Community Brag Posts

Toddler Step Stool

This is my second build - first one using a jig saw. I built this so my daughter can easily get up and down on the daybed we have in our sunroom.

Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
BEHR Premium in Seaside Sand, satin finish
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

yurra-bazain

Sat, 07/12/2014 - 11:56

I applaud you for using your jigsaw on your second build. :) It took me quite a while to build up the confidence and skill to use one!

Patio couch

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 07/14/2020 - 14:03

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!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$50
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Antique lace chalk paint and polyurethane seal
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Custom Farmhouse Toybox

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 05/31/2024 - 16:19

I built this for my grandsons first birthday! I added a hydraulic shock from Lowe’s. It was really stiff and it took two cabinet door magnets to hold it shut. The name board is from my great grandfathers saw mill from the farm my dad still lives on. I do hope he enjoys it as much as me and my dad enjoyed building it for him!!

Chappy

Built from Plan(s)

Girly Bunk Beds

Submitted by bzzz61 on Sun, 09/16/2012 - 09:29

We built these bunk beds and absolutely love them!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$300
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Wood Ledges

Submitted by SaraLodise on Sun, 07/13/2014 - 19:55

A nice quick build to add some decoration to the house. I made three ledges at 80" long. I had initially made them for a different room that could only allow 80" ledges, but ended up not being able to put them there because the wall was too curved to attach the ledges. Ledges have two coats of Miniwax Special Walnut Oil stain and Polycrilic.

All the "art" things were painted on old scrap from a years worth of ana-white projects. I used the three different stains I had left over (Miniwax Aged Oak Gel Stain, Weathered Oak Oil Stain, & Special Walnut Oil Stain) and alternated them on the three different types of wood scraps (Oak, pine, & maple). Then I "distressed" them with physical abuse and watered down acrylic craft paint. The designs were also acrylic craft paint. Then I sanded it all down to give it a worn look.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$37 in whitewood boards
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
2 coats of Miniwax Special Walnut Oil Stain + Polycrylic
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Balin Console Table with a twist

Submitted by CustomPulp on Wed, 10/19/2016 - 11:39

We needed an entry way table with storage.   The Balin Console Table was the perfect size for our needs.   I modified the drawers by attaching a wood frame around each one.  I decided to taper the legs with my mitre saw.   The hardware was purchased at Pottery Barn ($4/each) and the color is Valspar Turquoise / Gray - Semi Gloss.   I extended the leg length 6" to make the cabinet counter top heigth (plans call for a table heigth).

Project was easy (8 hours) from construction to finish.  

One advantage I had was using a sliding power mitre saw with a 12 1/4" cross cut for the 1x12 material.   It's possible to get a decent cut with a circular saw but the sliding compound mitre saw definitely makes that portion of the project go much quicker.

 

For best results, I recommend finish sanding with 220 grit and 2 coats of paint rubbing with steel wool after first paint application.   

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$80
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Valspar semi gloss - 2 coats
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Pottery Barn Inspired Headboard

This is a Pottery Barn inspired headboard. You can see from the pictures posted that I used 4 different kinds of wood. Reason being that money is tight and I had extra wood laying around the garage. I really enjoyed this project thanks to Anna's post here http://ana-white.com/2010/03/plans-mason-headboard-its-all-in-finish.ht…. I noticed there was a lot of posts concerning the finish. For my headboard I used 2 coats of primer, sanding in between coats. 2 coats of paint. 1 coat of chocolate glaze ( 4 parts glaze, 1 part stain). 1 coat of sealer. I followed this post for my finish http://ana-white.com/2012/05/distressed-turquoise-chocolate-glaze. Good luck everyone. Feel free to ask questions.

- Brad

Build time: 2.5 hours
Painting time: 4 hours
Building cost: Free (reclaimed wood)
Painting cost: $25-$30

Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
2 coats of primer. 2 coats of paint. 1 coat of chocolate glaze ( 4 parts glaze 1 part stain) 1 coat of sealer
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

My apothecary sofa table

Submitted by PIannelli on Wed, 07/16/2014 - 06:52

This was my second project off Ana White's website. The construction was not as difficult as I would have thought. The staining on the other hand was very time intensive. I made an amended version of the table since I only wanted a 1x12 vs. 1x16. All in all, I am extremely happy with how this turned out.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
260
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Kona brown and weathered gray stain with spray polyurethane
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Laundry Sorter - LOVE these bins!!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 10/22/2016 - 17:40

Laundry Sorter

We are expecting baby #4, and I knew we needed to get the laundry under control before we added a new family member. I cannot tell you how helpful these have been for eliminating laundry piles and encouraging our kids to put away their own baskets. And I splurged on a $9 gallon of "oops" paint from Home Depot to make them fun and cheery, too. I highly recommend this laundry sorter project for those who feel like the laundry never ends. It's such a great investment in your sanity!

