Community Brag Posts

Rustic X beach beverage center

Submitted by one wolf on Tue, 09/08/2015 - 06:52

We used old dock wood for the surface of our X table for a nice beach house beverage center (sand bar!).  We adjusted the size to fit our space (a little longer and wider) and used additional studs for the shelves instead of 1" shelving, glued and PH/PS together.  To cut the X pieces I just held the 1x1 on the end of the table where it goes and marked the lines. Then I clamped a guide board at the correct angle on the table saw to make all the cuts, starting a bit long and shaving off until it just fit.  

 

With all the pocket holes and screws I wouldn't consider this a beginner project. Some additional steps and pictures in your description would help also.  End result is really nice.

 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$50
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Patina wood from an old dock for the surface and the base is painted flat gray.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Pallet rustic cooler

Submitted by LARMO on Fri, 07/20/2018 - 18:40

pallet rustic cooler mad from pallet wood and pine

Estimated Cost
$50
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Natural
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Loft bed with stairs

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 05/12/2022 - 08:34

I wanted to share this build, as I get a lot of people asking me where I got the bed from and they're shocked (and many motivated!) to find I made it myself.
When we moved into our house about 6 years ago my son asked for a loft bed, but with relatively low ceilings in our house (and his desire for a Minecraft themed room), many of the ones we looked at in store wouldn't work. So I gave this a try, modifying sizes slightly to fit with the layout of the room. It worked perfectly for his Minecraft themed room, then, when tastes changed, with a couple of coats of paint it became part of his Pokemon room. We've recently moved to a new house, and sadly the bed doesn't work with his room here or his nearly teenage sized body, so the wood from it is now in our shed, waiting to be built into something new.

Comments

Rustic Desk

I had a great time building this desk. The finish turned out amazing and the desk is leveled prefectly. I added a 2x3 between the 2x12s and I also added a 1x4 as a trim piece to the front of the desk.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax American Chesnut
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

Antique Quartersawn White Oak Dining Table

This is a solid, quartersawn white oak 5-legged dining table. It was originally built in the late 19th or early 20th century. The table was in need of a refinish. The massive turned and fluted legs were full of cracks, chips, and splits.

I took the table completely apart and began stripping and sanding. The legs were re-glued where needed and clamped. I filled the cracks, splits, and and chips with wood filler, sanded, and repeated until I was happy with the results. I replaced some bracing and replaced the screws where needed. Heavy duty casters were added. They have brakes/stops that can be locked to keep the table from rolling on a hardwood or tile floor.

Once the final sanding was completed, I applied 2 coats of Minwax Dark Walnut stain with a foam brush. I wiped down after each coat after waiting 10-15 minutes or so. After drying I began applying Minwax Fast Drying (oil based) polyurethane. The table received 3 coats and the top received 6 coats. I hand sanded with 220 grit sandpaper between coats.

After applying the final coat of poly to the top, I allowed it to cure 48 hours. I then hand sanded the top very lightly using 400 grit paper. I did the same using 0000 steel wool. I then added a few drops of dish soap to a cup of water and wet sanded with the 0000 steel wool. I used a circular motion to remove any scratches. I then wiped down the table and buffed out two coats of Johnson Past Wax with an orbital buffer. It resulted in a super smooth finish.

I am very happy with the results. By the way the table if for sale ($600) and is located in Evansville, Indiana.

Estimated Cost
$80
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax Dark Walnut Stain (2 coats) and Minwax Fast Drying (oil based) polyurethane.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Garden Bench

Submitted by Amras on Fri, 08/10/2018 - 07:31

Used the plans changed some dimensions a little bit.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
minwax wood stain and sealer
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Super Simple Bedframe/Hailey Planked Headboard

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 05/22/2022 - 21:57

My grandaughter and I built the super simple bed and modified the Hailey planked headboard. We used common douglas fir from Home Depot. The finish is equal parts Minwax cherry and early american with 3 coats of Minwax wipe on poly with a light sanding with 220 grit between coats. Total cost was about 250.00.

