Community Brag Posts

Absolutely Awesome!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 10/15/2019 - 17:41

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this site! I basically made this bed in one weekend. My first furniture build. I'm a 51 yo female and did this all by myself! Instructions clear. Buy and cut sheets are the best! The bed turned out so great, I an absolutely thrilled! PS, the nightstand I did by myself too. The plans are here on Ana White as well!!!

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

Kitchen Shelf

I needed something to fill an empty wall in my kitchen. I wanted something for both baking and wine storage so I modified a couple of things I saw on this website. Wine storage on the very bottom (the slats are wide enough apart that the wine bottles sit in the cracks and stay snug) with baking stuff above that. I think I'll build a matching shelf or two for the wall above it

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Polyshades Classic Oak Gloss
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Step stool

Submitted by wmcopelan on Sat, 12/28/2013 - 09:01

I built this stool for my 2 yr old grandson. Added yardsticks to the top of the steps for a different look, and painted the stool, then sanded randomly, added stain and wiped off for an aged look.

Estimated Cost
$7.00
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Acrylic paint and stain
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Patio Swing

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 03/10/2016 - 11:41

Quick build for the garden swing.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Unfinished, we are still waiting for some sun in Portland.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Farmhouse Pantry

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 10/20/2019 - 06:13

The Barn door cabinet / pantry is one of my favorite Ana White plans. This is the second one I’ve made and this time I challenged myself to use almost all repurposed materials. I wanted to use old doors so I adjusted the plans around them. He sides are an old door I cut in half and the main sliding door is also an old find I cleaned up. The shelves are actually old flat cabinet doors that I covered in laminate flooring (remnant box for $5). I like using laminate flooring to add character and protect high traffic areas from wear and tear. On the right side I added a display counter for your coffee center, tv, or microwave. I added a sconce because everything is cooler with a sconce! I used 2 sheets of galvanized tin on the back. My favorite feature though is the recycling center I added at the bottom. I just made some simple door frames with 1x4s stripped in half and then covered them in chicken wire and old Pioneer seed sacks.
I love Ana Whites Pantry design because it adds soo much storage and is completely customizable!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
300
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
I used Rustoleums white linen chalk paint and Rustoleums matte finish. I used polyacrylic to seal the butcher block counter in satin.
I use two coats of paint and then sand with a 220 grit sandpaper to make the paint smooth as butter. I apply extra pressure on all edges to distress. I then add two coats of the matte finish.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Yard Swing Pergola

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 07/08/2023 - 09:31

Just saw on instagram that no one bragged about this plan yet. We did order the swing online, but built the outdoor room from your plan. We did put our support posts in concrete, very windy here. Just waiting for the roses to grow up the sides. Thank you for making it easy with your plan.

Bill and Maryann Tate

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Display case with 1920's window for the door

I really don't know where I got the inspiration for this shelf. We went to a primitive collections store a couple of weeks ago and I found this cool window off of a 1920's house. A couple of issues you run into with this is: 1. Windows from this time used leaded paint to paint there windows, so make sure when you sand you are in a well ventilated area. 2. Finding a window with no broken glass. Once you get all this the it's pretty easy to build. This is pretty much a backwards version of the media shelf with the door up top and the shelf on the bottom

Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Glidden primer/paint Teal and Glidden primer/paint off white
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

viola

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 14:37

I love your cabinet and how you up-cycled the old window.

Wine Rack with Wine Glass Holder

Submitted by suschen on Mon, 12/30/2013 - 09:30

My first project! Dragged home some pallets and out came this. Theoretically, you could really do this in less time than I did but I had to customize it to fit it in the space that I wanted. I also took a lot of time sanding, as I was deathly afraid of getting splinters!

Estimated Cost
$0
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
none
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

The original built by Soulful Haven

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 03/13/2016 - 04:40

We love Ana White plans. One of our customers wanted the end tables and coffee table and a similar tv stand but to fit in a corner. I took the Rustic X concept and started creating! My Friend RogueEngineer liked it so much that he reverse designed it and made plans. Such talent out there in the DIY world!

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Jacobean stain
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Reclaimed Hurricane Micheal X style Farmhouse design

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 10/27/2019 - 08:27

On this project which I use from Ana White designs, I learned how to cut at an angle and I learned what wood too use to get the look you want. I also just wanted to say thank you for showing us diyer how to feel confident about building and using our hands. It is a good therapy, woodworking and creating.
The wood is all made from reclaimed Hurricane Micheal timbers that I cleaned, sanded, detailed, sanded again, painted, stained, and clear coat.
Even though the wood was used and free, it still has a process upon completion

Estimated Cost
50 In total cost
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
I used Minawax English Chesnut Stain for the tops and a Valspar Latex Paint with a polycrylic semi gloss for easy cleaning. Sand paint I used 60, 100, 220, and 400 grit.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

My Leather Accent King Size Bed

We modified the plans because I had a specific idea of what I wanted and we needed a king size bed. We are so proud. We used left over foam from a previous project and covered it with the faux leather for the back rests. Because I love the look of dust ruffles but couldnt use it because of the slats to support the bed I cut out the material from which the dust ruffle is sewn and attached velcro to it and then to the bed and I got the look I wanted. Ana is awesome!

Estimated Cost
196.00
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Expresso Paint and waterbased poly urethane to protect it
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Mom's Train Table

Submitted by Schmamber on Mon, 12/30/2013 - 19:50

My daughter is OBSESSED with trains and I've been yearning to make a project from ana's page for YEARS. This was a perfect opportunity to start my first project and I'm pretty proud of myself with the results!

I scouted out wood for a few weeks and bought all my 1x6's and 1x3's at a discount wood place and the 1x2's were on sale at Home Depot for .80 cents a pop. All cuts were free cuts with the 'big machines' at the lumber shops.

I used pocket holes to attach the frame and the frame to the bottom plywood and plugged the holes.

I hand sanded all the wood before building and then at a finer grade after and finer still between finish coats.

Wood conditioned and stained in English Chestnut (2 coats) and 3 coats of high gloss clear finish over a period of 3 days. All Minwax.

Aside from a few wonky pocket hole screws going through the other side (my first time using a kreg is this project) and having to fix 'em, this was a pretty easy/fun project to do. My 2 year old helped plug holes and sand a little.

The flip-side of the shiny stained table top is a chalkboard which has been a HUGE hit because it is almost tripple the size kiddo has been drawing with and it's pretty nice. The chalkboard paint was the latex stuff found in home-depot...some can be coloured but i went with standard black.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
~120 if I split the cost of stain/finish between projects.
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Wood conditioned and stained in English Chestnut (2 coats) and 3 coats of high gloss clear finish over a period of 3 days. All Minwax.

Interior-flip of lid = black chalkboard paint.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Outdoor sofa

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 10/28/2019 - 17:05

Although this sofa is designed for the outdoors I built 2 of them to use in an office space. The plans were spot on and made it so easy to build even as a beginner.

Estimated Cost
$30-$40 without cushions
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
The finish is provincial stain with a coat of water based polyurethane. The lumber was untreated and would have accepted the stain better had I first sealed the wood. However, I still like the outcome.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Easy Upholstered Bench

I built a farm house dining room table last week and wanted to add more seating to it. I found this bench on here and decided to add my own touch to it. Was going to be a cheap project but 2 inch foam is a lot more then I thought.

Estimated Cost
$130.00
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Almond paint, with indoor/outdoor fabric
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Farmhouse headboard and night tables with scroll panel added.

Submitted by diannev on Wed, 01/01/2014 - 12:10

I just finished setting up my bedroom, not a lot of cash for the furniture and look I wanted so I decided to tackle your farmhouse designs and do it myself. I found these scrolled wood panels at homegoods (homesense here in Canada). I used two panels, each had 5 sectioned scrolled squares so I cut one section off of each panel to use on each of the side tables. I still have to finish the bed's footboard and side rails with the last 4 sectioned panel piece that I have left.

I was surprised how these turned out. I got the old world look at a very good price...for a total cost under $300. I think I got a pretty nice deal.

I think I might try and do some more projects maybe the buffet next.

Estimated Cost
$300
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
dark walnut
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

Queen Farmhouse Bed With Matching Side Tables

I have Starting loveing these little projects! however i am slowing finding out i need more tools! Anyway This bed is a slight variation from the plans mentioned. Instead of Verticle Slats for the head board and foot board i chose to do them horizontally. For 1 Reason only, to save some money. IT did not same much maybe $30 but for someone who is ona really tight budget it worked out great. I also added in a full frame around the middle slats.  I started with the side tables and that turned into makin a matching bed Frame. The side table were striaght forward and i had left over pull handles from buliting my Printers Console Cabinet. Over all the project was straight forawrd simple and fun! I amlost could wait to get it in the house! it was like watchin paint dry hahaha. Anyway i had fun with this one and i think it turned out great!

Estimated Cost
Total Cost rang in at about $250 for side table and Bed frame

Paint/Stain Etc- $60
Lumber- $150
Misc- $40
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Dark OAK
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Entertainment Center

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 10/29/2019 - 18:00

I but this for an old high school friend. She needed somewhere to put her cd collection (yea I know, CDs?) And her record player and records. The drawers hold 400 compact discs. I used pine lumber, pocket holes, weathered oak stain and a lot of swear words.

Estimated Cost
200
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax Weather Oak
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
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