Community Brag Posts

Rustic Console Table

Submitted by RoxyRogue on Sat, 11/03/2012 - 13:11

I wanted something large to store my sewing fabrics and materials in a pretty and open way! Then I found the Rustic X Console from Ana-White and knew it was perfect. the dimensions were bang on an the open shelving allowed for very accessible, visible storage option.

I made it in a weekend and used the Jacobean Minwax stain. Only spent about $60 in lumber. Oh and I didn't end up doing the "X" on the side. My compound miter saw won't do a 60 degree angle and my manual attempts were not working :) Doesn't need it, though, its gorgeous without.

I just love how it came out! Thank you Ana!

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

Adirondack Chair

Submitted by JD-LIN on Wed, 08/20/2014 - 11:14

This was my very first build by myself (besides cedar plank planters). I made this for my boyfriends daughter so she could have her own personalized chair to sit by the fire pit. I actually used the plans from Ana's Handbuilt Home book.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
32.00
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Olympic Paint in Florentine Pink
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

JD-LIN

Thu, 08/21/2014 - 08:38

I wouldn't mind at all. I just made a stencil out of an 8.5x11 piece of paper. The hardest part was hand painting it in. Brought back memories of coloring!

Modern wood dresser

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 12/08/2016 - 08:07

We didn't paint it, but I think it turned out well. We followed the plan almost exactly and it came out great!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Adirondack Chairs

Submitted by jdurham74 on Thu, 08/20/2020 - 07:49

This was built for my wife's 50th birthday. We are going to add another single and side table to allow seating for 4, and I will probably do like a fire pit or something.

Estimated Cost
$111.00
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Torch
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Side Street Bunk Beds (with modified ladder)

After building the playhouse loft bed, I found this project to be very easy. I built the bunk beds at 37/38 weeks pregnant, so that should tell you how simple it is to construct. The total cost came in under $300 and I was able to use some of the scrap wood I already had in my garage.

I did run into some trouble with the slanted ladder. Even though the pieces were cut to the exact measurements in the plan, the sides of the ladder were too short for the bed. Being very pregnant and impatient, I just modified the ladder so I wouldn't have to waste the pieces I'd already cut.

You may also notice that I didn't fill and sand my pocket holes on the end pieces yet. That was also me being very pregnant and impatient. I'll go back and do that later when I have more time. Despite the little bit of finishing work remaining, this was pretty much a 2-day project. Cutting and construction was fast (one day) and finishing took another full day.

I used Valspar "Blue Burst" paint from Lowe's to finish the bed. I used bolts to attach the side rails because we move frequently so I wanted the bed to be easy to disassemble. Overall, this was a very easy and fun project!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Just under $300
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Valspar "Blue Burst" interior paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

vpihoney

Sun, 11/11/2012 - 21:37

Love how you whipped this together! I stumbled upon your post as I started working on these bunk bed plans today (I can't read the dimensions on the diagrams from a printout, so i open up the plans on the iPad). I had to finish up the ladder and side rail today. I was stumped yesterday evening with the same ladder issue. Why was it coming up short? It was really annoying considering it took me a while to figure out a 60 degree angle on my miter. I decided to try changing my ladder angles to 22.5 and 67.5, as I still wanted a leaning ladder, but I thought a reduced angle would work better. Didn't have to scrap my boards either, whew. Love how quickly you put this together! Coincidentally, I'm 33 weeks pregnant, but moving terribly slow compared to you.

purpleheather79

Mon, 11/19/2012 - 07:25

I'm glad I'm not the only one with the ladder issue! I couldn't figure out what went wrong. I also tried to adjust the angle but my boards were just a tiny bit too short and I was not wanting to run to the store to get more. I do like the leaning ladder better though. Can I just say that I love that you're building this bed while pregnant too? That's awesome! :)

Jordan's Rustic X End Tables

Submitted by jcrist30 on Sun, 08/24/2014 - 06:04

After building the iTable coffee table, I decided the move on to building some end tables. I do wish I had modified the plan so that they weren't quite so wide, but I absolutely love them . I used Hillary's oxidized finish with the steel wool/vinegar solution about 4 days old, and I brewed 12 bags to 32 oz. of water for the black tea.

I just finished off the tables with Minwax Finishing Paste Wax, as it's a little bit more readily available than the items Hillary used. The wax really warmed the wood up; I was debated mixing in some Minwax Wood Stain with the wax because the raw oxidized finish was so gray, but just the clear wax did what I was looking for.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$125
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Hillary's oxidizing solution followed by Minwax Finishing Paste Wax in Clear
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

For my grandson's 2nd bday to match his new race car bed

I built this for my grandson for his 2nd birthday to go along with the new race car bed that he got.  I left off the pump handle and hose as a safety precaution since he is only 2 and a handful.  This was definitely the gift that everyone was talking about!  I love your plans Ana...keep 'em coming!!!

Estimated Cost
$120
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Kilz Primer - followed by Rust-oleum Painter's Touch Apple Red, Rust-oleum Semi-Gloss Black, and Rust-oleum Semi-Gloss White - the lettering was printed out and traced with carbon paper underneath and then filled in with Elmer's Paint Markers in White and Black
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Workbench

Submitted by MaryL220 on Mon, 08/24/2020 - 21:20

I needed a legit workbench and I had a bunch of wood to use up. I got a bunch of 1x8x6s from my local hardware store's scrap pile. There's a reason they were free... But I couldn't just toss them. I used all scrap, from the hardware store, my garage, and my brother-in-law's farm, except 3 2x4s that I bought new.

For this workbench, I used slats on the top and the bottom shelf. The frame is 2x4s. I had some idea I could use the space in between the slats to cut wood, but after adding 2in casters, it appears it might be a bit too tall. Even still, the spaces in between the slats make for excellent clamp storage.

And now I finally have a legit, mobile workbench to keep all my chaos somewhat contained.

Estimated Cost
$50-75
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
None. I sanded the whole thing down to reduce the splinters but didn't feel that my workbench needed anything else.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Apothecary Console

Submitted by bunni on Fri, 11/09/2012 - 16:19

Overall this took about two weeks for me to build and finish. We modified the original plans to make it larger to accommodate a computer. It is 76" long, 30" tall, and 22" deep. We also had to customize it so we could fit it around our fireplace because space is limited in our house.

Estimated Cost
$300
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Painted Section: Behr Premium Plus color Sagey, distressed edges then used Rustoleum Decorative Glaze Java Brown, three coats of Polycrylic in satin
Stained Section: Minwax Dark Walnut Stain, three coats Polycrylic in semi gloss
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Key holder

Submitted by naomi on Fri, 08/29/2014 - 07:00

This creation was made using scrap wood, hooks I got from Bunnings and some blackboard paint. Apparently now Brodie doesn't know where the keys are. This was based on Ana White's Craftsman Frame Plan.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Teak Stain and Blackboard paint
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Dollhouse

Submitted by boughtasaw on Thu, 12/15/2016 - 11:42

I am not sure what happened first time I posted this as it was posted as Guest (sorry). Anyway....

When my daughter was born I promised that I would make her a dollhouse. A few weeks ago I found these plans, and absolutely loved the visual layout of the rooms. I stuck with this layout and tweeked the dimensions according to what worked best for the space it would proudly sit in. It is 46 inches high and 31 inches wide at the walls, and is made from 12 inch wide MDF which I primed with a latex primer and then finished off with a semi-gloss white on the majority of the walls. I also mixed the colors for the roof and also the 3 accent walls to give it an extra wee shot of color. 
I was very, very happy with the end result, and having caught what I now know as the "dollhouse bug" I thought "what about if I added a chimney ?". So I added it. I then though what about adding a roof ridge and gable to the roof. The house looked even better. Progressing onto full-blown "dollhouse-flu",  I then decided to make a chair for what would later be the living room. That was it, fully addicted now I couldn't stop and found myself obsessively planning, designing, messing up, re-designing, cutting, building and painting until I reached the point where last night I attended my first "DA" meeting. 
I found Dollhouse Annonymous very helpful and although not cured, I realise that it is perfectly acceptable for a 44 year old Scotsman to build a dollhouse for the daughter (naughty 2 1/2 year old daughter) that is the love of his life. If she is happy when she unwraps it on Christmas morning, then all of the work shall be worth it. 
This site is top of my bookmark list and I love it. !

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$90
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Wall Attached Storage Shelves

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 08/29/2020 - 18:21

We just moved onto a new house with ample unused space I. The unfinished part of the basement so I decided to make a 12’ wall of storage shelves, altering Ana’s plans just a little bit. I did two 24” tall shelves on bottom and two 18” y’all shelves up top. It was a fun project and I got to use my Kreg HD Jig for the first time! These shelves are SOLID!

Estimated Cost
$150
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Outdoor bistro table and tall backed stools

I build the bar table with an x-base and created some stools using part of the plan. We really wanted backs on the stools so I made them up!

Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Primed and painted white, sealed against the weather.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

spiceylg

Tue, 11/13/2012 - 05:39

That build came out really nice, but the scenic background, wow!!!!

Jake

Wed, 11/14/2012 - 18:16

Hard to believe that you are a beginner. Fantastic work. Keep it up and the whole home will be furnished.

dallynd

Sat, 04/13/2013 - 13:47

I'd love some information on the backs. My husband has a bad back and it's a necessity, but I'm a beginner and not sure how you did it/

Tilt out bin

Submitted by naomi on Sun, 08/31/2014 - 07:48

I love this bin so much I built a large one and a small one. The small one is for the bathroom. The large on is for the kitchen. This is actually a rather easy build. I used mdf. I grooved the front panel on the large bin to add character. This was built from Ana White's Wood Tilt Out Trash or Recycling Cabinet Plan.

Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
White enamel paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Niewenhuis

Thu, 09/11/2014 - 10:17

Can you give me a few more details about your grooved front panel...

did you just run the panel thru a table saw?

naomi

Fri, 09/12/2014 - 01:44

I don't actually own a table saw.

I just used my router and set the depth so that only part of the bit touched the mdf.

It was just a matter of testing it until I found the right depth.

Hope this helps. :)

shelbyannec21

Tue, 01/24/2017 - 16:03

I know its been awhile, however the one you have both normal trash and a recycle bin in.. is that the same dimensions as the ana-white build for a single? 

I assume the trash cans are just flipped side ways to hold 2 instead of 1?

looks great, thank you!

Doll Farmhouse Bed

Submitted by rpd on Sun, 12/18/2016 - 23:57

Made for my grand daughter.  It was too cold in the shop to use carpenters glue, so I used medium thick, gap filling CA (cyanoacrylate)glue, and brad nails instead of screws.

 

Estimated Cost
$10.00
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Watco Golden Oak
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

modified X

Submitted by colsen on Sat, 11/17/2012 - 10:08

This is my very first project. Never used a saw before until a few weeks ago. I am really happy with the way it turned out.

I shortened the plan and modified the second shelf. I was planning on an "X" brace for both sides but got carried away and realized it wasn't going to work on the one side. I like the end result and don't mind that its missing.

I would have finished it sooner but was a bit intimidated by the angled cuts. My miter saw only cuts 45.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$75
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Iron acetate, however I applied the stain backwards. I put the tea on last instead of first. Then 3 coats of polyurethane.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

JoanneS

Mon, 11/26/2012 - 18:17

Wow you did an awesome job on this! Congrats! Looks very professional. The modified second shelf is a great touch, I think it looks perfect without an X on that side. BTW love the shells and captain's wheel too. :)

Balin Console Table

Second Ana White build!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$150-$175
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Console was painted Antique White and covered with Asphaltum glaze.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

kristyzed

Mon, 08/08/2016 - 16:16

You did a lovely job on this, I think it's my favourite of all of them.  Where did you find those knobs?  Is there a special technique you used for painting and glazing?  It looks like it might not be even everywhere but have a more random pattern to it.

Farmhouse Table and Benches

Submitted by Darrin Dee on Fri, 12/23/2016 - 11:09

I built this table for my wife for Christmas.

Estimated Cost
Less than $150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Rust-oleum Weathered Gray stain for the tops.
Rust-oleum Antique White for the rest.
Rust-oleum Triple Thick Polyurethane in clear satin
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Outdoor Storage Bin

I used Ana Whites plan and modified to fit my our space and outdoor pillows.

Estimated Cost
50
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Gunstock 231
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments