Community Brag Posts

Square Dining table and Chairs

Submitted by Sb1212 on Wed, 10/26/2016 - 20:38

I built this square table and 4 chairs. It was a really fun build!! It measures 41Lx41Wx30H. 

Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
I used Early American by Minwax and 2 coats of semi-gloss clear coat.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Linda Douglas

Thu, 10/14/2021 - 14:49

Awesome job! It looks great as a set, very nice. :) I love the chairs, did you find the plans for these or did you just figure it out yourself? I want to make this table and the chairs you made would be perfect..if I can find the plans. I'd appreciate any help for the chairs. Have a great day.

My Chair based on Ana's Modern Adirondack Chair

The design plan from the https://www.ana-white.com/woodworking-projects/2x4-modern-adirondack-ch… worked out really well and with tiny modifications to the dimensions i was able to build this in a couple of days. All the wood used was discards on a construction site plus a neighbor discarding a dismantled old fence. Added my footstool which was fairly straight-froward as well. My wife made a few cushions at home for it and its super comfy Really happy with the way the whole thing worked out. Thanks Ana

Estimated Cost
$50
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
Seasonal And Holiday

Farmhouse Table

Submitted by mr pants on Mon, 09/24/2012 - 15:34

Farmhouse table. Tabletop is reclaimed from a church built in 1890 (bought at Manyunk Timer in Philadelphia). So glad we went that route (the knots, grain, etc match on the outer two pieces which you can see in the pic... it's really great, but it is expensive).

Top has only minwax polyurethane, there's no stain whatsoever. Frame is stained with Minwax "polyshades" (Mission Oak shade).

Chairs you see are the "Winslow" chairs from coaster. Highly recommend them. The match was luck.

Omitted the breadboard ends only because my tabletop pieces are 13 in (!) across: that would have been too wide for ends I thought.

Many thanks to this fantastic site for the plans. I am new at this and the table is KILLER; there's no possible way I could have expected it to turn out so well.

Estimated Cost
$360 for reclaimed longleaf pine tabletop pieces; ~$100 for the rest?
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax poly (only) on tabletop
Minwax Polyshades (mission oak) on frame
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Apothecary Console

I completed this project using pine plywood for the body and doors and a pine board for the top. Modifications included omitting the drawers and adding doors instead. Side doors open up to adjustable shelves, which I used the Kreg Shelf Pin Jig to create the holes. The hardest part was fitting the doors. I would suggest waiting until the unit is build, then cut to size leaving space for your paint or polyurethane finish. The hinges are from Lowes and the knobs are from Hobby Lobby. I did add veneer edging to the front as well as the sides of the doors- this was a bit messy and I spent a lot of time sanding off the adhesive that seeped out the sides. I used an old iron I picked up at Goodwill so I wouldn't ruin my clothing iron.

Estimated Cost
$250
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Applied two coats of a mixture of 1/2 Varathane Wood Stain in American Walnut, 1/2 Varathane Wood Stain in Dark Walnut. Followed this with two coats of Varathane Gel Stain in Dark Walnut. Finished with three coats of Minwax wipe-on poly.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

APOTHECARY STYLE ENTERTAINMENT CENTER

I am a huge fan of apothecary cabinets and fell in insta-love with this cabinet.  The open shelves on top are a great size for lots of entertainment equipment and consoles and the storage below is fantastic for everything else! 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Rust-oleum Dark Walnut stain, Valspar semi-gloss "Bayside"
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Rustic Storage Bed

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 06/15/2024 - 13:44

King size farm bed with storage, modified from queen bed plans. Used 1x10’s instead of a solid sheet of plywood and routed the slates to add some nice depth. Used reclaimed barn wood 1/4” for the border of the drawers.

Michael Gallatin

Perfect College Student's Desk Combo

I combined the Dorm Desk and Flip-down Children's art desk plans to make a perfect combination for my school work.

The Dorm Desk was designed to be used with bar stools, so it would be rather tall. I simply made the dimensions shorter to fit with a computer chair. I also tweaked the children's art desk a bit for use as a laptop desk, just took out the shelves and put a piece in to hold binders and whatnot.

