Community Brag Posts

Ultimate tool bench with rolling carts

This plan is so perfect and I love the fact that it has a space for most of the tools, for a miter saw, table saw, and could be customized to your needs and tools that you have!

Comments

Kids Pallet picnic table

Submitted by Blainesmom on Sun, 04/28/2013 - 14:23

There were no exact instructions so the project was just eyed. We used finishing nails to put it together so it would be easy to take apart if a mistake was made, then later we added the screws. Bought a can of rustoleum paint in navy blue. I get pallets for free from my mothers work, and we had screws laying around, so essentially the project was free.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$0
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Rustic Wine Rack

Submitted by tedgray86 on Wed, 03/18/2015 - 21:53

Ask for materials and how to

Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Thank you! Came out beautiful and sturdy.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 06/17/2017 - 14:44

Thank you for your Adirondack plan. I used 2x6s for the arms and 3 coats of outdoor polyurethane over the paint. These are strong and sturdy. Thank you! 

Finish Used
Sherwin Williams outdoor paint and outdoor polyurethane.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Barn door pantry

Submitted by Lukilla on Sun, 09/05/2021 - 05:33

My wife and I built a TV stand for ourselves with double barn doors a few months ago..
in the process,, we accidentally ordered a 4 foot single barndoor hardware kit.. we saved it hoping to use it for something in the future..

We saw this build, and just had to go for it. We made a couple modifications. Instead of buying all those 1x12s (lumber prices are through the roof here) we got a sheet of birch plywood for $60. We had it ripped down to 11.25" and made the sides, middle wall, and top out of those. (All of those pieces are faced out, so you can't see the plywood lines). This saved us about $100. If you do this, you will still need 2-1x12x10s for your shelves. We used this savings and bought an extra sheet of 1/4 plywood to put backs on both sides of the cabinet. (Suggestions on how to do that are in the comments of the original build plans posted by Ana.)

Lastly we had leftover 1x4s from a previous project to make everything except the diagonal slats on the doors. So, we used leftover 1x3s for those.

Varathane honey stain used on finish

All in all, we absolutely love this piece. And now, our neighbors are already eyeballing it and want to know if we can make them one.

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Toybox

Submitted by brianl on Mon, 04/29/2013 - 22:17

I loved this plan. Could not find anything else close. There is details on pocket screws from another user. I loved this. I did use plywood but edge the front and rear with a 1x2 (planed thickness to be flush with plywood). I also pocket screwed the 1x2 to the plywood. I loved this and it is way cleaner than exposed corner moulding.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
General Finishes - Pre-condition, stained and 4 coats of poly!
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

pam312

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 06:45

do you remember what color and brand of stain you used and what type of paint for the lettering?
thanks,pam

Industrial shelf unit for basement bedroom

Submitted by PauletteC on Sat, 03/21/2015 - 06:34

My son and I made this shelf unit when converting our basement to a dorm for him. While we think it turned out great, it DID take a lot longer than the plans suggest. The video suggests it can be completed in a couple of hours. It took us about 4 days. I found the instructions very clear which was very helpful. We chose a darker stain for our unit. It's very functional, although a little bit wobbly. My husband plans to attach it to the wall for better stability.  Thanks so much for a perfect solution to a room without a closet! He loves it and we've received many compliments. And I liked that we built it together. Cost was spot on for what you estimated. About $200

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Patio cooler/Grill cart!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 06/22/2017 - 14:06

Great project! I'm new to wood working and have been looking for simple but challenging builds. Needless to say this fit the bill... This grill cart was a great starter build and ultimately became a Father's Day gift!  My Pops loved it! 

I did add a couple of custom pieces: a foldable table top extension and towel bar... things Dad will undoubtedly need as he's an outdoorsman who loves to BBQ!

Thanks for the idea/design plans! 

