Community Brag Posts

The no more "you make a better door than a window" media cabinet

Submitted by bookette on Sun, 08/12/2012 - 12:30

I absolutely fell in love with the Tall Corner Media Console the moment it was posted. We had a decent corner stand for our TV, but it was low and was hard to watch when kids and adults alike were constantly saying "I can't SEE!" or "You're in my WAY!". I've learned that explaining "you make a better door than a window" over an over to a 7yo and a 4yo only takes longer.

Two dilemmas faced us:
1 - Which comes first, the chicken or the egg? DH insisted that we needed a big screen tv before building the console. I insisted that we needed the console first, so that we would have a place for the tv. Since it was determined the that console was cheaper than a tv, I won :)

2- What to color it? Paint? Stain? I was the one building, so DH said he didn't care, but that he liked the idea of staining. Having never stained before I was a bit intimidated - paint was my safety net. DH got this one, but only after I made him choose the stain.

I have the doors built and they are in the garage. With other things in the living room we wouldn't be able to open them all the way anyway. That and my final build weekend topped out at 105+ deg - and I was DONE being outside :) All in all, i like the open look of it, although I reserve the right to install those doors if need be.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax Wood Stain - Vermont Maple
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

debandtom25

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:18

You did a fabulous job and I can definitely see it working without the doors too. The nice thing about stain is that can easily be covered with paint, if you change your mind down the road.

Simple Composting Toilet Outhouse

Submitted by Emillie on Thu, 06/18/2020 - 13:36

We built this composting toilet as one of the first things we did on our piece of vacant land. (How can you build anything else without somewhere to go when nature calls?)

An eco-friendly design was important to us, so we used cedar fencing instead of plywood. Otherwise, we followed Ana White's simple outhouse plans. It came out perfectly! It even has a rain barrel for hand washing.

Estimated Cost
800
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
We stained the outside with a semi-transparent stain and varnished the inside with an outdoor varnish.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Outdoor rolling bar top

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 07/08/2020 - 19:43

We had some leftover granite from an outdoor kitchen build and wanted to maximize the use of it. We loved the look of a rustic table from Pottery Barn and set out to find something that was asking the same aesthetic. I came across the Jilly and Mia workbench console and thought it would work great with some minor modifications. I shortened the overall length and height, went with some heavy duty casters to support the weight of the granite, and reinforced the cross beams that would support the 3/4" plywood sheet and granite. I went with cedar for this build since it was outdoors and I'll finish it with a clear sealant.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$300
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Mini Wine bar

Submitted by ericaf on Sat, 10/18/2014 - 10:41

Be aware: some of the measurements and materials needed in the plan are off. For example, you need 1/8" hardboard for the bottom of the drawer but earlier in the plans it shows 1/4". Also, if you have larger wine glasses, you'll want to plane down your stemware holders so the distance between them is 3 1/8" instead of 3". It would have also been a good idea to pre-stain those before adding them in. Regarding stain, it would also look really good with a light stain. Another really nice thing about this project is that people are really impressed with it though it is fairly straightforward. :)

Built from Plan(s)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

ericaf

Fri, 06/10/2016 - 07:09

Thank you. :) I don't remember exactly, I believe it was regular Minwax wood stain, walnut and/or red mahogany. I will try to find what I actually used.

Corner Cupboard Hutch

Submitted by necdice on Tue, 10/27/2020 - 08:53

Thanks to Ana for the custom corner cupboard hutch plans! This project turned out great using Red Oak boards and an ebony stain. My customer loved it!!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
100
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Ebony with a couple coats of poly
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Front porch planters

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 01/07/2021 - 20:21

Followed your plan but added extra 1 x 2 trim to the sides, feet made from 1 × 3 and 1x 3 trim around the top

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$35 per planter
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Cedar Naturaltone Behr Waterproofing Wood Finish
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Seasonal And Holiday

Clothesline Peg Display Frame

Submitted by AndyH on Tue, 02/17/2015 - 16:41

Initially made this to display Christmas cards in.

Made from 1 by 4 No. 2 Whitewood.  Was stained with Rustoleum Driftwood and then painted with some left over paint I found in garage.  I then sanded it back a bit to show the grain and stain through.

The nails are 1 inch Clavos nails from a website called www.Directfrommexico.com

Measures about 30 by 25 inches on outsides.

 

Estimated Cost
Wood $4.50 as only needed one piece and used one left over piece. The large hammered nails were most expensive part at about $8. Line and pegs around $5.00 Stain and paint were leftovers. Total about $17.00. Have specified an hour or two but the down time between stain and paint drying obviously adds time.
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Rustoloeum Driftwood as base and some left over paint. Painted on the stain without conditioner. Let dry overnight. Painted the next day and left another day to fully dry. Sanded by hand to show some grain through.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Patio chair

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 10/04/2021 - 16:56

I chose to make the chair which came out great although the plans were only for one chair I thought it waa easy to do.

Comments

Seasonal And Holiday

Master Walk In Closet with Bookshelf Door

Submitted by valpal5 on Thu, 04/16/2015 - 20:26

We used an unfinished attic space above our garage that was connected to our bedroom to make a walk-in closet with great shelving.  This project took a lot of time but we are so happy with the results!  There is a side for my husband and a side for me.  Although it is hard to see we also incorporated a small door/bookshelf into the room to allow us access to attic storage space.

closet shelving
 

Estimated Cost
$500
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
White painted finish.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Our New Table...the table of my dreams!!

I have added hundreds of plans on my to do list, and some of them may have been a little easier, but I really wanted this table. Badly.

So, my husband and I, decided one weekend to build the Modern Farmhouse Table. Even though we have a saw, we decided since this was our first project, we would have Lowes cut our wood. Big mistake.

When we got home, we organized the wood as to what is what, and measured. It was while we were measuring, when we noticed that a lot of the wood was cut wrong :(

So let that be a lesson...ALWAYS CUT YOUR OWN WOOD!

We went ahead and put the table together, and even though there are some gaps, which I'm planning on filling, I am proud with it.

It's been 3 weeks since we've built the table, and I still have A LOT of sanding to do, and I still need to finish it, but I am proud of what my hubby and I built together so I have to brag!

Next on our list is to build the benches...

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

Cute corner cabinet!

Submitted by rmurray87 on Sun, 06/02/2013 - 11:24

This project took me the majority of a three-day weekend to complete, but it was well worth it! I had the lumber store cut the beadboard panel for me so that it would fit in my car. This was also the first time I built something with doors on it, which was a bit of a learning curve, but came out alright in the end. I used pocket holes to build the face frame, and attached the shelves to the frame first before attaching them to the 1x8 back. I used 1 1/4" pocket hole screws and 2" wood screws. I left off the trim at the top and didn't bother to cut out the footer, but I think it still looks pretty cute.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$110
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Accent color: Appletini from Valspar
Main color: Earthy Mushroom Taupe from Glidden

Everything was given a good sanding and a healthy dose of primer before painting.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

A bathroom cabinet for all that stuff!

Overall measurements: 24x40. I followed the same basic steps as the nursery armoire, but on a much smaller scale and with a 1x3 added to the back for hanging the cabinet on the wall. I sketched this out on my own and built it to fit above the toilet in my girls' bathroom.

For the first time, I used my table saw to route a space for the 1/8" MDF cabinet backing and drawer bottoms. I will probably use the same method again, but the MDF has to be absolutely square for it to work.

Also a first for me, I used a shelving jig to drill perfectly spaced shelf pin holes on the inside of the cabinet. I love the jig and the accompanying drill bit (from Woodcraft -- orange and blue do not carry it) and I'm looking forward to using it a lot more in the future.

The white latex paint finish is covered in Krylon "crystal clear" spray, which is (sadly) not actually crystal clear. I really like its durability and ease of application (re-coat after only one minute!), but will only use it on darker colored projects in the future. I'll have to sand, paint again, and recoat with my old standby, Minwax Polycrylic, to get rid of the yellow tones in the "crystal clear" Krylon spray.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$125
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Spray primer followed by Sherwin-Williams ProClassic semi-gloss white (which I applied in several thinned coats). Krylon not-so "crystal clear" topcoat.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Planters

Submitted by Liz H. on Thu, 03/31/2011 - 11:33

This was a fun easy build...I took the toy box plans and used 1X4s instead of solid sides and bottom.  I cut the legs short and put finals on.  

Estimated Cost
$25
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Black outdoor paint.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

PICNIC TABLE THAT CONVERTS TO BENCHES ~ Cedar Finish

Submitted by Tonya P on Mon, 06/10/2013 - 19:50

I saw a type of this for sale at Costco for $109 (for just ONE bench, not a pair). It' looked nice, and I almost bought it, but it had metal legs and trim and I wanted more of a natural look to go with my Cedar theme that I have going in my back yard garden/patio/greenhouse area. After seeing it in the store, I did an online search to see if I could find something a little more organic in nature... imagine my surprise when Ana's version of the bench/table came up! I looked over the plans and thought... well, I made the modified Farmhouse Table via her excellent instructions, I can surely do this! I did make a small change, I cut small pieces of wood to use as stops for the backs of the benches, instead of using holes and bolts to hold the backs at an angle that is comfortable. You can see this in the pictures, they are just beyond the back of the seat boards, on the leg supports. Thank you Ana! It was easy, quick, and they look SO good on my patio. I will be making more, maybe even selling a few because so many have asked me if I might :) I figure the cost was about $65 for both benches. A great deal and a fun project! Patrick really has to refrain himself from wanting to "help" me, but I am determined to do it myself... and low and behold! With Ana's generous free plans and inspiration, no problem!

Estimated Cost
$65 for the two
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Cedar Stain. The project was not stained until the benches dried out for several days. They were built using green treated lumber, so they needed to dry out well before staining.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Kabarie

Wed, 07/17/2013 - 13:11

Oh, great job!! I love it. The back stops for the bench is a great idea because those bolts are expensive! I'm going to do the same. Thank you for the idea!

Seasonal And Holiday

Chalkboard Cubby

This cubby was my very first project! I just finished remodeling my kitchen, all that was missing was a place for my keys, dog leashes etc. My little house doesn't have a proper entryway so I created a "welcome station" with this cubby. The trickiest part was definitely cutting the sides, but I was able to get those tight circles with a little forethought and a lot of sanding :) I used leftover paint and samples from choosing colors for the kitchen, so it automatically coordinated with the rest of the decor.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
~$40
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
3 coats of Behr "Polar Bear" white paint and samples (Rainwater, also Behr) with LOTS of taping! I think I spent ore time taping than I did actually painting! I also did 3 coats of clear satin coat. I didn't sand in between because I like the look of brush strokes :)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
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