Community Brag Posts

Antiqued Farmhouse Console Table

My wife wanted a table for the entry way; so, of course, I showed her plans from this site. Wasn't hard to build at all. Since I knew she wanted an antique look, I left the screws exposed for a more rustic look.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Behr Antique White Chalk Paint
Behr Clear Decorative Wax
Behr Dark Decorative Wax
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

4x4 Outdoor Furniture Set

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 09/16/2024 - 08:03

We recently built the sofa, two chairs, coffee table farmhouse table with two smaller benches. Everything is so comfortable. Thank you for the plans and advice about purchasing the cushions first in order to build to the size of the cushions. My husband built it all super fast. I stained everything and selected what to build. It all is so nice on our new covered & screened in porch that we built our. - Nancy & Bob

Do-It-All Mobile Workbench

Submitted by JL Hurst on Wed, 11/28/2012 - 11:02

The need for a proper workbench in my garage/shop is a must, but. So is space! I already have a fold down workbench I’ve made with ¾ inch pipe & a door, but. I just need something that can handle all my tools. So, I stumbled upon these plans from the Family Handyman & couldn’t find a reason why this wouldn’t work in my shop. It has room for storage, can easily accommodate my tools & most importantly fold up to store. Easy to build too! Make sure you read all the plans first as some of the materials could be pricey, but well worth it. Technically it’s taken 2 months to build this bench, as I operate on a firefighter/teacher’s budget & during the holiday season no doubt. I ordered all the shelf standards & brackets through Amazon, $210.00 for those alone, but they hold so much weight to support your tools I figure it’s worth it. The rest materials (wood, screws) were purchased at Home Depot for around $150.00. The plans called for ¾ inch ply & it was $45.00 per sheet. However they did have a smaller thickness for $22.00 per sheet & was only a 1/32 inch thinner. I plan on topping all my surfaces with some ¼ inch tempered hardboard later on so I knew it would work. That also left me adjusting my screw size to mount my brackets. Due to the reduction in thickness of the plywood all my #8-1 inch screws needed to be adjusted to ¾ inch so to not screw through the ply. I also hit the molding isle to nab some pieces to use as furring strips to use under the shelves before attaching the brackets. This way I can sand each strip to match before mounting to make sure it lined up flat with the center top. One more thing; where it says “drill 1/8 inch hole in brackets make sure you use 1/8 inch pop rivets. I barrowed a pop rivet gun & was handed some rivets as well. Popped two & they had to be trashed because the rivet size turned out to be 5/32. So I stepped up in drill bit size & it all worked out. As I said, I’ll be topping it with some ¼ inch hardboard. I also plan to run it’s own electrical with an outlet on each post. I hope you all enjoy & this can help!

Estimated Cost
$350.00
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Rusty Cottage

Thu, 11/29/2012 - 07:03

This is by far the best workbench I have ever seen!!! Thanks for sharing. And excellent choice of table saw and miter saw.

JL Hurst

Thu, 11/29/2012 - 14:59

If I had it to do over I'd had gotten the contractor grade portable saw from Dewalt. The smaller version I have is the same 10" saw, but. It's maximum rip capasity is only 16. The other will at least rip a sheet of ply in 1/2.

Thanks for the kind words on the bench! I hope everyone that may find this valuable will. The plans came out of a 2005 issue & were hard to find on the internet.

uniquetrio2000

Thu, 07/04/2013 - 18:28

I love this work bench and would love to build it but i cant find them. Could you post them or email them to me please. uniquetrio2000 [at] gmail [dot] com

phantom1

Tue, 06/02/2015 - 05:39

I built this bench 3 years ago and I couldn't be happier. The portability, space savings and functionality make it wonderful!

StepFar

Mon, 01/08/2018 - 14:44

Am I missing the actual plans for this. I downloaded the pdf but it doesn't have the build plans apart of it.

Daughter's Loft Bed

This is my first big Ana White project!!  I built this bed with the basis of the Camp Style Loft Bed for juniors, but decided against the large stairs and reused some stairs i had built for our pop-up trailer.  They were smaller and took up less floor space.  I used all reclaimed wood from a house construction site (trash) except for 5 2x4s and the book shelf 1x8.  Because of this the project took significantly longer than her 'weekend' plans called for, but it was fun.  I spent probably 6-8 hours sanding/cleaning the wood.  You can see all the dimples or angles in the boards which give it a pretty cool look in my opinion.  I wanted to stain the wood to see all the pretty grain and knots, but my wife wanted a princess castle smiley so she won out.  

 

My mother help sew the super cute castle wall curtains.  We used Ikea lighting for under the ledge, and Ikea chandelier, and Ikea curtain rods to keep the project cheap.  Hope you like it.

Estimated Cost
lumber would have been $60-70
kreg screws $5-10
Ikea accessories were about $60
Curtain - priceless :)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
paint (I'll need to look up the colors)
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Cassidy king bed

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 12/31/2016 - 09:10

My first grown up furniture, I didn't start small lol...The picture is not great, but I love it! I took advice from other comments, I sanded and stained each shim individually. Took ages!!!!! But well worth the effort.I used a gel stain and a glossy finish. I made matching nightstands as well using plans from another site.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$350
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax gel stain 606
Glossy varnish
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Love Seat

We wanted a simple loveseat that used standard-sized cushions (that I found at target.com) that we could put on our narrow screened-in porch. The cushions were about twice the cost of the lumber! I modified the plan by changing the outsides from 2x3's to 2x4's and I made decorative panels of our State's flag using a stencil I created from an image on the Internet. I then cut the stencil out, marked it and cut it out using a scroll saw. The pattern is on 1/4' plywood framed in with 1 x 2's on the sides and 1/2" quarter round on the tops and bottoms of the patterns on both sides. This was fun and quick to build and it met our needs perfectly! I'm even designing some matching end tables for it! Since we're in Charleston, SC we used a color called "Charleston Green", it's nearly black but in bright sun you can see a little green. We barely get to use it though as the cat has taken it over! Thanks for a great plan!

