Community Brag Posts

A lot of fun to build.

Submitted by Wayde on Sat, 01/05/2013 - 22:58

My eldest daughter contact me to show me the standard doll bunk bed on this site. I decided then that I was going to build one for Christmas for my 6 year old, since she loves to play with her American GIrl dolls. Before I got to it, she ended up drawing a name for Secret Santa gifts with her gymnastics team. I got the idea to build my first bed for the girl who's name she drew, therefore, I'd learn what to and not to do first, since I'll be building my daughters in Oak and not the pine that I would build this one out of. I talked with her mother to see if she played with dolls and she confirmed that she had 3 American Girl dolls that she adores.

You'll also notice that we added another level, since she has three dolls, and you can't leave on without a place to sleep. It was quite easy to add the extra level by measuring the distance between the first and second and then adding that onto to second. In the pictures you can see that I added metal feet to each leg, and that made the bottom of the ladder sit a little above the floor by that same distance. I think that I'll start the ladder on my next one at the bottom rung of the lower bed, and not leave that piece at the bottom.

Needless to say, the little girl was beside herself when she opened the wrapping paper. My daughter learned a lesson on how much more fun it is to give, especially after all of the work, than to receive. Before the party, all she could do was say, "I can't wait to see her face when she opens this." I asked her about it when she came home today, and she said that she must have thanked her a hundred times throughout the night, as it was a sleepover at the gym.

I wish that I had taken pictures along the way, but I didn't. I will however, when I build the next one for my daughter.

It cost me just over $20 to build. I needed 7 - 8' 1x2's. I used a nice piece of cardboard for the floor of each bed. I found it at Sam's club while shopping. They had it between something that was stacked on a pallet, and whatever it was was gone. I asked the manager if I could have it and he was happy to be rid of it. It's not your standard cardboard, but has a double wall. At a width of just over 9", it's very sturdy and especially cheap. The feet were bought at Walmart for $1.57. I glued each connection, even though they were held together by pocket hole screws. With one pocket hole screw per piece, it had the ability to swivel on that screw. I learned that Kreg, the maker of the pocket hole jig has come up with a mini jig, which allows double pocket holes to be drilled into a piece of wood just 1" wide. I asked and received one for Christmas. My daughters will feature the new holes and therefore, I won't be glueing it.

Hope you have as much fun building it as I did with my daughter.

Estimated Cost
$20
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Sanded smooth but no finish.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Tow Mater Adirondack Chair

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 02/06/2017 - 10:02

I made this chair for my 3 year old son who is obsessed with Disney Cars based off of Ana's 

Super easy little Adirondack chair plans.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$75
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Various
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Modern 2x2 desk

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 11/01/2020 - 14:10

Love the simple modern look of this desk. The plans were so easy and this was a quick build. Modified the measurements as well as the top. I used a project panel for the desk top.

Estimated Cost
$55
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Tricorn Black paint for the base. Top stain is mix of Minwax Driftwood and Early American.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Reclaimed wood easy kitchen island

Submitted by Liz325 on Mon, 01/07/2013 - 21:59

One of my first projects, but really worth the time and effort. It helps so much with space in the kitchen and I learned a lot in the process. It's really sturdy and was a pretty easy build. Most of the time was spent staining and nailing the slats.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$25
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Gunstock and Golden oak stain on the slats on top and semi-gloss white on base. Finished with 2+ coats of Poly.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Banquette in man cave

Submitted by Lanelle on Sat, 11/01/2014 - 22:21

When designing the layout for my husband's home brewery/man cave I needed seating that would fit in the narrow space. I looked at several plans and used pieces from a few. The final support design was suggested by my brother-in-law. I am in the process of making cushions to fit as it is definitely not something to sit on for long with any comfort!

Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Behr hi gloss
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Laundry Basket Dresser

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 02/09/2017 - 11:20

I wanted the dresser to look a little more like a piece of furniture since it was going to be in our walk-in closet, so my husband made cubicles to hold the baskets rather than rails.  He used .75" sandpaper-grade plywood, painted it to match our bedroom walls, and added matching baseboard to dress it up.  The towel bars on each side were added so that towels and washcloths could hang to dry prior to putting them into a basket.  An awesome side benefit is that the top of the dresser is a convenient place to rest the stacks of folded laundry as I'm hanging them up.

Estimated Cost
$125
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Behr Interior Flat Paint, "Stepping Stones" color
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Rustic corner desk

Submitted by pmgb614 on Thu, 11/05/2020 - 06:18

I bought the plan for this desk. Took me a day to put together and I think it came out decently. This is my second project from Anna's website. Very fun. The first went pretty well too...with some hiccups. Gaining more confidence every time I do something myself!

Estimated Cost
$170
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
I used Varathane aging accelerator
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Single Drawer Console Table

Submitted by efmolly on Wed, 01/09/2013 - 09:25

This is a basic console table, aside from the drawer. This was my first time attempting drawer, and it wasn't too bad. The top I put together from a piece of 1x8 and 1x4's using my Kreg jig. It ended up being a bit long, so I trimmed the breadboard ends down a couple inches. For the base I used reclaimed table legs and 1x6's for the aprons. To make the drawer opening, I simply cut out a rectangular hole slightly larger than my drawer box out of the front apron. The drawer box I built out of 1x3's and 1/4in plywood and then attached a piece of 1x4 for the face. Since it was a small drawer, I didn't want to purchase drawer slides for it. I pocket holed some 1x4 stretchers, going from the front to back of the table on either side of the drawer opening. I then screwed a strip of 1x1 to the drawer box horizontally, lined it up to the stretchers and screwed another 1x1 to the stretcher. So basically, I made my own sides using 1x1. I added a bin pull and was done. I feature a few other projects like this on my blog http://pneumaticaddict.blogspot.com .

Estimated Cost
$40
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
The top is stained with 'Walnut' oil-based stain from Minwax, then glazed with a dark chocolate glaze. The base is a creamy white, latex paint glazed with the same chocolate glaze. The whole piece is finished with 2 coats of Polyacrylic in Satin.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Dog Kennel

Submitted by swari on Tue, 11/04/2014 - 12:03

What an awsome introduction to using a Kregg Drill. The plans were so easy to follow, making this a really fun build. I did increase the dimensions of the kennel to accomadate Ezzy's full grown size, but the plans were otherwize followed. The tin signs arranged for the top of the kennel makes it a great conversation piece.

Estimated Cost
Lumber and hardware cost $100.00. We used Chilli Pepper Red in Benjamin Moore Satin, $80.00 for a gallon and we had plenty left over for touch ups if the puppy chewed, and a walnut stain to add a distressed look. For durability, a polyurethane coating was added. The vintage tin signs were a ridiculously costly addition at $20.00/sign, but we wanted something a bit different. The kennel will be moved into the home office so the signs on top will be a nice "pop".
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Chili Pepper Red, by Benjamin Moore in a satin finish. Distressed the wood and applied a walnut stain followed by a coat of polyurethane. Tin signs cut to fit the top and glued/screwed down.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

Succulent Planter From Pallets

Submitted by mtairymd on Sat, 02/11/2017 - 13:47

This is a very easy project to make for the beginning woodworker. It is low cost since it is made from scrap pallets and should only take a couple of hours to make. The same plans can be used to make a nicer version from 1x4 cedar boards. The planter holds succulent plants which are almost care free and extremely easy to grow.

More Info: https://www.instructables.com/id/Succulent-Planter-From-Pallets/

Estimated Cost
$1
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Little Red Toy Box

Submitted by hawaiitara on Thu, 01/10/2013 - 20:47

I built this toy box for a friend who just had a baby. I followed the plans, except I used pocket holes for the main box. Instead of the base moulding I used 1 x 4's and carved out the shape with my jigsaw. I also used quarter rounds instead of cove moulding because I couldn't find that.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
less than $50
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
rustoleum painters touch ultra cover in apple red gloss

Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Farmhouse Table

Submitted by ssshindler on Fri, 11/07/2014 - 05:39

This is my first project and I am thrilled with how it turned out. Thank you Ana, you have empowered this stay at home mom! 

Finish Used
minwax dark walnut stain, polyvore wax varnish
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

sagey

Sun, 11/09/2014 - 18:41

I  love this table sooooooo much .

please explain exactly how you achieved the finish on it > is the wood reclaimed!!!!

sagey

Sun, 11/09/2014 - 18:42

I  love this table sooooooo much .

please explain exactly how you achieved the finish on it > is the wood reclaimed!!!!

