Community Brag Posts

I am a beginner diy'er and this was one of my first projects.  Also it was my first time using the Kreg jig and I loved it!  My shelving system was around 8 feet tall, 12 feet wide and 30 inches deep.  I added some extra cleats to support my deeper shelves (30") and also used thicker (5/8") plywood.  This was a fun and easy project to do!  Thanks so much!

Easy build. Great and sturdy results.
Great build for beginners and for some learning experience with a Kreg Jig. Table looks great and bulky.

We built this for our daughter's 6th birthday! Love how it turned out :D  As you can see we opted to leave the plywood backing off for the time being so she can use it as a doll house and play on both sides. When she grows out of the doll house phase we will either convert it to a book shelf, donate, or sell in a yard sale ... so many options!

I installed a half door to isolate our dog from the laminate flooring when he sleeps at night.

It was only $25 for the hollow core 6 panel door from HD, which got cut in half.
$25 for the passage knob.
$10 for top plate and trim
Less than $5 for the hinges.

Not having to replace the laminate flooring priceless!

Some Tips:

The $25 door is not prehung. Buy the $14 dollar irwin door jig to install the door "http://www.homedepot.ca/product/door-lock-installation-kit-carbon/904157" It will come in handy if you are remodeling and installing new doors to replace those old flat panel doors. You will also have to chisel out the hinges.

When installing and marking the hinge locations in the door frame shim the door a 1/4" off the floor.

For whatever reason, right before spring, Pier One had these $45 cushions on clearance for $11.13. It took us trips to 4 different stores to collect all the cushions, but we had a new patio set for our new house (minus the sofas). As such, I modified Ana's plans to accommodate the smaller size of the cushions (22x22). Then, I used the savings from the cushions to justify buying a new table saw. It took a while to buy and cut all the lumber, kreg-jig everything together, fill all the holes, sand, seal all the wood, etc., but the work was well worth it. Nearing completion of this project, I built the pictured modified cooler coffee table to ensure that no guest ever has to get up from their seat for any reason during a summer barbeque.

Building the desk was pretty straightforward. I actually saved a little money going with the 2x6s (4 of them was under half the price of a pine project panel) rather than the panel which I actually brought home first. I went with the 2x6s instead because it felt sturdier, and the straightest panel I could find was a little warped (which I didn't want to force).

My biggest piece of advice is, if you don't have a wood planer, DO NOT use a Kreg Jig to assemble the top first. 2xWhatevers just don't seem to "lay" the way you want them to if they're all connected together. I built the legs, added supports and then used glue and 2" finish nails to secure the top, butting them up as close as I could (there's only very minimal gaps, ~1/16 or less) It is SOLID. I filled in the nail holes with Elmer's stainable wood filler. After staining, I used a tiny artist brush with the stain on the filler so it could penetrate a little longer. Worked like a charm!

We decided to go with a color stain on top because it's going in a craft room/office so we wanted it to be bright and fun to get our creative juices flowing. The walls are a light gray so we figured we could afford some color :)