Community Brag Posts

Custom Adirondack Stools

Submitted by Tiny Abode on Mon, 04/28/2014 - 23:48

I customised the Anirondack stools so they are 600 high to fit under a 900 high desk in my Tiny Home.
Used a kreg jig - all up took about 2 hours on each stool. First ever piece of furniture I've made. Very happy with the outcome. Now to fill and oil them.
(I cannot recommend Ana White designs and Kreg Jig's enough to everyone who asks).

Estimated Cost
$40
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Simplest "Garage" Armoire

Submitted by YakFish22 on Sun, 07/31/2016 - 10:28

Some armoires look good in a bedroom. This one looks good in my garage storing my beer fridge and smoker. This took two pairs of repurposed shutters from the in-laws, two sheets of 3/4" plywood and some scrap lumber from around the garage. The best thing is with the Kreg tool, there are zero visible screw heads. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Modified Queen Farmhouse Bed

Submitted by AmandaMC on Fri, 05/22/2020 - 07:34

First bed I have made (did it alone). I used the plan but made some modifications - added depth to the headboard for running lights and independent light switches on each side, added upholstered panels and raised the footboard.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$250-$275
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax Ebony Stain with brush on Satin Poly
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Harriet Chairs

Submitted by JoanneS on Sun, 07/15/2012 - 07:44

Finally I was able to replace my wobbly little dining chairs with solid wood chairs, thanks to Ana’s Harriet Chair plan. For this build, I made a few mods from Ana’s plan: added a padded seat, made the chair 2” wider, and substituted a slatted back. Used select pine 1x2 instead of 2x2 (really liked that look in the inspiration chair) and used 1x3 for the 2 inner slats on the backs. Also added a few more cross supports. Instead of predrilling pocket holes and hiding the screws, I chose to use the round washer head self-tapping screws and left them visible. This saved time on having to pre-drill and fill screw holes, but also thought the exposed screw heads made a nice decorative element. The seats are covered with 1” thick high density foam, batting, and outdoor fabric. The first of the 4 chairs took longest to make (I made and corrected all my mistakes on that one). The remaining 3 went a lot faster (took about 11 hours total for building the 4 chairs, and 12 hrs total for finishing them). The changes/steps I used are documented in a .pdf file in the second plan post linked above. Ana, thank you for all your wonderful plans. You rock!!!

Estimated Cost
Cost: $230 for 4 chairs, which came to about $58 per chair. For 4 chairs: $127 for lumber & screws, $28 for paint, and $70 for chair fabric and foam. (fasteners, glue and sandpaper not included in cost, those were already on hand). I was able to build all 4 chairs for the price it would have cost for just one from the furniture store.
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Finished with Benjamin Moore Aura satin, in Wenge, 3 coats . Rubbed down all the chairs with Pledge after the paint dried. (I had attempted waxing one of them, but that took way too long for me!) The seat is covered in outdoor fabric (all the fabric and the foam were on sale for half-price @ Joann fabrics – score!!!).
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

JoanneS

Sun, 07/15/2012 - 17:26

Thank you so much! I just posted a plan of the modifications, which includes a .pdf file of the full plan with the steps and photos (still haven't learned sketchup yet). I sure hope it worked! The .pdf file is located about 2/3 of the way down through the plan post, right below General Instructions. Let me know if the .pdf opens for you? :)

JoanneS

Wed, 07/10/2013 - 02:31

Thank you! We still love them and they are holding up great! I made a storage bench to go with these, but it still needs a few tweaks before blogging that one.

JoanneS

Mon, 11/11/2013 - 10:58

Hi AdamR, Thank you very much for the nice comment! Yes, we did the table also. Here's the brag post:

http://ana-white.com/2011/05/my-new-almost-farmhouse-table

This was done under my original username JES. I had locked myself out of that username and had to create a new one ;)

We used our existing table and painted the legs, and added a new top. The tabletop finished dimensions are 56" long x 38 1/2" wide.

Joanne

AdamR

Mon, 11/11/2013 - 19:38

This is what I have been looking for. I know my wife doesn't want any indents or grooves but it seems like everyone build tables out of boards. I don't have a jointer or planer to even the boards out.

Question 1 - the 1x2 trim...to be clear you attached the 1 inch side to the table right?
Question 2 - how has the 3/4 thickness working out? Thick enough?
Question 3 - anything you would have done differently?

Thank you so much for your help. I build some small custom shelves for my son's room, found this site and now got a major bug to build stuff we have been looking for. I actually joined the site just to ask you about the table so thanks again!

Adam

JoanneS

Tue, 11/12/2013 - 07:07

Thanks again for the nice comments, Adam!

