair Cushion

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 11/05/2022 - 14:11

Beginner here and I enjoyed this one quite a bit. I played with the angle of the back and finally perfected it on chair three and four. I put the last bottom slat a little closer to the front to create more of a back angle. I also added a third back support position of the bottom slats are essential for comfort so you’re not sitting on a slat. My cushions need to be a bit thicker because you can definitely feel it. Overall, I enjoyed this project. Longest part was making all the cuts, and then painting because I use the sprayer and had to clean it. Thanks Anna!

Comments

dress up station

Ive made a couple of these dress up stations now, for presents for my daughters friends. I plan to make her one next!
Plenty of room for storing all their fancy dress items :)

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
wallpaper and paint, rubber lace lining for the shelves, wooden ball feet, decals, mirror, name, hooks
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Small Cedar Fence Picket Storage Shed

Submitted by Pembat on Sun, 10/06/2013 - 20:37

Built this in a weekend, took about 1.5 days. I ended us using 2x4's instead of 2x2's, I think it resulted in a much stronger frame. I also built a base for it to sit on. I got pre-stained cedar fence boards, and overlapped them 1" instead of a 1/2". Pretty easy project, I ended up siding the back on the ground, installing it, and then adding the side walls without the siding (just the framing), and then sided them in place. The doors work perfectly. I took my total inside dimension between walls, made sure the opening was square, and then divided that by two to get the width of each door. I then took another 1/4" off that, so each door had an additional 1/8" gap, it worked perfectly. When I set the doors, I put them on a piece of roofing closed as I screwed in the hinges, and then opened them and removed the roofing. I opted to run the door siding horizontal to use up a bunch of waste wood. I'm happy with the outcome. I also found some 6" self starting lag bolts and lagged through the back of the shed into studs (through the siding) into the garage behind it.

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

Workbench modified with casters

Submitted by ogie287 on Tue, 04/02/2019 - 20:06

I love this workbench! I added casters so I can move it around the garage, outside, wherever it's needed. I just took 4 inches off the bottom of the legs. My hubby is admiring my handy work and planning on making one for himself.

Estimated Cost
$130
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
None
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

JBeecher

Wed, 01/25/2023 - 14:31

Love this with the casters! So beautiful. I'm new here and wondering at what point you took 4 inches off the legs. Did you build the table and then just cut off the legs? Or did you adjust the measurements of the cuts? Thanks in advance! :)

JimCoz516

Mon, 01/30/2023 - 02:32

The overall height of a 4-inch caster wheel is a little over 5 inches with the mounting bracket, so that also needs to be taken in to consideration. 2nd photo shows the overall dimensions, but to me the bracket and brake area appear to be a bit more than 1.03 inches. https://amzn.to/3DkMKzB
I think the best bet would be to have and measure the overall wheel height, prior to measuring and cutting the lumber.

The Gíaffe TV Stand

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 02/06/2020 - 09:55

The Gíaffe Free Standing TV Mount. Handcrafted and engineered to use its center mass to deliver strength and balance for tv sizes 30-60". Display your television without detracting from your home's decor. The Gíaffe Free Standing TV Mount is the perfect solution and its rich finish will be perfect for any house/office room.

Estimated Cost
$109
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Stain - Dark Walnut - Varathane - 2 Coats
Finish - Water Based Polyurethane - Varathane - 3 Coats
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Book or Magazine Ladder Shelf

I made a more narrow version of this bookshelf. I needed a place for the thicker books to go, so I left the top shelf open. This bookshelf has made it so simple for the boys to clean up after reading. Even my four year old knows to put his books back!!! YESSSSS!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Special Walnut
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Toddler Helper Tower

Submitted by rcornish4 on Mon, 05/25/2020 - 08:04

Great plan and instructions! My daughter loves it!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$50
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Gray latex paint with satin finish poly
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Better Than I Hoped!