Another note, most of the materials used were scraps from other projects, so the dimensions are a little different there too. For instance, I had some 6" strips of 3/4" plywood sitting around, so I used those for the shelves instead of 1x8's, and I used a piece of 1x12 for the front of the wall-mount desk instead of plywood.

The estimate cost is not at all what it would cost if you were starting from scratch. The only things I payed for up front for these two projects was the D-ring hangers for the wall-mount desk, a piece of plywood for he desk top, some tin flashing, and a 2x2 for the frame.

*the tin flashing I got ended up not being magnetic, which was disappointing, but it ended up working well with wet-erase markers (the kind teachers use on overhead projectors) so at least it still has a function. I may also end up puting a cork border around the edges so I can still hang things from there.

Hint: I used an old wallet chain for support on the wall-mount desk. I also found some left over hinges and a small clasp I had bought for a keepsake box I made years ago. If you're pretty handy, you probably have plenty of stuff you can use just lying around the house.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$15
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

BIG Farmhouse Table

Submitted by kterrell on Wed, 07/23/2014 - 00:02

So I was inspired by the Ana-While posted Farmhouse Table a few months back.. Honestly I was a little concerned about building such a large piece as my first project but I decided to invest into some common pine lumber to give it a shot. I could have bought better woodworking stock, but I was concerned I was going to mess it up anyway so I chose to stick with Home Depot / Lowes grade stock to keep the cost down.

I made a few changes from the published design:

I wanted a very large table for entertaining during the holidays. I extended the design to about 10 feet long by almost 4 feet wide.

I also am not a big fan of the seams that are left between the boards when doing butt joints using common lumber. It was a bit of work, but I trimmed off about 1/4" of material from the side of each board to make their corners square instead of the normal slightly rounded profile. With enough planing and sanding, I was able to get a reasonably tight seam with just normal garage tools.

The third design element I added was pre-drilling each of the exposed screws with a 3/4" bit about 1" deep and filling those holes with a wooden dowel. This dresses up any screws used and in my mine makes the table look a bit more traditional. Im sure some people would say just use the dowel to secure the joints, but I just wasnt that brave for an inexperienced builder.

The finish was intentionally left uneven. THere are raises and small grooves in the surface that I sanded down with 80 grit, but then only lightly went over with 150 and 220. The effect I was looking for was a surface that looked hand sawn / worked but that was still smooth to the touch and not 'dangerous' to use daily. There are some visible sanding and planing marks, but they are all soft and smooth, and help add depth and character in my opinion.

More pics available on my public facebook album: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152583224649571.1073741829…

Supplies cost about $300 for lumber and finish materials. 

The face is made from 4 2x10's and 1 2x12 in the middle. 

The legs are 4x4, all other pieces are 2x4.

Tools needed to finish the table this way:

Circular saw

Table saw (to trim edges if you want tight seams)

Kreg Jig (essential for pocket holes!)

Very big clamps!   I did not have these and spent $90 or so on the 3

Hand saw

Chisel

Drill

Sander (or a LOT of patience!)

Planer (I used a cheap power planer to help level out the cheap big box lumber and to even out the joints)

STRONG sawhorses.  I broke a set of 600# rated horses re-positioning the face.   A 10ft table face is very heavy!  get help!

Finishing the table this way took a long time.  Im going to guess 60 - 80 hours went into it.  A ton of time is used getting the joining work right.  The rest of it goes together pretty quickly.

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
The finish was conditioned with minwax pre-conditioner, then stained using a cloth rag with a single coat of minwax 'traditional american' before being rubbed down with 6 coats of low-gloss tung oil finish. This type of finish I preferred over poly as it looks more natural and has less artificial reflection. The finish does contain some protection, but will need to have a new coat applied every year or so.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Dania

Wed, 07/23/2014 - 12:30

Love it! and is just your firts project!!! Wooooowww Im just getting the tools to start my own projects and by seeing this I feel so encouraged. Thanks for sharing :)

Dining table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 11/01/2016 - 18:51

First big project. First time with the Kreg jig.  Some hidden defects but looks great in pictures!

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Dark walnut, tung oil, satin poly
Recommended Skill Level
Advanced

Modern Platform Bedframe: Teenage Perfection

The second furniture building project I've ever made. It was super fun to make, though I probably spent half my time making sure ever corner was square!

I used 2 x 8's for a bit of extra depth (my daughter has a deep mattress) but other than that I followed the plan, even down to the 6" hairpin legs.

My daughter wanted a really simple headboard so I added a Chevron-style headboard from https://vintagerevivals.com/70-diy-slatted-headboard. As an upcycle, I used the wooden slats from a bedframe we were getting rid of and it worked perfectly.

Fantastic project and happy teen!!

Estimated Cost
$150.00
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Rustoleum Chalked Ultra Mat in Aged Grey

I rubbed it on with a wet rag and used a bit of water to thin it out to create a beachy look.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Used picture ledge directions to build spice shelves

Submitted by Cricquette on Tue, 10/02/2012 - 15:15

Used the instructions for building a picture ledge and instead used the shelves for spices. Only cost $10, already had the stain and polyurethane at home. Didn't do pocket holes, as I don't have a jig, just drilled/screwed directly into the pieces. Would have been done in less than an hour, but the coats of stain and polyurethane took over 24 hours to dry/reapply.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$10
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
English Cottage stain
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Full sized and off the ground

Submitted by Kayusiwok on Fri, 07/25/2014 - 13:19

I followed most of the measurements with the Murphy bed with added dimensions for a full sized bed. I also added a shelf to provide support while the bed is down since I brought the platform off the floor. The table is also hinged to the bed platform so that it folds up and locks in place for a center support for the bed.

Estimated Cost
300
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Cal spar gypsy teal, shark fin grey, and oyster all in satin finish.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

JoanneS

Fri, 07/25/2014 - 16:52

What an awesome project! Love how the added shelf at the top creates the "legs" at the end of the bed when it is lowered (looks like it keeps the bed about 4" off the floor?). Are those window sash locks for closure? Those will keep it in place nice and tight when it's closed. The fold down desk is brilliant also, and love the legs and the colors!

Farmhouse X Console Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 11/06/2016 - 15:59

Console table!

Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
white latex interior paint; tea & vinegar/steel wool + custom mixed stain.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Ana White Farmhouse Potters Bench

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 07/27/2020 - 09:51

My hubby made it for me after seeing yours!! I LOVE IT THANK YOU SO MUCH!
The buy list is correct the cut list is wrong the bottom 2*4's listed should both be 2*6's

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$56
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Golden Oak
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Quick & Easy Workbench

Submitted by ddarnell on Fri, 10/05/2012 - 17:21

After diving head-first into this website and too many projects to mention, I decided it was about time to have a workbench. I received some free scrap wood from my neighbor so I spent a quick couple of hours putting this together. The plans were great and it went together very quickly. Looking forward to using this for more projects!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$0 (used free scrap lumber)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
None since it's just a workbench. =)
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

Claude . G . (not verified)

Sat, 11/24/2012 - 06:04

Hi Ana .. I`m lookin into building a single bed frame and head and foot board . Do you have any input that would help me along the way here.. Any info would be great . Love your work . and you look great as alway`s . Thanks in advance , and hope to hear back from you soon. Bye for now , and be safe .. Claude . G :-)

The Little Helper Tower

Submitted by kmh4482 on Tue, 07/29/2014 - 00:54

I made this for my friend's daughter. I can't believe how easy this was to make. It is sturdy and really light weight. I put it together in one afternoon and painted it the next day.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$60
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Glidden Very Berry Semi-Gloss paint and primer in one. Three coats.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

My New Farmhouse Bed!

Submitted by JanaDee on Wed, 11/09/2016 - 09:58

This was my first project and I am hooked. This was an easy build. I only ran into challenges attaching the headboard and footboard to the frame because I really wanted to be able to disassemble it and reassemble just in case.. fortunately I located a website selling threaded metal inserts and I ended up just bolting it on with hex bolts. 

I was  just surprised by how fast I could build it and how long it took to finish it. Sand, wood filler, sand, caulk, prime, sand, paint, sand, paint. Get interrupted by my kids 100 times. 

Already plotting my next 3 builds..

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$200 using leftover paint and primer
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Sherwin Williams Trim Paint base white
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
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