Community Brag Posts

Corona Coffee Table

This was one of the easiest builds. When I saw this plan I knew it was perfect for my living room. Its a big coffee table but doesn't look that way in the pictures since it works well with my big sofa.

I stained the base before I attached the top which helped. I also didn't attach the top until it was in the living room since the top alone is pretty heavy. I also had my local HD cut the plywood.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Rustoleum Dark Walnut (1 coat)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Parson's Tower Desk - Slightly Modified.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 07/25/2016 - 11:42

This was a great / simple plan that mostly fitted my needs. i made a few modifications;

1.  wider 'human' well - extended the width by 6"

2.  Deeper desktop - Extended to 24"

3.  2.5x.75" trim piece around table top - simple MDF 

4.  plywood on top of 2x2 frames - for all shelves and table top.

 

(the dimensional modifications required 2 additional 2x2 @8')

 

I like a larger leg well to shift around in on those long days, so i extended the width by 6" all applied to the foot well.  I was still able to use only 1 8x4 piece of .75" sanded plywood.   I use 2 computers and a second monitor on one, so I deepened the desktop from 18 to 24" to accomidate my technology.  This then required an adjustment to all 15" 2x2s used on the sides, and the shelve stretchers. I prefered to use a Plywood on top of frame method for all shelves and tabletop, for stregnth and asthetics. This required me to make a notch into all 4 corners of each shelf. To accomplish, be sure to start with a squared piece of plywood cut to dimensions, and measure the from the insides of the cutouts for precise fit.  The under shelf frames were still affixed with pocket hole screws, the tops of each were screwed to the frame with 2" wood screws (pre drilled) and smoothed over with wood filler.  the top received the same, 2x2 frame around the perimiter, along with two additional 21" supports (at the same location as the inner legs from the towers). The top was the affixed with 2" wood screws, and smoothed with wood filler.  

 

For asthetic purposes, I put in a 2.5x.75" trim piece around the top (to hide the frame/plywood seam) This actually worked out great!!  It is mounted flush with the plywood top , 2" wood screws about every 12 inches and a healthy amount of wood glue. (be careful, these come pre-faced with a layer of white.. something.. this does not make a good glueing surface.  Sand down before glueing to the tabletop.).  Screws were countersunk, add wood filler to smooth.  the best part of the trim is that it extendes .25" below the wood frame (1.5" frame, with   .75" plywood on top = 2.25" total thickness). this allows allowed me to not screw the towers into the top.  The legs fit in underneath the top, butted to the top's frame, and the recess created by the trim holds them in place! This will make for super simple moving should I need to relocate my desk; just lift off the top, and it's in 3 pieces!!   this step adds a bit of work and $ (really not too much, 3 2.5"x.75" MDF trim pieces adds an additionan $12, and mounting only took an additional 20 minutes.)

 

I finished with a two tone top quality paint job, two coats of primer, 2 coats of paint, 2 coats of Polyurathane (3 on the tabletop).

 

All in all, it worked fantastically!!! it is incredibally sturdy.  The plans are simple to follow, and easy to modify, just do the math, and draw it out..

 

Thank You Ana!

 

-MikeG.

(ps. the white one is Winnie, the Brown is Henry).

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
?? maybe $100?? but that included too much top quality paint, and the worlds best urethane. wood is cheap in Oregon.
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Kilz Latez Primer
Baer Black - Flat
Baer Moroccon Red - Flat
General Finishes Arm-R-Seal (gave it a satin finish on Flat paint.. not what i was going for, but i love how it looks)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Short version of cedar shed

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 05/16/2020 - 14:35

We wanted a shorter version, so that it would hide behind this fence. I just needed somewhere to store lawnmower, wheelbarrow, and a few yard supplies. I started putting the roof on hinges, but the gas struts couldn't support the 170 pound roof. So it's fixed in place (stronger structure anyway). That's why I went with 2x4's for the framed walls instead of 2x2's.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
600
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Not yet finished, will get to that.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Custom Farmhouse Bed

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/15/2024 - 18:16

We used Ana’s Farmhouse queen bed plans to build a replacement for our master suite. We did change a few things such as instead of construction grade lumber I used red and white oak and went with dowels and tenons rather than pocket hole screws. I also lowered the height significantly due to us having a really thing mattress with pillow tops. The result has been wel received by 'management' as well as her friends. Thank You Ana!

Back Patio Woodworks

Built from Plan(s)

Entertainment Center

Submitted by Dave-Mac on Mon, 07/09/2012 - 13:10

I got the inspiration for this from the entertainment centers that kristenlotz and azca33 (mostly azca33).

