Community Brag Posts

This table and bench was a first build for me and my husband. We had so much fun working on it together that we can't wait to figure out what our next project will be. Would probably not take as much time the next time we did something. Fairly inexpensive but we splurged on the thick reclaimed wood for the tops to add the character we wanted.

I wanted to make something that would hold all my kids art supplies. I wanted it to be easy for them to find what they wanted and have a handle so they could carry it. The project is easy enough for a beginner. You need a table saw, drill, glue and nail gun (or hammer and nails). I have more details on my blog.

I really enjoyed building this toy box! I used rockler torsion hinges on this and loved how smooth they moved and the install. Thank you for the inspirational plans!!

After seeing the patio table with beer/wine cooler, I wanted to build this for my brother and wife who recently bought a house. I asked them if they were interested and of course they said yes. I modified the original plans by adding a 2x4 on each side of the cooler to make the table wider. I also made the legs out of 4x4 vs the 2x4s that were originally called for. I used redwood and then stained it and used a varnish for the final coating. I probably wouldn't use the varnish again for an outdoor table, because it looks like it should be an indoor table vs outdoor. Overall, I'm pleased with the results and the best part about it, I get to enjoy it every time I go over for a BBQ.

I built this coffee table from the Taylor's Coffee Table plans (http://ana-white.com/2014/02/plans/taylors-coffee-table) with a few "artistic"/necessary liberties.  For the top, I used a slightly different pattern than shown on the plans.  Starting from one side to the other, my plan includes a 1"x2", a 2"x6", a 2"x2", two side-by-side 2"x6", a 2"x2", a 2"x6", and finally a 1"x2".  I liked the extra overhang that the 1"x2" included on the outside edges of the table.

I do not own a jigsaw, so instead of making the entire bottom shelf out of plywood, I made a "border" with 1"x4" boards with the adjoining corners cut at 45 degrees so that each side of the border matched up nicely.  This allowed me to use a standard rectangular piece of plywood for the shelf "inlay."  

As a first attempt at any sort of table, this turned out much better than I could have hoped!

My boyfriend and I wanted a calm relaxing beach feel at our Florida vacation home, however with kids in college and two getting married, we were on a tight budget.  We found these plans on Ana White's website.  He made the headboard and bench and I distressed it to make it look weathered.  We used Minwax Dark Walnut as a base,  let it dry over night,  and lightly wiped it down in the morning.  We then used Rustoleum "Chalked" in White Linen and applied it with a large stencil brush we found at Michaels craftstore.  We applied it almost haphazardly,  purposely making it look rough.  The chalk paint dries quickly.  We then brushed on some clear Americana creme wax.  We are very happy with the end result,  it was our first project build, and we nailed it.  Thanks. Ana!!!

This is a storage bench (toy box) that I threw together based on one of the projects listed on this site. I also added custom shelves on the interior to house all of the puzzles my daughter likes to play with. It is made of cedar and the interior is birch plywood. The shelves are the same combination. It is very sturdy and fits a lot more toys than I expected. This is the first project I've built that I stained...I originally tried applying with a brush but that was VERY challenging so I tried a sprayer and that worked very well, though I think I went a little heavy on it. I wasn't much of a fan of the Minwax 2-in-1 stain/finish...but hey, its a toy box that you can sit on so it's going to get beat up anyway, so there'll be another opportunity to re-finish it later. My build time was very drawn out because I only work on projects during nap time, so the time to complete is what I would estimate if you have a couple of days to solely devote to the build. What a great plan though, for an inexpensive, easy to build storage bench. Thank you!

Super easy. Done in less than one hour. Used Target's Black-Out curtains.

Amazingly easy to build!❤️❤️❤️ My new chairs. The table is made from the Ana White planter. We just used left over 2x6's and 2x4's to create a removable top. It makes a great table with Kentucky of storage.

An easy end of the year teacher gift - framed chalkboards. I made these using furring strips and 1/4" plywood for about $5 each.

This is my first DIY furniture build.  Had some issues with the Poly, but it turned out better than I thought.  I used a couple of Turnbuckles with black hammer spray paint instead of the back slant supports.  Made some mistakes, but learned a lot.  Thanks Ana for the great site and all of the great posts.

I'm a novice furniture builder and felt I could tackle the Farmhouse Dining Room table and matching Farmhouse bench. With a lot of diligent detail work--especially sanding-my first two projects came out great. Because I was afraid to try the notching part of the plans, I decided to tweek the projects by attaching the stretcher boards with black cabinet screws. I achieved the rustic look I was looking for with both the table and bench!