Community Brag Posts

Baby Cradle

Made this from typical dimensions of other cradle plans online and designed it off the cuff. Years ago, my dad made a cradle for me. I thought this would be a fun project to make for friends and family for their new little bundles of joy. The bottom is braced with the idea that older children will probably be playing in it. It was tested up to 65 lbs. All for approximately $60 with the mattress. Hopefully the recipients like it as much as we enjoyed building it. 

Estimated Cost
$60
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Varathane Light Walnut
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Twin Platform Bed with Hairpin Legs

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 10/04/2021 - 17:40

I used untreated 2” x 6” boards, mitered the corners and stained with Minwax Early American.
The 14” golden hairpin legs are from Amazon however, after I built the bed, I realized the mattress on the trundle was getting caught on the angles of the legs so I’ve ordered straight legs as replacements. It should take care of the issue. Lesson learned! 🤣 Overall, I built it myself, it’s very sturdy and she loves it! Thanks Anna for the plans!!!

Comments

Rustic Burned table

Submitted by Malka on Wed, 09/13/2017 - 00:59

Used the plans for the Rustic X coffee table as a starting point. Left out the X's as they don't appeal to me. Took a butane torch and burned the base and tabletop before staining, and stained the table in alternating stains to give it a really unique appearance. Stains used were Rustoleum Summer Oak, and Minwax Early American, finished with Minwax Semigloss Poly.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$85
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Rustoleum Summer Oak, Minwax Early American, Minwax Fastdry Poly
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Bike Storage

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

I live in a smaller rental with limited garage space, so I needed a place for my kids bikes. This is what I came up with. It required minimal screw holes in the treated fence posts and I attached a rail system(rubbermaid fasttrak) for the bikes to hang from. I used Ana's easy shelves plan for the upright supports and then just added some corrugated roofing and cedar fence pickets (which I had on hand) to finish off the top.

Dining Room Buffet Cabinet

Submitted by kdins31 on Sat, 08/13/2011 - 11:26

I scoured the web unsuccessfully for months trying to find a cabinet big enough to store everything we needed to store. I wanted something huge and bright and simple, and so I decided to just build away. It's 8'4" long, 18" deep and 36" tall. Topped with a slab of Giallo Napoleon granite and painted a nice plain white. Took me only a few nights to build and paint, thanks to my power nailer and power paint sprayer. Thanks to a great deal on a remnant granite slab, this was just about $400 total start to finish. I winged the entire plan and didn't really use any plans in particular, though I have gathered many great ideas and tips from this site.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$450-500
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Satin white, nothing special!
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

shanestric

Sat, 08/13/2011 - 14:51

Wow - looks great! You would think it was done by a pro! You should be very proud of your finished product.

Kitchen Helper

Submitted by 67GTOenvy on Fri, 08/19/2011 - 10:12

The kitchen helper tower was a fast and easy build, the modification of 16 hinges to allow the tower to fold flat was actually the most time consuming part of the build. I added clear skateboard grip tape to the platform floor. I found the hinges and griptape on ebay and most of the wood was scrap leftover from other projects.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$45
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
"Classic Red" spray paint & spray laquer for the tower frame, I stamped flowers & bugs on the platform under the griptape & clear laquered the bare sides & underside.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

Guest (not verified)

Mon, 02/27/2012 - 08:52

First off, your website is awesome and I love how you give such great directions. However, on everything I pull up all this information is on it. On this one it is not, can you help me? I really want to build this for my daughter.

Thanks so much.

Stacey

Amy Patterson

Mon, 11/30/2015 - 16:48

How did you build it so it can be folded up?.  Would you explain it or post a picture?

Laundry Room Cabinets

We are getting ready to list our house and the laundry room was the last room in the house that hadn't been renovated. I used the momplex cabinets as an inspiration and made a 6 cubby cabinet, small cabinet with drawer and door, laundry pedestal, and sink cabinet. The cabinets are made of MDF and face with pine and pine doors. The countertop is made of 2x6's.

Estimated Cost
$300
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
I sprayed the cabinets using a graco truespray with a high gloss white paint
The countertop was stained with Minwax Jacobean
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Mud Room Closet Organizer

Submitted by mmadden20 on Tue, 10/01/2019 - 18:41

Combined the Extra Wide Shoe Bench and the Braden Entryway Hutch plans and added some customization to make the perfect mud room closet organizer! I modified the measurements to fit the width of the inside of the closet. Each kid has a ‘locker’ with hooks, a storage cubbie above and hidden storage below. The bottom of each locker has a removable lid that hides winter boots or off season gear behind the shoe shelf. So nice to have out of sight storage for items we only need for part of the year! 

Estimated Cost
$350
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Paint (Dover White) and stain (Minwax Dark Walnut)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Sewing & Craft Table

Using Ana's plan for a simple sewing table, I modified it to meet the needs of my daughter.

I only used 1 wing instead of two and made a brace that folds away under the leaf. On second thought I added a safety leg and foot to keep the table from tipping when the sewing machine is on top of the leaf.

I trimmed out everything but the leaf with 1 x 2 pine.

The top (with leaf raised) is 31 x 46 inches of work space. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$130
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
White satin paint ( 1 1/2 quarts) applied with a roller and a sprayer
Water based polyurethane on the top only, applied with a brush.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Deck Gate

Submitted by mweir on Tue, 06/26/2012 - 19:37

With grandchildren and pets we decided to put a gate on the deck.

The gate is made from 2 X 4's and 2 x 2's. I used brass hinges to prevent rust and smooth operation

Estimated Cost
$15.00
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
we will finish the gate when the deck is stained
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Organizer

Submitted by Taa-daa on Thu, 09/29/2016 - 21:41

It's a little twist on Ana's Coat organizer. Turned out really useful and did not cost me anything since I ussed scrap wood. I wish I would build have built one for coats as well.

Estimated Cost
0
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Walnut stain plus clear coat
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Kid's storage table and benches

Submitted by spiceylg on Wed, 10/24/2012 - 10:08

We built three of these for a women and children's shelter. We had friends help us with various aspects of the project. The colors are definitely more vibrant in person. Table tops are painted with chalkboard paint. Because we built three, it took three weeks with some down time here and there. Haven't sat down and figured cost but I know other bragposts have included them if you are curious.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Gray primer, Olympic 2 in 1 paint (still needed primer!) and Valspar Chalkboard paint for table top. All topped off with three coats of Polyurethane.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Guest ma crazy (not verified)

Wed, 10/24/2012 - 20:49

This is beauitful I love the colors! The children are going to love them too! Keep doing God's work!

yurra-bazain

Mon, 02/25/2013 - 20:57

It is amazing that you built these for a women and children's shelter. You are truly using your talents for good. :) Thank you for the inspiration.

MrsPowers

Fri, 06/28/2013 - 22:27

Hi! I absolutely love the colors you used (and the chalkboard paint is pretty awesome as well). I did have a question. I saw your question about the type of material to keep costs down. The 1 in material in my town is way more expensive than 3/4 in quality Purebond plywood. Do you think the plywood would hold up? This would be much more cost effective and leave some change to do a couple of extra small projects. Thank you in advance for your help!

spiceylg

Tue, 07/23/2013 - 05:12

MrsPowers, I am just now seeing your comment, my apologies! I don't see why the plywood wouldn't hold up, but unfortunately, I am not the one to ask. I am still quite the novice! I had asked about material for the top because I originally didn't want to buy the pre-made round tops. However, time got away from us, so we ended up just biting the bullet and buying them after all. If you are on Facebook, you will probably get a question answered quicker there. Ana's wall name on Facebook is Knockoff Wood. Best wishes on your future projects and sorry I couldn't be of more help!

Cutting Table for Sewing room

Submitted by tjbr100 on Mon, 09/07/2020 - 22:06

Jennifer wanted a cutting table for her sewing room and so I took Ana-White's Sewing Table plans and made them taller into a cutting table. We aimed for 36" (Standard Counter-Top Height), but ended up at 36 19/64" due to the casters not being exactly two inches. Jennifer's a little short so I was really worried about the extra 19/64" (but don't tell her I said that :)

We decided to use MDF instead of plywood to avoid the risk of snags on finer fabrics.

Instead of simple hinges for the legs, I chose locking hinges available from Lee Valley https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/hardware/table-hardware/legs/leg-b… ($38 for all four).

We purchased 2" Casters from Amazon.ca https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07G84R9Q9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_… ($22.99 for all four).

The base was cut from one sheet of 3/4" MDF

We used 2 1/2" screws and glue to build the base. We pre-drilled and counter sunk the screws, ensuring squarness all around.

We attached the casters with the screws provided.

Then we cut the leaves from some scrap 3/4" MDF and attached them with some old door hinges we had.

Once the leaves were attached, we attached the locking hinges for the legs.

We cut and planed the legs a little, and then routered the corners to give them a bit of a nicer look.

Once assembly was finished we applied a coat of primer and two coats of white, satin, interior paint.

The whole thing came out really well and is a nice addition to the sewing room. Once again, I found the plans on this site to be really helpful and easy to understand. Thank you!

Estimated Cost
$150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Interior Primer and White, satin, interior paint.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Entryway Bench and Storage Shelf with Hooks

Submitted by DC_Idaho on Fri, 10/23/2020 - 10:37

I took your entry way plans, went to my local saw mill and bought some rough cut poplar, and got to work. I started this project for my wife and was able to get the entry way shelf built. When I showed a co-worker what I was doing she asked if I would build her a bench with a few customizations. I took a break from doing the bench for my wife and made the bench for a co-worker, btw, I totally under sold the bench($200). The pictures show what I came up with, smaller shoes on the inside and boots on the outside. I still have to build another bench to match my wife's entry way shelf with coat hooks :)

Estimated Cost
$600
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Stain and diluted off-white paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Natural Look of Rustic X Coffee Table

