Community Brag Posts

Farmhouse bench

I took Anna's Narrow Farmhouse table and downsized it to make a bench for my kitchen table. For the bench top, I used what I had on hand to make a comfortable seat.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$10 plus scraps
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
I bought rough looking 1x3 furring strips - the cheap ones! I wanted a primitive well worn look. After putting the bench together, I beat up the boards with nails, a hammer, my drill - whatever was handy. I then painted it solid black, let dry, sanded lots of bare spots, wiped clean of dust, stained sanded spots lightly with some stain I had on hand (no name left on the label), then poly'd the whole thing (since it will need lots of cleaning.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Volcano Loft Bed

When it was time to re-do my son's bedroom (past time, really), I decided to build him a loft bed to help maximize space in his small room. A quick search to the internet brought me to Ana's site, saving me lots of hassle on trying to design my own loft bed for him from scratch. My son, who loves everything science and is especially fond of volcanoes, wanted a volcano themed room, and I had the bright idea to make the bed itself into a volcano.

I modified the loft plans slightly to create a bookcase headboard - because I always wonder when looking at loft/bunk beds where the kids put all their STUFF (books, reading lights, glasses, special treasures, etc) - but other than that its just the plans from this site minus the rails and with plywood tacked on to the exterior (the plywood takes the place of the rails). The plywood was cut with a jigsaw after it was put up so I could get all the ridges and holes in just the right spot and height.

Honestly, the painting took much MUCH longer than cutting and assembling the bed did, but I think it really turned out well. The inside of the volcano on the cave's back wall is my favorite part. There's still a few things left to do, but no project of mine is ever really completely finished anyway! On on end inside the "cave" under the loft I built a cushioned reading bench and bookshelf, but the other end of the cave is still empty. Eventually it will house a built-in desk that looks out of the lava holes in the walls.

The cave under the bed is so cozy, I've found myself sitting on the reading bench more than once while working on the project, enjoying some me-time when the kids are at school!

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

Comments

Ccpie77

Sat, 03/22/2014 - 10:49

Hi -

Great job!! I'm planning on adding a slide too for my son. Did you do anything extra to support the slide?

Thanks!

Ccpie77

Sat, 03/22/2014 - 10:49

Hi -

Great job!! I'm planning on adding a slide too for my son. Did you do anything extra to support the slide?

Thanks!

The Kids are off the floor

Submitted by derwood294 on Mon, 02/08/2016 - 09:11

We Recently moved into a new house and this project was a great break from the regular work on the house. The instructions were great and easy to follow. The 2 x 6s on the sides makes it hard to use carriage bolts though I settled for lag screws. Can't wait to do my next project.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
around $120
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Semi-gloss paint of Behr Paint and primer in one with the color Cupcake Pink. I stated with Killz Primer and 2 coats of the Beher.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Redwood Adirondacks

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 09/08/2019 - 16:46

Ana's favorite Adirondack chairs made from redwood.

Estimated Cost
150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
None
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

$15 Cedar Lemonade Stand!

My kid-o's love to sell lemonade. So, we made a trip to the local hardware store. Because I am terrified to use my husbands electric saw, any wood we purchased would have to be cut with a hack saw and a miter box. And since the stand is to be stored in the backyard, we opted to build it from cedar. We ended up purchasing 8 fence pickets for about $15 total. This was also to be a great way for my kids to apply the some of the knowledge they have picked up this year, our first year of homeschooling. My children, ages 7 and 9, measured all of the boards that needed to be cut. It turned out GREAT! We already had some extra boards, spray paint and screws on hand; so, the grand total was $15.00 for the entire project!

Built from Plan(s)

stools turned nightstand

Submitted by hoffer5353 on Sat, 01/07/2012 - 19:42

I started this project so my children could use them at the x-desk art table. But as they came together I decided that I would use them for nightstands in our new bedroom.
They are fabulous as a stool or a table I love them.

Estimated Cost
free-scraps
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
natural
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Entry Table from the Providence Bench

I used the providence bench instructions as my base, but made the legs longer and the top 1 board wider. It took a total of 7 2x4's. Cheap, easy, and fun addition to my entry way! Thanks Ana White!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Entry table or Sofa table.

Used Poly Shades Bombay Mahogany Stain for the finish. I did 3 coats of it.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Circular sectional

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 02/11/2016 - 17:34

This was a labor of love. I built it over a Christmas vacation. It took just under two weeks. The tables between the chairs were made to be removable, so each chair is an individual and we can take apart any of the chairs or tables on a whim. Very happy with this one. Thanks Ana!

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Black stain
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Ana White Admin

Fri, 02/12/2016 - 12:37

This is an awesome build, love how you incorporated the tables! Thanks for sharing

Cedar shed with green roof

Submitted by R E on Sun, 09/22/2019 - 12:23

I built the shed during the summer of 2018, following Ana's plans but with the addition of a green roof. After almost a year the vegetation -- a variety of native plants from the upper Midwest -- has started to fill in pretty well. (The dangling "vines" are wild strawberry plants.)

