Community Brag Posts

Benchright Coffee Table

Submitted by Trista5111 on Mon, 09/08/2014 - 19:16

I built this table following Ana's plans!  It turned out great!

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax stain, semi-gloss poly
Recommended Skill Level
Advanced

Comments

DIYER_MD

Tue, 09/09/2014 - 14:42

This table turned out great.  The stain job is very well done.  Now I may have to build one.

Console Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 12/28/2016 - 15:50

Rustic x console Table 

Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Varathane weathered grey stain with varathane polyurethane in a matte sheen.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Antiqued Farmhouse Console Table

My wife wanted a table for the entry way; so, of course, I showed her plans from this site. Wasn't hard to build at all. Since I knew she wanted an antique look, I left the screws exposed for a more rustic look.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Behr Antique White Chalk Paint
Behr Clear Decorative Wax
Behr Dark Decorative Wax
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Headboard for Queen size storage bed

Submitted by sgilly on Wed, 11/28/2012 - 13:44

Several months ago I built the queen sized storage bed for my son and daughter-in-law. They are so happy with it. But, recently, my son's sweet wife asked me if I would make a headboard for their bed. She'd seen a picture on Pinterest of just what she wanted - and guess what? It was Ana's plan.
The headboard went together beautifully. I made a couple of minor changes (no side pieces on the legs, an extra top piece and a tiny trim piece added). I also made it a bit smaller in width. Each leg sits about an inch and a half behind the sides of the bed, which enabled my son to attach it by screwing through the bed into the legs.
I also made floating night stands (so they can open the drawers in the bed!). No pictures of those, but they're stained to match and my kids love how everything turned out! It's so nice when things turn out well.

Estimated Cost
About $85 in materials. I had screws, glue, stain, finish.
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Espresso, 3 coats, sanded lightly between coats and wiped off with damp cloth. Minwax rub on polyurethane (I think it was satin). 3 coats, sanded lightly between 1st and 2nd coat.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Modified Farm Table

Modified the plans for the farmhouse table by using 4x4's for the legs and end pieces. Also cut 45 degree 2x4's for additional bracing on the benches. Upholstered the center 2x12 on the benches with some foam from army surplus.

Now that its all put together, I'm wishing I had went with 6x6's for the legs, but I like how the 4x4's look for now.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
~$120.00
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Kona stain
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

ten dollar ledges

Submitted by jenhamlin on Fri, 11/30/2012 - 21:27

I love these ledges!!

Estimated Cost
$10
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
white paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Mofified Rectangles Day Bed

Submitted by rob10k8 on Sun, 09/14/2014 - 13:46

I was looking at getting the West Elm Rectangles Day Bed, however, the bed was a bit too tall.  The window sill of the room was 26" high and I didn't really want the bed above the sill.  I found the plans on this site and decided to modify the plans so that the top of the bed would be flush with the top of the sill.

To make the bed fit, I removed 2" from the height of the rectangles (10" cuts instead of 12") and 1/2" from each of the top and bottom joiners (1 3/4" cuts instead of 2/1/4").  Finally, the corener legs are each cut to 26" instead of 30".  The makes the be 7" off the floor instead of 8".  Overall, I'm really happy with how it turned out.

 

A couple of things I learned:

1.  I used clear pine for the wood.  It was very smooth to begin with, so I didn't need to sand it.  I primed all the wood prior to cutting.

2.  The pine was not all exactly the same size.  This means that I could only have one side completely flush and needed to decide if it was the inside of the outside of the bed (I choose the inside).  I sanded the outside a bit, but all the pieces still weren't completely flush, but I didn't care since it would be facing the wall.  You may be able to get better results with more expensive wood.

3.  Get a Kreg jig.  I bought the pocket unit for ~$20.  It was very useful for creating joints.  Make sure to do a test joint as I initially set the depth incorrectly and drilled too deep (luckily I DID do a test piece)

4.  I did not buy the Kreg plugs.  Instead, I just used wood filler.  For each hole, I covered with wood filler, let dry and sanded.  I then put on a second coat and sanded again using 300 grit sandpaper.  You can not tell there are any joint holes, and am very pleased with how the joints look.

5.  I did not use the Kreg Jig on the 1/3/4" top/bottom rectangle joiners, I just used 3" wood screws and screwed throught the top/bottom in from the top/bottom.  I used a Big Gator Drill Guide to drill a pilot hole that was perfectly perpendicular (as I don't have a drill press) prior to screwing the pieces together.  Filling the holes with wood filler and sanding (twice) worked well.

6.  Sanding!! I sanded a lot to get the paint to be very smooth.  It was a bit of a pain as I did it all by hand.  I think a belt sander might have made some of the sanding go a bit quicker, but the rectangles day bed has so many inside areas to sand, you're going to have to do some by hand.

7.  I used a primer on all surfaces and sanded the primer smooth prior to the final coat(s).  For painting the final coats, I used a foam brush as the paint was pretty thin and I did not want to see any brush marks.  I considered spray painting the final coat, but it was just easier to do by hand.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$250 (including Kreg Jig and Big Gator drill guide)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Benjamin Moore Advance Waterborne Interior/Exterior Alkyd (high gloss white)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

TONS of compliments! LOVE LOVE LOVE this table!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/02/2017 - 20:14

I had to scale mine down a bit in size (I didn't want a huge coffee table this time around)...I absolutely love this table. Very easy to build and only took one day from start to finish to make. I receive tons of compliments on it! People can't believe I actually made it from scrap wood I had in the garage! I have a 3 year old who plays and bangs toys on it everyday, and it only adds to the distressed, rustic look that I love! Couldn't be happier!

 

Look no further for a one-of-a-kind coffee table to complete your room!

Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Rustic X End Table

This project took several months of off and on work but I am very happy with the results. Followed the plans on this website to the T and they were great. Got the wood from the local lowes and the hardware from Ace Hardware. Used the Kreg Jig pocket hole system to hide the fasteners which makes a big difference. I also used flat black spray paint for the hardware.

I loved the rustic look that this project was finished with so I did the same. The stain was great, really easy to make and stains really well. I covered the stain with the recommended wax which gives it a really nice shine and is very smooth.

Huge thanks to this website!

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
"Hillary's oxidized finish"
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

First Major Furniture Project

Submitted by dfraley22 on Tue, 09/16/2014 - 11:57

This was my first major furniture project. My daughter wanted a changing table and this looked like it would be a good choice.I made a few modifications; it's a little taller as my daughter and her husband are on the tall side, I also added a small rail to keep the changing pad from sliding off. Overall it was a great learning experience. I have built several outdoor pens and small houses for our chickens, but this was my first attempt at a piece of furniture. I think it turned out well, and my daughter and her husband are happy with it (and that is what matters).Of course I see the mistakes but I learned from them and now know what to do (or not to do) next time.  Plans are great, easy to follow ....thank you ANA!! Can't wait to try another plan.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
about $150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Rustoleum - American Walnut, Weathered Gray, Wheat, Willow with a top of American Walnut, and Carrigton. 3 coats of polycrylic, and the frame is HGTV Home Cream from Sherwin Williams.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Half sized grandly sliding barn doof console

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 01/05/2017 - 20:04

Built by Sarah Ashley Allen on Instagram

Built from Plan(s)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

2x4 Modern Adirondack chairs

Submitted by Pavelsfarm on Tue, 09/15/2020 - 20:47

In March of this year, I was furloughed due to COVID-19. Like most people, I looked for something to do while hoping my employer would bring me back to work. I found your site and it has been a lifesaver. What started out as completing projects for our home, turned into extra income to pull through these tough times. I've really come to enjoy wood working and have built things I never thought I could have before. I modified this plan to use 1x4s for the seat and back because I couldn't find any decent 1x10s at the time. I then scaled everything down for the kid's chair.

Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
The first picture is raw. The second picture I used Behr Semi-transparent sealant and deck stain in Rose Beige.

Comments

Guest Bath Remodel

Submitted by cuznlucky on Sat, 09/20/2014 - 03:03

So we had a pretty hideous bathroom (as seen in the last picture). The toilet was pink too, matching the tub and sink. This complete little bathroom remodel was an experiment to see if I wanted to tackle the master bath and eventually the kitchen. We had a drywall guy come in to fill the holes where the original towel bar, toilet paper holder and medicine cabint were. I actually used the plans from the Kitchen Cabinet Sink Base 36 Full Overlay Face Frame because I wanted a toe kick and a Face Frame. I added my own twists like a hidden toilet paper holder on the right, 45 degree tilt out in the middle, and a sliding shelf in the left drawer. I adjusted the dimensions for the space we had and used a soft close track and hinges. We went with a granite top due to the money we saved on building the vanity. We went with brushed fixtures and accessories like a hotel style towel holder. I want to give credit to my girlfriend and her Mom who did most of the demo work (not really sure why and that's her Mom in the last picture). My girlfriend's step father and I laid the tile (I have never laid tile before) and my girlfriend did all the decorating / finalizing to make it look complete and totally awesome.

Estimated Cost
Total bathroom under $2000, but we went with a more expensive granite top, nicer tile that extends through the hallway, tub resurfacing and paid a person for drywall work.
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Black Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Kim Wester

Fri, 02/27/2015 - 09:38

Nice job customizing the plan. I'm attempting something similar -- modifying the kitchen sink cabinet to fit our vanity top, and adding drawers.

jsherwin

Sat, 07/25/2015 - 13:21

I love your finished vanity with all the little extras. Wish your plan was available! I'm not confident enough to do that much customizing yet. Great work!

Shoe Dresser

Submitted by Pauline M on Sun, 01/08/2017 - 05:02

This was perfect for my hall as it doubled up as a hall stand too. Love it.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
€60
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Satin wood barley white
Recommended Skill Level
Advanced

Miter Saw Cart

Submitted by ivyfamily5 on Sat, 09/19/2020 - 13:49

I love this Miter Saw Cart. The plans were easy to follow and tweak to work with what I had on hand. I love all of Ana White's plans, passion, and inspiration. Happy Building!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
I left it raw, but I might paint it later. I also plan to add a Stop Block to it soon.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Modified version for kitchen

Submitted by komyghods on Tue, 12/11/2012 - 15:49

My wife desperately needed a storage solution for her baking supplies in the kitchen. I came across Hillary's Locker Cabinet on Ana White's website, which gave me some good direction. I modified the plans a little to increase the storage space my wife needed. In one weekend my friend Robert and I built this kitchen cubby storage solution that organizes all the clutter, looks great, and doesn't take up a lot of room (6'x4.5'x1').

Thanks for the idea and wonderful resource!

Estimated Cost
$175
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Varathane Sunbleached Stain
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

My first furniture!

This was my first attempt at furniture. My husband helped a little but I did most of the work. Worked out beautiful, an excellent birthday pressie for my daughter. Started cutting wood  one afternoon, and finished painting and assembling the following afternoon (had a birthday cake to bake otherwise it would have been finished earlier). I used recycled timber for tops, the rest of the wood cost $50, so guessing Australian timber is way more expensive than USA. Bought Kreg jig specially for this project. Pocket joins give an excellent strong join. Had trouble getting crosses on bench correct, required many rescaling a to get right. Also had a wonky table because I screwed to the recycled timber top (some of that wood is warped) so fixed with a choc under two legs. Very pleased with result, look forward to my next project!

Estimated Cost
$50 not including table and bench top. Got my wood from Masters.
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
House paint on base and Danish oil on top
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project