Community Brag Posts

Adirondack Chair

I'm a French woodworking. It was so easy to buid this adirondack chair. I'm using my lovely kreg jig. I want to redo two other chairs... Thank you so much Ana ;-). Sory for my bad english !!!

Estimated Cost
50€
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
lasure
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Farmhouse Media Center

Submitted by Rkh81989 on Sun, 04/08/2018 - 14:10

Farmhouse Media Center

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Upholstered Bench

Submitted by sooz122 on Tue, 06/28/2011 - 11:42

Used the easiest upholstered bench plans as a start. I modified it just a little so that I could use what I had on hand!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Pam the Goatherd

Wed, 06/29/2011 - 10:41

I love that fabric too! I've used that exact same stuff in my kitchen, and also framed a piece of it to cover the hole in the wall over the stove where my range hood vent is supposed to go if my husband ever gets it put up. I've also got the black version of the fabric to make baskets to go on my wire shelves.

Letter press rustic x coffee table

Submitted by kasiwalker on Tue, 08/06/2013 - 11:34

I used the Rustic x coffee table plan and modified the top. I used 2x2's to make a frame and a router to make notches for plywood under the letters and glass to fit inset on top. The letters are antique letterpress blocks that I obtained on ebay and at antique shops.

Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Aged Oak.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

Storage Bed

Submitted by eralben on Fri, 08/28/2015 - 06:11

My daughter needed a new bed and I really liked Ana's Hailey Storage Bed plans.  I adjusted Ana's plans to fit a full size bed and I also made a different headboard and footboard.  To see how I made the headboard and footboard follow the links below:

Headboard:  http://www.betterwhenbuilt.com/diy-headboard/

Footboard:  http://www.betterwhenbuilt.com/diy-footboard/

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

Tilt out trash can with drawer and shelves

Submitted by tholler on Fri, 04/20/2018 - 19:59

A few 2x4’s and some old fence boards. 

Danish oil - walnut. 

Estimated Cost
Used mostly scraps. Bought 4 2x4 at $4 each. Hinges were $4 too I think. Had 1x6 in scrap pile for drawers.
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Danish oil - walnut. And great patina from old fence boards...
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Turquoise Headboard

Submitted by cynthiaw on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 18:06

used Ana's plans for the Reclaimed Wood Headboard, queen size. Details can be found on my blog post about this project.

Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
see my blog
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

cynthiaw

Sat, 07/02/2011 - 18:08

i made this last year and although ana has it featured here for the plans, i never did officially add it to the 'brag blog'

amikolajczyk (not verified)

Thu, 03/01/2012 - 11:36

I see you mentioned that you have the details about the finish work in your blog, but I don't know where to find that. I'm making one of these now and I'm really impressed with what you've done. I'd like to know more!

Thanks,
Adam

Craft Paper Holder

I made this in a few minutes. The kids were too excited to try it out; they didn't want me to fill and paint it. I made it out of scrap wood.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$1.00
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
The kids grabbed it before I could finish it :)
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

My First Build - Thank you for the great plan!

Submitted by TylerT on Mon, 08/31/2015 - 13:32

My first build using plans through this blog.  This project took me about four hours total and cost about 40$ with wood, paint, stain, and hardware.

 

 

Estimated Cost
$25 for the wood and an extra $15 dollars for paint, stain, and hardware.
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Kona finish from MinWax.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Modern Outdoor Patio Furniture

Submitted by disneynut on Tue, 05/22/2018 - 19:26

I used modified plans from Thrifty and Chic. I have the same cushions size from Target that she has. It worked out beautifully. 

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
High gloss enamel paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Indoor Playhouse for nephew

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 04/26/2022 - 10:18

First project with pocket holes. A little challenging for a complete beginner, but pretty forgiving and fun to make! My nephew LOVES it!

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

New Outdoor Kitchen!

Submitted by ColleenM on Wed, 07/06/2011 - 06:48

This is the new outdoor kitchen I had been working on - finally finished! It was inspired from the kitchen island plans - I like the slats, and thought they would work well outdoors for air flow and water drainage. I worked around the existing grill, and it is all modular, so it can be moved if necessary (such as painting or treating the deck). It includes cupboards underneath the bar, dorm fridge and sink with storage under the countertop. The cooler stand raises the cooler up to 'user' level (no more bending!). Because I'm an avid recycler - most of the products used were recycled items. All told (not including the already purchased grill) - this kitchen cost me a total of approximately $95.00 (I had a lot of the materials already). This project took me approximately 5 weeks working on it part-time after hours. I built one cabinet at a time, then the countertops.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$95.00
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
I used the same paint I used on the house - an exterior Behr latex stain.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

kmatt55

Wed, 07/06/2011 - 17:29

This looks really awesome Colleen! I was thinking about putting a sink like that on my deck. What kind of finish did you use for the countertops? Would you please post more pictures of it? Great job!

ColleenM

Thu, 07/07/2011 - 04:42

Thanks Kmatt & Viola...I'll try and get some more pictures up asap. For the bar top and countertop I used tile, and treated the grout lines many times with a waterproofer. Both tile and grout were purchased at our local ReStore - a total of 20 cents a piece for the tile, grout was $3. Not bad for a countertop!

mamafiona

Wed, 07/20/2011 - 11:48

Wow, this is really amazing! This is just what we need for our new deck - something modular and not too expensive to build. Do you have any more pics? I'd love to see what the area in front of the grill looks like. Very, very nice work.

Guest (not verified)

Mon, 03/05/2012 - 10:54

Hi, I was wondering if you have the plans for the kitchen around the bbq grill, i would love to make this for my husband for his birthday.

Guest (not verified)

Mon, 04/09/2012 - 18:38

Hi, this is great. Is there anyway you can post pics of the front of the bar where the sink is and especially the bbq, I want to build around my existing bbq grill but dont know how. thank you so much.

BENCHRIGHT FARMHOUSE TABLE

Submitted by lotusguy on Thu, 08/08/2013 - 20:12

This is my take on a few of these I have seen. It started out seeing the retail version of this table at a large furniture store with a $2k price tag on it. I really like the look of it so I decided to build one and searched for additional pictures and found these plans.

I used the plans as a guideline for overall dimensions for the table. I was using reclaimed oak fencing from an old Kentucky horse farm (who uses oak for fencing!!). This stock came in 5/4" x 6" x 7' boards so I had to get creative with the dimensions, etc. It was a mixture of red and white oak and this stuff was HARD!

The boards also came painted black with years and years of build-up and weathering. On a side note, if you ever work with reclaimed wood that has been painted or stained, please test it for lead. Lead based paint was banned around 1973 and you don't want to be planing or sanding on this stuff unless it is safe. Fortunately, I had this tested using a kit from the local big box. Most of my time was spent planing the boards down enough to show the oak but also leave some character as you will see in the pictures.

I like the look of knots and this wood had a few of them so i left the knots exposed on the support frame, however, on the top, I used a clear epoxy to fill the knots. This allowed the top to be smooth but you could still see the depth and character of the knot on the surface of the table. I did some mild distressing on the table top but nothing too dramatic as the wood really was cool. I also added the bolts near the tops of the legs and used threaded rod and turnbuckles for an industrial look.

The stain is a dark brown, almost ebony color. This went will with the black paint that was left in the saw marks after planing. I finished the table with 2 coats of satin polyurethane and and additional 3rd coat on the table top.

I have built furniture in the past but this has to be my favorite for both the history of the wood and the character.

Estimated Cost
$500
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax Polyurethane and Rustoleum Stain
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Joni

Fri, 08/09/2013 - 20:21

One look at those painted boards, and I would have run screaming. What you did with that wood is unbelievable. This is such a one-of-a-kind piece now. The finish is awesome. Would you mind posting the color of stain that you used?

Wainscot Nursery

Check out our new nursery! I used MDF sheets ripped to 5 1/2" and 3 1/4" to make the frame of the paneling. I attached the rails and the stiles with 1 1/4" PH screws and mounted them to the wall with liquid nails and 16 guage brads. I framed all of the panels with quarter round and finished off the top with 1x2" poplar rounded over with a router. Check out my link to my instrucables page for a complete step by step layout!

Estimated Cost
$500
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Semi-Gloss white paint and white caulk
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Farmhouse King Bed

Submitted by KKGaskin90 on Sat, 07/07/2018 - 17:38

We couldn’t be happier with the outcome! This bed is beautiful and everyone who sees it is impressed. We did raise both the footboard and headboard so that both gave a bit more impressive appearance and so that the footboard rises above the mattress.

Estimated Cost
$250
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Dark Walnut interior wood stain by Minwax
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Built-in Entertainment Center with Drawers

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 05/02/2022 - 19:16

Modified the mudroom bench with drawers to make a built in entertainment area. Thank you for the ideas. It was tricky to modify and definitely a learning experience but I always learn something new when I build.

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Home is Where the HEARTH is (Faux Fireplace)

Submitted by cbeach1717 on Fri, 07/08/2011 - 14:11

Only about a month before Ana published her Christmas plan for a faux fireplace, the hubby and I built one of our own out of a sheet of quality plywood, 1x12's, crown moulding, and a little trim. Originally we simply wanted a place to hang our stockings over the holiday season, but now our HUGE faux fireplace is the HEART(H) of our home.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
We just primed and painted white! So easy :o)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Pug Bug (not verified)

Fri, 07/08/2011 - 15:22

Wow...that's gorgeous! Nice attention to detail, too! Just a suggestion...have you considered painting the inset of the "fireplace" black? I painted the inset of my fireplace with a flat black paint and it made ALL the difference in the world. Just something to consider. Either way, job well done!

In reply to by Pug Bug (not verified)

cbeach1717

Mon, 07/11/2011 - 08:28

Thanks so much! Would you believe that I am not as brave as I would like to be when it comes to painting anything black? We are planning to have faux logs made and stacked in the faux fireplace! We think that will do the "trick"--pardon the pun :o) Thanks again!

jharm

Tue, 07/12/2011 - 13:06

Have you considered trying a faux marble paint treatment? Or, marble-look wallpaper might be a little more fail safe and could even be applied in squares like marble tiles.

I love the proportions you chose. I think a foundation would really sell it, and would increase the safety if using candles.

Allison Byles (not verified)

Thu, 10/27/2011 - 10:07

Do you have the plans for your fireplace? Love your design and clean lines, I am planning to make one!

Guest (not verified)

Fri, 11/25/2011 - 13:22

Love this fireplace, very beautiful but very disappointed that there isn't any plans and just pictures lol a little bit of a tease.

cbeach1717

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 04:44

Hello Everyone,

I am so sorry I have not responded sooner, but I wasn't even aware that there were any recent comments on this post :o)

Now that I do know, I just wanted to let you know that I will try to get something drawn up and post it here. I am not entirely well suited for design drawing software, but maybe you all wouldn't mind if I literally draw them out for you and post pictures of those drawings, yes?

Thanks for your kind comments, and I promise to have something soon! This project really is so simple, I just know you'll love the finished product :o)

In reply to by Wendy T (not verified)

cbeach1717

Mon, 06/25/2012 - 06:17

Hello Everyone,

I apologize for the delay, but we have been out of the country for six months and don't have any way of knowing the dimensions of the faux fireplace without measuring it personally. But we will be home within the next few weeks and I will try to measure and draw up some simple plans for those of you would like to see them.

Thanks :o)

srush (not verified)

Thu, 10/11/2012 - 10:35

Hi!
I love this room, do you know who makes the paint and what the color is called?

Thanks so much! Great job on the fireplace!

srush (not verified)

Thu, 10/11/2012 - 10:36

Hi!
I love this room, do you know who makes the paint and what the color is called?

Thanks so much! Great job on the fireplace!

Single Sink, Double Vanity

I started by searching Ana’s website for a vanity plan, and found a really great jumping off point with this plan. The problem was that it was for a single sink in cabinet size. But I was looking for something about five feet long that would incorporate a drawer and countertop area so my little miss will have lots of space for makeup and hair products and all those other girly things. I added a shelf to the cabinet, made the top 66" long and added a drawer and some spindle legs to give it the extra length it needed as well as a vanity area. I also incorporated Ana's genius idea to make the kickplate into a pull out step stool with drawer slides and some scraps. My blog post features the modified cut list as well as my step by step assembly for it. I love this vanity and am so proud to say I built it all by myself!

Estimated Cost
$75
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Golden Oak stain and three coats of Rustoleum Spar Varnish (an outdoor varnish as this is a humid and wet environment) to the base and five on the top.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments