Community Brag Posts

IKEA Hack 6" Tray Cabinet

Submitted by Matty3481 on Thu, 01/07/2016 - 16:30

I'm happy to share with everyone my IKEA hack 6" tray cabinet.

I found a 24" cabinet box in IKEA's As-Is section and took it home for half price ($23)!  I would have preferred plywood, but my table saw is a little small and cutting large sheets of plywood is a little scary.  When I deconstructed the cabinet, it sustained some damage (as its particleboard), so if you try this at home, be careful!  I ended up changing the depth to 22" in order to cut off the damaged piece, but that shouldnt be noticeable with average trays and cutting boards.  

I used Ana's 6" tray cabinet plan and modified the dimensions a little for my planned space.  It still needs the back, face frame and door (which will be a replacement drawer front from the cabinet manufacturer).  I plan on building the face frame at the time the cabinets are installed, since this will go in between the 36" corner easy-reach and the 36" sink base.  Once its done, I'll post updated pics!

Estimated Cost
$30 (cabinet and an aluminum straight edge tool to help me cut straight lines with my Dremel).
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Face frame will be painted to match factory cabinets
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Modern Geo Headboard

Submitted by Ana White on Sun, 11/03/2019 - 08:48

For more information and photos see House of Rumors in Instagram www.instagram.com/houseofrumours 

Comments

DIY Greenhouse Project -Added elevated raised beds & temp/humidity control

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 07/05/2020 - 09:09

We loved this greenhouse plan from AnaWhite and wanted to be able to grow in 3 seasons so we modified the design to include humidity & temperature control & 18" deep elevated cedar beds inside with 4x4 posts for support and trellis option. We added electricity in order to have a lighted workspace and the ability to put in a circulating fan to control mold and fungus. We added 2 work tables (2x2') on the inside of the door left and right side door in order to do seed trays & store supplies. This was a wonderful project for my husband and my plants inside are doing incredibly well compared to my outside garden beds here in zone 5. Products used:

Foundation
We had a landscape company come and scape/dig a platform and then fill/compact with crushed rock
My husband then used rebar driven into a 4x4 frame in order to secure the frame to the ground and create a base upon which to build the greenhouse

Active ventilation
AC Infinity Cloudline T8 Inline duct fan
Air king range hood wall cap 8" on the bottom outside of the greenhouse wall for air intake + flex 8" duct to the fan itself
Shelter logic autovent automatic shelter vent kits (1 on each side of the front wall) in order to allow air intake from the bottom back of the greenhouse under the elevated beds to flow to the front of the greenhouse and out
Circulating fan- Hurricane wall mount fan 16" - this fan has 3 speeds with tilt function and small mounting bracket

Soil - sourced 3 yards of 50/50 loam/compost from local landscaping supply
60% loam
30% organic compost
10% organic topsoil + perlite

Soil beds
-cedar frame 2 feet wide along sides, 3 feet wide on the back wall
-galvanized metal roofing with holes drilled into it for drainage
-landscape cloth lined

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$2000
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
None
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

bushy99

Wed, 09/09/2020 - 13:09

Thanks for that update! I was wondering how to vent this project, as Green houses need the ventilation. Good to know dollar amount also. Great photos.

bushy99

Wed, 09/09/2020 - 13:09

Thanks for that update! I was wondering how to vent this project, as Green houses need the ventilation. Good to know dollar amount also. Great photos.

bushy99

Wed, 09/09/2020 - 13:09

Thanks for that update! I was wondering how to vent this project, as Green houses need the ventilation. Good to know dollar amount also. Great photos.

Farmhouse storage bed w/drawers (king)

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 03/10/2023 - 11:51

Seen this awesome plan on Anas site and had to build it in KING SIZE. The drawers are enormous, the bed is rock solid. I love it

Comments

Farmhouse Table (Rustic Table)

Submitted by tmunds on Tue, 08/28/2012 - 21:57

My mom has been addicted to Pinterest for a while now, so eventually she was led to this site. To make a long story short, she asked me to build her a dining room table similar to the Rustic Table design, but just a bit beefier, and with custom dimensions to fit the family's needs. I used 2x8's (8 feet long) for the table top, 2x4's for the apron/skirt, and 4x4's for the legs. This thing is a monster. I'm assuming it weighs close to 200 lbs. I beat the legs up with an old golf club, and scratched them up pretty good with screws.

This was my first time attempting something of this caliber, and I am really pleased with the results. The best part is that my mother LOVES it, and I now look like the greatest son in the world to all of her friends on Facebook!