Submitted by aleeman27 on Mon, 01/21/2013 - 19:01

This is my first real woodworking project. This is my version of the Rustic X coffee table. Was made from raw lumber, not what you normally buy at a lumber store. Made of White pine. It wasn't planed either haha. That took me lots of extra time sanding and evening things out. But I do love the knots! After everything was assembled, I used an ebony wood filler in some of the cracks around the knots or any slight splits to add more to that rustic look. I sure to love the fact I made that decision! After that set up for a few hours, I used a natural stain. Only one coat. I sealed it with about 4 coats of glossy polyurethane. I definitely made some mistakes and learned from them. Although, I have to say the Kreg jig is my most favorite tool! If you don't have one, GET ONE! Best invention ever. I am actually onto my second project. I am making the matching end tables out of the same wood, same tree, so they will all be identical. I cant wait to get them all finished and displayed in my living room!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Cabot Natural Stain with glossy polyeurethane. make sure you use the finishing sponge in between each coat to get that super smooth mirror shine
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

rhettar

Mon, 01/21/2013 - 20:18

You did a beautiful job for your first project, I love the finish. I love my Kreg jig too, it was my Christmas present to myself. I used the little single jig to build a project, man what a difference the upgrade makes!

andrew gonzalez (not verified)

Tue, 01/22/2013 - 17:20

were did you get the corner brackets? i have been looking everywhere thanks in advance

jwilson

Wed, 03/19/2014 - 03:02

Did you use an oil based or water based poly on the top of the table?

Master Closet System for flipped house

Submitted by donnamarie on Sat, 01/03/2015 - 11:31

I built Ana's Master Closet System for a flipped house.  The closet was a large walk-in, approximately 6'W x 15'L.  I pretty much used Ana's plans as written, with some tweaking in shelf length for a custom fit.  I used beadboard in the back for a built-in look, and 1x1/2" boards to trim out the edges.  The entire closet was plywood, which was cut, primed, and painted before install.  The pictures are the completed project and before the trim was installed.

During the house sale, the closet impressed potential buyers more than any other feature.  This was my first build from Ana's plans, and now I'm hooked.  I am currently renovating a 1910 home and plan to use Ana's site for everything from built-in's to furniture.  Thanks Ana for such a fantastic site!

Estimated Cost
$400
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
two coats of primer followed by two coats of Sherwin Williams Dover White semi-gloss
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Bathroom corner vanity

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 06/12/2017 - 12:49

This project started because a corner bathroom vanity that fit my space requirements and budget did not exist. A plan specific to what I exactly needed also did not exist. After combing through what plans I found online, the Wall Kitchen Corner Cabinet best matched what I wanted. I modified it with the Momplex Sink Base Kitchen Cabinet in order to turn it into a sink base.

 

But, there was a problem. I hadn't actually built anything before. In order to get at least one project under my belt, I built the Vintage Step Stool. It turned out great, so I figured I was ready to go! Strangely enough, after spending about $100 and several weekends picking away at this project, it was done! It looked great, even. Then, I moved the vanity into the bathroom and realized that, while it may have looked great, it wasn't very square. Lesson learned was that this is a two person project. It is too difficult to keep things square and screw at the same time when there is only one person.

 

At this point, everyone was tired of having to use the kitchen sink to brush their teeth and wash their hands, so we needed to get this project done. $100 later, we had more material. Since I had figured out what needed to be done with the first vanity, let's call it our prototype, the second vanity went together REALLY quickly. 

 

Within a few hours, it was pieced together. Since it was going to be painted, we used Bondo to cover up our imperfections. Yes, of course there were imperfections. While much better than the prototype, it still was only my third woodworking project. Sanding, caulking, and priming took another hour or so. A few coats of the finish paint went on, followed by a couple more coats of a clear sealer, and it was done.

 

We moved it into place, screwed it to the wall, put the soapstone countertop on along with the sink and faucet, and it truly was complete. Sink is Kohler, faucet came from our local Habitat for Humanity store and I'm not sure what brand it is, and the soapstone came from soapstones.com. If we had oiled the soapstone with mineral oil, it would be a very dark gray.

Estimated Cost
$100-$150 for the wood, screws, caulk, primer, paint, and clearcoat.
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Pratt & Lambert Azalea 5-12 and Designer White 33-1 for the colors. After each application dried, I sanded it with a very fine grit sandpaper to make the finish silky smooth. I also used our air compressor to blow the dust off, and then used a damp cloth to wipe it down before applying more coats. That worked better for me than using a tack cloth. Then, I added a few coats of a water based, heavy duty floor finish, meant for wet areas. I don't recall what brand it was.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Storage Cubbies

I used 1x8 instead of 1x6s and added an extra column to fit the exact space I wanted my cubby. It is perfect for storage of my Sizzix dies! The more corner clamps you have, the faster this will go.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
50
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Homemade chalk finish paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Fillman Platform Bed and Headboard

Thanks to www.shanty-2-chic.com for these amazing Bed and Headboard Plans! My daughter had got to the age where a toddler bed was to small, so thankfully I was able to stumble upon this great plan! Needless to say she LOVED it!!!!

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Dark Walnut
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner