Community Brag Posts

Simple Closet Organizer

Submitted by bcy419 on Thu, 10/11/2012 - 13:46

This was mine and my wife's very first woodworking project. Overall, it wasn't bad at all. I thoroughly enjoyed the actual process of cutting the wood and putting everything together. As far as the painting goes, I'd much rather just go on to another woodworking project, but I have to say that all the hard work paid off. Anna's plans helped tremendously. I tweaked slightly just because we wanted our center piece to be a little taller and slightly more narrow. We also added two shelves on each side, for a total of four. For our small reach-in closet, this was by far the best way to go about everything. We definitely have much more room and overall it is a much better use of the space.

I threw in a "before" picture just for fun.

We also just finished the Farmhouse Queen Bed that Anna has plans for, and we will be putting up a brag post on it very shortly.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$40-$50
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
We just went with a simple white. My wife and I sanded everything down, then used some leftover Behr Premium Plus, Self-Priming, Interior Semi-Gloss that we previously used on our bedroom trim. We sanded between coats and applied a total of three coats for the finished product.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Unique Bookshelf

Submitted by Lalauren42 on Mon, 08/04/2014 - 08:48

I was in need of a new bookshelf so I searched online and all I could find were cheap, plain bookshelves at a pricey cost. So I decided to make my own. This was my first piece of furniture I have ever made. I love it! Super easy and the Kreg Jig will quickly become your new BFF!!

I did shorten the bookshelf so that top was accessible.

Estimated Cost
$150
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Emme Twin Bed

Tips:

  1. Bed Frame: runners attached with bed connectors from Rockler to make it easy to breakdown and move.
  2. Slats: made removable slats again for ease of move. Made with nylon rope stapled to 1x3. Pin the first and last slat by putting a screw on the inside of the first and last slat to keep it in place.
Estimated Cost
less than $100
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
General Finishes Gel Stain Java
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Foot stool.

Submitted by CKam0011 on Tue, 08/04/2020 - 20:15

Just got into woodworking as a hobby. This is my first project, pretty happy with how it turned out.

Finish Used
Urethane, trim paint.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Wide Cabin Dresser

Submitted by jmsmith12 on Thu, 10/18/2012 - 13:37

Modified wide cabin dresser with metal full extension drawer slides on the bottom of the drawers. The extra set of drawers on the bottom were added to give more space for storage.

Estimated Cost
200-250
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Any advice for a finish with a linen covered bed?
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

mebohn

Thu, 01/31/2013 - 14:04

Beautiful! I was wondering if it would look pretty with the extra drawers on the bottom. I'm building this plan for my son right now, but I might build another with extra drawers for myself!

dbwalk

Sun, 11/23/2014 - 05:29

Your build looks awesome!  I'm going to be doing this for my twin daughters room very soon.  I was just wondering how you modified the dimensions on the left and right sides.  What were the measurements and dimensions of all the pieces since it had to cover all the way to the bottom?

 

Papu5477

Thu, 01/25/2018 - 18:29

Are plans available for this build? I love the extra drawers. 

Farmhouse Style Kitchen Island

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 11/20/2016 - 04:27

Dear Ana, 

Thank you for inspiring my friend Erik to build your farmhouse style table.  I was inspired by him, so I decided to build your farmhouse style kitchen island. It was not an easy DIY project for a first time DIY. However, I'm thankful that your plans are easy to follow and that there are plenty of Kregjig tutorials on YouTube! This project took 15 hours, but in the end- the time spent didn't matter. I love the finished product, finally a space to prep and cook. Thank you for inspiring all of us. Not perfect, but beautiful. Used Minwax Golden Pecan Wood Finish and 2 coats semi gloss.  Thanks again! -Leo C. @1LeoChen Instagram & Twitter 

Estimated Cost
$100 for wood & stain /semi gloss ; $20 screws this is assuming you have all the tools .
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Golden Pecan - wipe it on with towel, dispose of towel properly. May be flammable or cause fire.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Outdoor Modern Sofa

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 08/08/2020 - 07:31

This was my first time DIYing furniture, so I definitely came up with a very easy design!

The dimensions for this sofa are modern as it sits low to the ground and has a squarish appearance.

Free detailed plan on Blog: www.MinimalistFarmStyle.com

Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Watered down Varathane Water-based Java Bean.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Library Console Table

Submitted by JMillar41 on Sun, 10/21/2012 - 16:22

My husband and I are doing a bit of remodeling in our 150+ year old farmhouse - over time we have amassed a not so small pile of old lumber. We hated to see it go to waste so it has been our hobby to try to find ways to reuse. Small projects. Finding this website was a dream. My husband and I are NOT natural carpenters but the plans we found here were perfect for us. Clear, simple, un-intimidating. I've been meaning to make the Library Console Table for a while and before the weather got too yucky to work outside I knew I had to get to it. It cost us zero to make, however, since it is all old barnwood - no two pieces were alike, the wood was a bit warped, dinged and splintery. But with enough sanding and the right paint I think this will be adorable. Husband does not want me to paint it and I might not have but we were forced to use some plywood (we also had a small sheet on hand) and I hate plywood too much to leave it exposed. We'll see.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
FREE
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
So far no finish used.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Triple Bunkbeds

Submitted by egookaasan on Sat, 08/09/2014 - 05:37

What I LOVE about these beds is how every piece is flat when taken apart for easy assembly/disassembling and moving.

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Medium walnut stain
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Pipe bar and wood shelf

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 11/23/2016 - 13:20

I saw Ana Whites video for this project on YouTube and thought it would be perfect for this space in my half bath.

Estimated Cost
$20 to 30.00
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
I used wood conditioner then Minwax stain in dark walnut. I bought all supplies at Home Depot. I used aluminum bars instead if steel and Home Depot cut for me. I spray painted them in bronze. I also made my shelf wider and longer to fit the space better.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Pony Wall

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 08/13/2020 - 06:17

Love your site. The 8’ pony wall I recently made was a great plan. I’m also going to build the outdoor storage plan you have. Thanks for your creativity!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Linseed Oil

Madison Changing Table: Part 1 (Side Bases)

Submitted by Huthbert on Tue, 10/23/2012 - 15:13

Still working on part 2 and part 3 of this project. We've been eyeballing this project for awhile and are so excited with the results! We love that we can potentially use these as bedside tables in the future.

We wrote out how we did everything on the blog: http://thehuth.blogspot.com/2012/10/madison-changing-table-part-1-side-…

Estimated Cost
$60 (for both tables)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Behr Irish Mist Paint and Minwax Satin Polycrylic
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

iCoffeeTable by Jordan

Submitted by jcrist30 on Tue, 08/12/2014 - 10:26

With all my left-over oak plywood laying around from a previous project and the need for a new coffee table, I decided I could easily utilize what I had on-hand to build the iTable (we've begun referring to our breakfast nook as the "indoor lumber yard", as it's full of scraps that I KNEW would be useful :) ). I rip cut the plywood to 5 1/2"-wide boards and cut to size for the center of the table. All I had to buy were the oak boards for the four trim pieces on top and the 6' 4x4's for the legs (I also used the rip-cut oak plywood for the skirts since the edges are not visible).

I sanded the project down with 80-grit and then 120-grit sandpaper. I used Rustoleum Kona stain (this was my first time using a non-Minwax product, and I have to say that Kona from Rustoleum is my new favorite color). I sealed the project with two coats of Minwax Polycrylic Semi-Gloss on everthing but the top of the table, where I applied three coats.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$75
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Rustoleum Wood Stain in Kona; Minwax Polycrylic in Semi-Gloss
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

All the furniture from my single days is now gone

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 11/27/2016 - 15:00

I built both the table and bench fron the "fancy x farmhouse" plans. All said it was about $140 in wood and another $100 or so in clamps and tools that I needed.

Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Tween X Desks.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 08/16/2020 - 11:26

I had fun doing this project. I dont have a miter saw but made happen with my circular saw. Desks are 48 in long and 24 in wide,I used a bookcase shelving panel for the top of the desk. I made this for my 8 and 4 yrs old kids.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$65 each.
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Winwax, wood finish, dark walnut.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Modular Fridge Cabinet

Submitted by ccobb1612 on Tue, 07/30/2024 - 09:21

Small refrigerator stand with storage.
One 4x8 sheet of plywood
Depth 19”, width 20” , height 42”
May work with less stress if width 21” for this size refrigerator.
4 caster wheels

 

Fits around my thermostat!!! Downsized Puzzle Bookcase for DVD Storage

Submitted by moosmani on Sun, 10/28/2012 - 09:41

This was my first build and I learned a lot, like it’s better to just invest in some decent clamps at the beginning of the project rather than waiting until near completion. Anyone with any experience at all and with more than 2 clamps could have finished this project in a fraction of the time. However, I enjoyed every minute of it. This project took a week to complete only because of the wait time between finishes. The bookcase itself went together surprisingly fast, especially once I got more clamps. The hardest part was making it square. This plan was the perfect solution for my thermostat placement problem. I had been searching high and low for DVD storage to fit within the confines of my space. It had to be low profile to leave the doorway clear and it had to allow the thermostat on the wall to be accessible, yet big enough and wide enough to fit all our DVDs. This puzzle design couldn’t have been any more perfect. I was so excited to find it. I just made a smaller version. It expands to exactly the space I need. Many thanks to Ana and this wonderful website! I have spent countless hours studying and reading on this website. I am now thinking about building in every spare minute I have!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$60
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax Red Elm Gel Stain and 2 coats Minwax Bombay Mahogany Poly Shades
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Playhouse Loft Bed

This was a great plan to follow. I made a few modifications such as adding a back wall that I painted with chalk paint so my daughter can draw to her hearts content. I also added a bit above the door so we can post messages such as her name or "girls only". I decided to skip the stairs being storage thinking it would simply be a junk collector and added a small step at the top as she found it a bit too high to get into her bed. Finally the painting took sometime as I used cabinet quality paint for durability but it's a bit tricky to work with. As a final touch I installed LEDs from Costco on the interior ceiling and back top rail all controlled by a remote with over 20 colors to choose from and adjusting brightness. Can't wait for my next project.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Cabinet and melamine paint. More durable and will stand up to kids.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate