Community Brag Posts

Here is my Farmhouse Table project! I made this table to fit my growing family.

Using the 4x4 Truss Bench plan (http://ana-white.com/2013/10/plans/4x4-truss-benches), we built this bench using entirely reclaimed lumber. (We had removed an old patio and part of a fence.) We already had all of the lumber, screws, etc. so the only cost to us for this project was the cost of the stain.

We modified the plan slightly, using 2x4s on the ends.

My husband is obsessed with decking screws. Thus the entire bench is held together with 2 1/2 inch decking screws. (Unfortunately, we purchased our Kreg Jig a day following the completion of this project.)

Because the lumber was very old and weathered, there is a lot of character to the wood. There were some incredibly soft spots which made sanding a challenge, and some of the boards were somewhat warped. However, we still really like the way it turned out.

I sanded (and sanded and sanded) using 60 grit, then 80... then 120... then 220. I filled the screw holes with wood filler (and sanded again). I then conditioned the wood with Minwax pre-stain wood conditioner. I used Minwax Early American oil based stain on the entire project. I then went over the top only with Minwax Weathered Oak. After about 36 hours of drying time, I used 2 coats of Minwax Fast-Drying clear semi-gloss polyurethane.

This bench is a beast! I'm sure it weighs over 75 pounds. It is extremely solid, and quite beautiful in our dining room. The plans were easy to follow, and the whole thing went together fairly quickly. (It would have been completed even more quickly had we had our Kreg Jig at the time. Lesson learned.)

I changed the size a little smaller to fit the area but turned out great

Garden Enclosure

TK

I was looking for a nice project with compound angles and found this plan of Ana's, it was easy to build as well as fun and rewarding. I picked the colour as we had just returned from a trip to florida and then up the East coast and found this to be reminiscent of the beach.

These turned out AMAZING, for more minor details see my blog Link.  But in a nutshell i needed some chairs for a pub table i built and these plans worked like a charm!

I did use PT lumber for the frames, as these are meant for my patio, so i had to use stainless steel hardware which is a bit pricy, but well worth it unless you want to fall on your butt in 2 years when the normal screws corrode away. Modern PT wood is no joke on hardware!

I made this pantry workstation by modifying the six laundry basket plans. Added 2x4 stretchers between the front and back frames, top and bottom. Made cleats from 1x3 for a less bulky look. And added 1/2 inch AC plywood shelves. Sand and stain later.

First project with my new (to me) wood shop. Really liked this plan and enjoyed putting it together! It came out great!

My cost was really low on this because I was able to use a lot of wood that I already had. The main cost was paint/stain and poly.

My wife wanted a rock-solid table for her sewing and craft projects, and this Ana White design fit the bill perfectly. We substituted Obsorne's Massive Farm Dining Table Legs to give it a more imposing look and feel.

I ended up spending a fair amount of time on the finish, but I couldn't be happier with the final product.

We loved the look of the farmhouse table, and I actually helped a friend build an even bigger version for his house a couple years ago. But we needed a smaller version for our new house. So with some minor alterations, we got an awesome table and bench that fits our space. The whole thing was about 150 for hardware and lumber and finish. 

My first project from this site. My 3 year old daughter uses it every day. BTW...she picked out the color and she helped me paint it. gotta love pink?

This was my first project from Ana's site. I wanted something simple and cheap to make, so all in all, this project was very simple.
I think I will paint instead of stain next time though as the quality of the wood I purchased from Home Depot wasn't the best.
Very happy with it though, and I'm planning on making more.

We needed a mini kitchen for our guest cottage and the Grandy console was the perfect fit.  I adjusted the shelf height to fit a mini fridge and microwave.  Love it!

DIY Wood Barn Door

The Swede in Norway

I love the 20 second tidy up coffee table, and thought it would really help with our living room storage issue. I stenciled the inside for a cool look and added some handles from Martha Stewart that I found at Home Depot. I built the base and sides out of #2 pine, and made the top of Poplar for more long lasting durability (though it did bump up the price a lot!) I am so happy I spent the money on the Kreg drill system, it really made things so much easier. This was my first building project, but I think it turned out really well!