Community Brag Posts

Reclaimed Wood Look Headboard

Submitted by JenMash on Mon, 09/03/2012 - 12:49

My husband and I had been looking for a great headboard for a bed in our guest room. We found ones we really liked but didn't like the price tag of 800-1500 dollars (not even including shipping!) We stumbled on this site and absolutely fell in love with the reclaimed wood style headboard. It was exactly what we were looking for. Building it just took a few hours. After we distressed the wood using a chain I found at the hardware store (only $1.60), a drill, a creme brulee torch and a hammer, we prepped the wood (sanded and primed), stained and clear coated. I highly suggest not only vacuuming off the wood but also using a tack cloth (so cheap but it makes such a difference) to make sure all of the dust was off. We bolted the headboard into the bed frame. It will be heavy but it is really sturdy and looks great! A good tip is to decide early what you want the front to be - you can chose the best sides of the wood that way!

Estimated Cost
150.00
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
We prepped the wood using Minwax pre-stain wood conditioner. We then applied Minwax Provincial stain, waited about 10 minutes and wiped it off with a t-shirt. After we let it dry for the allotted time (we rushed it a bit but were so excited about the new headboard) and then put on a clear-coat finisher.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Seasonal And Holiday

Play Kitchen

Submitted by keribeth on Tue, 09/04/2012 - 12:36

I combined the play sink and play stove into a one-piece kitchen by having them share a side. I found a bathroom faucet at my local Habitat ReStore for $15 (and that included a sink I didn't even need!). Time investment does not include painting. Here's my cost breakdown. Lumber: $25 (I used some scraps.) Faucet: $15 Dog bowl: $7 Hardware: $13 Primer and paint: $19 Screws: $4 Sandpaper: $5 Plexiglass: $3 Prepping dinner while my toddler works in his play kitchen beside me: Priceless.

Estimated Cost
~$90
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Cheap white paint. It dripped like crazy and took forever to dry. My mantra was "It's a toy, it's a toy, it's a toy."
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

DIY Doghouse

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 06/15/2024 - 13:33

I'm going to build a second one but it looks like both dogs are enjoying this one I was even able to get them to get in it together when it wasn't too hot :-)

This is my first project from your website and it was really interesting I ended up modifying the plans a little. For the modifications the back panel was pre-drilled and attached with bolts and t-nuts to allow me to easily remove when the weather starts to get cold and put in insulation... Order clean it. It's a very good size dog house and I really enjoyed this project! Thank you so much for your contributions to those that have never actually worked on anything like this before.

Cathleen

 

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Our Toy Box

Submitted by djsaffer19 on Sun, 08/03/2014 - 19:54

Toy box for our kids that someday will become a blanket box or something else around the house. Customized with the S for our last name. Use a piano hinge and folding lid support on one side. Made another for our friends with the West Virginia logo.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Provincial minwax stain, rustoleum spray paint for the S, and polycrylic clear coat.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

bzhayes

Thu, 04/16/2015 - 08:37

Hello, I just built this same trunk and it turned out great. However, I had a hard time finding a set of soft stay support hinges for the inside. Did you install any and if you did could you tell me what kind (brand) and also a picture of how your hinges look on the back of the trunk and when it is open. That would be great. I went to the original site and asked but they don't respond.

Simple and Elegant Stool

Submitted by Jake on Tue, 10/23/2012 - 08:36

This is the second of the Simplest Stool design I retrieved from Ana's site and built. I love the stool for its ease of construction and beautiful lines. Get your measurements spot on and it goes together in a flash. I did use a 15 inch diameter project round for the seat. I built it upon the request of a friend so they have to finish it. Lots of PHs in this small stool so I wish that Kreg or someone would produce PH inserts that easily fit where you have 11/4 inch ph screws.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Seat $7.50, Legs $4, 1x2 $6 plus misc or about $20 or a little less.
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
None, but if I were to do it I would paint the support a white satin and stain the seat a semi-dark gunstock or a really nice golden oak. Do them separately and then make the attachment.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Side Street Bunk Beds (with modified ladder)

After building the playhouse loft bed, I found this project to be very easy. I built the bunk beds at 37/38 weeks pregnant, so that should tell you how simple it is to construct. The total cost came in under $300 and I was able to use some of the scrap wood I already had in my garage.

I did run into some trouble with the slanted ladder. Even though the pieces were cut to the exact measurements in the plan, the sides of the ladder were too short for the bed. Being very pregnant and impatient, I just modified the ladder so I wouldn't have to waste the pieces I'd already cut.

You may also notice that I didn't fill and sand my pocket holes on the end pieces yet. That was also me being very pregnant and impatient. I'll go back and do that later when I have more time. Despite the little bit of finishing work remaining, this was pretty much a 2-day project. Cutting and construction was fast (one day) and finishing took another full day.

I used Valspar "Blue Burst" paint from Lowe's to finish the bed. I used bolts to attach the side rails because we move frequently so I wanted the bed to be easy to disassemble. Overall, this was a very easy and fun project!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Just under $300
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Valspar "Blue Burst" interior paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

vpihoney

Sun, 11/11/2012 - 21:37

Love how you whipped this together! I stumbled upon your post as I started working on these bunk bed plans today (I can't read the dimensions on the diagrams from a printout, so i open up the plans on the iPad). I had to finish up the ladder and side rail today. I was stumped yesterday evening with the same ladder issue. Why was it coming up short? It was really annoying considering it took me a while to figure out a 60 degree angle on my miter. I decided to try changing my ladder angles to 22.5 and 67.5, as I still wanted a leaning ladder, but I thought a reduced angle would work better. Didn't have to scrap my boards either, whew. Love how quickly you put this together! Coincidentally, I'm 33 weeks pregnant, but moving terribly slow compared to you.

purpleheather79

Mon, 11/19/2012 - 07:25

I'm glad I'm not the only one with the ladder issue! I couldn't figure out what went wrong. I also tried to adjust the angle but my boards were just a tiny bit too short and I was not wanting to run to the store to get more. I do like the leaning ladder better though. Can I just say that I love that you're building this bed while pregnant too? That's awesome! :)

West Elm Knockoff Chevron Queen Bed

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 01/13/2017 - 21:07

This was my first build and I am so happy with how it turned out! The plans from Jen Woodhouse were extremely easy to follow and I would definitely recommend this project to others!

Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Kitchen Island

Submitted by TX_Richie on Sun, 10/18/2020 - 02:32

I’m very excited for my first project. Not to be boastful, but I am very proud of myself. So my wife decided she wanted a kitchen island. I began from the top of the plans and about halfway through I realized I have a small kitchen. The wife came in and said “that’s way to big). So I had to make a lot of adjustments. For instance, the 4x4 legs became 2x2. I was afraid it would not be sturdy enough, but it turned out nice. I left out the portion of the plans for the range and just made a bigger shelf to accommodate my wife’s mixers and other large kitchen items. Instead of a second shelf I made a slide out trash can (single instead of double). It fits the kitchen well and more importantly the wife loves it. Now to build stools. Thanks to your site Ana, I was able to make a place for my family to have dinner together. My daughter helped me with this project and has been asking when we will start our next project.

Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
I did the top in Jacobean (Minwax). It only needed one coat. Then used clear (water based) polyurethane.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Farmhouse console table - Shortened

My wife wanted a console table for our dining room but the original plans were too big for the spot next to the grandfather clock, so I shortened them a bit and this is the result.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Great Weekend Project!

Submitted by basehordad on Mon, 11/03/2014 - 08:56

I used 1x6’s as opposed to 2x6’s for the base as well as the 19” pieces thus I cut the length of the legs to 27 3/8 the difference of 1 ½ inch from the plan.  In addition, the plans did not specify as to the placement of the legs on to the 19” pieces and thus I attached the 17 ½ bottom shelf braces and then attached the legs to the top.  I finished the project with MinWax Classic Gray stain which gave it an antique finish followed by a finishing wax.