My carpentry skills are rudimentary so the project took a long time but was worth the effort.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Wolman Durastain semi-transparent natural cedar stain
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Modern Outdoor Chair from 2x4s and 2x6s

After a whole year I finally made a second chair! The first one was made a year ago and now my wife can sit outside with me too 😊. Next for the couch!

Comments

Entertainment Center

Submitted by azca33 on Mon, 01/09/2012 - 18:48

My wife and I decided it was time to give our new TV a home. We began looking on ana-white.com and saw a beautiful black entertainment center. That is where I received my inspiration. It is a very similar design however, I decided to change the color and add inset doorsand drawers.

Everywhere we looked for an entertainment center, it was either too pricey, or the measurements were not right. I decided to come up with a plan for an entertainment center that would fit perfectly into our little niche.

Estimated Cost
650-700
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Dark Walnut Stain/White Latex Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Jana Thomas (not verified)

Mon, 01/23/2012 - 12:28

I LOVE your entertainment center....exactly what we are working on as we speak. Ours will be a little larger (12 foot wide) after adding on two end shelves to hold lots of DVD's!! I know I want the white color, but could you give a little more information on the distressing and finishing? We've never done that before. Thanks!

azca33

Mon, 01/23/2012 - 17:59

Hey Jana,

What I did was kind of a pain. To give the entertainment center the distressed looked, I stained all the areas that we were going to distress a dark walnut. After we allowed that to dry, we painted it with white latex paint. Since we were painting over a dark walnut stain, it took about 3 coats to completely cover the color. After 24 hours of drying we sanded it with 100 grit sand paper on all the areas we wanted distressed. You will want to lightly sand it until the dark walnut color comes through. Avoiding sanding too hard as you will sand through the stain.

We still have some distressing that we would like to do on it, but we need to get a wire sponge for that, and just haven't gotten around to it. The sand paper works really well on corners, but not so much on the face of the wood. We haven't sealed it completely since we still have some areas to distress, but will use a water-based sealer.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

davidmac (not verified)

Tue, 01/24/2012 - 14:15

It looks great. How did you attach the side units to the middle unit? Are the drawer fronts just solid 12" x 12" with the decorate trim attached to front? I can't tell if the portion where the handle is attached is recessed or not. And lastly, are those 1" x 3" trim pieces around the drawers?

azca33

Tue, 01/24/2012 - 16:46

Hey Davidmac,

The trim is all 1x3 solid pine, including the trim around the drawers. The drawers measure out to 10x10. I built the drawer faces the same way I built the cabinet doors. I used 1x3 trim and dado'd a 1/4" groove to inset a 1/4" piece of plywood. I then added molding to give the drawers and cabinet doors a more detailed look, so it is recessed where the handle is attached.

The side units are attached by 1 1/4" screws that are hidden behind the trim. Easy access to remove for any future moves.

Jeff (not verified)

Sat, 01/28/2012 - 22:15

Are there actual plans for this? I just see it in another brag post. but no actual laid out plans.

Guest (not verified)

Sun, 02/19/2012 - 19:22

Where can I find plans for this. Beautiful.

azca33

Fri, 03/23/2012 - 09:24

Unfortunately, there isn't a set of plans for this entertainment center on the site. I looked at the Entertainment Center for Kristen Lotz and built my own plans according to her pictures, with a few adjustments. If you have any questions, I will be more than happy to help you out.

Kristen Lotz (not verified)

Tue, 05/29/2012 - 17:32

I just checked in onto this site for the first time in awhile and I saw your entertainment center. I knew you must have gotten inspiration from ours... I love how yours turned out! I love the white, I love the distressing, and I love the inset doors and drawers with all the details. It turned out absolutely beautiful. Good job!

azca33

Mon, 06/11/2012 - 12:21

Thanks Kristen and thank you for the inspiration. When I saw yours on ana-white, I knew that is what I wanted in my living room. I also thought it was genius to put the DVD Player etc... up higher so the kids can't play with it. We are really happy with it.

kristenlotz

Mon, 12/31/2012 - 14:20

I finally got around to making the plans for our entertainment center (well, actually my husband did it). It is very similar to yours except the inset doors and drawers, the door and drawer trim and the finish colors. Hopefully that helps those looking for plans for this beautiful entertainment center. I love finding brag posts of similar entertainment centers because they are absolutely beautiful at a fraction of the cost of buying one. And we love telling people that we built it!
http://www.jrlwoodworking.com/2012/12/furniture-plans-custom-entertainm…

Andrea Miller (not verified)

Mon, 01/07/2013 - 12:26

Did you do an under coat or did you just add stain to the sanded areas? Love the look.

Beetle Kill Pine Queen Bed

Submitted by lwarteman on Thu, 11/28/2013 - 12:02

I saw this beautiful tongue & groove beetle kill wood at our local Home Depot and immediately knew I wanted to make a bed with it. I had seen several similar headboards on various websites, but just drew my own. I used wrapping paper that had 1" graphs on the reverse side. This time of year, I stock up on this paper and keep for projects. After we drew the headboard on the paper, we taped it to the wood and cut it out with a jigsaw. Then, we routed the edges to give it a more finished look and lightly sanded it. I didn't want the color to change any, so I just sanded it and used Minwax Polycrylic Satin (water based) for a finish). We just attached the side rails with metal braces. We decided to just use this as a frame on the outside of our metal bed frame, but you could put slats in it too. By making it a frame, it's easier to move the bed. We might eventually put slats in it. Anyway, I love it!

Estimated Cost
$60
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Water-based Polycrylic Satin Finish
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Home for the Fridge

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 02/14/2016 - 07:42

I used this plan to build this cabinet space around the fridge. Before this was built, we just had a small dinky counter space and the overhead cabinet. I had to make a few minor adjustments in order for it to fit in the space.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
sanded, primed, and painted - Sherwin Williams Pure White.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Farmhouse Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 10/01/2019 - 18:01

I had a friend of mine ask me about building a table for her farmhouse and an anniversary gift . She has a large family and a very large space, and needed a table large enough to fill that space... I had no idea how large it would be. After going through some of my preliminary questions about the build I finally got to the dimensions. She said I’m thinking about 11’ ... she was serious...
I had never built anything that large, I was nervous and very excited. She started researching bases and she told me she liked the x base look. I knew I had seen it on the Ana White website. http://ana-white.com/woodworking-projects/triple-pedestal-farmhouse-tab… So I immediately went to work on the design with modifications in mind so an 11’ table would be feasible.
Their family also supplied the wood... they estimated it to be roughly 100 year old pine flooring from a house that they were tearing down on the property.
It was an incredible challenge, but it turned out to be so beautiful. It is my first and last 11’ table.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
140 and expendables ( lots of sandpaper, glue, pocket screws, biscuits and more sandpaper) in lumber since they supplied the wood for the top.
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Helmsman Spar urethane clear satin
Sand everything to 220.
3 coats natural bristle brush
Base was an oil based white paint.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Greenhouse

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 05/26/2023 - 15:26

We followed Ana's plans but went 1 ft taller on the pony walls to increase the height. We are so impressed with how it turned out. I'm excited to grow plants in Northwestern Ontario.

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

L'il Sherrif's Step Stool with Storage

Submitted by coopersmum on Sun, 01/15/2012 - 16:12

My wonderful hubby and I have done 4 projects from Ana-White.com (a bed, a chair, a shelf, and some storage crates). But this was my first solo project!!! I had a blast making it. And just an FYI - the storage area holds about 563 Hot Wheel Cars (give or take a hundred) lol. My little guy loves being able to climb into his big boy bed all by himself. Thanks Ana!!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
FREE (Used left over scrap wood and paint).
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Guest (not verified)

Sat, 01/28/2012 - 09:58

Can you tell us what paint/stain you used? We love it and want to make one for our son!! Thank you so much. It looks awesome!

X Base Farmhouse Table and Benches

modeled after the Restoration Hardware Salvage Wood X Base Table which at this 8' table listed for $3395 just for the table. LOL

Used the Fancy x farm table plans and used all 4 x 4 on table, and followed plans for benches with 2x4

Estimated Cost
350
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
First stained with special walnut let dry, and then coated with weather grey, poly finish
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Industrial Coffee Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 02/16/2016 - 12:24

I was seeing this coffee table everywhere so I knew we had to make it. It's the easiest build ever. I think the only tricky part is the painting near the edge. We like a more sanded/finished top. We tried spray painting the base and then attaching the top, but then we sanded the top and the spray paint on the base near the top came off, so I had to cut in and I'm not good at that.

So we're still working on a way to do this properly. We tried making the top on the ground and then sanding & attaching it. But the top needs to be completely exact/square in order to do this. We live in a old farmhouse, so we prefer to attach it as we go - then sand. We also plane the top for a more exact and modern look. 

Estimated Cost
Under 50.00
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Top stained in our custom beachwood mix. A mixture of Minwax stains, Bottom spray painted in Oil Rubbed Bronze & semi-gloss polyurethane ( two coats )
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Outdoor sectional

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 10/02/2019 - 04:17

Made the outdoor sectional. The coffee table was made out of left over pieces!

Estimated Cost
$260
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
We used a semi transparent stain applied with brush. We would recommend a hand sprayer instead.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Bird House against predator

Hi I was tired to see the magpies and flickers destroying the nest and kill the sparrows After days of research i came up with this model that i tested last summer and believe me, it was successfully accepted by sparrows This year i made bunch of them, some different models till i get to the yellow one style that is perfect I really loved it and i'm here sharing it with you guys I will share plan for this bird house in my Instagram next week (June 12)

Comments

6 Cube Book-shelf

Submitted by Drew.heym on Wed, 12/04/2013 - 21:20

I made this more for baby clothes instead of books. I just got it done a few hours ago, but my wife did not want to wait for the bins to put all of the upcoming baby's clothes in there spot. I ended up ripping the 1x1 into 1/8ix11.5/8 strips to help cover up my screw holes. Thank you Ana for having these plans on your site

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Min wax Red mahogany, min wax spray clear gloss
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner