Community Brag Posts

My first try!

Submitted by Chris Huds on Sat, 12/29/2012 - 08:13

Here is my fist whack at this bed for my son. I am starting the one for my daughter as well, but am modifying the design to have storage stairs.

Estimated Cost
$225
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Golden Pecan stain
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Mantel Moulding Headboard with Variations

Submitted by wyosharon on Sat, 10/11/2014 - 19:56

As suggested at the beginning of the instructions, be sure to read through the entire set of instructions before shopping and making this headboard. The parts lists calls for 3 - 7ft pieces of moulding. However, we needed more than three to do the finishing touches. Also, none of the mouldings suggested were at our Home Depot, so we improvised. Cutting some of the mouldings to go around the corners was too challenging for us, so we ended the moulding strips at the end of the bed. To give the ends a finished look, we used some of the 1/4" plywood, cut them, and sanded them. Be sure to sand all the surfaces. The instructions tell you how long to cut some pieces, but they don't say whether the board is supposed to be a 2X4 or 1X6, so be sure to go through the directions thoroughly before starting and cutting. We did use spray paint, and it took more than three cans to provide sufficient coverage, since the wood soaked up much of the first layer of paint.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$150-$200 depending on the types of moulding and paint/stain used
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
We sanded all the surfaces prior to painting. The first coating of spray paint soaked into the wood quite a bit, so we added another three coats of spray paint. The dry time adds some extra time to the complete project. We needed nearly four cans of spray paint.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Blaire’s Desk

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 10/11/2020 - 08:49

My granddaughter absolutely loves purple! She is almost 3 years old and she uses it for snacks putting together little puzzles and coloring. Very fun and easy project. I added a frame around the edges so it’s nice and smooth and her colors won’t roll off the desk.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$15
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Latex paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Mud Room in the Kitchen

This winter brought gloves, snow boots and snow pants spread throughout my kitchen. This mama was going insane. Storage before was one hook per child at their height and 4 hooks for mom and dad with a pile of coats and shoes at the bottom. It took me about 3 days to complete while the kids were on Christmas break, which is pretty amazing :) This project was pretty easy once I got the hang of the Kreg Jig. The only issue I ran into was our corner wall is not square which gave me a gigantic headache.

Thank you Ana for these plans!
From a mama who is a little less insane, Tonya in Kansas

Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
primed with Kilz and painted 2 coats of semi-gloss with Behr Sorcerer.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Alexia Bench

Submitted by ctay on Wed, 10/15/2014 - 10:28

This was the first time I have built drawers!  I love how it turned out!!  This website has given me the confidence to build things I never thought I would.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
90.00
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax dark walnut, I used wood conditioner first so it would go on evenly. Wiped it off right away to keep it lighter on top. Bottom is painted Dover white, Insul-X trim and cabinet enamel
Recommended Skill Level
Advanced

Garage Mudroom

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 01/24/2017 - 20:21

We have 6 children and needed a dedicated area for coats, backpacks and other outdoor items.  I loved how I could modify the smiling mudroom plans to fit my needs.  I used plywood for the bench and 1" x 12" pine boards for the shelves and dividers to minimize the cuts.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Semi-gloss latex paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Grandy barn door console

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 10/16/2020 - 07:43

I followed the plans for the Grandy barn door console. Made modifications to meet the customers height requests. There is a removable portion of the bar top that covers the mixing station when not in use. The exterior is wrapped in pallet wood that was treated with a homemade stain(vinegar, steel wool, coffee grounds).

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$200 in materials
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Homemade stain used on pallet wood. Dissolve a piece of steel wool in a gallon of vinegar. Add used coffee grounds to darken the color. When steel wool is gone, strain and use. The vinegar oxidizes the wood and creates an aged look. Structure and top stained epresso.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

My photo gallery wall!

Submitted by katejensen on Tue, 01/01/2013 - 18:00

I did 4 shelves spaced 18 inches and made with 12ft long pieces cut in half. The total for my project was $26. I already had the stain and tools on hand.

Estimated Cost
$26
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
stain
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

W.E. Emmerson Table Hack

First Brag. Solid pine in 2 X 8s obtained from dumpster diving behind a boat store. This wood is from boat shipping crates. Milled down with table saw to usable sizes. Not hollow like the WE Emmerson table. Very heavy and solid with NO wiggle! 

Estimated Cost
$50.00 screws and glue and finish. Priced about $120.00 if you purchased new 2x4s and 2x6s.
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Special Walnut 2 coats and Cabot Satin Poly three coats.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Hailey421

Sun, 10/19/2014 - 19:19

This is awesome. I'm a complete newbie. But I've been looking around at different plans to make a dining room table. Did you come up with the plans for this on your own? Again, really fantastic. 

montygal453

Mon, 10/20/2014 - 04:54

Thanks and yes, I just studied the table from the catalogue and put it together, I was very excited how sturdy it is. It is pretty straight forward. Screw and glue the boards together using very strong clamps with each addition of a board to make the top I used the measurements from the catalgue as well. It was fun to figure out. Now it is one of my favorite builds!

 

Outdoor Bar Height Table with Built-In Ice Trays

Submitted by RuthAU on Fri, 01/27/2017 - 22:11

This was my first furniture project and only my 2nd woodworking project, the previous one a cubby house over 20 years ago, so I was a bit nervous. I did lots of planning, research and designing before the first cut. I incorporated ideas from Ana projects as well as from other sites and learned how to use a drop saw, various sanders and the pocket hole jig.

We wanted a tall table because when sitting a a regular height table the view is blocked by the deck railing.

I decided to make it out of hardwood for durability in the Australian outdoors and also because we get sea air where we are. The hardwood (Blackbutt) was challenging to work with - extremely heavy and difficult to drill into, but the finished product is SO solid and will outlive us all. Due to the weight and density of the timber I overengineered as far as joining went, using more pocket holes than usual.

I saw the idea of the built in ice troughs years ago and was keen to incorporate them into my table. I also made the legs detachable so that the table top could be moved out onto the deck once it was finished and the legs added in situ. Once it was set up my husband put big screws into the legs just in case but it would really take an earthquake to move this thing.

I managed to build it over 3 weekends and finished it just in time for our family Christmas party but it only had 1 coat of stain on it at that stage. I finished it off later and we also decided that the ice trough covers would look good in a contrasting colour so did them in charcoal. If I made it again it would be a much quicker project as there was alot of 'firsts' and learning along the way.

The dimensions are:

2660mm long (about 8' 9")

1150mm wide (about 3' 9.5")

1165mm high (about 3' 10")

The legs are solid - 140 x 140mm (5.5")

It seats 10 - 12 comfortably and 14 at a squeeze.

We got the bar stools 2nd hand for an absolute steal - 12 for $200! They are handmade hardwood too and look great.

The timber was quite expensive but I was able to use the work account so got it at trade price. This would be a very expensive table to buy but all up it cost us about AU$1100.

This project was not exactly easy but I would class myself as a novice. With the right planning and preparation (plus stubbornness) anyone could do this :-)

Estimated Cost
About AU$1100
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Intergrain Natural Stain - semi transparent - Redwood for the majority and Charcoal for the trough covers.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Laundry room Storage

Wife needed actual storage and work space in the laundry room. I’m proud of this one because I planned and measured it myself. Really happy with the results and so is my wife!

Estimated Cost
$150
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax Ebony

Comments

Tidy Up End Tables

Submitted by miki0225 on Thu, 01/03/2013 - 04:07

This was my first ever building project and I love it! I made 2 for my living room and have since made a few more things. Thanks Ana for an amazing website!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Spray paint and polyurethane.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Rustic x coffee table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 01/31/2017 - 21:04

Dark walnut table top. Weathered 1x4s on the bottom shelf in place of 1x12

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$40-$50
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Farm House Console

Submitted by DC_Idaho on Fri, 10/23/2020 - 07:21

I really liked the idea of making a TV console for our house. I used your plans as a guide and then added a few features to it. I made all of my rail system hardware vs. ordering a kit. I also added some Walnut accent inlays on the ends of the table top.

Estimated Cost
Materials alone roughly $550.00
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Lacquer for the table top
Black under coat of paint
White top coat paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Tryde Coffee Table

Submitted by joshlimo on Fri, 01/04/2013 - 08:22

I built this without the current plans with the pocket holes in the bottom. I also made the width a little smaller, by 2 boards. This is very sturdy, my daughter uses it as a platform to perform all the time. I have even stood on it many times. Plus, it can be used as a bench if needed.

I used a darker stain on it and roughed up some of the edges a bit.

Estimated Cost
$50
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Dark stain
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Tree house without a tree

Submitted by TamarasJoy on Thu, 02/02/2017 - 18:52

Full Tutorial with a LOT more photos on the Blog HERE

We had measured the garden space so we could build this frame to fit the space. The deck frame was made to be the correct height for the slide that we would attach later.

Once all the boards were put onto the frame I added some rails for safety of course. Then stained everything....

 

PS This IS a beginner project! I promise!!!! I am a beginner and I built it, it's still standing so you can do it too! I promise!

Estimated Cost
$300

IF you can't scrounge around for old wood and someones old slide!
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Used blue & white outdoor paint & simple stain (left over from our fence)
Roof was a a green house product.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Caribbean Farmhouse X Desk

A little taste of the Caribbean in Ohio . Inspire on the concept of Farmhouses and been a Caribbean working from home I decided to have both culture mixed together. Is like home away from home for me. I'm a Buckeye fan and not a Michigan, the colors was a coincidence .