Community Brag Posts

This was only my 2nd project after the tabletop easel. Due to my inexperience this took longer for me to build and required more trips to the store, but was overall a straightforward and uncomplicated build, and my girls love their new bed. The stain application isn't perfect, but I'm very happy with the color / informal look, and found the Minwax water based stain very easy to work with - my 5 year old was able to help.

Tips:
-To make construction easier I ultimately inset the side rails 1", using scrap 1/4" plywood and 1x4" to support the sides while the bed was on its side. This made it easier to get a more precise fit, and enabled me to manage it without an additional pair of hands.
-I should have accounted for the cleats interfering with the drill before putting pocket holes in the support 2x6's, as I wound up needing to redrill them after gluing on the cleats as the cleats got in the way of the drill.
-We do find the bed shimmies a bit back and forth, so will be adding another 75" support brace at the bottom.
-To fit our space I narrowed the platform 1.5" and there is still plenty of room to play on the platform, and the small ladder is easy to navigate.
-The full stairs wouldn't fit our space so I first tried adding 2 2x4's steps directly into the platform frame as a ladder, but my girls (3 & 5) found this a little difficult to navigate. So I wound up building a modified ladder from the Simple Bunk Bed plan and that works well.

This console table was built using Alder lumber.  I modified Ana's plans slighly by removing the center, vertical brace, and changing the thickness of the top.  I also altered the top by making it a "breadboard" style top.  The finish I created was unique in that fact that it was a 5 layer process.  Because Alder wood is a "blotchy" prone wood, I sealed it with shellac first, applied 1 coat of antique walnut gel stain, sprayed a toner (dye mixed in shellac)  to darken the wood, and then applied 2 coats of poly.  

I love using recycled and refurbished wood.  I saw some Cedar leftovers and made this project.  @theshopbycecilia

I chose to modify one end to incorporate the ladder using The 2 x 6s. I made a template and used a jigsaw to cut out the u shapes. A lot of work! Mostly sanding I made the bottom sides removable for guests an when they eventually are not needed.

Had to buy a new washer and dryer several months ago and wanted the front loaders.  I was unwilling to pay $600 for the pedestals at the hardware store so I had been dealing with them on the floor until I found this plan.  Built these and absolutely LOVE them.  No more killing my back getting laundry done.  These sit higher than the ones from the hardware store so even better!!! I keep 3 laundry baskets underneath.

Went with 1x4 instead of plywood for head and footboard and dragged a classic cherry stain from minwax total cost of $280 in louisiana

Needed a new bedroom set. Loved the Madison plan, but also loved the idea from another brag post. The Rhyan nightstand had tile on the top. So I added porcelain tile to the top. Wanted something different.

I just built this table over the weekend. I started building this on a Saturday afternoon and finished it on Sunday afternoon. On Monday I put a coat of Minwax Honey on it. On Tuesday, I put a second coat of stain on it. On Thursday, I put a coat of semi-gloss poly on it and on Friday, I put a second coat of poly on it. All in all, I'd say I put in about 15 - 20 hours on it. Well worth the time and effort and cash savings!

I used a Kreg pocket-hole jig instead of nails which caused me to have to think a little bit about where and how I wanted to join the wood together.  I also spent a little more on some nice wood (pine) as this was going in our front living room and I wanted it to look as nice as possible.

This is really only the second piece of furniture I've ever built. I built a beam mantle last month just in time for Christmas. I think both of them turned out really nice!  Let me know if you have any questions.

I built this couch to put in my son's bedroom.  It came together really easily and I love the finished product!!  I have more pictures of the build on my blog.

Decided to make this bed as a father-son project. We modified the original plan a bit but used most of the ideas from the site. We decided to make it taller since we had the ceiling height available and wanted real usable space under the bed. I built this one with 58" clearance under the bed. We also made the windows hinge outward to prevent head bangs when playing in the bed. We also added a bit more support on the front and the back panels.

This was a labor of love, but so worth it when completed! My girls love it, I love all the storage!

I love this plan!

this was an easy project and so practical. I saw the "other" version of this and wondered where $70 worth of time and materials went. This cost me $7 and about an hour and a half. I love making something that I've seen for a fraction of the cost, and this site makes it so easy.

I added front drawer trim & a walnut stained top to this already great design  

Great, simple plans and exactly what we needed for a planter box.  A great use for scrap lumber or leftover lumber.  The finished size is very practical.  This is our second Ana White project.  Garage shelving project was as simple and successful.  

After weeks of being shown every DIY project on Interest by my lovely wife, like most men, I cracked! What seperated me from these other guys??? NOTHING! Haha, so I took a trip to Home Depot, got my supplies and went to work.

The assembly and construction was relatively easy, I have a background in construction so I was taught the motto of "measure twice, cut once." This served me well during this project as I did not need to get additional lumber for careless mistakes.

After the table was put together, I went to work with the sanding/distressing of the table. I wanted it to have a reclaimed barn wood look to it; So out came the nails, screws, chains and blowtorches. This was probably the most fun!

After the distressing was to my liking, I went to work prepping for stain. Two coats of dark walnut Minwax later, we were looking like a real table! Anyhoo, prep for poly, apply two coats, and Bazinga! New kitchen table......that looks really old. Lots of fun to build and will last a long time! Thanks Ana!