Community Brag Posts

Super Hero House

Submitted by carongirls on Sun, 08/11/2013 - 13:48

This was hard for me because I am horrible at using the jigsaw. If I do another one I'll probably not do as many door openings.
It took longer than expected due to filling in all the pocket holes an waiting for the wood filler to dry.
My grandson loves it, he didn't care about my mistakes on it.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
None
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Ladder shelf

Submitted by mltdblack on Tue, 10/16/2018 - 19:58

My kids desperately needed storage for their bathroom. The vanity is separate from their toilet and tub/shower. They were always forgetting to grab a towel before bath time. When I saw the wooden ladder shelf I thought it was perfect for the space. The only problem I had was figuring out the angle and height to place the supports on the front legs. With the help of my husband and a level it was a breeze. Once again it took longer for me to apply the finish than it did to build. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Not real sure. I had most of the lumber on hand.
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Rust oleum Dark Walnut
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

5 Board Bench

Submitted by truckrun on Tue, 09/17/2013 - 20:50

I was looking for a plan for a 5 board bench so naturally I came to your site. I made your basic design but made it a little bit smaller in all dimensions and I put a half inch split down the middle of the top. I built it out of pine and painted it flat black. I gave the legs and underneath 3 coats of satin polyurethane and the top and sides received 5.

You can follow the build on my blog at :
http://funwithwoodworkingtoo.blogspot.com/2013/09/project-how-to-build-…

You can also watch a video of the build on my YouTube page at:
http://youtu.be/1_hz2n7v9ss

Thanks for the free plans!

Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
MINWAX water based satin polyurethane
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Reclaimed Wood Night Stand

Love these night stands! I spent $40 on lumber for two night stands and $30 on the hardware! You can see more pics of my finished night stands at www.shanty-2-chic.com

Estimated Cost
$50 - $70
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Dark Walnut Stain and Minwax Polycrylic
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

acgosiger

Mon, 08/29/2011 - 09:56

I am going to be making these for our master bedroom (hubby and I currently do not have matching night stands). NOw that i see them finished i am even more excited! You did a fantastic job on them!

takahler (not verified)

Mon, 08/29/2011 - 20:10

We made two of these same night stands earlier this month. I haven't taken a good enough picture to post on here. I need to do that. Great job!

Guest (not verified)

Wed, 09/28/2011 - 22:17

This is wonderful. I'm looking for something similar to build in the next couple weeks. Could you share the plans for it please?

Toni (not verified)

Mon, 05/28/2012 - 06:25

My hubby made these for my daughter and they turned out awesome.So now I have to have them too. He is working on them now, but we are making them out of some oak we already had. Can't wait. Now I need a matching headboard!! Looking for plans...

Kids table and chairs

Great little project. Finished just in time for Thanksgiving.

Andy

Estimated Cost
50
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Mirrowax, polyurethane semi gloss
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

JoanneS

Thu, 11/26/2015 - 07:14

You did a super job!  These are absolutely adorable!  Happy Thanksgiving!

Built in bookcase with lights

Submitted by AndyH on Sat, 12/12/2015 - 14:19

Built in bookcase with lighting and power outlets in cupboards for audio and DVD equipment to feed to the wall mounted tv (to the left).

The photo with the lights is when it was unfinished and I also decided that I didn't like the inset doors and so made new overlay ones. Now I have four doors I need to use on another project...

Estimated Cost
$1000
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Sherwin Williams Pro Classic Extra White Satin.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Ana White

Mon, 12/14/2015 - 05:43

Inspiring to see such amazing work!  Love the attention to detail and precision.  Ana

Bown

Sun, 09/10/2017 - 18:45

Did you go by a plan? I'd like to do this but I definitely need a step by step plan.

Farmhouse Table - Thanks Ana!!

I tackled the Farmhouse Table over a long weekend while my boyfriend was away - he was surprised needless to say!
I have not attempted any woodwork projects since grade 8, but this was alot of fun - I did not find it very difficult and loove using power tools :)
I made the matching bench, however I guess I did not stir the bottom of the can well enough and my bench is now red :/ soo I am going to either stain it dark or paint it white and use it as a mudroom seat!

*I also made mine shorter - 7ft long to fit in our dining room and adjusted the bench to fit.

Estimated Cost
$160 for table & bench inc. wood, screws, stain, sand paper
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
I sanded it until I was pretty sure the risk of splinters was eliminated. After pre-stain conditioner, it got a coat of Minwax 'Ipswitch Pine'. The result was perfect on the table (two coats), however I must not have stirred the can well enough as my bench turned out dark red :/ I wanted it to look like it's 100 years old.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Maggie Jaye

Fri, 10/07/2011 - 17:15

Thank you so much Ana! We are in the process of renovating our house and your website has inspired me to take on so many more projects now!! :)

Margaret Kubiszyn (not verified)

Sat, 10/08/2011 - 19:46

I love your choice of stain - it is beautiful!

Guest (not verified)

Wed, 11/02/2011 - 04:52

I built a similar table and I am having problems with my kids getting food in between the pieces of wood. Do you have this same problem, is anyone having this same problem? Does anyone have any suggestion as to how to fix it, how to keep food and other particles from getting trapped between the cracks? Thanks! You did a great job!!

Guest (not verified)

Wed, 11/23/2011 - 15:00

I am building this table as we speak. The thought occurred to me as well concerning the cracks attracting crumbs. I believe using clamps to make the fit as tight as possible will help. Also some poly finishes may be appropriate with children which may even seal the cracks... if sanded and clamped well.

Maggie Jaye

Wed, 11/23/2011 - 15:11

I did try my best to clamp the wood together as tight as possible - due to the pieces of wood not being completely straight, they are there.

I haven't had this problem yet. I do use place mats when eating at the table, that generally stops any crumbs etc.That's probably the easiest way to avoid it :)

Thank you for your comments!

Fireplace with recessed TV mount

Submitted by medicscott on Thu, 02/16/2023 - 07:46

This is a very custom fireplace that I built for my wife as a 40th wedding anniversary gift. It is built around a Samsung 55” Frame TV and a Vivo motorized mount. The motorized mount allows the TV to be lowered to a better viewing height than the standard above mantle position which is usually too high for comfortable viewing.

In order to maintain the flush mount effect with the TV in art mode, I recessed the mount into the fireplace. That required building a “back” frame for the TV mount then the outer frame for the surround. I covered the outer frame with ½” OSB then ship lap. The mantle and hearth is made from Poplar with walnut stain and Polyurethane satin top coat. The hearth opens for storage.

This was sourced from several different plan sets with a lot of customization and input from the Technical Support Staff at Vizo-US.

Comments

Ana White

Thu, 02/16/2023 - 09:46

Happy Anniversary!
This is a beautiful, well thought out project.
I was hoping someone would do the recessed mount, and you nailed it! It's so much better with the tv flush like yours.
Also love the motorized mount.
Thank you very much for sharing photos.
Ana

Farmhouse Table

Submitted by upsidedown on Fri, 02/05/2016 - 07:21

This version of the Farmhouse Table was made with fir and finished with Varathane Early American stain. It is by far my favorite item in the house! Love it!

Estimated Cost
$250
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
I stained the table with Varathane Early American, and then finished it up with 3 coats of Minwax Polycrylic (gloss).
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Shaunnyp

Sat, 02/06/2016 - 08:25

I absolutely love this table.  I have a small kitchen and would like to build it counter height (36 inches...including the casters) measuring 30x54 inches. This will allow me to move the table as needed to get it out of the way or move closer to my stove and use as additional prep space as needed. Any recommendations or suggestions to make a safe, sturdy, movable table would be greatly appreciated.  Also any warnings if you see any potential pitfalls I should be concerned with. Thanks in advance.