I built this over about 5 months in my spare time. It took a lot of wood and a lot of time. I will post plans and a breakdown of supplies if there is any interest.

Estimated Cost
$500
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
I filled all the visible pocket holes with stainable wood filler. After everything was put together, I sanded everything with 150 grit sandpaper. I used a palm sander for the plywood and hand sanded the pine trim and moulding. Then I vacuumed up the dust and wiped it clean with a damp rag. I applied Minwax Mahogany gel stain with white t-shirt rags I bought from Lowe's. If there was any excess of stain I would just wipe it off after about 5 minutes or so. I let that dry for at least 24 hours. Then I applied a coat of Minwax Clear Semi Gloss fast drying Polyurethane. Then I lightly sanded everything with 220 grit sandpaper. Vacuumed and cleaned again. Then another coat of the poly.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Misty Tillema

Mon, 07/09/2012 - 15:58

Wow, what a beautiful entertainment center! I love stained wood, and this would match my house perfectly. I'm not ready to take on a project this big yet, but when I am, I want to build it. Great job!

MARGARET (not verified)

Sun, 08/19/2012 - 07:14

This is a beautiful entertainment center. You did a wonderful job. My husband has been looking for plans to build one for us and very much likes this. Is there any way he can find out what material is needed and how you did this?

smbeddard

Sun, 08/19/2012 - 14:08

Dave, this looks great. It is exactly what I want to build for our family. It would be great if you could post the plans. Thanks.

azca33

Mon, 08/27/2012 - 17:49

Great job with the entertainment center, it looks great! Now you can enjoy not only sitting on the coach and watching TV, but sitting back and basking in the greatness of your skills! Good work!

kristenlotz

Mon, 12/31/2012 - 14:26

I love this project Dave-Mac. When I saw it I knew you must have gotten your inspiration from our brag. It is gorgeous. If we were to do our entertainment center again, I think we would incorporate a lot of the things you did with yours. I love that you did a stain instead of paint! Also the thicker stiles and the inset doors are amazing. We created plans for ours on our woodworking blog. Hopefully that helps others get started on their project. It's a lot of work, but it is a fraction of the cost of buying one. Great job! Here is the link to the plans:

http://www.jrlwoodworking.com/2012/12/furniture-plans-custom-entertainm…

kristenlotz

Mon, 12/31/2012 - 14:27

I love this project Dave-Mac. When I saw it I knew you must have gotten your inspiration from our brag. It is gorgeous. If we were to do our entertainment center again, I think we would incorporate a lot of the things you did with yours. I love that you did a stain instead of paint! Also the thicker stiles and the inset doors are amazing. We created plans for ours on our woodworking blog. Hopefully that helps others get started on their project. It's a lot of work, but it is a fraction of the cost of buying one. Great job! Here is the link to the plans:

http://www.jrlwoodworking.com/2012/12/furniture-plans-custom-entertainm…

DMac

Thu, 03/07/2013 - 10:17

It depends on what you are looking for. How complicated of a project are you looking to have built? If it is something on this site then I could build it for you.

This is Dave-Mac by the way. I couldn't figure out how to reset my password so I just made a new account.

DIY RH Dining Table

Submitted by vlilly on Sun, 04/27/2014 - 13:22

I loved making this! I had to travel about 2 hours to get the DF 4x4s which was the only pain in making it. This was my third big project and it wasn't hard at all! It's super heavy so it was a litte tough to turn it over. It only took me about 3 days to make it once I had all the wood.

Estimated Cost
$175-$200
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Stained with Rustoleum American Walnut, then applied a coat of Rustoleum Poly in matte.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Classic Bunk Beds

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 07/27/2016 - 13:57

I basically followed Ana's plans that she laid out in her origanal post minus moving the ladder over to the other side.  The kids loved it since we surprised them while they were out of town with the grandparents.  In about 2 years I'll be building another set for the younger 2 girls! 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$300, but I bought select grade wood.
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Painted with an eggshell white interior paint. I used a paint sprayer to get a nice, smooth finish.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Modern Park Bench

I made the Modern Park Bench with a shou sugi ban treatment for my first wood working project. Love it & so does my pug Maximus! Thanks Ana for the easy to follow step by step instructions! Already looking forward to my next build.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Shou sugi ban

Under Stair Dog House

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 01/23/2024 - 09:30

Under staircase unused space now a puppy palace!

Handy kandi

Simple White Outdoor Table

Submitted by solomonson on Tue, 07/10/2012 - 14:25

This little table was part of a larger overhaul for my patio, which was just a sad little slab before. I threw it together from scraps I had after building the table and benches. For some reason my Kreg jig did not like me that day so I built it using wood screws.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
scraps
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
I used some Valspar spray primer and white spray paint. It's not particularly durable, but that lends to the distressed charm.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

My daughter's toddler bed

Submitted by akutz on Tue, 04/29/2014 - 08:33

The Flickr gallery for this project is at https://www.flickr.com/gp/akutz/48S29J/.

My daughter is three now, but she when she was only 15 months old she was able to climb out of her crib. Because her crib mattress was rather expensive (organic per the wife's wishes), I decided to build her a toddler bed around the dimensions of her mattress. And I think it turned out rather well.

Unfortunately I didn't write down any plans other than the basic measurements. For the routing work on the hearts I traced the outside of the bottom of a standard paint can. For the heart in the middle of the headboard I simply free-handed it.

Yes, one of the hearts on the side is chipped. It was the last route of the entire project, and when it ripped off I was ready to be done with this because I had spent a lot of time sanding. So much sanding. Can't have my little girl getting splinters! So I decided that her daddy would just be the "first boy to break her heart." :)

The lumber was just red oak from Lowes. I don't recommend it for a first project. It is *hard* wood. It was extremely difficult with which to work for a beginner like myself. The internal slats were white pine since I didn't care about their appearance since they weren't going to be visible.

Please pardon the dow and dove-tailing work. I know it's shoddy, but this was my first attempt at wood-working. I come from a long line of master carpenters, but I haven't practiced at it in 15 years, and I live in the city with only an assortment of basic tools and half a garage filled with toddler toys as a work space. I did the best with what I have :)

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
I left the project unfinished
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

Wood Entryway Bench with Cubbies

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/29/2024 - 11:58

We followed the Essential Entryway Bench plan and modified it slightly to fit our home. We used a 35 degree miter cut at the corners of the trim, and finished the top with a dark walnut wood stain. The accent between the two colors is our favorite part!

Built from Plan(s)

Bookcase Dollhouse

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!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$74 wood & white paint
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
One quart semi-gloss white paint (2 coats) bought at Walmart. Pink and green colors were left over paints from when we painted the walls in our home.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Full size farmhouse w/underglow

i used the full size farmhouse plan for this bed. i added the LED light strips from ebay to the bottom to give the glowing effect. i built the bed for my 3 year old so we use it as a night light. she loves it.

Estimated Cost
200
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Beach Glass Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

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

Benchright Round End Table

Submitted by RGWood on Sun, 05/24/2020 - 08:01

I built this table for my mother-in-law. I added a brace/frame for under the top. That helped me with the angled legs. This table takes a beating at their house as she watches kids all day long. The plans produce a very sturdy table. The whole table is Dark Walnut stain and Satin Poly(oil based).

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
50.00
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Dark Walnut stain
Satin Poly(oil based)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Solid Wood Dresser

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 02/05/2024 - 08:59

My son kept telling me he didn’t need anything for his birthday, so I asked him what would make him happy!!!! He said a new dresser for my granddaughter because he wanted to burn the one they bought her!!😄
So, I had just seen your post of this new design and it is perfect!!!! My son and granddaughter LOVE it.

Arlene Sherer

Laundry Pedestal

Submitted by MikePT on Tue, 07/17/2012 - 17:35

My first build! Took me a while to complete, but I was in know hurry and was learning about carpentry/woodworking as I went. Overall it was a great success and I'm really pleased with how it turned out. Thanks to ana-white.com!!

Estimated Cost
$130
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Rustic X bookshelf

Submitted by ewing.111 on Mon, 09/09/2019 - 09:13

Built this bookcase based on the plans for the tall rustic X bookshelf, but made a couple modifications to use one entire sheet of plywood. It made for a monster bookshelf but is perfect for out needs! I also added the cross detail in the middle for extra support, I love how it turned out! I followed the tutorial that mimics restoration hardwares finish applied to originally the farmhouse table plans I think. Combination of weathered oak and special walnut stains with a satin poly.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Followed most of the directions in this link, http://ana-white.com/2013/08/rustic-yet-refined-wood-finish , I didn't do the whitewash step though, I liked how it came out after the special walnut and weathered oak.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

balloongal247

Wed, 05/07/2014 - 06:56

OMG, this bookshelf looks soo cool! I love the center support and how the top shelf is kinda split in two! Would you be willing to do a plan post for it? I know you'll probably get a ton of requests!

balloongal247

Wed, 05/07/2014 - 06:57

OMG, this bookshelf looks soo cool! I love the center support and how the top shelf is kinda split in two! Would you be willing to do a plan post for it? I know you'll probably get a ton of requests!

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