Community Brag Posts

upside down V bookshelf

This project took several months of off and on work but I am very happy with the results. Followed the plans on this website and they were great. The only change I made was to add x cross braces for added support. They were necessary because this thing is wobbly as it is. Got the wood from the local lowes and the hardware from Ace Hardware. Used the Kreg Jig pocket hole system to hide the fasteners which makes a big difference.

I made some other furniture from plans on this website so I used the same rustic stain on this piece. The stain was great, really easy to make and stains really well. I covered the stain with the recommended wax which gives it a really nice shine and is very smooth.

Huge thanks to this website!

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
"Hillary's oxidized finish"
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

First Major Furniture Project

Submitted by dfraley22 on Tue, 09/16/2014 - 11:57

This was my first major furniture project. My daughter wanted a changing table and this looked like it would be a good choice.I made a few modifications; it's a little taller as my daughter and her husband are on the tall side, I also added a small rail to keep the changing pad from sliding off. Overall it was a great learning experience. I have built several outdoor pens and small houses for our chickens, but this was my first attempt at a piece of furniture. I think it turned out well, and my daughter and her husband are happy with it (and that is what matters).Of course I see the mistakes but I learned from them and now know what to do (or not to do) next time.  Plans are great, easy to follow ....thank you ANA!! Can't wait to try another plan.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
about $150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Rustoleum - American Walnut, Weathered Gray, Wheat, Willow with a top of American Walnut, and Carrigton. 3 coats of polycrylic, and the frame is HGTV Home Cream from Sherwin Williams.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Half sized grandly sliding barn doof console

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 01/05/2017 - 20:04

Built by Sarah Ashley Allen on Instagram

Built from Plan(s)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Barn door console

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 09/16/2020 - 12:15

I am so happy with the way this turned out! (By no means is it perfect) My husband and I have been looking for a tv stand for our basement for months! Everything we liked seemed overpriced and still not exactly what we wanted. That was when we remembered the Adirondack chairs we had made from Ana’s plans and started looking to see what else she had. We found this tv stand and read through the step by steps and it all seemed manageable. Ana has the easiest plans to follow along with and so many tips and tricks also! We are by no means experts - we are very much still beginners, that’s how good her directions are!

Estimated Cost
$250?
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
We bought “chalked” brand paint from Menards in linen white. It comes in spray paint or little cans. We used a wood stain in “carbon gray” to match our barn door that’s not pictured. And the back of the console is a project panel/wall panel from Menards that looks like white barn wood.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Bookcase Storage Unit Desk Combo

My home seems to shrink in direct proportion to my daughter's growth. It seems we never have quite enough space for the new cache of toys, books, games, etc. So, I decided to look for a bookcase/storage center/desk that she could grow with and that might keep up with her. When I shopped for such a large item, the price tag was even larger. I decided to build one myself. I posted step-by-step directions with pictures on my blog: www.momthebuilder.net. Check it out and tell me what you think!
Angie

Estimated Cost
$250
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
I used a white paint in a satin finish
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Guest Bath Remodel

Submitted by cuznlucky on Sat, 09/20/2014 - 03:03

So we had a pretty hideous bathroom (as seen in the last picture). The toilet was pink too, matching the tub and sink. This complete little bathroom remodel was an experiment to see if I wanted to tackle the master bath and eventually the kitchen. We had a drywall guy come in to fill the holes where the original towel bar, toilet paper holder and medicine cabint were. I actually used the plans from the Kitchen Cabinet Sink Base 36 Full Overlay Face Frame because I wanted a toe kick and a Face Frame. I added my own twists like a hidden toilet paper holder on the right, 45 degree tilt out in the middle, and a sliding shelf in the left drawer. I adjusted the dimensions for the space we had and used a soft close track and hinges. We went with a granite top due to the money we saved on building the vanity. We went with brushed fixtures and accessories like a hotel style towel holder. I want to give credit to my girlfriend and her Mom who did most of the demo work (not really sure why and that's her Mom in the last picture). My girlfriend's step father and I laid the tile (I have never laid tile before) and my girlfriend did all the decorating / finalizing to make it look complete and totally awesome.

Estimated Cost
Total bathroom under $2000, but we went with a more expensive granite top, nicer tile that extends through the hallway, tub resurfacing and paid a person for drywall work.
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Black Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Kim Wester

Fri, 02/27/2015 - 09:38

Nice job customizing the plan. I'm attempting something similar -- modifying the kitchen sink cabinet to fit our vanity top, and adding drawers.

jsherwin

Sat, 07/25/2015 - 13:21

I love your finished vanity with all the little extras. Wish your plan was available! I'm not confident enough to do that much customizing yet. Great work!

Shoe Dresser

Submitted by Pauline M on Sun, 01/08/2017 - 05:02

This was perfect for my hall as it doubled up as a hall stand too. Love it.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
€60
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Satin wood barley white
Recommended Skill Level
Advanced

Lift top table with storage

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 09/19/2020 - 15:09

I used the lift top table for inspiration, we needed more storage in our livingroom for throws and blankets. This was the perfect solution as fall approaches. Thank you for your original design!

Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Early American

Side Street Bunks in Antique Red

Submitted by elykmxpx1 on Tue, 12/11/2012 - 15:15

It was a great project for my dad and I.

Estimated Cost
$300
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Behr Antique Red paint, semi gloss finish
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

spiceylg

Wed, 12/12/2012 - 05:28

Looks so cozy. Your children must be thrilled. Nice job!

My first furniture!

