Community Brag Posts

Garage Shelves + Work Bench

I used Ana’s plans for the garage shelves, but modified them to include a work bench. A lot of you tubers have done this, built a combination work bench and shelving, but I built nearly everything according to Ana’s plans. 12 feet long, 24 inches deep. I got some LED lights (two 1600 lumen strip lights) from menards that really brighten up my entire garage and make the work bench more useful. The one thing I really wanted was to not have a supporting pillar on the work bench to keep it open, and I loved how it turned out. I went for 3/4 plywood, mostly to have a stronger work surface, and I’m glad I did. I have since added a supporting 2x6 off of the study to support the top shelf above the bench and its strong enough to do pull-ups off of, and I have reinforced the support leg under the bench with a cross bar. Thanks for the great plans!!

Estimated Cost
~$200 (lumber prices have gone up recently due to supply issues with covid)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

Simple Bookshelves

A smaller version of the original plan, intended to be a nightstand for our bedroom.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
25
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Behr Paint in Distant Thunder
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

X coffee table

Submitted by Terrybob on Thu, 11/06/2014 - 05:01

coffee table

Finish Used
Antigua white glider gel paint. Stain on top
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Larger Rustic X coffee table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 02/12/2017 - 20:42

I used upscaled plans for the table that ended with a table top of 60" x 36" that helped match our oversized couches. Fun easy project!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$80
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
For Top: Varathane- wood conditioner, Briarsmoke stain, sealed with 3x thick polyurethane.
Base: Glidden Diamond Acrylic paint in Antique White, sprayed on with spray gun.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Stylish Chicken Coop

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 11/11/2020 - 15:52

Housing three (3) hens now that are about a month old. Probably late January before can expect any eggs.

Great project. Metal roof worked well. I used flashing for the ridge caps. Have allowed for as much ventilation as possible for this Southwest Florida heat.

Thanks Anna, for sharing this project.

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Sherwin-Williams outdoor barn red and white.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Gallery Ledges

Submitted by Mhillis on Sat, 01/12/2013 - 10:10

Our living room is long with a vaulted ceiling. I wanted to find a way to break up the length of the room visually, and Ana's ten dollar ledges were the perfect solution. They also had a great price tag!

I changed the the plan just a tad to break up our wall space, creating two ledges - one 6' and one 4' long - instead of one that is 10' long.

The only other variation we made to the plan was adding kreg pocket hole plugs (http://www.kregtool.com/solid-wood-pockethole-plugs-prodview.html) since we hung our shelves high enough to see where screws were drilled in.

After shelves were assembled, I painted them using Lowe's Antique White in satin finish. This project was easy, fast, and very affordable! I love that we can change out the items on display either seasonally or whenever we want a fresh new look. These ledges would work in any room and even instead of a chair rail in a dining room... and the lip on the front makes them safe so that nothing will slide off!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
lowe's antique white paint, satin finish
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Small Kitchen Island

Submitted by stacynabby on Sun, 11/09/2014 - 10:15

I built this for my mom to replace her small, rolling butcher block. I wanted to add in the tilt out trash cabinet, so I built off the back of it to give her some storage and a bigger work surface. I had a local countertop business custom fabricate the top out of a piece of scrap quartz (that was the spendy part of the project).

Estimated Cost
$40 for the wood and $480 for the quartz top
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Polyshades natural
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Farm Table & Re-Purposed Chairs

Submitted by khudson on Wed, 02/15/2017 - 11:22

Following Ana White's Plan for a Farm Table, we were able to build our own and it turned out perfectly! We also re-purposed chairs to complete the look!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$300
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Kitchen Table
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Rustic X inspired coffee table

Submitted by williemac on Mon, 11/16/2020 - 19:54

I built my coffee table to fit my sectional sofa. My dimensions are 56x32x17 1/2. For the bottom shelf I used 2 rough cut 1x10s cut to fit and the top is rough cut 1x8s. The 2x4s are reclaimed from the trash pile of a local construction job.

Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Tung oil only on the top. We're repainting in the living room and will completely finish later to match.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Dresser Wine Bar

Material: Re-purposed dresser from thrift store.
Finish: Rustoleum High gloss black paint finish with brushed nickel drawer pulls

This is a very manageable weekend project that does not require any power tools. For more photos of the transformation check out my blog.

Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Old dresser and Rustoleum High Glass Black
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Master Closet Renovation

Our master closet in our home was HUGE- but pretty horrible design wise prior to this DIY.  1 light bulb fixture in a 12 foot deep closet, horrible wire shelving running the whole wall, and a pretty much horrible use of space.  As a surprise for my husband who was away for his job, I decided to create a dream closet for both of us!

I used Ana's master closet tower plans as a starting point and went from there.  I modified the towers to be wider (24" wide each) and also taller so that they would go completely to the ceiling of the closet.  I also modified the plans to allow for drawers and a pull out laundry bin on both sides of the closet, as well as shoe and clothing storage above said drawers. 

For the project I used Home Depot cabinet grade plywood for the tower carcasses and then purebond 1/2 plywood for the drawer boxes, shelves, and drawer fronts. I purchased the Kreg Shelf Jig and Rip Cut guide for this project and both proved themselves invaluable until I get a table saw (HINT HINT Hubby).  

For the trim I used 1 x 2 furring strips and 1 x 4 lumber for the decorative cut outs above the 4 tower units.  I also used cove moulding to tie in all the sections of the closet with one another.

I painted the main towers white (as well as the wall to encourage the appearance of "built in) and then stained the shoe and clothing shelves dark walnut with a few coats of satin POLY to finish. 

For the back wall I purchased target contact wallpaper and installed that- as well as a wall mirror so I don't have to balance dangerously on my bathroom tub to see if my shoes match my outfit anymore.

All in all, the project took about 3 weeks to finish.  I was lucky that my mother was around the first few days of the project so that I could do the demo work and at least get the one side of the closet framed in, as the rest of the project was completed during "nap time" for my (NOSY) toddler.  

In the end, we are both estatic with how this project turned out - I installed a valet bar and a pull out tie/belt rack for the husband and that add an even more "custom" touch to the closet...

 

I've posted many more photos to my blog detailing this closet reno- www.thesewchicmommy.com if you want to see a more "step by step" build. 

 

Project cost: $750-800 ( including paint, mirror, wall paper, all hardware, lumber etc) 

Time: 3-4 weeks 

Estimated Cost
$750- 800
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Satin valspar paint, dark walnut stain with rustoleum satin POLY finish
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

JoanneS

Wed, 11/12/2014 - 14:53

Love your closet, you did a beautiful job!  Your blog link had some great pictures too.  All the neat touches like the laundry pull-outs, decorative trim at the top, and the pull-out tie rack are brilliant!

Stephanie Dexter

Fri, 11/14/2014 - 15:56

Thanks so much for your kind words... I'm in love with the closet and honestly would be perfectly happy sleeping in there now ha ha!  Thanks again for the inspiration- I could have never done it without your site Ana! 

Virtual learning desk

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 11/22/2020 - 13:20

Modified from the hutch and desk plans. Made for a friend’s daughter who needed a larger desk to accommodate all of her virtual learning needs.
https://www.ana-white.com/woodworking-projects/desk-hutch-file-cubby-ba…
https://www.ana-white.com/woodworking-projects/desk-drawers-and-file-cu…

Finish Used
Varathane Smoke Gray stain
Ultra white semi-gloss
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

The Simple Bed (Full-Size)

Submitted by JReed on Mon, 01/21/2013 - 12:17

We had been looking for a headboard for our son for the longest time, but could never find anything we liked in the shade we needed in the stores. Fell in love with this bed, thought it was one of the more "boyish" styles that I've seen which was what I wanted for my son. Asked my husband if he thought he'd be able to build it, he said he'd try and voila! We, however, modified the plans a bit and only made a headboard, but overall, I love it!

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

4x4 Truss Beam Table - Wholesteading.com

This was my first ever Ana White woodworking project.  It was also my first time using a Kreg Jig.  I had a ton of fun and can't beleive how great it turned out!  I learned a lot while building it so I'm sure I will have even more success with my next project.  I highly recommend this project for first time beginners looking for a huge feeling of accomplishment and personal satisfaction. 