On the 1x2 for trim, I attached with the 2" side to the edges of the plywood (the 1x2's were actually 1 1/2" wide and 3/4" thick). This gives the illusion that the table is 1 1/2" thick. On this one I used finish nails and glue to attach the trim. If I had it to do over again, I'd have attached the trim boards to the plywood edges with pocket holes from under the table, so there would be no nail holes to fill.

3/4" thickness for the table top works fine. Our original table had a top thinner than 3/4", so we attached this new top directly on top of it. I didn't think I could get the leg assembly off that old table without damaging it.

If you wanted a more 'beefy' feel to the whole table top, you could stack 2 pieces of plywood, glued and fastened together from the bottom with screws. The 1x2 for the edges would still cover it.

Once you catch the wood working bug, you'll want to build everything you see! :) I hope you post a brag picture when you build this. I'd love to see pictures! :)

Joanne

AdamR

Wed, 11/13/2013 - 06:02

First off thank you for all the info! I see now why you picked the larger trim, I didn't catch it the first time around that you put the new wood right on top of the old table. My kitchen table has the exact opposite problem the legs are weak (plus my wife hates the top too) hence why I will be doing both top and legs. Still debating on one 3/4, two 1/2 or two 3/4 inches for table thickness.

I am going to build the kids trestle table this weekend first. Just the get a project under my belt besides some book shelves. lol

http://ana-white.com/2011/09/kids-trestle-style-play-table

My Kreg Jig will be here Friday, picking up wood on Sat....hopefully I will have a unfinished kids craft table ready to roll by Sunday then the Kitchen table will be my Thanksgiving weekend project.

Thanks again for all of your help.

Adam

DIY Planters/Easter Baskets

This was a super fun and simple project, and the planters can be used for anything!! Thank you Ana! I followed Ana's plans and used mine as an Easter Basket gift that could then be used as a planter. I also modified the plans to be the size I wanted for a smaller planter that I also gifted as an Easter Basket. I believe I made the smaller one measuring each side out to be 2 or 3 inches. Next, I measured the bottom opening and made a custom fitting removable piece for it. Like Ana mentions, I also did not attach the bottom piece as it already allows some room for drainage and simplicity for changing out soils. To attach the pieces together, it was not as quick of a project as it was for Ana because I currently don't own a nail gun. Owning one would definitely make this project a breeze! For the finish, I did sand the cedar posts with 80 grit as I didn't want anyone to get splinters (also because I was applying stain with a sponge and rough wood makes it sort of difficult). The stain is Rustoleum's Dark Walnut. I did not leave the stain on very long as the wood is very porous. This is one of my favorite projects thus far because it made gift giving and our Easter Baskets much more unique!

Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Sanded with 80 grit
Rustoleum Dark Walnut
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Redwood 2x4 Outdoor Sofa

Submitted by jsutton78 on Wed, 08/03/2016 - 09:22

This is my attempt at the 2x4 outdoor sofa.  The entire sofa is made out of 2x4 Redwood, so the cost was a little high at $150 for the wood.  I'm still waiting on cushions, but I went overboard and bought them custom made so the total for those came out to $520.  Overall, I could have easily bought a complete set online but hey, this is more fun!

 

My one concern is the back support.  I'm thinking of building something angled in, but haven't thought of the best approach yet, that will still look good.  

Estimated Cost
$670
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Redwood stain
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Dollhouse Bookshelf

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 02/05/2024 - 09:06

Dollhouse we built for granddaughter using a picture her mom sent us. I do woodworking and my wife paints or stains.

Wendell lindsey

Playhouse Loft Bed

So living in Japan makes some of these projects interesting. 1) The largest pieces of plywood are 36"x48". 2) Paint is only sold in pre-mixed colors, so choices are limited. 3) Everything is expensive. 4) Packaging is impossible for me to read. That being said, I set out to make a playhouse loft bed for my daughter's birthday. My wife and daughters were in the states so I had nothing else to do in the weekends and evenings. I modified the plan for a full size bed and did not follow the sizes of windows and doors exactly since I was actually piecing it together since the plywood is not the full size.

That is not exactly true, I did climb Mt. Fuji one Saturday. Also found some interesting Wasabi Kit Kat at the store.

So this took a little over a week to complete, working whenever I could. I painted the inside pink, and the best color they had at Homes was basically pepto bismol. My daughter won't mind, but I did not want to see that on the outside everyday. The outside is purple and trim is white. The purple was an oil-based paint that smelled worse than any paint I have ever used before. I decided to make cubby storage stairs so that my daughter could get to them from the inside. I just finished this last night, and my family returns today for the surprise.

Estimated Cost
$300
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Hapio Select water-based pink and white paint, Different Japanese brand awful smelling oil-based purple paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Farmhouse Queen Bed

Submitted by Byanrabeu on Tue, 05/06/2014 - 10:50

I began looking for creative ways to combine storage with a bed for our new guest room. My old office used to take up this room, we needed a Cat free guest room.

I have never really built anything. I figured why not start with something large to give me to confidence to try other projects. My rationale was; the bigger the project, the larger room for error without it being too noticeable. I assumed I would have some trial and error periods throughout this project. I was right.

I have a table saw I inherited from my grandfather. I quickly realized how many more tools were required to build a bed frame. I need a hobby so I bit the bullet. I purchased a brad nailer, circular saw and sander.

I decided to make this project during the spring time, I don't have a garage to work with so I was moving a lot of tools outside for cutting and sanding and then back into the basement for paint. It was a lengthy process and took me a good month with my free time (an hour or two every couple days) to get this project complete.

I followed the original Farmhouse Queen Plans and also a post from another helpful member BirdsandSoap which was labeled Farmhouse storage bed with hinged footboard.

The boxes that rest on the floor were actually my biggest challenge. It was not easy cutting the plywood to size by yourself without the proper instruction. I figured it out and made it work. The main issue I found was when I put on the side panels and middle inserts, the wood was not completely level... again perhaps I should have been a little more patient and careful with my construction but I had no assistance so keeping everything exactly where I needed it to stay was difficult. You cannot tell in the photo but the box bows up a little on either end... maybe a quarter inch at most.

The headboard and footboard where a breeze. After my box issues, I made sure to pick out some of the best Pine wood I could find. I bracketed the headboard and footboard to the boxes with no issues.

The most time consuming part was the sanding and painting. My wife wanted it white, I would have probably preferred to have it stained. Either way, for my first project, I believe it came out well (enough).

I think for my second project I will pick something smaller in order to give my self a second shot at leveling and being a little more precise with my cuts.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Primmer and Medium Gloss White Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

"Tryde" coffee table - beautiful

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 08/08/2016 - 06:30

Turned out looking amazing. My family loves it. Thank you for sharing these design plans!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$50 for wood, and another $30 for the various stains, finishes, screws, etc; assuming you already have a pilot/countersink combo bit, paint brushes, etc.
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Green tea, vinegar/steel-wool mixture, walnut stain, poly finish.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Farmhouse Small End Table

Submitted by mpjacob08 on Mon, 05/25/2020 - 09:33

My 2nd ever build! Made to match farmhouse beginner coffee table. This is the smaller size posted. So Easy! Thank you for the plan and for the videos. I love them and am learning so much!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Varathane golden oak stain, spray shellac, Varathane water based polyurethane
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Whole Wall of Shelves

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 02/12/2024 - 09:18

My granddaughter showed me a picture and asked if I could build a wall of shelves. This is the result. I used ideas from several places and stretched my skills into new areas. She loves it and filled it with her favorite things!
 

Al Meyer

FREE workbench

When I bought our house the previous owner had asked me if I wanted him to leave all of the scrap wood he had beside the house I said "Sure"

Looking at the pile I was amazed at how much was actually there.

This workbench is from the Mastercraft Essential Workshop book. I built one of these when I was younger with two sheets of plywood for a top and a back on the shelf so nothing falls out. My lack of sheet good scraps forced me to modify the design. Fits nicely into my mini shed workshop.

Note that the picture doesn't show the front 2x4 under the plywood top.

UPDATE:
My office cleaned out some old junk and gave me these modular drawers. I new they would make an excellent storage system for my workbench. Overkill...yes...but they were free so I couldn't resist.

Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
None. Other than the weathering the wood took outside.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Farmhouse Table

Submitted by crozette on Sat, 05/10/2014 - 10:15

Modified to remove the end braces so that chairs can be pushed in on the ends of the table. Full report on my blog!

Estimated Cost
$175
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Used ZAR Modern Walnut stain and Clear Satin poly.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Basketball net

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 08/11/2016 - 14:15

This project was very fun and and easy.

Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Simple end tables

I used off cuts from other projects to make these and they look great on our front porch.

Estimated Cost
$0
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Double Chaise Lounge

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 02/13/2024 - 12:58

What a fun project. Followed your plans but made some size modifications to allow my granddaughters to enjoy it for several years before outgrowing it.

Tim Tyrrell

Seasonal And Holiday

Channing Desk

Awesome desk made from the Channing Desk plans on Ana-White.com! I had such a great time building this desk with my girlfriend. It was our first of many builds together.

thanks again ana-white.com

Estimated Cost
$110-$125
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Jacobean (2 Coats) with Minwax High Gloss Super Polyurethane (2 coats). I sanded the polyurethane with a 180 grit block between coats and let dry overnight.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Potting Bench

Submitted by fifi_momo on Mon, 05/12/2014 - 19:45

I adjusted the depth of the bench to accomodate a bath vanity top with sink (from the Habitat reStore). The width was adjusted to allow for 2 feet of workspace to the left of the sink. The overall height was adjusted to my wife's height. The front legs were made longer than the rear to account for the slope of the yard location.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Deck oil
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
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