This was my first attempt at furniture. My husband helped a little but I did most of the work. Worked out beautiful, an excellent birthday pressie for my daughter. Started cutting wood  one afternoon, and finished painting and assembling the following afternoon (had a birthday cake to bake otherwise it would have been finished earlier). I used recycled timber for tops, the rest of the wood cost $50, so guessing Australian timber is way more expensive than USA. Bought Kreg jig specially for this project. Pocket joins give an excellent strong join. Had trouble getting crosses on bench correct, required many rescaling a to get right. Also had a wonky table because I screwed to the recycled timber top (some of that wood is warped) so fixed with a choc under two legs. Very pleased with result, look forward to my next project!

Estimated Cost
$50 not including table and bench top. Got my wood from Masters.
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
House paint on base and Danish oil on top
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Big Sandbox with Lid

Submitted by flinchball on Mon, 09/21/2020 - 13:18

Made the sandbox 6x6. Recessed it so it sits flush with the timber’s around our fire pit area. I added extra armrests in the middle that double as supports when the lid is closed in case anyone wants to walk on it. Filled the sandbox full enough that the armrests sit on the sand when closed. It’s very sturdy now for walking on and the kids have tons of room to play. Thanks for a great plan to work from.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Boiled linseed oil.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Benchright Farmhouse Dining Table

This was our first project from Ana-white. Make sure you notice that the dimensions on the cut list & drawings are different! We went by the cut list. We made a slight change to the frame on the end supports: instead of a 2x2, we used a 2x8. We felt more secure about people/kids pushing down on the edge of the table since we were able to both notch and put two screws into that end piece.

We used Aspen for the top, which I would not suggest. It ended up soaking up the stain very unevenly and blotching, even after using pre-stain.

For hardware, we used a 5 foot black iron pipe from Lowe's. Once we had the table assembled and the holes drilled, we remeasured and had Lowe's trim it by a few inches and re-thread (for free). We also used four square washers from McMaster-Carr (part no. 91128a140) which were $11after shipping.

We made our own wood putty out of sawdust, craft glue, and a little bit of the stain that we used for the table. It worked like a charm.

The two of us spent maybe 5 hours for assembly and another 6 for finishing.

Estimated Cost
200
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
We used Minwax 'Early American' and Semi-gloss polyurethane. We rag-applied 3 coats of stain, used a foam brush for 1 coat of poly, and followed up with 2 coats of brush-applied poly. We suggest the brush application for poly. We used steel wool very lightly after each coat.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Vintage Bar Stools

Submitted by danicarby on Fri, 09/26/2014 - 10:45

I did a little search to find a barstool and when I saw these plans on Ana White I fell in love.  They were an easy build and didn't cost a lot.  I made my stools shorter and altered the overall footprint.  I like to plug all visible pocket holes which is easy to do and looks great.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$20 for 2 stools (using cheap furring strips)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Sherwin Williams Latex Paint (white), sand with 220 grit to smooth and distress and 2 coats of Minwax Polycryclic Water-Based Clear Satin Top Coat
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

farm table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 01/10/2017 - 20:42

This is our version of the farm house table. Flat white base with a grey finish on top to give it a coastal farmhouse theme. 

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

Kitchen helper

Submitted by flinchball on Wed, 09/23/2020 - 14:13

What a great help for mom in the kitchen. Very stable even without the extra feet. Only thing I wish I had done differently is make it two inches shorter so it would slide under the edge of the counter. My kids love helping to bake now.

Estimated Cost
$20
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Boiled linseed oil. So easy. Just wipe it on and let it soak in.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Sturdy DIY Farmhouse Bed

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 10/21/2024 - 11:40

My husband slightly modified the height of the footboard of the farmhouse bed plans. We truly love this bed. It’s extremely sturdy and we have friends and family lined up to have him build them one!

Built from Plan(s)
Seasonal And Holiday

Pallet shelves

Submitted by lbadger on Thu, 12/20/2012 - 19:03

The first time I saw Ana's pallet shelves I knew I had to build them! It took a while but I found the perfect application. A place to hang the kids bibs and our snow pants that are a bit too long for the coat rack, and the bonus shelf for wet hats/mittens or chicken gloves that you don't exactly want in with your clean stuff ;>

Estimated Cost
$0
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
None, sanded down a bit
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Painter's Ladder

Submitted by Smokeydog on Tue, 09/30/2014 - 07:54

My wife saw a painter's ladder shelf at IKEA and wanted one for our master bathroom.   I showed her the shelf on Ana's site and she liked that one much more.  So ... a few hours later we had our  new shelf and my wife couldn't  be more pleased.

Estimated Cost
40.00
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Satin spray paint with primer
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

workbench miter saw and storage space

Submitted by wharry on Sat, 01/14/2017 - 17:17

This took me forever to do even with the plans and I still had to rig it cause I just couldn't get it square.  Im working on that but I'm very new at wood working and took this project on but I absolutely love it. This really cleared up my shed and space combined with extra tables to work on.  I got to use it for the first time today and it was awesome.  I think everyone should have one of these !!!

 

Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Rustic X Coffee Table (Modified)

Submitted by Honeyb65 on Sat, 09/26/2020 - 10:33

I built this using the Rustic X Coffee Table Plans, but modified by using 1x stock for the top instead of 2x. I also built mitered breadboards for the top. Finally, I added casters for mobility and an industrial look.

Built from Plan(s)
Finish Used
Burnt wood (shou sugi ban), white wash with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, sanded to distress for a faux barnwood look finished with General Finishes water based polycrylic in matte.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments