Community Brag Posts

Custom Toy Box

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 04/27/2024 - 11:30

Your plan for this toy box was sooo easy to follow, but I added the feet. My grandson loved it. I have 2 other projects from your plans for him as well.

Charlene

Built from Plan(s)

Ten Dollar Picture ledges

I LOVE how these turned out. So simple...but a huge statement in our room!
I used the other half of the 8ft pieces I used to make the book ledges in our daughter's room.
Now I am starting on some for the living room!!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$12
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Just a thin coat of whitewash and sanded the edges back to bare wood.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

library wall

Submitted by msager05 on Wed, 06/25/2014 - 08:06

Four 8ft ledges slightly adapted for our needs - used quarter round rather than another 1x2.

Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Barn door media wall suite

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 09/25/2016 - 20:04

This was the first thing my husband has EVER built. He's the kind of guy that's better with his mind than his hands, so this is a huge accomplishment for him.  We truly love this piece and are proud to have it in our home. 

 

We would like to add crown molding to the top in the near future. Also debating on adding a shelf in the middle to raise the TV so that the TV will sit in the center of the opening. 

 

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

Modern Outdoor Sofa

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 07/06/2020 - 08:44

We are building memories and patio furniture! We're total beginners and we built an outdoor sofa and coffee table! My husband and I have never built furniture before and really needed some patio furniture as we prepare to host our son and his sweetheart's wedding reception! We learned that it's a lot of work, but so worth it!

The plans we used are from Ana White's website (Ana, you've made a wanna-be carpenter out of me!) https://www.ana-white.com/woodworking-projects/outdoor-sofa-modern-comf…

Estimated Cost
Under $200
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Helmsman Polyurethane
Lightly sanded between coats and applied 2 coats all over and 3 coats on arms
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Toy Story 2 Loft Bed

This was a big project to tackle. I'm not very good at modifying building plans, so my husband was frustrated during the beginning of this build. But we are very happy with the way it turned out.
The hardest part of the build was the steps. We modified them to look like blocks, so getting the dimensions equal was tough. We also made it a full size bed so that there was more room under the bed.
We used plexiglass for the doors and LED lighting under the bed.

Estimated Cost
Lots of time, $300-$500
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

onehotmamma4 (not verified)

Sat, 09/01/2012 - 11:47

I love it!!! Very cool. We just started a Toy Story room for my son who will be 3 next month. He would love this.

redhead_61

Sat, 09/01/2012 - 17:36

This bed is GREAT. I love what you did with the block stairs. What a way to make in impact and something original. Love it!

talon schultz (not verified)

Mon, 10/15/2012 - 13:43

Love toy story 1,2,and even 3!

adecesare4

Mon, 02/25/2013 - 09:38

That is really nice! whatever frustrations you went through, it is well worth it, love the stairs and the overall concept!

Rustic-Bohemian end table

After 3 years staring at the empty space beneath my dining room window, I decided it was time for a buffet end table. I went to Pintrist for some ideas and found this awesome design by Ana White.

I decided to modify the dimensions and do a multi-stain pattern to give the table a more bohemian look.

Here's a link to the step by step instructions:
http://rusticcedar.blogspot.com

Estimated Cost
$150.00
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Puritan Pine Miniwax - One of my favorites - a classic
Colonial Maple Miniwax - A soft, woodsy stain
Summer Oak Rustoleum - A very light, subtle stain
Driftwood Rustoleum - My new favorite stain - very modern
Dark Walnut Rustoleum - Should always have this handy
Mineral Green Rustoleum - A little too light, but okay here
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Classic Storage Bench

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 09/29/2016 - 08:14

I've had this idea to build some sort of storage bench or blanket chest for quite a while now. I knew I wanted a classic look with detailed moldings and a solid wood top.