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

Jelly Cupboard Armoire

Submitted by Fallmark18 on Fri, 12/12/2014 - 11:23

This is my first solo and most ambitious project. I only had some help with getting the doors hung. I combined my long-time love of machine embroidery and my new found love of woodworking to create the doors on this project and really make it something special. I'm going to be using this piece in place of a chest of drawers in my bedroom.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
About $150
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Rustoleum Ultimate Wood Stain in Cabernet and several coats of Rustoleum Interior Ultimate Polyurethane
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

JoanneS

Fri, 12/12/2014 - 13:21

What an awesome project! Love the finish, and the design on the doors. How did you do the door panels? They're lovely!

Fallmark18

Fri, 12/12/2014 - 14:53

Thanks so much for the compliment! The door panels are made of replacement storm door screen. I used my embroidery/sewing machine to embroider the design onto the screen.

Fallmark18

Tue, 12/16/2014 - 09:25

I'm so glad people like it. Everything I know about building I've learned from your site!

Corner Desk - from Farmhouse Desk plans

Submitted by james_e on Wed, 01/13/2021 - 14:15

My wrist has not taken well to the work at home requirement of the pandemic. So, I decided to replace my desk with a similar one that I have at work. Only, this one is much prettier.

Essentially, I built two desks using the farmhouse desk plans. One of them I made less wide than the plans by simply making the horizontal pieces 36" instead of the plan's 47 1/2".

For the middle portion of the corner desk , I based it off of the Office Corner Desktop plans. I made just the middle portion for those plans, but made the edges 46" instead of 38" for a deeper desk as well as to allow more room for my legs not to hit the uprights of the farmhouse desks. I made the corner desktop detachable, so it was easier to fit down the stairs to the office, using some small ~2" cubes placed on the bottom. They just serve to keep the desktop from moving around on the frame. The base of the middle portion I made up using the same ideas used to create the farmhouse desk frames.

I made plenty of mistakes along the way as I'm a software engineer, not a carpenter. I think next time I'll buy a miter saw, most of these cuts were by hand and aren't as straight as I'd like them to be. But, I like to work with my hands and this has made my day job less painful while I'm working from home.

Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax oil based Ebony 2718, then satin poly
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Kitchen Island with pallet wood

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 01/23/2021 - 19:35

After following Ana Whit and other bloggers for a long time i figured my skills were at a level to try an advanced build like the Kitchen Island.. But i also wanted to challenge myself even more and was determined to make it from as much reclaimed wood as i could, mainly pallet wood.
With a lot of modifications to make it work i think I got a good result from these plans.

While i used as much reclaimed wood as i could, i still needed some clean 2x4's , 2x2's

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$50
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
I burned the top and used a cup wire brush on an angle grinder to get the effect of barn wood. then a couple coats of lacquer on the top. And a spray finish of polyacrylic for everything else.
chalk pain ( linin) to do the White wash
Recommended Skill Level
Advanced

Pub table Stools

Submitted by adecesare4 on Mon, 02/18/2013 - 11:33

As stated in my table post, I just wasn't happy with what I was finding in the stores as nothing seamed sturdy nor made out of solid material. So I built a pub table and these stools to match.

I combined the stools from multiple projects and eventually just made my own measurements and mimicked the table construction that I made.

Although more expensive, I used Oak so it is sturdy and will take more than normal wear and tear (as I have three young boys under 10)

Estimated Cost
maybe $40 a stool
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Rustoleum Traditional Cherry
Minwax Polyacrylic
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

First Build - Junior Camp Loft Bed

Submitted by stamhow on Mon, 01/05/2015 - 09:40

We had a blast building this bed for our daughter.  It was our first build and I think it turned out perfect!   Thank you Ana White for the inspiration and fantastic directions to get us through!  Now onto the next project!

Amy

Estimated Cost
We bought a combo miter saw too, so without that cost, paint and all, I would say around $200
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Lawnmower Shed

Submitted by PipesTX on Wed, 01/07/2015 - 06:19

Modified the design to allow me to roll lawnmower directly in the end. Fun project.

Built from Plan(s)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Farmhouse Table

Fun and challenging build, be sure to square the edges of lumber before assembly to get a better fit

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

Comments

Mudroom bench

Submitted by Dan Kielty on Thu, 04/01/2021 - 18:16

Mud room bench with recycling cabinet

Estimated Cost
$300
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Behr chalk paint, Minwax ebony
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Back