Farm House Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 02/13/2017 - 13:42

I am not a carpenter, I do not even have a tape measure. I got tasked by my leadership dothan class to build a farmhouse table for the academic dream room which is part of the Bright Key Program. Which is being renovated at Honeysuckle Middle School. Found your plans and got inspired. One glitch they wanted this table to be able to sit fourteen chairs. So I had to make a few adjustments like increasing the main boards to twelve foot. Because of your plans, many urban middle schoolers will have a place to get tutored considering cafeteria tables are so expensive. I am a believer of your plans. The positive feedback I received was well worth my time and would not of been a sucess without your plans. I did mine with pocket holes as well. 

Estimated Cost
146.37
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
American 230 and the middle a bluish grey.

Spent an hour picking out lumber. All boards are not the same length. Ran through a planer and I found it eliminates the need to sand. But remember not to plane them to different heights. Pocket holes are great but I found some really nice table joints at Lowes that looked classy with the kreg screws.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Customized TV table

Submitted by dtmak on Wed, 11/11/2020 - 19:23

I started with the Farmhouse Bedside Table stand to get the general dimensions and materials list. I adjusted the plan to get the height I wanted for a TV stand and left out the drawer where I could place the cable box or other AV equipment. It worked out really well. I used a router on the top to approximate the other furniture in the room. I finished it off with some adjustable height screw in feet for carpeting.

I added a lazy susan TV stand to allow the TV to adjust to different viewing angles.

Cutting and assembly was only a weekend's work. The painting and finish - to make it suitable for indoor furniture - required more time with multiple coats of paint, sanding, and polyurethane.

Thank you for sharing your plan!

Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Rustoleum 2X spray paint and water-based polyurethane semi-gloss finish.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Small-Large Rustic X Bench

We made eight of these benches for Christmas gifts this year. It was a lot of fun and we learned so much along the way. We made 5 benches in the standard 30" length, 2 in 36" and 1 42" bench on request.

Suggestion for building: Make jigs so that the legs and side boards are the same size. It doesn't exactly matter if the measurements are a little off from the plan, as long as they are consistent in each bench.
We chose to paint the bottoms off-white and stain the tops for an elegant rustic look. However, we fully stained a couple of the benches as well because we thought they would look best for a few of our family members.
It was hard to tell exactly how long each bench took because we worked on all eight at once when we had free time, but one bench shouldn't take more than an afternoon if you are new.

I also added a picture of the one bench we chose to distress.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$20/each
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Jacobean stain
Martha Stewart "Glass of Milk" paint
Helmsman spray spar urethane
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Pam the Goatherd

Mon, 01/14/2013 - 11:10

Love!Love!Love! these!!!!! I so badly want to make some of these benches, but have too many more important projects to complete first. You did a great job on them. How do I get on your Christmas gift list ;-)

Simple Workbench

Submitted by coolove on Sun, 11/09/2014 - 15:27

A few months ago, I made a simple workbench to store my miter saw and other power tools when I'm not using them. I love it. It was a very easy project. I opted to do a full bottom shelf and added more 2x4s instead of the standard three.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$40
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
No finish but I applied three coats of wood hardener for the top.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Castle Loft Bed "Frozen" Themed

I present the "Castle Loft Bed" with minor modifications. Finished in a "Frozen" theme.

It was time to upgrade my youngest to a "big kid bed" and she was insistent on a frozen bed. After searching for various options we settled on the "Castle Loft Bed" from the Ana White catalog of plans.

We left the slide off, due to available space. Also we changed the steps to be more of a usable toy box/storage and hamper area. I also modified the internal bookcase to have a small "secret" cubby for her "valuables". We also added color changing LEDs to fit the little princess's mood.

 

I hope you like my rendition and keeps in spirit the DIYers quality.

Estimated Cost
$425.00
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Various paint colors
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Rustic X Desk

Submitted by CarolinaL on Wed, 11/18/2020 - 14:48

I finally got tired of my computer set up being on my sewing table. I will be working from home for quite some time and I'm so glad I finally have a designated desk for work.

This desk came out perfect. It's not too difficult but the X did take some time to get right. Used Ana's video instructions.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$60
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Provincial for the top
White satin paint for the base.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Narrow farmhouse table

Submitted by vic b on Thu, 01/17/2013 - 16:59

I shortened this table to fit the space, it works perfectly. Thank you again Ana for your wonderful plans.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
maple stain and varnish
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project