I have plans for this build avaliable HERE

You can check out my detailed video tutorial :

 

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

First project side table

Submitted by scott3196 on Tue, 07/07/2020 - 04:31

Lovely easy to follow plans even if i had to change all measurements into metric and wood just slightly different size. Really happy how it turned out

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
£45
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Jacobean oak danish oil
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Cedar Outdoor Sofa

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 05/06/2024 - 13:17

Two projects that I recently built for my wife and my daughter. My wife wanted a tea bar and a beach vibe, my daughter wanted an outdoor couch so it is made out of cedar. They both loved them.

Todd Springer

Potting Bench

Submitted by zen on Mon, 09/03/2012 - 14:36

My first attempt at woodworking

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

Dining Table 4x4 Truss Bench

Submitted by kyalamode on Mon, 06/30/2014 - 18:33

Using the 4x4 Truss Bench plan (http://ana-white.com/2013/10/plans/4x4-truss-benches), we built this bench using entirely reclaimed lumber. (We had removed an old patio and part of a fence.) We already had all of the lumber, screws, etc. so the only cost to us for this project was the cost of the stain.

We modified the plan slightly, using 2x4s on the ends.

My husband is obsessed with decking screws. Thus the entire bench is held together with 2 1/2 inch decking screws. (Unfortunately, we purchased our Kreg Jig a day following the completion of this project.)

Because the lumber was very old and weathered, there is a lot of character to the wood. There were some incredibly soft spots which made sanding a challenge, and some of the boards were somewhat warped. However, we still really like the way it turned out.

I sanded (and sanded and sanded) using 60 grit, then 80... then 120... then 220. I filled the screw holes with wood filler (and sanded again). I then conditioned the wood with Minwax pre-stain wood conditioner. I used Minwax Early American oil based stain on the entire project. I then went over the top only with Minwax Weathered Oak. After about 36 hours of drying time, I used 2 coats of Minwax Fast-Drying clear semi-gloss polyurethane.

This bench is a beast! I'm sure it weighs over 75 pounds. It is extremely solid, and quite beautiful in our dining room. The plans were easy to follow, and the whole thing went together fairly quickly. (It would have been completed even more quickly had we had our Kreg Jig at the time. Lesson learned.)

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$10
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
I sanded (and sanded and sanded) using 60 grit, then 80... then 120... then 220. I filled the screw holes with wood filler (and sanded again). I then conditioned the wood with Minwax pre-stain wood conditioner. I used Minwax Early American oil based stain on the entire project. I then went over the top only with Minwax Weathered Oak. After about 36 hours of drying time, I used 2 coats of Minwax Fast-Drying clear semi-gloss polyurethane.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Hannah canopy bed full tufted

Submitted by Riddysmama on Mon, 10/03/2016 - 19:02

I loved he Hannah canopy bed for my daughter but felt like it was missing something. I decided to tuft the headboard and I used rhinestone buttons to give it that girly look with a small pop of glam. The tufting took probably 12 hours in total but totally worth it. We then followed all the instructions on how to build the bed with the exception of having any screws go in through the sides of the fabric on the headboard. We used plates to hold the headboard in place and screwed around the edges. It was time consuming but we love how it came together.

Estimated Cost
$150
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
I mixed classic grey and and special walnut (equal parts) and did a liming glaze to give it that restoration hardware look
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Collapsible luggage rack

To build:
2 x 4s
1 1/4" dowel rods - x3
2 1/2" wood screws screws
1 1/2" PVC pipe (for spacers) - cut at 3/8" thick - x2

Needed:
Hole saw kit
powerful 3/8" drill or 1/2" drill
Jig saw
Miter saw
sandpaper
wood filler
paint

Estimated Cost
$20 each
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
White enamel semi-gloss
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Walnut end table pet kennel

Submitted by jessestond on Thu, 07/03/2014 - 12:31

Was a great project! Was surprisingly easy to put this together. Modified the plans slightly and used all 1x3" boards for the edges (instead of 1x2"). Made the top out of left over walnut from the truss farmhouse table we made earlier in the month. Painted off-white (fledgling). Highly recommend buying decorative hinges as it made a big difference in the look.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$120
Finish Used
Waterlox original for the walnut and fledgling (off-white) pain for the rest.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

jessestond

Thu, 07/03/2014 - 12:33

Forgot to mention, used 1/4" underlayment for the base and then added left over carpet padding and carpet to make it a bit more comfortable.

