Community Brag Posts

Chunky Leg Bed Frame slightly taller

Submitted by nagariz on Sat, 08/27/2011 - 01:06

First time really building anything out of wood. Getting a kreg jig was probably the best decision I made on this project. I made the legs slightly taller (7") for a bit of underbed storage and used a 2x4 brace instead of 2x6, so I could sit the slats down a bit lower but still keep a gap above the legs. The mattress sits 3" below the edge of the bed. I put a few legs under the center support, but they probably weren't necessary for the queen size bed. I spent about $150 for the lumber ($50 just for the bigger slats for my memory foam mattress), and about $50 for the kreg jig jr. and screws. I did not use any glue so I can take it apart later, and so far it seems pretty sturdy with no creaks. Thanks so much for the plan Ana!!! On to a headboard and bedside tables...

Estimated Cost
$150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Ebony Minwax stain one coat for 15 minutes
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

VelvetSky

Sun, 08/28/2011 - 20:16

I love this! I am looking to build something like this, so I can get rid of my box spring.

Larissa (not verified)

Sat, 10/08/2011 - 13:11

This looks awesome for a first timer! Good job and I agree about the Kreg...it is a wonderful investment for any future projects. I have memory foam too so will probably do the same with having wider slats.

Adirondack Chairs made from Pallets!

Submitted by m_jonesrn on Wed, 09/18/2013 - 17:36

Built these two adirondack chairs from pallet wood that I had at home. Made the perfect seating area for my fire pit. Can't wait to enjoy the fall evenings in my $0 chairs!

Estimated Cost
0
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Dark walnut Stain
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Rhyan End Table - Turtlecove Variant

Submitted by watsonam on Tue, 11/24/2015 - 05:19

What I really liked about this plan is its versatility. Relatively easy with pocket hole joinery and inexpensive materials, I used paint to match existing furniture and solid wood tops and drawer fronts to add just a touch of elegance.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$150
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
one can green spray paint and General Finishes Top Coat gloss
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Loft bed

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/14/2019 - 07:47

We had to change to a slightly different size wood as the sizing of the original plan would have been very expensive in the UK. 

We also had to adjust to a different mattress size (90x190cm). 

We also had to work around a radiator. We left no gaps on the platform. 

Huge hit and very pleased with the result. 

Estimated Cost
£150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Varnish/stain in teak
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Ladder Desk

Submitted by Ltjj2004 on Sun, 11/06/2022 - 12:33

Absolutely love this desk. We changed the shelf heights just a bit and made the center ladder more to my height needs. We burned the wood before staining.

Comments

Adirondack chair

Submitted by takahler on Wed, 08/31/2011 - 10:53

My fiance and I built 2 of these chairs. He took one to his house and one is at my house...for now. Picked up 2 cushions at Walmart on Clearance. I sit in it quite often. Great plans!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$35
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Dark Walnut and polyurethane (2-3 coats)

We stained the boards before putting the chair together. It takes a lot longer to build this way, but maybe it is easier in the long run.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Built in dresser

Submitted by dmather82 on Sat, 09/21/2013 - 09:04

This is my favorite build so far! My two younger daughters share a room with an inevitable shortage of floor space. What they do have is a fairly large closet for 1 and 3 year old. I removed the crumby sliding doors and filled the bottom third of the space with the dresser, leaving plenty of room for kids clothes to hang above. I combined two separate plans and adjusted the measurements to fit the space. What I ended up with is a monstrous 6 drawer dresser that I would never have room for in the bedroom otherwise. The drawers are enormous (a must for a house with three little girls. They have more clothes than their mother and father combined).

I took the frame concept from the Shanty2Chic rustic rolling dresser and the drawer concept from the Madison dresser from Old Paint Design. (Thanks Ladies!) It took me some significant math adjustments (I'm not a math guy) in order to alter the drawers for wood slides, alter the frame to fit that, and alter both to fit the 70 3/4" x 24" space.

The finish took the most time with a bizarre mixing of Rustoleum Dark Walnut and Rustoleum Classic Cherry. I love the color now. Clearly I have not fixed the wall paint yet :)

The wood is big box pine as I am still working up the confidence to work with more expensive wood. The top is 1x12's and 1x2's. The sides (hidden) are 3/4" plywood. The hardware is from Lowes.