Estimated Cost
$150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Semi-gloss spar urethane (3 coats)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Modern Adirondack Chair

Submitted by abbulone on Mon, 09/13/2021 - 13:35

First time making this type of chair. Your plan made it really easy to cut and assemble the frame. I just changed the back to different types of flags. I’ve made them for my friends in the fire department, police department, ems, military, and a corrections Officer. They are an absolute hit.

Comments

Red Hen Home's Woven Back Bench

I fell in love with this bench the moment I saw it, and convinced a friend to let me build it for her! I used 2" brads and glue to hold the woven pieces together. I found it necessary to add a center support under the bench seat to keep it from "creaking." I also used 2" brads to hold the seat slats on; although the instructions say to use 2" screws, *I* certainly don't see how that's possible with the 2x4 supports on their sides underneath! It was a fun build. More info and pictures on my blog.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
40
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Dark Walnut, followed by Rustoleum Spar Urethane (water-based)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Truss End Table

My husband and I built these end tables together. The construction took about 3 hours.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Special Walnut 224 stain
and Polycryllic
We only used these because the stain matched the table I built. The off-gassing takes a little too long for me (because I am chemical sensitive). I have used Saman products for other projects and liked them much better.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Side street bunk beds

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 06/23/2017 - 20:02

We just finished 2 sets of bunk beds using the side street bunk bed plans. The end result was gorgeous. We stained these in min wax classic gray. We also countersunk the bed slats on top and bottom.

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Yellow pine and spruce. We stained the bed with min wax classic gray.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Kitchen islan

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 10/02/2021 - 17:14

Used several plans to put this on together. Individual wood slats to build siding. 36”h. 32” d 72”l.

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Our Little Girls Dream Dress Up Spot

Submitted by lausenfam on Sun, 05/05/2013 - 18:46

This was a last minute, first completed, wood project right before Christmas! I wasn't sure about my own skills and if I would complete it in time, but behold it only took 3 evenings (spare time) to complete! This was really simple and gave me time to learn what I was truly capable of and any areas I could improve upon. We finished it and on Christmas morning our little girls, 2 and 3 years old, got their very own princess dress up area. I'm excited for those two girls to make the best sister memories together. Thank you so much for the plans!

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
I followed all the instructions given and added in our own touch for the upper design. We chose girl colors that would look good in any room. I'm new to sanding, but if it you think its ok, do it a little more, that helped me.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Stacy Daybed

Submitted by Dave1344 on Wed, 03/25/2015 - 14:52

My daughter needed a new bed and I needed a project, so we headed to ana-white.com to find a plan that filled both of our needs.  We settled on the Stacy Daybed and got to work.

I followed the plans pretty much on par, but made a few minor changes to make it easier to take apart and put back together. You can also see that I added width to the legs in front, allowing the weight of the sleeper to set on the legs instead of being supported solely by the furniture bolts and metal thread inserts I used to hold it together.  I duplicated this in back to keep the design balanced.

This project was fun and challenging and the plans were very easy to follow as well as modify to my needs. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Dutch Boy Antique White. I used a 4 inch roller for the frame and flat parts, but needed to brush on all the angles. It was time consuming, but turned out really nice.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

5-Tier Wood Planter

This plan was easy to follow, accurate and came together in just a few hours. I used some reclaimed barn wood for the 2x6s and dog-ear pickets for the remainder.

I made it harder for myself than it had to be. I didn't follow the directions closely enough and cut the box ends at 5 1/2" instead of 5 1/4". That meant that the bottoms had nothing to press-fit against. So, I had to do a little workaround to fix that. I made a 1" shelf at each end of each box so that the bottom could sit on these little shelves. The upside to this mistake is that there was now a drainage slot all along the front and all along the back of each planter box. 

I stained and sealed it. Finally, I lined each planter box with weed matting that I'd cut to size and cut drain slits in. The matting doubles as a way to keep the planting mix from falling out of the long drainage slots while allowing water to drain through the little slits I poked in the fabric. (I poked drain slits only along the front edge so that water would drain into the planter box below instead of onto the ground.)