Estimated Cost
$65
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Olympic 2 in 1 Waterproof/strain Charleston Green
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Child's Bench with Arbor

Submitted by jennibee on Sun, 09/14/2014 - 08:57

This was a weekend build made from plans right here on Ana-White's site. There were a few changes made to make it sturdier since several (older) rambunctious toddlers were going to be using it. If anyone is interested in how much weight it can hold, two adults sat on this and it held up great. We have had this in the back yard for over a year now and it looks just as it did when it was first built.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Under $100. Not sure about actual cost since we had wood, primer, and paint on hand.
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Primed and painted with exterior paint.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

All by myself!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/02/2017 - 19:26

This project took a few days longer than anticipated.  I was having an issue with my screws and stripping the heads.  After EIGHT trips to Lowes I found out that I needed a drill with torque and mine didn't.  Total costs: pipes & screws= $150.00.  Wood and stain = $170.00.  2017 pricing!  Amazing closet!  And for the record...I am a complete novice! 

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Rustic X Coffee Table

This project took several months of off and on work but I am very happy with the results. Followed the plans on this website to the T and they were great. Got the wood from the local lowes and the hardware from Ace Hardware. Used the Kreg Jig pocket hole system to hide the fasteners which makes a big difference. I also used flat black spray paint for the hardware.

I loved the rustic look that this project was finished with so I did the same. The stain was great, really easy to make and stains really well. I covered the stain with the recommended wax which gives it a really nice shine and is very smooth.

Huge thanks to this website!

Estimated Cost
100.00
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
"Hillary's oxidized finish"
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Our first build! Rustic X Coffee table plans

Submitted by lwilkison on Tue, 09/16/2014 - 09:59

We found these plans and figured we would try it out! Worked great. We bought the Jig and the wood and took our time building it. We really love how it turned out. We made sure to take our time with sanding and filling holes. Our 6 year-old daughter chose the color.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
The color is "stormy sky" blue
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Daughter's Dresser

Submitted by Calgary on Thu, 01/05/2017 - 18:40

Built for my new baby girl! Followed the plans with a few modifications. Used dadoes for the drawer bottoms. Added bracing for attaching the drawer slides. Used an old door for the top!

Estimated Cost
$300
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
White paint and polyurethane
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

2x4 Modern Adirondack chairs

Submitted by Pavelsfarm on Tue, 09/15/2020 - 20:47

In March of this year, I was furloughed due to COVID-19. Like most people, I looked for something to do while hoping my employer would bring me back to work. I found your site and it has been a lifesaver. What started out as completing projects for our home, turned into extra income to pull through these tough times. I've really come to enjoy wood working and have built things I never thought I could have before. I modified this plan to use 1x4s for the seat and back because I couldn't find any decent 1x10s at the time. I then scaled everything down for the kid's chair.

Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
The first picture is raw. The second picture I used Behr Semi-transparent sealant and deck stain in Rose Beige.

Comments

Plaster Ceiling Renovation Upgrade

I am all about charm and character, but when it comes to my 1940s brick bungalow, the plaster ceiling cracks got on my nerves. Every changing season brought the inevitable expansion and contraction that would leave new mapped territory on the ceilings in the bedrooms. I usually just mudded over them and smoothed them out with a bit of paint, but that was getting old. So, I decided, after much brainstorming, to come up with a permanent solution. I created a ceiling treatment using beadboard and lightweight trim board to make a faux beamed ceiling. The rooms look great and I finished the look with crown moulding. I chronicled the project with detailed step-by-step directions and photos on my blog: www.momthebuilder.net. Check it out and let me know what you think!
-Angie

Estimated Cost
$500 for two rooms
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

5 tator tots (not verified)

Fri, 12/07/2012 - 18:06

I saw a similar project on the Lowe's website using v-groove paneling. We will be trading rooms with our girls (our 3rd daughter is due in a few weeks so they will get the big room) this summer and I want to do this to the ugly paneled ceiling in their current room. Trying to create a "master bedroom" in a house that doesn't really have one. I love how it looks!

Rustic Desk Love! Love! Love!

Submitted by lele1228 on Fri, 09/19/2014 - 14:37

I originally saw this desk on Pinterest, which led me to this website. My hubby made it for me.  LOVE IT!!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
eggshell black for base, cherry stain top
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Toy box

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 01/07/2017 - 19:35

Toy box for our soon to be son. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Latex paint.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Miter Saw Cart

Submitted by ivyfamily5 on Sat, 09/19/2020 - 13:49

I love this Miter Saw Cart. The plans were easy to follow and tweak to work with what I had on hand. I love all of Ana White's plans, passion, and inspiration. Happy Building!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
I left it raw, but I might paint it later. I also plan to add a Stop Block to it soon.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Ten-ish Dollar Shelves

Submitted by gwinnclan on Tue, 12/11/2012 - 14:11

I wanted to add a little homey touch to my ledges so I burned a saying into one of the two ledges in each pair. My husband and I used the plan for the Ten Dollar Ledges and instead of painting, we finished them with Stain/Finish in one.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$15-20
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

MamaHowell09 (not verified)

Tue, 12/11/2012 - 16:11

I love how this looks!! I must know! How did you burn it? And are they individual letters? Anyways, this is so lovely! Almost as much as the pictures on the shelves!! :)

spiceylg

Wed, 12/12/2012 - 05:25

I agree, I love the additional touch of the letters. Great idea and so pretty!