Been working from home for the past two months due to the health crisis. To stop from going crazy from being at home with my wife and four kids, I decided up pick up a hobby - here's where my homie Ana enters! I didn't want the sectional for my patio, but certainly the couch, chairs and table. The only mistakes had were my own (using wood putty, not sanding it well), but the plans were spot on. The only real issue I ran into was the cedar wood I used wasn't 1.5 x 3.5, but 1.75 x 3.5. This caused me to make additional cuts were I otherwise would not have needed it. Other than that, just remember to make the longest cuts first... I ended up needing to buy about five additional boards because it.

Estimated Cost
$350 (I used cedar, which is much more expensive)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Spar Urethane, clear
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
Seasonal And Holiday

Wranglerstar Greenhouse

Thank you Ana for the excellent plans. We have been talking about this for months and are excited finally have a greenhouse. We live in the mountains and this will help extend our growing season. Please tell Ram thank you from the Wranglerlerstar family.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$750
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
stain
Recommended Skill Level
Advanced

Comments

jnow8687

Sat, 08/31/2019 - 12:34

Did you extend the base height? I want a greenhouse to enclose trees that do not do well in the winter and I think I would like to raise the base height a foot or so.

Adirondack chair from Pallets

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 03/24/2017 - 19:42

I decided to try and use the plans on Ana's site but with a twist. I wanted to limit myself to using only pallets. I think it turned out great! I can't upload all the photos because they exceed the maximum size limit. If I was able to you could see how each chair is slightly different and has a lot of character. I finished them with a waterproofing oil which I highly recommend over other finishes. 

Estimated Cost
$10 for screws.
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Cabot oil
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Jeep Bed

Submitted by papamike on Mon, 07/05/2021 - 17:15

I hope this is OK to add here. It's not an Ana White plan, so moderator please delete if it is not allowed. I made this bed for my grandson. I bought a plan online and modified it from a twin to a full size bed. The dome light and running lights work as night lights. A motion sensor light activates if he crosses the door to illuminate the ladder. Front tire is made as a step so his parents can climb in and read to him. The whole thing is on EZ Sliders so they can move it away from the wall to make the bed.

Estimated Cost
$150.00
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Latex paint.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

French Cleat Sanding Station

Estimated Cost
Free! I used scraps to make this.
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Modified Miter Saw Cart

Submitted by DavidH on Fri, 01/19/2018 - 20:56

I started with the basic plans and dimensions, then made it my own from there. I added a center shelf, used regular (cheap) hinges and a removable brace instead of the shelf brackets, with stop blocks on the brace cleats to help easily center them. Added 2x4s on the sides to mount the hinges and let the wings fall flush, 2x4s on the bottom to mount 4” casters, 1/4” plywood backing, and 1x3 trim on the front for aesthetics and as a lip to hold items in place. The backing completely covers the lower shelf, and I left a gap to run cables through in the upper shelf backing. Velcro strips on the back hold the wing braces when they’re not in use.  Even though it’s plywood, I sanded everything thoroughly to reduce splinters and snags. 

 

 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$100-$125
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Unfinished
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

nzmitchell11

Sat, 02/03/2018 - 08:22

Hi there. I’m planning to use Ana White’s plan to build this miter saw cart but I like some of your alterations like with adding the 2x4s to allow the leaves to fall flush and the 2x4s at the bottom to attach the casters. How did you attach the casters? I have ones similar to yours- plate casters with 4 holes. Did you use bolts or screws? 

Curved Bench

Submitted by stevez8420 on Sat, 08/08/2015 - 13:41

I followed your idea but i think my bench is a touch smaller. I decided to add arm rests on each end, I kept the top beverage ledge or "Bever-ledge" as I call it and ofcourse I added rope lighting along the underside. This was my first ever DIY project.

Estimated Cost
150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
I used a Cedar Tone semi-transparent finish which turned out a little more orange than i though but it still looks good!
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate