Community Brag Posts
Wedding Bench Guestbook
I really loved what brookifer86 did with the Rustic Bench plans here: http://ana-white.com/2011/03/rustic-bench-wedding-guestbook. When my daughter got engaged last fall, I knew that this would be a great wedding gift for the new couple.
It was helpful to read several times through her posts and followups. It took longer to come up with the name design than it did to build the bench, so give yourself plenty of lead time on this part. I was able to create the graphic in PowerPoint and enlarge it on my computer screen so that I could tape paper on the monitor and lightly trace the design for transfer to the bench. My husband suggested the addition of a princess crown over our daughter's name just for fun.
Thanks for the tip to use paint pens instead of markers. I made a sign at the reception with spare paper to alert people to shake the pens and give them a spot to test before writing on the bench.
I am doing a test with a spare painted board and the pens to make sure the application of the poly finish does not smear the signatures before sealing the signed bench.
Many thanks for the idea, Brooke, and thanks to Ana for the great bench plan!
Comments
Sat, 09/08/2012 - 14:26
Wow!
Oh my goodness, it looks so good! I'm so happy that someone else gets this awesome bench to look at forever ;) I know we totally love ours and it's one of my favorite builds in the house. Definitely test your finish, though, because I used ModPodge (horrible idea) and it's already yellowed in spots :( I'm hoping to figure out some way to salvage it and refinish the poly coat
Sun, 09/09/2012 - 16:32
learning from other people's mistakes
Brooke, one of the comments on your posting from the person that used brown permanent markers and then had problems with the poly coat smearing gives me pause for caution. Too bad about the ModPodge yellowing. Everything that I have read so far does not indicate yellowing as a problem with it.
Don't feel bad, even the Minwax Polycrylic website for that product states "Because slight ambering may occur, spot test on an inconspicuous area and let dry to ensure satisfactory results." Because of that, I am leery about using it for my white painted bench.
I am testing Rust-Oleum’s Painter’s Touch Ultra Cover 2x Clear - initial results shows it going on clear and not smearing the signatures.
Sat, 02/16/2013 - 16:55
Beautiful Keepsake!
What a great idea! My niece is getting married in July and I think I might do this for her. I was just curious what your results were with the Rust-Oleum clear coat? Or if you found something that didn't end up yellowing?
Grill Station
Grill station
Teal King Farmhouse bed
I added six inches to all vertical measurements for the headboard and footboard to make this bed a little taller.
This bed was easy to build – this was my 5th woodworking project ever. It is however a BIG project in terms of size…I can carry the footboard by myself, but the headboard is a different story! I used Jamison’s (from rogueengenieer.com) technique for attaching side rails. My bed came out a little bit wide even though I sized down the width measurements to fit a king sized mattress used in the traditional orientation ( 76 inches wide by 80 inches long.) Had I attached the rails on the insides of the 4/4 posts it would have been perfect, but I wanted to be able to break the bed down easily in case we move. (We have a history of being semi-nomadic!) I purchased the rail hardware off of amazon. I also ended up using pocket holes to attach a 1x6 to the end of my top support board to keep the box springs from sliding up.
I LOVED the color of the feature bed on the California King Farm House plans, so I tried my best to match that. I used a home right max sprayer for the primer, paint and polycrylic. I hand applied the brown glaze with a sponge brush and wiped most of it away with old t-shirt rags. I absolutely love the bed – it is super heavy and very sturdy! Thanks Ana!
Fully Functional Arcade Cabinet
Didn't use plans for this, so I eyeballed basically everything. Certainly made for a more frustrating build, but I have to say I'm happy with the end result!
Comments
Oversize Front Porch Planters
My long weekend project! Thank you for the pattern, your video was so helpful and they turned out so good! I’m so happy with them.
Toddler Upholstered Bed - Farmhouse Toddler Bed Hybrid
My daughter has a farmhouse themed room. This bed fits righting into the decor, with the sideboard forming part of a chicken coop that is painted over it.
Cottage Oars
I actually made 2 sets of these oars as wall decor for our cottage. This is the second set - I love them! The kids chose the numbers which are completely random :)
2nd - stained with Minwax Classic Grey
3rd - wiped on Minwax White wash pickling
4th - 1 Coat Minwax Water based oil modified polyurethane to seal
5th - Painters tape & stencil for the details with white acrylic craft paint from Michaels
Balustrade Coffee Table
Love this table! Created from Ana Whites Balustrade Coffee Table plans. Looks just like the table from RH.
second coat Varathane Briarsmoke
Outdoor Furniture Set
Outdoor sectional and coffee table.
