Community Brag Posts

Adirondack chairs for the family

Submitted by ddaavviidd on Sun, 08/14/2011 - 11:34

I've always wanted Adirondack chairs but found them way too expensive to buy. I found Ana's plan a while ago and promised myself I'd make one this summer. Well I enjoyed it so much I did three of them!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
CAD$50
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Since I used mostly spruce (which was much cheaper) I needed to sand all parts that made contact when you sit (seat, back, armrests for the kid's chair). The first chair (to the right in the featured picture) is exactly like the one in Ana's plan. I sanded and painted it after it was built. The other big one was slightly modified: I made the arms and the back longer so that it is more inclined and I cut the top portion in a round shape with a jigsaw. I also made the armrests larger (6") and longer and also gave them a rounded end. I used cedar-colored protective stain, two layers. The kid's chair's armrests are also larger (4") and longer and have the same rounded end. I plan on getting cushions for them during the Fall promotions. All I have left to do is a small table and a second kid's chair for the new baby that's arriving soon!
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Miasmom (not verified)

Mon, 08/15/2011 - 08:31

Those are awesome! All you need to make now is a doll adirondak chair and you've got a complete set of Ana White Adirondack chairs! ;)

Farmhouse table

Submitted by samiy on Sat, 09/07/2013 - 11:21

Norwegian version.

Wood sizes in millimeters:
Can be bought from Byggmax, Monter or Coop Obs bygg for example.
36x48mm
48x98mm
48x148mm

Lessons learned: Dont buy cheap tools and make sure the wood is straight.

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Custom mixed stain (beis fra Fargerike) and bee wax
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Camp Loft Bed with Stair Junior Height

Submitted by CKarnas on Mon, 11/09/2015 - 04:22

My husband built this bed for our 4 year old son and let me say its just perfect! His room is on the smaller side and this made a huge difference for him to have more play room. When my son seen it his eyes filled up with tears he was so excited! My husband built this bed on a Sunday afternoon. He torched the wood along the grain, and then over a period of a week added clear (he used 3 coats as the wood just soaked it up pretty good ). Highly reccomend this project!

Estimated Cost
around $150
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
My husband torched the wood along the grain and then 3 coats of clear
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Fireplace mantel

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 12/31/2018 - 12:44

I took inspiration from Ana’s faux mantel to build a home for this linear electric fireplace. I got it done just in time to hang Christmas stockings.

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Behr Alkyd semigloss enamel in white
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
Seasonal And Holiday

my new sofa

I built my new sofa!
I am so happy how it turned out. I had to translate all the instuctions in french, and modify the dimensions to adapt them to the lumbers I found in my country (France)
I had to change inches in centimeters too.
It was just a little difficult but I built it!!!
Thank you so much Ana, I am one of your fan.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
150 euros
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
ebony gloss paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

alamanda973

Wed, 08/17/2011 - 08:35

I did not find Kreg Jig, but I found another "mark" who proposes the same system.It is less good than Ana's Kreg Jig, but I had no choice. In any case, that works. Thank you for your comments and sorry for my bad English.

Catherine Lake (not verified)

Fri, 07/27/2012 - 06:44

Did you use a mattress for your cushion? Did the plan fit that for you, or did you have to modify?

Catherine Lake (not verified)

Fri, 07/27/2012 - 06:45

Did the plan fit the mattress exactly or did you have to modify it?

alamanda973

Fri, 07/27/2012 - 17:30

I don't know the size of a twin mattress but my pillow measures 180cm of length and 60 cm deep for a thickness of 14cm. I bought a foam mattress of 90cm of wide and of 190cm of length and I cut it. They are the size of a child bed in France.The size of wood are different here thus the sofa has no same dimensions as on Ana's plans. I adjusted according to the wood available here.

Modified Shed - Door on short side

Submitted by aalim on Tue, 09/10/2013 - 07:00

I had very little clearance on the long side of the shed, so I opted to put the door on the short side. Thanks for the plan, it was a great starting point for my project.

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

Comments

Slat Coffee Table with Incorporated Book Shelves

Submitted by P76 on Sat, 11/14/2015 - 16:02

First time I designed a piece of furniture.  Made out of pine.  Slat top and bottom with book shelves on both ends.  Joints held with glue and pocket screws.  Minwax pre-stain conditioner.  Two coats of Minwax Provincial stain.  Three coats of polyurethane.  

Estimated Cost
$175
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

elizadim

Sat, 01/14/2017 - 08:58

I really want to make this table! It's simple, yet very functuional and exactly what I need! Please help me with some plans or some instructions. It is the first piece of furniture I will try to make on my own :)))

Sliding door bar

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 01/02/2019 - 13:30

I used the plans from the website and added a few extra features that we really wanted .we made the tracks for the sliding doors ourselves and got all the hardware for really cheap. Also, added leds on upper/lower shelving to give to a really cool look at night. All in all, we didn't spend more than $350-$400 on this awesome piece. 

Estimated Cost
$200-$300 and about $350-$400 with some added features
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Clear stain for top and white paint for everything else
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Small Chicken Coop with Planter, Hurricane Edition

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 09/29/2022 - 15:55

Englewood, FL, Irma. This coop built to plan using pressure treated plywood. 40’ pine tree on it, still useable. Not sure there’s any real damage!

Comments

Rustic Bench

Submitted by spiceylg on Sun, 08/21/2011 - 12:10

My hubby and I built this for a fundraiser. A few challenges along the way, but lessons learned for future projects!

Estimated Cost
$15 for wood, plus primer, paint and stain
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
I'm sorry I don't have the exact names/brands of the finishes. First step was using a wood conditioner, thanx to everybody else's recommendations. The base is painted with a black satin shade from Valspar, finished with one coat of polyurethane. The top stain is named Cherrywood, not sure of what brand and finished up with three coats of polyurethane.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

mattmasulis

Tue, 11/26/2013 - 21:52

I absolutely love this. I never even noticed it on the site before looking through your brags. Love it!

King farmhouse bed

Built this for a customer of mine. Love this bed, it's our current personal frame also. Paint is behr ultra white. Ty @ana for the plans

Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Behr ultra white eggshell
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Tryde media console and modified plans for matching stand

Submitted by StevenRLaw on Wed, 11/18/2015 - 13:27

Built the console (without the hutch) and my wife wanted another one a little diffrent for the other wall so I modified the plans a bit and made the second one. this was our first "distressed" paint job. I think it turned out great!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$100 for both including paint.
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Sliding Door Console

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 01/06/2019 - 07:16

My husband built this as my Christmas gift. It couldn’t have turned out any better. We shortened it to 75 inches and added a butcher block top to match the floating shelves and island in my kitchen. The plans were very easy to follow. We did have to spend quite a bit of time planning out the barn door track, but it was worth it.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$600
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Modern Outdoor Chair from 2x4s and 2x6s

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 10/09/2022 - 10:11

My second project turned out nice. I built one chair to see if it was nice. Now I’m going to build a second used behr semi transparent chocolate stain. Cushions are temporary until we can find some that fit.

Comments

Furring strips for a headboard

I loved that I used strapping, or furring strips, for this bead. The topper wood is a 2X4, but every other 8" piece of wood cost between $1.25 and $1.99 each. Yeah! Of course, for that price, you have to know you will be sanding the heck out of it. We had a metal frame for this bed but I wanted a headboard. Because it was going against a wall with a 45 degree angle, I had to make it a lot shorter than I wanted. I made it just tall enough so both pillows, when stacked on top of each other, did not fall off the back. I just love it.

Estimated Cost
$25
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
I think I used Minwax Ebony stain. Just one coat was enough as I wanted the wood grains to come through. Then I finished it off with my favorite closer, the Finishing Paste. One swipe and it feels great.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

GUEST (not verified)

Fri, 04/13/2012 - 15:33

I am intrigued by this finishing paste you speak of. Could you tell me more?

debandtom25

Wed, 04/25/2012 - 14:53

I'm not at home right now, but I think it was minwax finishing wax. I love using wax on mt pieces.

claydowling

Wed, 04/25/2012 - 17:51

If you can't find the minwax that debandtom25 used, you can also get a nice paste wax from Johnson Wax. I know that's what's on my finishing shelf, and like deb, I love it.

I loved building this kitchen!

Although I know the original idea for this plan was to save space, I ended up building a bigger version. I loved the design and overall look but wanted something with more counter space. My husband does property maintenance, and is always coming home with scraps of wood he salvaged from work. I dug through his wood pile for 90% of the wood I used on this project. I repurposed most of the accessories and bought the rest (including the hardware) from the dollar store. I spent a total of $38 on the entire project! I absolutely love how it turned out and can't wait to see the look on my daughters face on her birthday!

Estimated Cost
$150
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
I listed the price at $150 because wood is expensive when buying from the hardware store, but instead of purchasing the wood, I used scraps from my husbands job. I made a few variations from the original plans. First, I extended the counter by a foot and built an additional cabinet/ counter area using the same compartment measurements as the original plans. I left an 8" overhang of counter space on the additional cabinet section and rounded it off just like the original plans had. I left the lower back corner completely open and bracketed the two pieces together from underneath. instead of using plywood for the backing, I chose to use a very sturdy particle board. I sewed the curtains by hand from an old table cloth, and used rubber cabinet liner from the dollar store attached with wood glue for the wallpaper. I found all of the red accessories at the dollar store for less than $8. I used an old bathroom faucet and an 8x8 cake pan for the sink.
Paint: colorplace interior semi gloss Tropic Banana
Countertops: a blonde, natural stain #209.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Pam the Goatherd

Mon, 09/16/2013 - 15:40

Adorable! The additions are great. Makes me wish I was a little girl again so my Dad could build one for me. I guess I'll just have to be happy with building one for a future grandchild of my own.