Estimated Cost
$160
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Sanded: 120 grit then 220 grit
Stain: Minwax Special Walnut (Brushed)
Finisher: Minwax Paste Finishing Wax (Rubbed in with a rag, then buffed off 20 minutes later).
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

JenniferCarter

Mon, 02/09/2015 - 07:17

Hi there! Your dining table came out beautiful! Do you happen to know where those chairs are from? I have a client that is in love with them so wanted to see if you know where they are from! Thanks so much!

Outdoor Wood Adirondack Chairs

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 06/21/2024 - 09:42

Great project plan, thanks Ana. Followed Ana's plans the only thing I did different was to coutersink and plug all visible screws.

Chair seats are cedar with a few coats of semigloss total boat varnish on the cedar. This enhanced the visibility of the cedars wood grain. I like the way the flat and gloss work together.

I bought covers on Amazon to help protect them from the sun a rain.

John Harrison - Michigan

Seasonal And Holiday

Farmhouse Table - Thanks Ana!!

I tackled the Farmhouse Table over a long weekend while my boyfriend was away - he was surprised needless to say!
I have not attempted any woodwork projects since grade 8, but this was alot of fun - I did not find it very difficult and loove using power tools :)
I made the matching bench, however I guess I did not stir the bottom of the can well enough and my bench is now red :/ soo I am going to either stain it dark or paint it white and use it as a mudroom seat!

*I also made mine shorter - 7ft long to fit in our dining room and adjusted the bench to fit.

Estimated Cost
$160 for table & bench inc. wood, screws, stain, sand paper
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
I sanded it until I was pretty sure the risk of splinters was eliminated. After pre-stain conditioner, it got a coat of Minwax 'Ipswitch Pine'. The result was perfect on the table (two coats), however I must not have stirred the can well enough as my bench turned out dark red :/ I wanted it to look like it's 100 years old.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Maggie Jaye

Fri, 10/07/2011 - 17:15

Thank you so much Ana! We are in the process of renovating our house and your website has inspired me to take on so many more projects now!! :)

Margaret Kubiszyn (not verified)

Sat, 10/08/2011 - 19:46

I love your choice of stain - it is beautiful!

Guest (not verified)

Wed, 11/02/2011 - 04:52

I built a similar table and I am having problems with my kids getting food in between the pieces of wood. Do you have this same problem, is anyone having this same problem? Does anyone have any suggestion as to how to fix it, how to keep food and other particles from getting trapped between the cracks? Thanks! You did a great job!!

Guest (not verified)

Wed, 11/23/2011 - 15:00

I am building this table as we speak. The thought occurred to me as well concerning the cracks attracting crumbs. I believe using clamps to make the fit as tight as possible will help. Also some poly finishes may be appropriate with children which may even seal the cracks... if sanded and clamped well.

Maggie Jaye

Wed, 11/23/2011 - 15:11

I did try my best to clamp the wood together as tight as possible - due to the pieces of wood not being completely straight, they are there.

I haven't had this problem yet. I do use place mats when eating at the table, that generally stops any crumbs etc.That's probably the easiest way to avoid it :)

Thank you for your comments!

Garden Enclosure

This was a fun project.  The plans are written so that many of the boards don't need to be cut.  It's made from cedar that (thank goodness) was on sale.  I made the raised beds twice as deep as was called for in the plans because I wanted to minimize bending while I garden.  That added to the cost of the lumber and the soil.  I also like the way it looks.

 

I found it helpful to measure and cut the boards as I went.  This was crucial for fitting the door.  The most difficult part for us was working with the hardware cloth and trying to make it as smooth as possible.

 

It has been effective keeping deer and rabbits out of the garden.  Things that can fly in are another issue.  

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
>$500
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
None
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Seasonal And Holiday

DIY Walk-in Closet

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 08/02/2024 - 14:10

I used the Tower Closet system as a base for my closet remodel. I wanted drawers and space for my long dresses. I also have internet/cable coming in through a closet wall so I needed to accommodate that which turned into a corner unit designed to fit laundry basket and suitcase storage. Overall I used 4x8” paint grade 3/4” plywood from HD which I had them cut down to 16”. The 3rd strip was slightly less than 16” so I ripped those down to make the shoe wall at 12” deep. The back and right wall are 16” deep and the shoe wall 12”. I bought the IKEA mirror door and built a cabinet to fit it. I store my tall boots, belts and scarves in there. I used my Kreg shelf in jig in the shoe wall and bought refinished 12” shelves for the shoes in 8 fit sheets and cut them down to fit. The entire closet is trimmed with 1x2” pine and painted with BM Advance Paint (best cabinet paint IMO). The floor was left over from a rental property. Overall cost about $1200. Hubby doesn’t need as much drawer storage as I do so we made a small shoe rack just for him. My favorite part is the matching drawer handles to faux crystal chandeliers for a feminine touch.

Michele B

Workbench

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 11/22/2020 - 05:47

Thanks for the simple plans Anna, they worked out great!. I resized the table to make maximum use of the material, still within the same quantity you specified in your plans. I glued the legs along the lengths of the table, and kept the table top and shelf screwed in, for easy dismantling, if necessary.

Finally I added pop down heavy duty wheels allowing me to move the table (not shown in this pic) easily. When the wheels are not being used they pop up, making the table very stable. The height of the table is about 1/2” lower than the table saw, making it an ideal outfeed table as well.

Great design, and fun build.

Estimated Cost
Cn$148 (went with a finished 3/4” 4x8’ ply board)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
None
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Game Cabinet

Submitted by Wifey on Wed, 03/01/2017 - 11:48

We have very little storage in our house and wanted someplace to store board games. This works great in the dining room. I made the hardware using patio door rollers and used my jigsaw to cut steel and aluminum bars to fit. I hammered the ends of the track in a curve and put a track on the bottom of the cabinet to keep the doors more flush against the cabinet. I spray-painted all the metal and bolts to match. It is 36" high, 13" deep and 63" long. I didn't use the center board in the front because I wanted to accomodate for larger games.

Estimated Cost
About $200
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Behr paint and satin poly on top
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Farmhouse Nightstand

Submitted by RenoRustic on Tue, 05/12/2015 - 10:17

I built this nightstand when my wife and I purchased a new bed. We had to rearrange the bedroom and as such, I no longer had a desk or table on my side of the bed. I wanted something "country" style and after searching through several different plans I found a brag post that fit exactly what I was looking for. Well, technically, I found the original Farmhouse Bedside Table plans and modified them to fit what I needed. It wasn't until after I completed the project that I realized there was a "Mini" version as well. What can I say, I'm not that great as using search. I actually built this over a year ago at this point, and it was the second project I ever built. I learned quite a bit on this project, including the fact your project will only come out as good as your lumber selection! This build actually created my addiction for DIY and woodworking. Thank you Ana!

Estimated Cost
$40
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
I used Minwax Special Walnut for the entire project, then painted the base and drawer Behr white (their basic white off the shelf, I didn't have the paint mixed) in semi-gloss. I antiqued everything for a more rustic look.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

2x4 Essential Adirondack Chair

Submitted by mricks1960 on Mon, 11/16/2020 - 11:31

I used Western red cedar to build my chairs. The build was a little more expensive but well worth it. The chairs were stained with Cabot’s Australian Timber Oil ( Jarrah Brown). Thanks for the plans Ana, your site is awesome and you do a great job! Mark

 

 

 

Comments

Laundry Station

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 02/27/2017 - 10:03
We followed these plans, but instead of building two cabinets, we combined them with one side in the middle. We also used pine planks on top. The sides are painted with chalk paint, and the top is finished in dark wax. 
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Corner Desk - from Farmhouse Desk plans

Submitted by james_e on Wed, 01/13/2021 - 14:15

My wrist has not taken well to the work at home requirement of the pandemic. So, I decided to replace my desk with a similar one that I have at work. Only, this one is much prettier.

Essentially, I built two desks using the farmhouse desk plans. One of them I made less wide than the plans by simply making the horizontal pieces 36" instead of the plan's 47 1/2".

For the middle portion of the corner desk , I based it off of the Office Corner Desktop plans. I made just the middle portion for those plans, but made the edges 46" instead of 38" for a deeper desk as well as to allow more room for my legs not to hit the uprights of the farmhouse desks. I made the corner desktop detachable, so it was easier to fit down the stairs to the office, using some small ~2" cubes placed on the bottom. They just serve to keep the desktop from moving around on the frame. The base of the middle portion I made up using the same ideas used to create the farmhouse desk frames.

I made plenty of mistakes along the way as I'm a software engineer, not a carpenter. I think next time I'll buy a miter saw, most of these cuts were by hand and aren't as straight as I'd like them to be. But, I like to work with my hands and this has made my day job less painful while I'm working from home.

Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax oil based Ebony 2718, then satin poly
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Rustic X Kitchen Island

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 04/21/2022 - 12:06

Used Ana's plans with a little modification.
I built 2 different sizes and donated to our church for their fellowship hall.

Comments

Farm House Table and Bench

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 05/05/2023 - 08:52

Built this table and bench according to Ana's plans worked out great.

Comments

modern outdoor lounge chair

Just finished this beauty, entirely made with 2x4, plans were modify to match our outdoor sofa and coffee table. I think our best looking project so far ;) Thank you for inspiring me to build !!!

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Seasonal And Holiday
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