Comments

Single Locker Cabinet

Submitted by canesa on Thu, 07/14/2011 - 23:16

I built this simple but super cute locker for my daughters room! She loves it and so do all of her friends! This was a super simple build just follow Ana's awesome plans!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$25
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
I painted it a light blue color to match her bedroom and glazed it with Ralph Lauren's Smoke glaze.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

1-Board Cedar Desk Accessory Set

Submitted by JoanneS on Sun, 08/18/2013 - 15:36

This build is the prototype for the 1-Board Cedar Desk Accessory Set plan. From 1 cedar fence picket, I was able to build this set in 1 afternoon. It was a fun project that I'm hoping will make a great gift. No angles, rips or special cuts were required. The only tools needed were the miter saw, nailgun and palm sander. Of course you could do this all with hand tools, but I love my power tools! :) The inspiration for this plan was some desk sets which I had built entirely from scrap wood. I thought it would be fun to make a plan to build them from just 1 kind of board, just 1 board, and cedar pickets came to mind. You could also do this plan with craft boards - you would need 2 pieces, 1/2" x 5 1/2" x 2'.

The build was really very easy. A lot of sanding to get the picket nice and smooth, but not difficult. The plans show where to cut as you go, to get the best fit and account for variations in the sizes of the wood.

I finished this one after assembly, but on the next one I'm going to try it by finishing all the little pieces first.

Estimated Cost
$3 for wood (finishing materials already on hand)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
This was finished with Minwax Express Color in Walnut. I followed Ana's tutorial for this (in the Finishes section). The only thing I did differently was to use a small paint brush to get the stain into all the nooks and crannies. Top coat is 1 coat of Minwax Oil Modified Water Based Poly.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

JoanneS

Mon, 08/19/2013 - 02:31

Thank you so much for your nice comments! I hope you find your cedar pickets, I'm sure you'll be able to whip up some "desk bling" in no time! :)

Kids' Desks

Submitted by docfin02 on Mon, 09/14/2015 - 18:52

Simple design, very practical, and the kids love them

Estimated Cost
$100 for two desks
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
polyurethane on desktop
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

So easy!

Submitted by cslavinsky on Thu, 08/30/2018 - 16:01

The plans were super simple, and I had it finished in about an hour (worked around the little's nap schedule).  I left it unfinished so that the recipient could paint it or stain it however she wanted.  It was so nice to see it built and the bedding dressed up before kids got to it.   :)  I will definitely build another for my own daughter as soon as she's old enough to have her own American Girl doll.

Estimated Cost
$20
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
none
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Modern Adirondack Benches

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 06/02/2022 - 15:36

I fell in love with the modern Adirondack chairs, I love how comfortable and simple they are. But I wanted benches to go around my fire pit area. So I decided to modify the modern Adirondack chairs to make 6ft and 8ft benches. I added in extra supports (of course) but it was an easy mod with a gorgeous outcome!

Seasonal And Holiday

Apothecary Console Table from Pallets

Submitted by tsibiga on Sat, 07/16/2011 - 05:50

I used a combination of Ana-White's Building Plan along with close examination of the Pottery Barn Andover Table to create my Apothecary Console. I've recently picked up a bunch of free pallets and have been experimenting with ways to use them.

Pallets were used for about 95% of this project. The only thin I bought was 1/2" plywood for the doors, 20 wooden knobs, and two sets of hinges. I took some backing off an old dresser and used that for the back and I found an old rotted piece of antique wood at an antique store that I used for the top.

Since I didn't buy 1x12", I had to join together some 1x6"s that I pulled off the pallets. There's a lot more to tell about this project so if you're interested, I documented the whole thing on our blog:

http://www.tommyandellie.com/Site/Home/Entries/2011/7/18_A%7Bpallet%7Do…

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$40
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
White Valspar gloss white, sanded/distressed, and then Special Walnut.

The antique piece of wood just has a coat of Poly.
Recommended Skill Level
Advanced

Comments

tsibiga

Sat, 07/16/2011 - 05:52

In my blog, I posted that I would not build it like this again......I would buy 1x12"s for sure.

theworldmovesforlove

Sat, 07/16/2011 - 23:15

This looks fantastic! You did a really great job at keeping the false drawer faces straight and uniform. It looks really great!

tsibiga

Tue, 07/19/2011 - 16:06

Thanks for all the great comments. I think it'll look even better once we paint the foyer....the white is just blending in right now....and I think paint on the walls will really make it stand out.

Flip Down Art Desk

This was a first project for us. We decided to make it for my daughter's birthday, and it took us longer than it should, although the painting took the longest, with drying time and all. It turned out fabulous though!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$20
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Used plain white paint, and 3 coats of chalkboard paint on the front. I used a touch of blue to outline the inside, and clear glitter paint to overlay the frame on the chalkboard side for pizazz.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Jewelry Cabinet - Southwest Style

Submitted by Joni on Sun, 09/30/2018 - 12:21

This was inspired by Ana's wall jewelry cabinet, but with a few changes.  I specifically wanted the long shaker style pegs so that I could hang several necklaces on each peg.  I also wanted an earring bar, and fashioned one out of an 1/8" brass rod (found on amazon), after experimenting with a few different options.  This particular option was small enough to easily hold the earrings, but sturdy enough to hold the weight.  To "cap off" the brass rod, I cut a few pieces off a thick dowel rod, and ran a drill through them. 

 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
I had the 1/2" plywood scrap for the back, the 1/4" plywood for the inside, and the cabinet handle. I purchased the wood frame (the better pine at Home Depot) for $20, the 3/8" thick 2"-wide strips for the southwest design (under $20), the rod ($5), the ceramic knobs at Hobby Lobby ($12), shaker style pegs (approx. $6), a magnetic catch (< $2), and the hinges ($10). Total: $75.
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
The inside stain is Minwax's Weathered Oak, and the outside stain is Minwax's Provencial. On the inside panel, I used chalk paint, covered by a coat of weathered oak stain, covered by Polycrylic. Everything else has Polycrylic, except the front Southwest design has Bri-wax.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Mud kitchen

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 06/12/2022 - 13:29

My niece requested this for her fourth birthday. Hoping this earns me the best Aunt award! Had some 6x6 cedar scraps from a project, cut them down, and voila!

Comments

4 Bright Little Adirondack chairs

These 4 little chairs did not take very long to put together. But they did take me a while to sand, prime and paint. I hate that part of building-haha-so it always seems like it takes forever to get through with that and on to the fun part. They are very easy to make and inexpensive. My grandkids and others who have driven by and seen them out front have loved them!!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
About 22.00 per chair(the spray paint was the majority of the cost). I think the chairs without finishing would be only about 10.00 apiece.
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
I used Valspar indoor/outdoor gloss spray paint. Definitely use a primer and paint or stain before putting together.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

tonjacoy101

Fri, 07/22/2011 - 05:52

What a cute little guy and cute chairs too! I bet the grandkids love them :)

Double Inset Bookshelf Doors

Submitted by dholubar on Wed, 08/21/2013 - 07:08

You made this project look so simple that I just had to try it. However, to suit my needs I had to make a few alterations to the plans. I had a set of bi-fold doors that were in need of replacement and I thought inset bookshelf doors would be the perfect way to replace them. This project was easy enough for me to do it myself and I am really new to the DIY game but I did have some help. I really love the way they turned out. You can read all about my my adventure at http://heresalittletmi.blogspot.com/2013/08/bookshelf-doors.html

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$120.00
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Full Size Camp Loft

Submitted by jcygan on Wed, 09/30/2015 - 16:37

We modified the plans for the Camp Loft Bed to accommodate a full size mattress.  We also extended the platform so that the bed spread wall to wall in the bedroom.  Since the platform was extended, we added a short railing to prevent falls.  The height was pushed up to make it taller than the junior size of the original design.  This way we were able to place a desk and add 2 pine shelves underneath the head of the bed.  

We added a board along the long side at the bottom to take out some wiggling.  The bed itself still seemed a little shaky until we attached the platform and now it is rock solid.  We have had 1-2 adults and multiple kids up there at the same time with no problem.

The bed itself could have been built in a weekend.  However, the time it took to sand, stain, and clear coat added many more hours.  Those hours were definitely worth it for a finished product.

Estimated Cost
$500
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
We used the medium warm stain used on the original bed. The directions are found here: http://ana-white.com/2012/07/medium-warm-stain
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Albright777

Fri, 10/02/2015 - 10:43

Thank you so much for posting this.  My oldest wants a loft bed, but has a full right now.  I am building my 2 youngest the junior loft this fall and the oldest was jealous.  I was scared to build one.  Afraid it would not hold up.  Thank you for showing that it does.  Great job!!!