Thanks Ana!

Anthony

http://wholesteading.com

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$224
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
This picture is showing it unfinished. We ended up finishing it with a Jacobean stain.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Modern Slat Top Outdoor Wood Bench (Customized)

Submitted by worrow on Mon, 02/20/2017 - 07:21

We had seen the modern slat bench before, and stumbled upon the plans on Ana-White, we did look further to see if we could find a style for us and had seen one made entirely out of 2x4's that also cam with plans, http://diycandy.com/2015/06/modern-williams-sonoma-inspired-diy-outdoor…

I thought I would share mine as it differs slightly, I opted to age my bench before staining as well as added adjustible feet so I can level it no matter where I put it. I am using mine as a coffee table, and if I have too many people over, I just use it as a bench to accomodate.

 

I hope that everyone enjoys the look of how my bench turned out. To reproduce the look of mine I described and linked the 2 products I used for the finish. But I also used the following power tools, Table Saw, Drill and Sawzall, belt sander and palm sander. I used the sawzall as I made a slight error and had some overhang that needed trimming. We used numerous items to get the outside beat up prior to the stain and sealer. The finished product looks amazing and I don't fear someone running away with it at 80lbs.

Estimated Cost
$35 (CAD)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Dark Walnut Stain (Home Depot) https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.wood-finish---dark-walnut.1000406356.html?autoSuggest=pip

Varathane Triple Thick Matte (Home Depot) https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.triple-thick-clear-matte-946ml.1001004379.html
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Farmhouse Bed and Nightstand

Submitted by highwayk9 on Fri, 11/27/2020 - 19:53

I made the farmhouse bed and nightstand using 300 year old pine that was on a local home for 150 years. The bed rails I used 6/4 white oak and recycled pallet boards for the vertical boards. The bed posts I used two 2x4's laminated together and I wrapped them in the pine. The nightstand I used the same pine and pallet boards for the case. I then used 4/4 whit oak for the table tops.

Finish Used
Clear Gloss Polyurethane

Dream Dollhouse Revisited

Submitted by Lindswatne on Tue, 01/22/2013 - 20:49

We made a modified (and scaled down) version of this dollhouse. Check out our blog for a complete list of details, plans, dimensions, furniture plans, and a downloadable sketch-up file to help you in building this. SUCH a fun and wonderful project. This was a Christmas gift and we are hoping it will be around for years to come! Thanks Ana.

http://www.thoughtcomics.com/projects.html

Have fun! We are beginner builders but it took us quite some time to build this. 20 Hrs...??

Email any questions!

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
water based poly
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

mblee (not verified)

Wed, 01/23/2013 - 06:27

That looks amazing.

Chest of Drawers

Submitted by AndyH on Tue, 11/18/2014 - 07:43

Wanted a chest of drawers with Deep Drawers.  As the drawers were so deep I used some scraps to fit supports to the undersides of the drawers as shown in one of the photos.  I knew the drawers would be stuffed to the brim and would need to be quite strong.  On the bottom two drawers I fitted three supports from scrap 1 by 4 and 1 by 6. 

On this piece I didn't bother covering up all the internal pocket holes like I normally would either and it looks a bit of an ugly duckling on inside but once top is on and drawers are in you cannot see anything.

I thought the natural colored backing gave it some interest too.

Happy to share my plan with anybody who wants it.

Estimated Cost
$200 including all drawer slides and stain
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Varathane Weathered Gray.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

ldulitz

Tue, 11/18/2014 - 11:11

I was about to build something just like this.  would you mind sharing the plans?
Thanks!

Small Old English Style Farmhouse Dining Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 02/22/2017 - 08:03

I got the legs from a old dining table my mom had that was damaged in a move so when i saw this plan i knew this was perfect. So simple and easy to build, yet everyone who sees it is in love with it. Thanks Ana!

Estimated Cost
$80
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Varathane Stain+Poly in one- Early American and semi-gloss white paint.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner