Community Brag Posts

Vintage step stool

Submitted by BeckySmith on Thu, 05/10/2012 - 05:23

This was a really fun little project. I used my Kreg jig to avoid filling/sanding exposed screws.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Very Berry Valspar Spray paint all over and leftover purple paint stenciled on.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

mg7y26lp06zn

Wed, 06/06/2012 - 10:40

Sitting on the fertile fields,Previous artistic words we can clear,T Einsamkeit this Es ist kalt und lonely child named regungslos Ich weine so cold and quiet leise in die Zeit I at the time of cry Ich Wei ?Always feel the night time is just a fresh.
TV is a Chinese family essential entertainment facilities. that everybody dare to modify the background data type stuff, since the original system BUG lot, my circle of friends topic always inseparable from our old professional, for not familiar with things, leave have!!Like himself, Yang always take me to visit his company, die in the past.htm 3G reflect.

My little man's bed

Submitted by bd on Sun, 02/23/2014 - 18:54

Pretty basic design - I made a few modifications to the published plans.
1) Slightly longer guard railings
2) Made the cleats flush with the bottom of the side rails so that the guard rails are elevated above the mattress.
3) Added "slat" design for the headboard.

Overall a pretty simple project, but like everything, takes time. Best of all, my little man loved it at first sight and is already using it!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$40
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax English Chestnut and Minwax Polycrylic
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

pde00311

Wed, 02/26/2014 - 06:49

Right before you posted this, we were just looking at this plan after coming to the realization that our little lady is going to graduate from her crib soon. I love the modifications that you made and stain that you used. Awesome work!

3 Tiered Flower/Garden Bed

3 tiered flower/garden bed, untreated in pic, need to find a food safe wood sealer this weekend and then we can fill with dirt and plant. We are using it as a garden. 21ftx6ft, 35 inches high.

Estimated Cost
$400-$500 CDN
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Nothing
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Farmhouse Table

This table took me working on it on and off for two days. The most difficult part was getting the legs leveled. After adjusting a couple times,I got them right and the rest was easy.
It is a solid and heavy piece and we enjoy having family meals on it.

I had the stains and spent a total of $80 for the table and bench material.

I think a beginner like myself can tackle this project- As long as you can use a miter saw. I don't have that much experience with woodoworking, but was able to tackle this project

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$80
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
minwax stains, a white wash and olympic guard for waterproofing
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Custom Closet with Heated Floors

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 10/20/2023 - 08:16

I love the outcome of this project! I removed the old wire shelving and used 3/4 inch sanded plywood and few pieces of trim and pine to build this floor to ceiling custom closet. Then I primed and painted, and installed the clothes rods. Out of the frame are new recessed lights and a tile heated floor!

Laura E.

Deck Box

This was our second build. Seemed easy enough, but definitely a 'learning experience' here! Most importantly, we learned the value of a straight board and how furring strips are anything but. Thankfully, I got my main squeeze by my side through it all. Even if he is mirroring that same confused expression I get when things don't quite pan out the way they should. LOL!

Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
American Accents Colonial Red
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Bunk Beds, Twin Size with Raised Panel

We are currently in the process of making the plans for these bunk beds, but we wanted to share them on Ana White! I spent quite a bit of time designing the bunk beds, and then my awesome husband helped bring them to life. This project took us a few weeks, but a lot of the time was spent painting. As far as building the project, we wanted something a little bit bigger and grander than most bunk beds you find in the store. I also wanted them to look mature enough that they would grow with my young girls. When they are older, we wanted them to be able to separate the bunk beds and have a beautiful twin bed set. We designed these bunk beds to have a taller headboard (which ends up being the bottom bunk) and a shorter footboard (that is the top bunk). Then, we you separate the bunks, you use one headboard from the bottom, one footboard from the top, and one set of rails. That becomes one twin bed set. To make the bunk beds, you make two headboards and two footboards. We wanted a raised panel look, so we used plywood and 4x4 posts. We used the kreg jig to attach the plywood to the posts. Then, we used the trim to cover up the holes from the kreg. For the top, we used crown and then an mdf cap piece. We just repeated these steps four times for all headboards and footboards. We wanted to really dress these bunk beds up, so we added bun feet to the bunk beds. We also ordered extra and put the matching bun feet on their dresser, so it looked like a complete set. We finished the project by making the bed side rails, the guard rails, and the ladder. We put it together to make sure it fit, then we took it apart and began the painting process. We did about 4 coats of paint: 1 coat of primer, and three coats of latex paint. We sanded lightly between each coat for a nice smooth finish. Check our website for the detailed plans: http://www.jrlwoodworking.com/2014/03/furniture-plans-twin-over-twin-bu…

Estimated Cost
$400.00
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
White Latex Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Walkerswoodworks

Mon, 01/01/2018 - 07:36

Why is it that when I click the link for these plans, I get sent to an index of links from jrl but can't find the plans?

Outdoor Sectional

Submitted by nikkiice on Sat, 05/28/2016 - 17:40

I had so much fun building this! I got a little creative with the corner section and decided to make it a table. I built a small hatch so that I could put in a container for ice and cold beer. When the hatch is not in use, the container can be removed and the hatch can be closed to provide more table space. I also added drink holders! 

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
none yet
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Buffet

Submitted by mckittt09 on Wed, 03/11/2020 - 15:32

I used the Grandy Barn Door Console as a template to build this buffet. 

Estimated Cost
$300
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Varathane Briarsmoke
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Modified Simple Modern Outdoor Table and Benches

Submitted by AandTsMom on Wed, 05/16/2012 - 10:21

We wanted two smaller tables and four benches so we can rearrange as needed to make one big or two small tables. We can also move them back and forth between patio and deck. We hoped to have this done in a weekend but it took us two weeks working at night after the kids went to bed. I love how they turned out but I'm not sure I will try another project this involved!

Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Finns-Dad

Sun, 05/20/2012 - 06:20

I really like the idea the two tables and being able to arrange them differently. Now I have to make more!!! Great job.

Coastal Mirror

Submitted by Jon Moore on Sun, 03/02/2014 - 11:09

My wife and I found some grass clothe mirrors at a local home decor store that we loved, but they were either too big or small for our space. (Not to mention they ran $300-$450!!!) Using the same height/width ratio I built my own.

For this project we used:
-spare 1x4 and 1x6 pine boards left over from other projects (SORRY, I do not have the cut list)
-brad nail gun
-miter saw
-piece of 1/4" plywood (to hold the mirror in on the back)
-8 wood screws (to fix the plywood to the frame)
-an old bathroom mirror
-glass cutter (~$6-8 at Home Depot)
-gloves (for cutting and handling the glass)
-olive oil (for lubricating the glass cutter)
-grass clothe (had to buy it online by the roll ~$75, only used half)
-scissors
-spray adhesive (~$6-8 at Home Depot)
-picture hanger hooks (~$1 at Home Depot)

I spent more time thinking about how to construct the frame than actually making the cuts and building it, which took about an hour. I then spent about a month waiting for the grass clothe to arrive in the mail. Then it was about another hour cutting and affixing it to the frame with my wife.

Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
grass clothe
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

DIY Garage Workshop Bench

Submitted by leah.toth on Sun, 03/22/2020 - 14:18

I came across the plans for this workbench - exactly what I need for my basement laundry area.  I wanted a nice flat space where I can fold laundry. I started yesterday and put together the legs and frame.  I'll pickup a countertop or nicer finished plywood for the bottom and top shelves.  Here is the link to the page with plans and pics  https://www.ana-white.com/woodworking-projects/workbench-get-job-done

Thanks so much for this great project idea, plans and instructions!  Super helpful!  I can't wait to finish it - I'll post final pic when it's complete.

Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Long Modern Vanity

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 11/02/2023 - 08:11

Designed and built vanity, mirrors, plumbed, tiled, and wired and installed lights.

Tanni

Country Entertainment Center

Another piece that my wife saw online that she liked. We wanted a new entertainment center for the house. I looked at the photo and drew up the plans in my head and got to building. This was a one day build and came together really nice.

Estimated Cost
$60.00
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Burgundy Behr paint, Minwax Special Walnut stain, and Antique white with stain wiped
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Finishing project

Submitted by Medickep on Tue, 03/04/2014 - 14:16

I decided to post this project as I know there is room for more information on finishing. I know I can be overwhelmed with all the different types of finish work out there as well as their associated tips/tricks, which are often not on the manufacture's directions!

My wife and I had some black furniture, which we were tired of. Some of it started from my bachelor days and some came later just to match things we already have. I really wanted to build new stuff for our living room, but it seemed like a little a bit of a waste, considering we liked it, minus the color!

Even though it was all sold as "better that Ikea" furniture, it was all pretty cheaply made with weak quarter turn screw joints and MDF.

The first thing I did was to take each piece apart and glue, pocket screw and nail the heck out of each piece.

I than scuff up the finish (committed now :-) ) with some 220 sandpaper. While my wife and I decided what color we wanted I looked into oil based paint. Even though it usually can't be found at HD or Lowe's a guy who worked in the paint department and was a professional painter for 30 years advised me to find some.

We both agreed that Latex paint never really seems to dry all the way, especially for a surface, which will have glasses and what not placed on them.

I got some oil based paint from a "paint store" and also bought a product called Penetrol to put in the paint. The Penetrol "watered down" the paint to allow more working time and avoid brush marks. I really tried to avoid usually a brush, and mainly used a very tight , high quality foam roller. It really work great and I just made sure I covered each area all the way from one side to the other. I would start with less Penetrol than they say. My paint was like soup and although it worked great, I figured you can always add more, but you can't take it out!!

The oil paint took about two days to dry in my garage (very cold now) and than I moved it into my house for the rest of the time. Once it was "cured" 3-4 days, it formed a shell like surface, which did not require any poly at all!

I feel it's about as good as you can get without having a sprayer. It was definitely more clean up as I needed paint thinner for the brushes I did use, but I stored them in zip loc bags in my garage refrigerator in between coats, until I was completely done!!

I hope this post helps someone out there!!

Estimated Cost
47.00 for one gallon of oil based paint
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Oil based paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Surfer Shack

My buddy wanted this bed from Pottery Barn Kids but didn't want to spend $1300. It cost him $250 in materials and i built it for $300. So you DIY'ers could do it for $250. We also adjusted the size to fit a full size mattress.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$250
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Kona wood stain
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Rachael Cabos (not verified)

Wed, 06/06/2012 - 16:35

What were the dimensions?

Alexis buchanan (not verified)

Sun, 09/23/2012 - 14:42

Both my boys want to sleep up top I have a nice corner window seal that I'd like to put the l shaped loft at mid height double twin any suggestions also would like the entry on both ends so my 9 yr old can descend without waking my middle son would like a detachable slide in the middle

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