Cedar Top Pub Table

Ana Whites site is always my first stop for inspiration, she always has good designs and diagrams. I usually use her plans as a rough guide, and then tweak them as needed.

For this table, I made it 42" square, and adjusted the height. 

The main difference is I built this from PT pine, and cedar as this is going to be an outdoor table, and I would like it to last.  I painted the frame with 3 coats of exterior semi gloss paint, and used Helmsman spar urethane for the top. I did not stain the wood, as I love the color variations of natural cedar.

I also used galvanized carriage bolts to connect the legs. This increased the costt, but I wanted to be able to remove the legs.  For more in depth connection details see my blog.

 

The table turned out quite well, is very sturdy and has gotten quite a few compliments, thanks Ana for the inspiration to build cool stuf! I love building STUFF!

Estimated Cost
$150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Exterior semi gloss paint
Helmsman spar urethane for tabletop
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Sandbox with Benches

Submitted by boneill on Thu, 07/09/2020 - 04:39

Awesome sandbox !!

I’ve made a couple of these . One thing to save you money that I switched to on my second one is making the frame from 2x material vs 1x. Looks better too and is more sturdy .

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$65
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Cedar deck stain/sealer
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

My first build

This was my first attempt at building and I learned a lot such as if you drop pine, it cracks in half - and - when cutting with a jigsaw, cut inside the lines....you can always trim more off, but you can't put it back - and - my dogs can distress a piece of furniture faster than I can if I put it under "thier" window....whether I want them to or not!
This was a great beginner project and gives a fast, satisfying result. As you can see, it has become the cat's bench...can't get a picture of it without him, he lives on it!
Just a couple of notes: I cut the legs more according to the plan diagram than the pretty cuts Patrick made on his...I wasn't ready for that. Also, I didn't have my glasses outside with me, so my measurements on the legs are probably not right. I made the top shorter because I wanted it for a specific space (which didn't work out, see note about about dogs and distressing....ugh!).
Also, this probably should have taken me just an hour or so, but I had my Kreg jig set all wrong and first had shallow pocket holes (see note above about pine breaking when dropped) and then made them too deep (learned to use wood filler)! That's when I finally got my butt into the house to get my glasses to read the dang directions (again!).
Thanks Patrick and Ana for giving me such a great, easy beginner project!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$15.00
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
I used a homemade chalk paint with a recipe I found on Pinterest. The base was Benjamin Moore's Niagara Falls cut with about 20% white. I then mixed a half and half mixture of black paint (Ace Hardware's India Ink) with a glaze base (Behr) and distressed it a touch.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

Carley @ On One Hand (not verified)

Fri, 09/07/2012 - 23:18

It looks great! I'm no expert at building by any means, but whether it's your 1st or 100th project, there's always something to learn :) Good for you for trekking through all the hiccups you encountered, it can get discouraging when there's problem after problem - but seeing the final results makes it all worth it. I love the color you chose! And it seems like you made your fur baby very happy :D

JoanneS

Sat, 09/08/2012 - 17:54

Congrats on your first project! Looks super! The color and distressing are beautiful. Great idea with the DIY chalk paint, too! :)

Pallirondack

Sun, 09/09/2012 - 13:24

If you're happy with it, than its a winner! It looks like a decent bench, but really can't tell with the cat in the way....just kidding. Congrats and I look forward to your next post!

YankeeBelle

Sun, 09/09/2012 - 14:43

Thank you for the kind words....it was a true learning experience for sure! I'm about to post my second and third projects.....MORE learning from mistakes! ;0)

Farmhouse table

Submitted by Cobrien on Sun, 07/06/2014 - 07:36

This project started on a Saturday and I moved it into the house the following Friday. All that being done with two little cherubs running around and making demands of me every 10 minutes. Super easy build and my first time.

Estimated Cost
140
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Walnut stain and satin polyurethane. Both rustoleum.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner