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Ana gave me the courage to know that I could build something without a set plan. This was my first attempt at building something that I just envisioned in my head. Thanks Ana!

One of my first projects, made from the Adirondack Coffee Table plan using 2x4's and 1x4's. Pocket holes, stain, paint, and sealer. Beginner afternoon project.

Decided to build for myself after many projects for my kids and friends. Liked the simple look of the reclaimed wood headboard. Very easy to build. After building headboard and attaching to a standard metal frame, I was very disappointed it the stability of the headboard. I was not interested in attaching headboard to the wall, so I decided on building a matching footboard as well as side rails. Rockler has some great hardware for attaching side rails, making it simple to be able to disassemble should I need to in the future. I did extensive homework for the stain as I was going for a weathered beach wood look. Used Dark Walnut wiped off almost immediately. Followed immediately by the weathered gray, which was wiped off immediately. After drying for 24 hours, finished with 2-3 coats of the gel topcoat. Easiest application is to use an old tube sock over a gloved hand.
Very pleased with end result and with side rails and footboard, it is very sturdy.

I saw Ana's plan for an elevated dog dish, but our little cockapoo (still a puppy) wasn't really ready for that height. So I made a basic box and cut out the holes in the top for the bowls. He is still growing, so when he's a little taller, I'm going to put tennis balls on the bottom as feet which will raise it up a little more. Thought I would dress it up with a quote I found somewhere online.

Used some leftover paint and glaze from making the pantry and finished the same way.

I needed a couple of chairs to go with the Farmhouse Table and bench I made, but it made me ill to spend more on chairs than on the table and bench! So I thought I'd give this chair a try. I figured if it didn't turn out, at least I hadn't spent much to try (around $8 because I had a scrap of plywood). Boy, did it turn out! I modified the pattern by taking 2" off the front to back measurements and the side to side measurements. I used 3 1x4s for the back, and 3/4" plywood for the seat, and I didn't add the bottom rungs because I'd like the option of putting it over the cross supports on the farmhouse table. I sanded the tar out of the plywood, because with 5 kids, upholstering these chairs would be a joke. Primed and painted in colonial red.

Recycled old wood/ beams from a dismantled barn

I live in Ketchikan, Alaska right smack in the middle of a rain forest, so I had been waiting for a sunny day for quite a while so i could get outside and get these built and painted. I got all the wood and about a week later my day came, I got outside and had them built, primed, and painted in less than 3 hours. I painted all my frames the next day and had my husband help my put them up. I have gotten SO many compliments on them and they look so great in our living room, after we put them up, I realized how naked that wall had looked before!

Built using birch as the main wood for the headboard and footboard, everything else is pine. Turned out great!

My growing family was in need of a bigger table so this table and bench were made as a birthday present for my wife. We like the farmhouse look and these plans are a great template to follow. I made quite a few modifications to get my desired look. I wanted a more durable wood than pine for the table top so I used hard maple and eliminated the breadboard ends. The maple essentially tripled the cost of the project, but I think its worth it in the end. I decided not to do the bottom runner so seating could be placed on the ends. The table is also only 72" to fit better in my dining area. All of the joints were assembled using pocket screws and glue. I also added several cross supports on the underside. Overall I'm happy with how it turned out.

I needed something for my living room wall and then I found this plan. I love it! My husband helped me knock these out really fast. I sanded them then used primer and 2 coats of white trim paint.

This was my first wood project... ever. But I didn't want to dish out the $500 for the back-saving store pedestals. This thing is big and sturdy. I have a few random comments below that may help out others with my little experience.

- Lowes does not cut 4x4s. Only 2x4s. Also, call Home Depot to make sure their saw is working before you grab all the wood on your cart :)

- Careful about adding trim to the outside of the pedestal (by outside I mean with left/right side, as opposed to the front). That extra piece of trim will increase the width of your table and it may not fit in your home's spot.

- Wood Putty is ok but cannot be sanded and always stays soft. Wood FILLER on the other hand hardens. I used this extensively to help spiff up my poor trim job. Especially the corners.

- Speaking of poor trim job, I was told after the fact that you should clamp down the trim before you nail. Everytime I tried to nail a piece of trim it would wiggle out of place.

- When wood glue drips, it becomes hard to sand and leaves a mark under the pain it not cleaned up well.

- I didn't know what a countersign drill bit was, but when I dished out the Hamilton for one I found out that any ole drill bit may have sufficed. I'm gonna need some clarification on this, but I ended up pre-drilling almost all of my holes because my electric drill was not powerful enough to screw into the wood.

That's about it. It was a fun first project, but I definitely could've used a few more helpful details, or at least someone who knew something about wood to point out how little I actually know!

Turned into a more time consuming project than I first envisioned. I think it turned out great as everyone seems to like it. Going with the two-toned design made the finishing much more difficult but produced good results.

Was able to plan out and cut every piece before drilling pocket holes and assembling. Made it even easier by using the vertical spindles on the ends. We absolutely love having this to separate the two living spaces. 

This was the 2nd project I made and was amazed at how simple this was. Really easy and quick:)

Hi Ana,

I saw your link on Facebook to the fold-down bar by Home Depot, and I wanted to show you the one we built last year. We're pretty proud of how it turned out! It was easy to build - we just used a reference photo we found on the web and built it to our own specifications. We have a very tiny backyard with absolutely no space to set up a drink area, so this works perfectly. It folds up out of the way when it's not needed (and doesn't have to be packed away for the winter!)

After installing it, I handpainted the back (bottom) with an inside-joke between my husband and his friends. "Duffy's Bar and Grill!" is how they answer the phone whenever one calls the other.

I hope you like it!

Barb Steadman
Newmarket, Ontario, Canada

I made this table for my wife. The top is some oak barnwood attached with table buttons to allow for seasonal changes, and the bottom is two by fours resawn to fit. Thanks for sharing this plan!