My First Big Project

Submitted by avandehei on Sun, 11/22/2015 - 09:38

I kind of took this project to the next level.  I have never built anything like this before, some shelves and minor wood working projects but I wanted this piece to be really special for my wife who requested I make this for our family room.  I made it out of solid poplar and used birch plywood for the sides.  I decided to dovetail the drawers and recess the drawer bottoms.  The entire frame was assembled using biscuits, dowels and glue rather than screws or nails and it took me 6 weeks to complete but I didn't work on it daily.  The project cost me about $450 in materials but it was worth it.  

I wish I had used joined wood for the sides rather than plywood because it did not take stain well (blotchy).  I upgraded the drawer slides to side mounted ball bearing made by Amerock that I got on Amazon for a great price.  The stain was custom mixed from two standard Minwax stain colors I used oil based semi-gloss on the top and water-based semi-gloss on the remainder.  I had some experience with doweling and biscuits but had never dovetailed before.  I purchased the Porter-Cable 4212 kit and opted for the through dovetails for added strength.  The drawers barely needed glue, and it was very easy to use!   I mounted the top using figure 8 fasteners which was another first for me but I highly recommend them.  The hardware I found on Amazon at very reasonable prices compared to big box stores but couldn’t find a silver colored label holder so I purchased brass and used Rust-Oleum Flat Antique Nickle to get them to match the pulls. 

I am a beginner at this but feel that this was a great project there was only one error in the list of materials to cut but other users have already identified that.  I anyone has questions on this project I will be happy to help! 

Estimated Cost
$450
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax Ebony & Classic Gray Stain & Semi-Gloss Polyurethane
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Cabin Bed for Daughters room

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 01/10/2019 - 01:12

We built our daughter a cabin bed from the Ana White websit.   Plans were for a twin size mattress and we converted the width to accomodate a full size mattress.  After completing the Cabin bed and installing the full size mattress is when we discovered that the plans have an error in the length of the the cabin bed.  Plans call for 71 inches in length when 75 inch lengths are what all mattresses come in unless you are getting an oversize one which measures 80 inches in length.  The good thing is we purchased a 9 inch memory foam mattress which compressed enough in lenght to fit. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$400
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Barnwood stain and white wash stain sealed with minwax water based poly
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Raised flower planter beds

Submitted by stcarroll on Fri, 08/26/2011 - 10:36

We bought a house with a death trap for a back step. Until we get to re-doing the entire back patio area I needed a temporary solution to keeping the kids from toddling off the back 'ledge'. I modified Ana's plans to make a nice border around the step so kids can't fall off when they are coming and going from the backyard. We had left over cedar fence slats from when we did our fence last spring...PERFECT and FREE!!!!!

Estimated Cost
Free!!!!
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Sandie

Fri, 08/26/2011 - 14:56

This is a really good idea - much better than spending $ on a banister or rail that you will need to remove later! Good parenting, too!

Simple Pot Rack and Spice Shelf

This was a very simple pot rack and spice shelf using 1x3 for the pot rack and 1x4 for the spice shelf.

Spice Shelf is 7ft and the most complicate part was cutting the uprights for the large baseboards in our house. I used a profile gauge but this wasn't quite enough. Eventually I did some sanding on the spot to get the best fit. Having gained my addiction from Ana for Kreg Jigs the shelves and mounting pieces were added with pocket hole screws. By placing the screws on top or on the bottom I was able to avoid the necessity of plugging holes. Shelf spacing is completely custom for our needs and the large bottom portion will receive a cross brace in the front to hold in our shopping bags. Butterfly bolts were used to mount the shelving through the lathe and plaster walls.

The pot rack is simply a 1x3 ladder where I used a 1x3 for the spacing between the rungs. Large bottom to hold pot lids. Hooks were hand bent using a jig to ensure they were all the same. Mounted to the old brick chimney in the kitchen using TapCons.

Both items were finished in MinWax Mahogany and had one coat of of poly to keep the rustic feel.

Length of project depends on drying times.

Any questions please let me know!

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax stain and Poly
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

benjaminrogers

Thu, 09/19/2013 - 08:41

Pam, compared to what we had it's amazing. A 1920's home just doesn't have a lot of storage in the kitchen!!

Ben