I'm happy with the plan and the finished planter!

Estimated Cost
$35
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
One coat of Cabots Premium Stain and Sealer in Gingersnap. One coat of Minwax Helmsman Spar Urethane.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Work Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 10/04/2021 - 12:37

I started with a table bought at Harbor Freight and added the lift off front door, lower wood rack, and added wheels. It has worked so great for me.

Comments

Triple Pedestal Farmhouse Bench

Submitted by mamienoel on Tue, 05/07/2013 - 14:14

Well I told my sister that I bought a saw and some tools and I was going to attempt to build my own dining room bench... being the snarky "younger" sister that she is, she suggested I start with a cutting board instead. :)
But hey... go big or go home I figured, so I tackled my first ever carpentry project: the Triple Pedestal Bench from Ana's plans!
I attempted to cut down the measurements for the top from 106" (in the plans) down to 70" (to fit my table) BUT I screwed up my measurements (I suck at math...shocker!) and ended up with an 86" long beautiful beast of a bench
somehow... so beginners mistake! At least now I have some practice under my belt for when I have the time to tackle this project again and start over and make a new one that actually fits my dining table...
And while it's far from perfect, I absolutely love it... it turned out better than I had hoped and I still have all my fingers and limbs attached! Thank you God !:)

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$50
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Finish is a combination of 3 parts "Dark Walnut" stain to 1 part "Weathered Gray" stain... brushed on and immediately wiped off...
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Farmhouse King Bed

Submitted by J_hebert on Sat, 03/28/2015 - 20:22

We finally built the #1 Project on my to do list. Took about 3 Days total with finishing and all. Love it so much, defintately my fave project to date! Have to do nightstands next!

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
One Coat Minwax weathered oak ( Canadians can find it at Rona) One coat Special Walnut
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

one wall project

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 06/29/2017 - 08:54

 My kitchen is huge but has little counter space since I pulled out two oversized peninsula(6'x3') island things in my kitchen that had no storage. I also found out there was an outlet behind each one. The only outlet on the wall I am showing was covered. I was relieved to find it. I decided to build the Farmhouse Kitchen Island & Bar Plans and put a few shelves over it for coffee and tea. I made one drawer and one flip down drawer face. I put a large bowl in the cabinet below the drawer to catch coffee grounds. I alos made the cabinet 4 feet instead of 6 due to the space. I also trimmed a 1x3 down to cover the bottom foot plate so stuff doens't collect under it. I also added wheels so I can move it out if we have a lot of company for extra seating. The drawer faces are recycled barn wood from my sisters property. They are clearing out what was a 100+ year old barn that had fallen over. The shelves are from the same wood (I used bronze spray paint to paint the brakets on the shelves). I sanded it down just enough to get the splinters off. I used 4x4's for the bar side and bought a pre-made butcher block from Menards for the top. I stained it with carrignton stain from rustoleum except the barn wood I just clear coated. Oh, I added 12 in drawer slides to the drawer. The mail sorter plan is from http://www.shanty-2-chic.com/2016/02/rustic-chalkboard-mail-organizer.h… I made it bigger to fit the space. The organizer took a day the shelves to a couple hours and the Island took a week off and on. The secretary is an antique passed down to me along with the chair. I am planning on making the full size Island later on, with a few adaptations.

Estimated Cost
5-6 hundred

Butcher block was $80, wood was around $350 and hardware was another $50-60.
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Carrignton stain from Rustoleum, clear coat, Bronze spray paint, Butcher block oil
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Modern Deck Chairs and Loveseat

Submitted by c.winks on Mon, 10/04/2021 - 12:59

Love, love, love your projects and plans! I have made 3 of the Modern Outdoor Chairs so far, as well as the Modern Outdoor Loveseat and they are amazing. I purchased both the seat and back cushions for my chairs before realizing that the back cushion had nothing to lean against, so I modified the design and gave the chairs alittle more personality. Keep those plans coming, I can't wait to try more.

Comments