Estimated Cost
$100 for both laundry sorter cabinets
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Sb1212

Thu, 10/27/2016 - 12:21

I love the paint color!! I plan to build this. I just want it to have doors and look like a dresser almost. Where did you get your baskets?

Sb1212

Thu, 10/27/2016 - 12:22

I love the paint color!! I plan to build this. I just want it to have doors and look like a dresser almost. Where did you get your baskets?

Our Modern Adirondacks

Submitted by Gail Ogden on Sun, 07/19/2020 - 16:06

This was our first project, hubby and I. We are thrilled with how they turned out. Thank you Anna!!!

Estimated Cost
$100 for both
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Cocktail of equal parts polyurethane, linseed oil and mineral spirits.

Farmhouse Bench

Submitted by deschudon on Thu, 09/20/2012 - 05:12

We have Pottery Barn furniture in our cottage and I wanted a bench for our bedroom. I found this plan was very close to the "Benchwright" style and I'm very happy with the results, including the match in stain colour. It cost me approx. $40 vs $650 at Pottery Barn. The effort was definitely worthwhile !

Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax stain 1 coat + Crystalex water base varnish 2 coats on top.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Ombre Step Up Side Table

Submitted by IronMom on Fri, 07/18/2014 - 16:23

I needed a table to fit in the gap of my offset and back to back couches. I made the bottom shelf a little bit longer to better fit the space. I also added additional screws to the back for more stabilization since I knew my kids would find the steps irresistible. The different hues of blue make it more interesting.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$50
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Latex paint and spray clear coat
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Farm Style Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 10/26/2016 - 07:14

My boyfriend and I made this farm style table based on plans from Ana's site. We LOVE it. We wanted it to appear rustic with natural woods tones so we used Special Walnut Stain, Poly, and Light Brown Briwax. Even though it looks raw, its silky smooth to the touch. 

Thanks for posting these plans! We already on to our next project. We have the wood purchased for the rustic coffee table and console table, and I have my eye on the farmhouse bed frame and a set of night stand tables. 

Kate

Estimated Cost
$100 for the wood. We had all the tools already.
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Special Walnut, Poly Gloss, and Lt. Brown Briwax.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Outdoor Grill Station with Table and Nesting Storage Cart

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 06/11/2024 - 08:42

Sarah loved your Nested Grill Cart build however, the plans called for a 5 foot wide cart and we only had room for 4 feet on the back deck. Made the appropriate adjustments and went to town. Turned out well and Sarah is quite pleased with how it turned out. Adding a shelf for needed storage.

Hall Tree

I have always wanted a hall tree, but could not spend the hundreds of dollars for one. I was so excited when I found these plans.

I had a very hard time finding baskets to fit the cubbies. I thankfully found some cheap ones at Wal-Mart that were a two pack of the small and large. I would recommend buying the baskets first, then adjusting the plans.

I hung the shelf with three heavy duty D ring hangers, and then added three screws drilled directly into the studs. We have four rambunctious kids, and did not want the shelf falling down on them. It is super sturdy! I love this piece of furniture so much!

Estimated Cost
$60 (guessing here)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
I used BIN primer followed by two coats of Valspar Gloss Black. I distressed the wood with sandpaper, and then used Miwax Red Mahogany on the distressed areas. I also applied a coat of clear protectant over the paint. It took a long time to dry between each type of paint, but it was very hot and humid in the garage. The paint is holding up fabulously!
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Rustic console without X

Submitted by Sb1212 on Fri, 10/28/2016 - 11:51

I was new to building when I built this. The X was very scary for me so I chose not to add them. 

Estimated Cost
$50
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Dark walnut
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Farmhouse style coffee table

Submitted by rakruger45 on Wed, 07/22/2020 - 18:26

I finished this coffee table for my cousin’s living room. This was a really fun build and i was actually able to complete it with wood I had left over from other projects. The only money I had to spend on this one was for the paint she wanted that would match her other furniture. I love this website and the plans provided make it easy to get projects done.

Estimated Cost
$50
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Latex paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Front Porch Planters

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 06/15/2024 - 13:36

My son was looking for some type of planter for his front porch and could not find anything that suited him. I seen these plans on your website so my wife and I decided to try and make these for him as a surprise. These are very simple to make by following your plans. Our son loved them and is wanting two more. Thanks Ana.

Dronetastic views

Built from Plan(s)
Seasonal And Holiday
Back