My daughters were nice enough to decorate the dresser during the build with crayon requiring a 40 grit sanding Grrrr.

Estimated Cost
$250
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Rustoleum Dark Walnut
Rustoleum Classic Cherry
Rustoleum Ultimate Polyurethane
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

JW

Sun, 09/22/2013 - 12:40

Built-in closet dresser - genius! I am already thinking about how I can make this work for my daughter's room. Looks great, too. Good job!

Console table

Submitted by Bpcreel on Sat, 11/28/2015 - 18:43

Loved building this table. This was my first time building anything! I have a lot to learn but I think it turned out great!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$60
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Mission oak stain on top and chalk paint in kid gloves color
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Master Bedroom Closet from mess to the best

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 01/19/2019 - 11:03

We took the original plans and made them work for our 5’6” x 11’ closet. We added a ft to the top because we have tall ceilings. We made 5 towers to create a u shape with shelving on the top. I also left one small bar long to hang dresses and the rest we double hung. We adjusted cubbies and drawers based on where we needed them. We were able to save by using old drawer slides from a falling apart ikea dresser. (We cut them down with a grinder).  We had an overflowing closet mess and now we have a beautiful closet. I wish the directions had a little bit more detail like average clothes hanging heights and bar distance from the wall. There was also no link to the suggested drawers or cubbies but we found them with a simple search. 

Estimated Cost
$400
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
I used a satin paint in the color trim of our home. I used satin I stead of gloss because that’s what I had on hand but It created a great sealed cleanable surface.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Modern Adirondack Chair

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 11/19/2022 - 03:24

Easy build, turned out great. Our first project like this. We built 4!

Comments

Farmhouse Bedside Table

My take on the farmhouse bedside table. I found it difficult to get this square, and I think it suffers because of that. Also, I found that the drawer is much harder than I thought it would be; with that being said, it looks great and is sturdy; I enjoyed the challenge of this project.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$50
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
I used 2 coats of Minwax English Chestnut stain and 2 coats of Minwax Gloss Polyurethane. I used a simple brush for all 4 of these.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Poolside lounge chairs and umbrella stand

We just moved to Texas three weeks ago and really needed some poolside furniture to help us enjoy the last bit of summer. We immediately jumped into Ana's projects. It took us about two weeks on-and-off, probably entire project completed in about six days (two days for each piece of furniture). We caught a sale at Lowe's and BBB and finished the project with the cushions and umbrella respectively. Now we can start enjoying the pool to its fullest!

Estimated Cost
$100-125 (just wood and screws)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
After sanding, we used the brush vacuum to clean it off. Apply wood conditioner. Then two layers of dark walnut stain, and finally a single layer of semi-gloss clear coat.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

Wooden Slat Entry Closet

As the days have gotten shorter and the nights have grown colder I’ve found myself breaking out the winter coats and boots. The problem is, I didn’t have any place to store my coats or shoes. My house doesn’t have a coat closet. And in the past I’ve had a problem with scarves, shoes and winter gear clogging my front entryway. So I set out to come up with a solution. I needed inspiration. I needed guidance. My entry closet needed to be aesthetically pleasing because it would be near the front door and visible from the great room. So I went to Pinterest to search for a solution. I found these plans for an Industrial Style Wood Slat Closet System with Galvanized Pipes by Ana White.

Estimated Cost
$20 - I used wood I had in stock. So the only thing I purchased were the wooden dowels and screws.
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Use what you have and make it work. Sometimes you can create the look for less by recycling items found within your workshop or home.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Douglas Fir live edge slabs supported by industrial black iron pipe

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 01/22/2019 - 19:42

I began the project by ripping 6” strips of sanded pine plywood. I attached those to the walls using brad nails and wood glue. Filled the holes with glaziers putty and sanded lightly once dry. Primed and painted to finish.  

I then had a local mill rough cut the lumber for the shelves. I stripped the bark (except one which I loved so I left it on) and sanded at 120, 180 and 220. I drilled 1 1/4” holes to fit the pipe through and finished the wood with 4 coats of Varathane Diamond Finish clear coat. 

I used Varsol and some elbow grease to remove the black coating on all the gas  pipe. 