Austin Spencer
Preston Nesting Tables
After building my new coffee table, I needed new end tables to match! I love that I can store the little tables underneath, or use them around the room during a party. After the coffee table, these were a lot simpler to build, though took longer due to the fact that there are four of them!
Comments
Sun, 09/16/2012 - 21:20
Hi, stain on your tabletops
Hi, stain on your tabletops is beautiful - I was wondering what brand of chestnut stain you used? Thank you!
Mud room bench
My wife wanted a bench to put in the mudroom as a place to sit when you take off your boots in the winter. I came across this project on your website and decided to try to tackle it.
it turned out pretty good, in my opinion. Only a few small things learned. One, is that if you're changing the space of the gap from 1/4" to 1/8", the boards should be resized to accommodate the change. And/Or at the very least, put the boards on the outsides first and work your way in. Then, at the very least the sliver needed to fill in the gap would be in the middle. ☺
Love it!
We love the final product, but can't say this is a beginner project! The plans aren't detailed enough for that. For instance, the only instructions on the stairs was "they are easy! just 45 degree angles" but we had to work through some strategy with them. It also didn't say how to attach the cleats just "we also attached the cleats in this step". What size screws? how many? We learned our lesson when the cleats and bedding came crashing down b/c we used 1.5 inch screws. Problem solved with 2.5 inch screws... but we sure are glad it was a soft landing.... And now I can't say I fully trust the design after watching my husband and two kids break it. However, it is sturdy enough for our 3 year old for certain! I'm glad we made it and over-all it was worth it and a great project and learning experience. Just wish the plans were made with more detail for true beginners!
Patio couch
This was my first solo woodworking project since 7th grade shop class in 1997. This was so easy to put together! I added "slats" from left over lumber to keep my pillows from squishing out. Thanks Ana White for creating easy to follow instructions! I've now got the woodworking bug!
Stackable Laundry Basket Organizers
I like that these simple laundry basket holders can be used as a single, side by side or stacked.
Grandkid's playhouse
Grandma and I spent a couple months building this playhouse for our grandkids. The project took longer and cost more than we initially thought it might but we had a lot of fun doing it and it's a big hit with the kids.
We followed the plans on this blog pretty closely only changing a thing or two here and there. We used cedar for the deck and railing and we painted it (and roofed it) to match our house. We put in 1/4 inch tempered glass windows to keep the rain out in the winter. (The glass is easily removed for summer.)
Thank you Ana White for providing such a great little plan!
Comments
Fri, 09/28/2012 - 05:52
So nice
This is just beautiful! The build, the landscaping, the paint. I am always stalking the brag posts to see if any new playhouses have been posted as we have been working on my daughter's since March:) I know! It has taken us forever. This is our first build and I work full time so we are a little slow. I just love what you've done with the place! Great job!
Cedar Benches
Made two 48" long cedar benches that could be carried down to the firepit in our yard. They're also nice for sitting on the deck and watching the dogs play. I had to use 3 - 2x6s for the seat instead of 2 - 2x8s since 2x6 was the largest I could get in cedar. Made it a little bit wider.
Storage Shelf with Coat Hooks
Thought I posted this last year, but I guess it didn't take ... and now I can't remember all of the details! But anyway, I do know that this was the first project I made from Ana's book (a smaller version of Project #1), and a year later, I am still really pleased with it. The shelves and hooks come in so handy, and the top provides another little surface to decorate! I also made some wooden boxes for the shelves out of scrap pieces, as Ana did in the photo in the book, and stained them the same color as our floors. Added our initials, too. The whole thing is nice and sturdy, and fits right in at our house -- like we've always had this on the wall. Thanks for the ideas, Ana!
Rustic X Desk
Base was completely made from reclaimed 2x4's. Desktop made from Oak plywood
Outdoor Playhouse
I had just retired and wanted to make a playhouse for my 2 year old grand-daughter. I always wanted one as a kid and wanted to build one for my kids but never found the time.
This was made mostly out of scrap wood that couldn’t be used to build a house and I was lucky enough to get permission to take whatever I needed. Learned a lot doing it. Thanks to my boyfriend for letting me borrow his nailer.
Cindy
Dream Dollhouse
We enlisted help from my brother-in-law to build the dollhouse for our daughter last Christmas. He also painted the floors, stairs, and roof. I spent many nights after the kids were in bed "wallpapering" the walls with various scrapbook paper.
I love this house and it's something that will last for many years. Even better, both of our daughters love it and so do their friends.