I bought a condo but I didn’t have a lot of space to entertain and grow things so these storage benches were the perfect solution thanks Anna for making such great easy to use plans out there for people of all skill levels
This is my first fine woodworking project after taking two classes at my local Firestarter FabLab community entrepreneurial center.
I used wormy maple, the top is 40" x 1 1/2" that I used the CNC router to cut out. The base I used 1" and glued everything to thickness for the the Square X Base Pedestal Dining Table plans, with a few variation. For the 45's I only made 2x4's instead of the specified 4x4's and the same for the X on the bottom. Thrilled with how it turned out.
Thank you for the great inspiration!
My husband and I put this together to fit a spot that was just slightly off of what standard furniture would accomodate. Looking for something simple as a first build, we went with the Kids Country Bench and made some changes along the way.
We made 3 cubbies on the bottom shelf for extra storage and a little extra stability, since our boards were more bowed than we preferred. We also removed the front and back aprons. In the front we just attached a 1x2 that we ripped into a 1x1 as a trim piece. In the back, we centered a 1x2 to give a slight lip in the back.
I don't have a jigsaw, so we used my FIL's Scroll Saw. That was interesting ... but the sides turned out ok. Not perfect, but ok.
I was hoping to finish this with a high gloss product, but since the boards we ended up with more 'rustic' than I anticipated, I decided to embrace that and go with a distressed finish. I used a spray primer, and then one coat of Sherwin Williams yellow, covered with a dry brush of Sherwin Williams blue. I then sanded the corners and edges and finished with a spray top coat.
We had lots of fun, although it took us a long time. We were only working in small shifts, in between naps. If we had managed to get, say, 3 straight hours to build, I think we could have finished in in that time period.
This was a great starter project, and it's nice to know that we can make MINOR modifications to a plan and not have it fall apart on us :)
Thanks for the inspiration Ana!
My husband and I were discussing how fun it will be to take our little boy bowling once he is old enough to enjoy it. From that conversation I got the idea of building a miniature bowling lane. I was also inspired by Ana White’s #GetBuilding2015 challenge to make use of the large pile of lumber stored in my garage.
Tue, 04/28/2015 - 10:53
What a cute project! I'm sure there will be many fun times ahead. Thanks for sharing!
After seeing how expensive custom cushions can be, I decided to build a custom outdoor sofa around the dimensions of the cushions instead of the other way around. I took some plans for a chair and modified the dimensions. I also gave the seat a 7 degree downward slope and gave the backrest a similar angle to in order to keep the cushions from falling over since each section is a single piece (seat & backrest).
I used a jigsaw to round out the corners of the armrest and then sanded them smooth. I ended up painting it white (hard to see in the 2nd picture) and it came out great.
My favorite project ever because I built it for my 18 month old grandson. He really loved playing in it. Thanks for the plan Ana. It was well done and easy to follow.
I built this doll house bookcase for my little girl for her Birthday. And she loves it!
I used white pine. I did not want to use paint. I did 5 coats of clear stain. I like the look of the natural wood and the knots to show.
Bar height table witb 4 chairs and 2 benches. My mom wanted a new table big eight to sit 6 to 8 people, I think it can fit 10 though!
After getting ridiculous quotes for new cabinets, we searched out ways to save money. Ana White, your site has been a blessing! I have a construction background and was planning on doing everything except cabinets and electrical. I estimate that your plans and inspiration have saved us at least $7500.00!!! Thanks so much. We will continue to update as progress continues!
Mon, 05/04/2015 - 07:03
I can't wait to see the final product. Keep the pix coming. Will you be buying raised panel doors or going for a more craftsman style look with a 1x2 frame around the cabinet door?
In reply to Cabinet Boxes Look Good! by Heatherdee
Sat, 05/16/2015 - 07:08
Thanks for the encouragement, Heather! We are actually using Ana's plans and building our own shaker doors. The plans are awesome and we have discovered that we LOVE building cabinets!!
I've been wanting a storage bench for my bedroom to store bed pillows and blankets while we sleep so that the dogs don't take them over during the night on the floor. This is perfect. Just need to finish painting or staining. I did add a plywood bottom. I may add trim to the bottom as well. My first larger project without my husband's help!
So this is the first build we ever did from Ana. The chairs were in 2'
sections and fit PERFECTLY in our new sun room, making a great
entertainment area with WAY more seating than we had before. We used
this plan (http://ana-white.com/2010/05/furniture-plans-collection-simple.html)
using the corner and back pieces. There are no cushions yet, but once
we find the right fabric they'll be going on--hopefully this summer!
We also used the plan here (http://ana-white.com/2010/05/furniture-plans-outdoor-storage-bench.html)
for the box in the middle. We also installed a bottle opener and ring
handleon the top, and a styrofoam cooler fits inside! we had a great
time building this, and I hope someone else gets as much out of it as we
did!
My first woodworking project. The plans were fantastic and easy to follow. Thanks!
Mon, 05/04/2015 - 14:53
Dirkmonster,
You did an awesome job! Congrats on a great first project! Thank you for the shout-out! Love the addition of the hinges, handles and lock. Looks like a happy young man there! :)
JoanneS
First attempt ever at building anything! Probably took me a lot longer than it should have, but I'm very proud of the result
Fun & easy, the console table took much longer than anticipated due to weird weather in our area & conflicting schedules.
Loved the simple lines of this project - the first one I attempted! I used a 1x10 instead of a 1x12 (because it fit better in my space) with the called for 1x6's. I looked for an interesting piece of knotty pine to add some interest. Two stains were layered and a top coat was added. Timeline is total time but spread out - includes time with a paint brush but not drying time.
I made this porch bench for my daughter-in-law 's birthday. She purchased bench cushions from Pottery Barn and asked if I would build the corresponding bench. Using the dimensions of the cushions and examining online photos I was able to build the framework and tried my best to duplicate the
Chatham series bench. Not quite ready to tackle the curved bench rest and arms but after watching YouTube on how to make curved woodworking items I might just take a shot at it next time.
She really loves the bench and I am pleased with how it turned out.
This was our first introduction to Ana's incredible web site. My wife wanted an activity table and stumbled upon Ana.
Built using Clara's table design and painted with PPG's HPC paint. This was also my first time using a cordless paint sprayer. Incredible tool however, don't forget to setup a paint booth (I knew better) but was still giddy of an 18v cordless sprayer I've learned to love the new pink/white floor design
I used 2x8s for the tabletop and bench tops, with 1x4 to frame it. The legs on the table are 2x4 times 2 to look like 4x4 (can only find them treated around here). I messed up in my calculations on the benches. I intended to do the same with the legs there, but was forced to do 2x4. I don't like it as much, but they will do fine. The table is stained in Rustoleum Kona, used a wire brush to make it look rough, and then sanded it a little bit. The bottom is actually spray painted in Ivory.
Fri, 04/08/2016 - 16:09
This is a most difficult site. I have signed in and would love to have the plan for the Little Farmhouse Action table and bench for outside use by SamWiseMan.
Comments
Ana White Admin
Wed, 10/06/2021 - 10:25
Awesome solution!
Great solution to add storage and seating outside, thanks for sharing!