Finally i pieced it all together! 

Estimated Cost
$800 CDN
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Varathane Diamond Finish
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Super Simple Lid and Pot Rack

Submitted by twsnowman on Wed, 09/25/2013 - 19:57

Super Duper Easy

Built in 2 hours including time to change outfits on my daughters' poly-pockets, feed the baby dinner, and pick up kindergarten carpool.
and yes, I did it all on my kitchen table.

I was trying to find plans for a pot-rack that also holds the LIDS!!! By the time I reviewed half a dozen designs that didn't work, I had thought of one myself that works brilliantly. I can reach and store the lids from the ground (yes I'm short) as easily as I can the pots. I hung mine over the kitchen sink so it doubles as a pot/lid drying rack as well.

If you want details on steps I took, materials used, or mistakes I made, message me.

Happy building!

Estimated Cost
$20
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Whatever. I just painted with interior semi-gloss tinted to match my table.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Christmas card frame

Modified Ana's plans to omit the chalkboard and make larger.  Measures 75"h x 36"wide.  All 1x2s, cuts are 2 @ 75", 2 @ 34 1/2", 2 @ 73 1/2", 2 @ 31 1/2".

Estimated Cost
$20 (4 - 1x2x10)
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
The Real Milk Paint Co. flag red, dark wax
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Walnut top farmhouse Table

Farmhouse table with walnut top and breadboard ends.  Edges of boards were put together with tonque and grove.  I use a router to do that and I used a router for the breadboard ends.  I have the ends held in with three dowls. The walnut made this an expensive project.  The wood for the top was around $600. 2 by 6 pine boards could be used instead for a lot less money.  I wanted to try something that required more advance woodworking skills such as tongue and grove and mortise and tenon.  It took awhile and I had plenty of mistakes tyring to get it right. I have built similar tables using pocket hole screws but I found that the boards tended to seperate and or crack over time. I did not use glue on this table top as I want the wood to be able to expand and contract without splitting. 

Estimated Cost
$800
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Clear wood protector.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

A Gift to Grow With

Submitted by melissa2 on Sat, 09/10/2011 - 16:33

Though I'd spent a few months crocheting a baby blanket, my mother also wanted something special and lasting as a gift for a future new family member. She tried to think of something unique, but kept coming up empty. I went online to help her, and looked for newborn items. Unfortunately, I just kept running into toys, toys, and more toys. Ones that would be "grown out of" quickly, too. It was late at night, and very quiet, the time when your brain is calm and sometimes things just dawn on you.

Why not a toy BOX? (And one already "worn in," so that it could take a lot of play throughout the years.) I knew right where to look for a plan--Ana White's website! It ended up being a gift for him from both of us, and while he's a little too young to notice it now, we hope it grows with him and brings him years of joy.

Thank you, Ana, for sharing your talent and helping us (and so many others) create something truly special. That old blanket can wait until Christmas!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$100 or so (with some toys)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
1) Paint on primer, and use a roller to smooth (with all paint coats); 2) Paint on Painter's Touch or American Accents by Rustoleum in "Heirloom White"; 3) Sand; 4) Paint; 5) Spatter on black craft paint; 6) Sand edges down to bare wood, and some surface areas; 7) Put water in brown craft paint, and use as a stain in sanded-off areas, wiping off excess with paper towels. Use some to make stains on other areas; 8) Hammer in random spots with a meat cleaver; 9) Varnish with one coat of semi-gloss. ~ The bird on the bottom right is a wood applique, purchased from a craft store and added before finishing.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

mikejillnelson5 (not verified)

Sun, 09/11/2011 - 04:36

What a wonderful idea! As baby girl gets older it could become a hope chest (not a common thing to have nowadays but still useful and appreciated). For the cuddly boys, a storage locker for sport jerseys, memorabelia, etc. A gift that truly lasts a lifetime!

melissa2

Sun, 09/11/2011 - 18:42

mikejillnelson5, those are great suggestions! Another one for boys as they age is to use it as a place to dump sports gear (basketballs, baseballs, bats, etc.).

Kids as they age can flip the toy box around, so that anything that becomes "childish" to them--like a name or added detail--can be hidden against a wall.