DIY Bathroom Fan Vent Cover

Submitted by lbrown on Tue, 02/28/2012 - 04:56

The plastic cover that came with the fan looked cheap and flimsy and really didn't fit in with the vintage style of my bathroom. I searched around to try and find something else that would work but was unsuccessful so I decided that I needed to make something myself.

For details on how to build it: http://www.homeandawaywithlisa.com/blog/2012/2/28/diy-bathroom-fan-vent…

Estimated Cost
$5
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Spray paint primer followed by two coats of my ceiling paint
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

Steven (not verified)

Tue, 02/28/2012 - 06:38

Thanks lbrown, you just gave me an idea. We are painting our entire upstairs and hate those industrial looking air return vents. This would be a great replacement for them. Thanks for the inspiration.

Kids Modern Picnic Table

Submitted by abbpim on Mon, 04/16/2012 - 09:52

This is my very first wood working project! I know its not perfect and I learned from my mistakes. I found a miter saw at a garage sale and after three hours of plugging it in and unplugging it, I finally worked up the courage to make it make a noise! Then I eventually worked up the courage to cut wood lol! I'm pretty proud of myself for building something and I am going to continue practicing until I can make really cool stuff!

Estimated Cost
$20
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Valspar, Quart Size, LA218, Fuchsia, Duramax, Exterior Semigloss, Base 4 214-4.75, 113-31.75, 105-3.63, 115-2Y7

I used 2 coats
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

DIY Wood Shed

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 10/29/2023 - 19:18

I am a mathematics teacher in Central IL. I teach a class called Geometry in Construction. I had my math students build this wood shed in pieces at the school, then I brought it home and put it together with a few of my son's friends. The students enjoy a math class that gets to go to the wood shop to apply their math skills to a wood working project. I am proud of my students hard work and dedication.

Shari Bruyn (I'm old, so I do not have Instagram or a blog page. lol)

Built from Plan(s)

"Thomas" Train Bunk Bed

We wanted a short bunk bed for our sons, age 4 and 1. Our 4-year-old insisted on a Thomas Train bed. We modified the fort bed plans slightly to add stronger barriers on the top bunk and add a barrier on the bottom for the little guy. We also used solid plywood rather than MDF. We used 2x4's and steel angle to hold up the top bunk. It should be sturdy enough for them to use into teenage years. Because we beefed up the strength, the cost increased as well.

We tried staining it and it didn't come out as nicely as we had hoped, but the boys added their own stickers to it and now they have a Thomas bed that they love. When the 1-year-old gets older, we will probably remove the barrier on the bottom bunk to make getting in and out easier.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

modified bench swing

Luv your site. Took your bench swing plan and modified it a bit (shortened depth) and then created a small pergola to hang it from. Just need to stain/poly to finish it off. Thanks for your plan and website it is very inspiring.

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Outdoor Wooden Cooler

An Outdoor Wooden Cooler is the perfect way to accent any deck, patio, or garage. Can be made from Cedar, Pressure Treated, Cyprus, etc. Sizes can vary from small 28 qt coolers to Large 120 qt coolers capable of holding hundreds of drinks. These coolers can be themed for your favorite sports team, favorite hobby, or anything of your choice. Engraving or wood burning is available.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Stain, painted, distressed, etc.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

sgilly

Fri, 08/31/2012 - 09:52

Well, actually, two. My beer loving son-in-laws would love this, and Christmas is coming! Do you happen to have any "step-by-step" directions you'd be willing to share? I can figure out the dimensions but it would be really helpful to read - or see - the components and how you put it all together.
Thanks for sharing!

Adam_Scheetz

Fri, 09/28/2012 - 11:41

I had to make a new page because of some password issues. Thanks for comments. I have no plans yet, I've built so many it's sort of muscle memory now. Shoot me an email at [email protected] and perhaps I can help.

And no, the lid style I like is nothing more than some tongue~n~groove boards cut to length, attached with pocket holes and nailed to the lid frame. Tongue~N~groove is optional of course, you could just use regular boards.

sgilly

Fri, 09/28/2012 - 11:58

I really appreciate your response. And, I did indeed send you an email!
I have a bunch of cedar milled and planed by one of my son-in-laws. He'll be thrilled to see that I've made something he can use for his favorite beverage!

Small kitchen island with slide out double trash cans

This was a mommy do during work furlough. Wasn't too hard. I have minimal experience with saws, but with hubby help, we got it done. Some of the instructions didn't make sense, but but we were able to figure them out or change them to work. I used bead board on the front and sides that we added over the existing sides. I used a manufactured butcher block that had to be cut down. Looks great and now my trashcans don't walk around the kitchen when the dogs play. The downside, the dog bowls slide under the island. If you have to cut down butcher block, make sure you have the proper blade.

Estimated Cost
$200.00 because of the manufactured butcher block.
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Black cabinet paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Ultimate roll away workbench

Submitted by maker4510 on Sat, 08/01/2020 - 05:22

NINE MONTH UPDATE: After using the bench for almost nine months, we’ve made some changes. The first is that our table saw, a Dewalt 7491 didn’t fit in the way the plans called for because of the fence. We ended up cutting down and rebuilding the table to make a platform for the saw, then we built three “tables” around it to leave a gap for the fence operation. We also added a curved piece that can be removed to access the riving knife lever.

The other change we made was to take out the clamp storage that was in one of the cart ends. When we rolled the cart in and out, the clamps would catch and fall off. We put in another shelf instead.

Otherwise, we love the bench. Having the two rolling carts that we can reposition based on where we need a table extension is great. The miter saw stand works perfectly, and our dust collection setup rolls right underneath. We’re also in the process of building a router table that fits in the removable bench room area.

ALSO, sorry for the upside down/sideways pics. It won’t let me remove or fix them.

We made the ultimate roll away workbench with very few changes. Added the clamp hanger on one end as pictured. We didn’t add the shelf under the miter saw, as well be putting a dust collection cart.

We absolutely love the cart.M, now to save up for a table saw. The only change I would like is that I wish the side shelves were a little deeper, more like 10” instead of 8”, so more tools would fit.

Estimated Cost
380
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
None
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Indoor Playground Set

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 02/10/2017 - 11:56

This playroom set was inspired by the plans you posted.  I was forced to make some significant modifications due to the fact that our bonus/playroom has angled ceilings.  We have a rock climbing wall, ladder, crawl tunnel with windows, trapeze bar, monkey bars, miniature baskeball goal and a slide.  My boys are 6, 3 and 19 months and they love it!  Thanks for the inspiration.

 

Jim and Caroline Sparrow

Estimated Cost
$1250
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Behr Paint on bottom and Minwax Stain on top
Recommended Skill Level
Advanced

Comments

Bunk Beds for a Small Room

Our bedrooms are 9' x 9' so when our girls needed to move in together, we needed a bunk bed that would be short enough to fit under the fan, have a place for drinks, books, an alarm, and tissues, and also have a place where our youngest could have a dark sleeping space while older sister stays up later.

We're not going to be in this setup for long, so I used common board to keep the cost down as much as possible. The whole bed cost about $200, but I would suggest staying away from common board. It was really warped and couldn't be sanded smooth. We ended up going with a dark, thick paint to cover the wood imperfections. To deal with the warped wood, I made an outline of each end of the bed with painter's tape on the garage floor and used weights to hold the wood where it was suppose to be. I also modified the plans to make the bottom bunk a bit shorter and made the whole thing only 3 inches off the ground. All put together the bed is very sturdy and everything lined up well.

I used some scrap wood to make the holders for drinks and tissues and a holder for the iPod and speakers. These just rest over the railing, so we can move them around if need be. The book racks are Ikea hacks....they're just spice racks painted to match the bed. The curtains are just hung on a 1" dowel set into the same cups that closet rods are put up with. I also added some flower knobs from Target so that the girls can hang a robe when it's cooler outside.

Thanks for the plans Ana! My girls LOVE this bed!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Paint and polyurethane coat.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

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