Community Brag Posts

Lego Table

My wife and I desired to have a place to put my son's Legos other than on the floor. We were quite tired of walking out of his room with lacerated feet. So, I designed a basic Lego table to accomodate our needs. The frame was very simple to make, and the top wasn't much harder. I stained the top with Minwax Dark Walnut stain and sealed it with 3 coats of Minwax wipe-on Poly. The frame has been painted white with a semi-gloss paint that was left over from the Clara Table I made for our children earlier this summer.

For storage, I got a little creative. We had several plastic bins from a storage unit we were moving out of the room (my wife and I have seen similar ones at Ikea and Target), so I snatched one of these and cut out a recess in the table in which the bin now sits.

I've seen many versions of tables that have the storage hidden, but this didn't make much sense to us since our son is constantly looking for various pieces. This way, he can dig through the bin without having to move anything on the table. It also allows for quick clean up at the end of the day.

I just saw a table (much smaller, and felt very cheap) at a local toy company for $150. Total cost for our project was about $32, $20 of which was for the birch ply. Not bad!!! Several friends have already requested tables of their own.

Material: 1, 2" x 4" x 8'; 2, 2" x 6" x 8"; 1 full sheet of 3/4" birch-veneer ply (I got the sheet at 60% off because it had some damage to one of its sides--but not a big deal since I only needed a 30" x 48" piece out of it!); 1, 3/4" x 4" x 8' piece of poplar for edging trim (ripped down to about 3/4" strips); about 25, 1 1/2" Kreg Pocket Hole Screws; wood glue; Minwax Walnut wood stain; Minwax wipe-on Poly.

Dimension can vary based upon personal preference, but our table top was 30" x 48", and the frame legs were 12" high. We wanted our children to be able to sit/kneel to work on the table (by the way, I've thought it might be a great table for putting together puzzles too!). The frame is not 30" x 48", though, because we wanted a bit of an overhang on the sides so that our children could get closer to the table.

If I get time here in the next week, I'll add this as an official Project Plan.

Blessings, and I hope you all enjoy!

JB

Estimated Cost
$30-$40
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Dark Walnut; Minwax wipe-on poly; semi-gloss white paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

rustic x console table

Submitted by raflis35 on Thu, 09/05/2013 - 20:29

Decided to create the rustic x console table to go along with the matching end tables. I modified the dimensions to fit behind my love seat and thankfully it fit perfectly!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
steel wool and vinegar
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Connor Side Table

I built this as a way to stay busy on a three day weekend, and it turned out so well my wife wants two more for our night stands.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
I used Chalkboard Paint for the top and Minwax Early American stain. If I were to do it again, I would use a lighter stain color. I sprayed a cheap clear coat over the top of the black.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Built in dry bar

Submitted by releematt on Fri, 12/28/2018 - 14:16

My husband and I worked on this for a few months, no rush. This is the outcome and all we need to do now is get one glass shelf for each cabinet. This is a great place to store all liquors and glassware. The drawers are a nice addition. The paint it black chalk paint with wax finish. All materials were purchased at Lowes or Home Depot. 

Estimated Cost
$800.00 including butcher block top, glass, back splash and lights.
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Beginner Farm Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 09/05/2022 - 16:58

I’m in the process of renovating my kitchen and dining area and needed a rectangular table fitting against the wall. I couldn’t find the dimensions I needed so I set out to build my own! I tweaked the beginner farm house table and bench plans to fit my space and voilà! Perfectly what I needed! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Comments

Center Upholstered Chestwick Inspired Headboard

Submitted by Thewaggy on Sat, 09/07/2013 - 16:51

This is inspired from the Chestwick upholstered headboard. One of my first larger projects. I applied the upholstery on an 1/2 inch thick plywood that is screwed into the frame order to allow us to change out the fabric as desired and added more trim around the upholstery.

Estimated Cost
80
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
I dragged black paint over a royal blue base and used semi-gloss finish.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

JoanneS

Sat, 09/07/2013 - 17:13

This headboard is gorgeous! The finish is AWESOME!! Love the idea of being able to change out the fabric too, very creative. You did a fabulous job!

Harriet Higher Chair

Submitted by aerialc on Tue, 11/10/2015 - 09:33

I made this chair for my almost three year old and it is perfect for him to reach the dining table.

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

New dining room table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 12/31/2018 - 14:14

Here is a "Before & After" (Christmas Day) family gathering.  Easy plans to follow.  Made it a bit wider (48") but otherwise used your dimensions.

Happy New Year!

 

Mark V.

Lakeville, MN

Estimated Cost
About $200 - $250
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
I used a gel stain along with wipe down satin poly. About 5 coats on table and benches.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Chairs and bar for our patio

Please don't look at the mess!
I built few furnitures for our patio and I am very happy with the result.
I modified the plan of the chair to make a loveseat.
It was rather easy as construction. By making the bar, I made an error of measure for the tray, I had to begin again. I then transformed the too big tray into coffee table by adding feet.I have to sand and paint it.
Now I am going to put a little of order.

Estimated Cost
200 euros
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
2 coats of White acrylic paint for the chairs and the cart and purple acrylic paint with 2 coats of varnish for the tray.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Guest (not verified)

Wed, 03/07/2012 - 18:54

Did you reinforce love seat in any way or just double all the measurements ?? How sturdy is it. I already made chair. Can't find plans for loveseat

alamanda973

Sat, 03/10/2012 - 15:52

I only doubled all measurements of the chair but I used thicker boards. I used 27 mm boards instead of 19 mm for the structure. I didn't make other change. It's very sturdy and 2 adults can seat on it without problem. I am very happy with the result.
Other persons used the same wooden thickness as for chairs but I wanted to be sure that it would be sturdy.
Good luck!

A Frame Chicken Coop

Submitted by emwasson on Sat, 11/14/2015 - 22:28

    I love how my co-op turned out! I added a few things. I made a door for egg collecting, I built 2 nesting boxes. I made a door for access to food and water and I made the middle 2x4s 10 feet so we found move it around the yard. It cost about $130 for me. I had some extra wood that I used for the boxes and ladder. The chickens and myself are enjoying the new coop.

Built from Plan(s)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Basement Storage from 2x4s!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 01/02/2019 - 15:12

I am so happy with how this shelving unit turned out! I adapted Ana's plans to the size of our closet space - the shelves are actually 33" deep. One side of the wall is studs, which is how I secured the unit. Now we can put away all of our Christmas decorations! 

 

This might be my proudest build to date...crazy since it's just a closet shelving unit :D

 

 

 

 

Estimated Cost
$70
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
no finish needed.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Ana White

Fri, 01/04/2019 - 13:32

This is perfect for your space!  I know how that is, sometimes a simple project can be the best!  Thank you so much for sharing a photo and using our plans.  We appreciate you! Ana

Farmhouse Table

Submitted by teeninyg on Sun, 08/21/2011 - 13:30

This was our first project from the website. I fell in love with the concept and love the finished product. My husband and I worked on it for a full weekend, and now we have a table that the whole family can sit at. The plans were easy to follow and came together nicely.

We also decided to do the Simple Stackable Outdoor Chairs. They are large and comfortable. I did adjust the seat board length to 19 1/2 to give it a little over hang. One down and 4 more to go.

Estimated Cost
$200.00
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Since we didn't get furniture grade wood we have to do a lot of sanding. Then we used 2 coats of an oak stain and 2 coats of polyurethane to seal it.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Finns-Dad

Tue, 03/20/2012 - 03:37

Great job. Both the table and the chair look really good. I am curious how the chairs hold up. Are they sturdy? Anything you would change or do differently? Thanks.

Farm house bench

This was my first project I've ever built, although I have wanted to build something for years. I needed a bench for my cat to sit on in front of the window, and also extra seating for my dining room table when we have guests. I didn't buy any lumber. I just used scrap wood that was left in our garage when we moved in for the base and old bed slats from bunk beds we no longer have for the top.

I made one HUGE mistake....I didn't have a carpenters square and didn't realize how important it was to use so my bench turned out a little wobbly, but I found a solution to fix that. It took me a couple of days to build because I kept having to stop and run to my sons school and do many other mommy duties. I found a tutorial for the finish on Pinterest.

Estimated Cost
Approximately $25 total for the paint, stain, and poly, but I have a TON left over for other projects
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
I sanded really well with an electric sander working from very coarse to fine grit. Then I used 2 coats of Rustoleum flat black enamel. I would recommend using a different kind of paint though, because it has to dry a very very long time before it can be sanded and recoated. Then after 2 coats of paint, I distressed it taking various objects and hitting in different spots. I also sanded through the paint in random areas and on the edges. After that, I used a q-tip to apply the stain on the areas I had sanded through. I put a couple coats of stain on and when it all dried, I applied 3 coats of Satin finish poly, sanding with a 320 grit sanding block between each coat.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Easy plan

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 01/06/2019 - 10:58

Easy plan to build. Used scrap 3/4" maple plywood for lower shelf instead of 1x12. Finished top with Minwax Gel Stain in Coffee color and top coat with Minwax matte poly. Painted bottom with primer and 2 coats of SW ProClassic in Soji White. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Mini wax Gel Stain and SW Proclassic
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

Small Kentwood Bookshelf

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 10/09/2022 - 15:15

Made from pine with Special Walnut for the stain. I didn't need a tall bookshelf, so I modified a little. Thank you Ana!

Comments

Little Helper Tower

My husband made the little helper tower for my son. After using it for a day I asked him to add a seat so that my son could eat lunch at the counter while I worked in the kitchen. I LOVE this tower!!!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$25
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

fethiye

Fri, 08/26/2011 - 09:20

This is what custom furniture is all about! If you had a store bought tower, I bet you would not even think about messing with it to add that seat. It looks great and now it is multi-purpose!

VelvetSky

Sun, 08/28/2011 - 20:25

I have a two year old who is going to need this soon. Does your son try to stand up while the seat is in place? Do you have any trouble with him trying to get out of it? Would love to know because my son is always climbing on stuff. I am worried he might fall. I wonder if I could put a seat belt in it. hmmm....I am a first time parent so maybe I am a little paranoid. lol
But it looks so cool. I want one.

Titabehm (not verified)

Tue, 12/13/2011 - 09:54

I absolutely love the idea!!! We have a real small house and we are always looking for ideas that will help to maximize the space and functionality of our furniture. My husband built a couple of months ago the tower and our 2 kids (2&4) can climb in there at the same time and help me to cook, wash dishes or just look what I'm doing around the kitchen. It is a little bit crowded when both are in there but they learned to make it work for both :). Thank you for sharing your idea... it is awesome!

Huthbert

Sun, 11/09/2014 - 13:23

Love the added seat!  Seriously awesome!  Thinking about adding that mod to mine!