Community Brag Posts

Tidy Up Coffee Table & Side Tables

This was my second project. I am very happy with the way they turned out. The plans were very easy to follow. I did add L brackets to the legs as others have suggested. I added handles to my trundle because I could not get the cut-out handles consistent.

Estimated Cost
$90 on the wood for all three pieces; caster wheels, handles, and stain where extra
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
I used Minwax Pre-Stain Wood Conditinoer, Minwax English Chestnut Stain (one coat, about 5 minutes) and Minwax Fast-Drying Polyurethane semi-gloss (4 coats on top, 3 coats everywhere else).
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Camp Loft Bed

Submitted by dadto3kids on Thu, 12/18/2014 - 20:51

I had a friend who needed a bed for two energetic boys for a small bedroom.  I saw these plans and thought this would be perfect for them.  They absolutely loved it and now have plenty of room for their toys in their bedroom. 

Estimated Cost
about $50 for screws stain and polyurethane. I already had all the wood otherwise I would presume it would cost another $50-$75.
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax Early American
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

milyron

Tue, 05/19/2015 - 11:00

Hi, This bed is awesome. I have few question and would appreciate if you could help me.
Did you use any connector bolts to be able to take it apart easily?
How did you connect the slats of the platform to the frame? with PH screws?
would appreciate any details you can give me.
Thanks
Mily:-)

Mudroom Locker System

Submitted by halfnfun on Tue, 02/19/2013 - 14:53

I duplicated this plan from Ann White's Smiling Mudroom Plan. My space was not as deep and was longer than the original plans, so we modified the plans to fit our space. . I liked the idea of a thicker seat that another person used, so we incorporated that. Materials cost us about $200 to make it. Thank you for the inspiration. I love it!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Painted white and stained seat
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Linda7

Tue, 02/19/2013 - 16:36

This is a beautiful, yet practical build. The empty space pictured is just begging to be filled. I especially like the wall color and the trim just above the seats that is repeated with the coat hangers. Great work - love it!

Large Old English Style Farmhouse Dining Table

My wife and I were wanting a large outdoor farmhouse table that looked stylish, and like it could have been bought at Pottery Barn or another high-end furniture store. We found this plan that Ana white had made "Small Old English Style Farmhouse Dining Table". We often host groups from our church and will have 15-20 people on our patio or around our pool area, so we needed a bigger table... I just made some modifications to make it longer (7ft) in length to better fit our space and allow for more people to sit.

To make this plan longer, I simply adjusted the cut-list on the long 1x2s, 1x4s, and 1x6; and added a crossbar to prevent the longer tabletop from sagging. I also added the diagonal corner struts to make the table a little sturdier.

Adjusted Shopping List:
4 - 1x2 @ 8ft
5 - 1x4 @ 8 ft
6 - 1x6 @ 8ft
Waterproof 1 1/4" Kreg screws (for outdoor use)
Minwax Weathered Oak
Minwax Vintage Grey

Adjusted Cut-List
• 2 - 1x2 @ 26.5"
• 2 - 1x2 @ 76.5"
• 2 - 1x2 @ ~33.25"
• 2 - 1x4 @ 26.5"
• 2 - 1x4 @ 76.5"
• 4 - 1x4 @ 7.25" w/ 45º miter (diagonal corner supports)
• 1 - 1x4 @ ~28" (Crossbar - I forget the exact measurement)
• 6 - 1x6 @ 82"

For seating we just bought some inexpensive farmhouse weather resistant chairs from Walmart:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Yaheetech-Metal-Dinning-Chairs-Stackable-Cof…

Estimated Cost
$170
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Early American (base), Minwax Weathered Grey (2nd coat)
(See more on outdoor use of stains: https://ana-white.com/blog/2019/05/outdoor-wood-furniture-finishing-secrets)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Rustic X TV Stand

Submitted by pteremi on Mon, 05/17/2021 - 13:51

A couple more passes of finish and this will have a new lease on life. Beginning as a mixture of reclaimed wood and some shelving that Brian Carla Baker Smith had in their garage, it will soon be sporting a television as life begins anew for our friends. The most gnarly pieces turned out to provide the most character. I think that is a wonderful observation of life. Great plan from Ana White!

Estimated Cost
60.00
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Tried and True Danish Oil Finish With 3 coats of Polyurethane on the top
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Patriotic Cornhole Boards

Submitted by ae1ret99 on Fri, 07/16/2021 - 13:30

I wanted some Cornhole Boards and I wanted to make them myself. I used some vinyl stickers (distressed American flags) that I got on Amazon! I also bought the Cornhole Bag set on Amazon as well! I added some carrying handles from hardware At Home Depot. I found the link here on Ana's website! I love them!

Estimated Cost
$150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Stained the base with Valspar Redwood tone from Lowe's. Then applied some water-based poly over the top.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Triangular Rabbit Hutch

Submitted by Medeek on Fri, 05/03/2013 - 18:14

This is a rabbit hutch I created for my kids 5 rabbits. The thing that makes this hutch really nice is if you have a large lawn you can just move the hutch a little bit every day and the lawn gets mowed, fertilized and you don't have to worry about cleaning up all the rabbit droppings. I also mounted a rabbit feeder on the inside of the house door to keep the food dry, which has worked really well.

Here is a short blog of all the steps in its construction:
http://design.medeek.com/gallery/RH3080_COPALIS_2013/RH3080_COPALIS_201…

Estimated Cost
150
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Exterior Paint brush or spray. Choose your color.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Medeek

Sun, 05/05/2013 - 01:52

I apologize I haven't got the completed planset up for this project yet but I will try to get it up in the next couple of weeks as well as a very complete materials list. You will need to go to a farm/feed store to get the correct 1"x2" wire and 1/2"x1" wire for the floor. Do not go to Home Depot and use the cow wire they have or the hardware cloth for the floor, neither of which are the correct choice. Home Depot has the lumber but not the wire. If you have any questions or even improvements to my design I would be interested in hearing from you.

Medeek

Sun, 09/13/2015 - 19:18

Finally got around to uploading the plans.  I still need to create a material list for this plan but the basics are there now.   We've had rabbits in it for about a year but recently we've tried some guinea pigs and it works great for that as well.  The guinea pigs can pretty much live off just the grass and dandelions but you do need to move it daily to give them plenty to eat.

Orange Side Street Bunk Beds

This is my first large project and I'm very happy with the result.  Since I knew we were using regular (thick) mattresses instead of thin bunk-style mattresses, I built the guard rails taller than in the plans.  The bunk beds are painted Benjamin Moore Citrus Orange http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-ca/paint-color/citrusorange.  The walls are Benjamin Moore Waterfall http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-ca/paint-color/waterfall.

Helpful Hint:  IKEA's LONSET slatted bed base fits perfectly instead of needing to cut your own bed slats.  http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80278715/#/30278732

Built from Plan(s)
Finish Used
Benjamin Moore ADVANCE waterborne interior alkyd paint (http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/for-your-home/paint-products/advance-waterborne-interior-alkyd-paint).
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Traditional Farmhouse Bed with Storage

Hello, fellow makers! 

I really enjoyed this build - it was a challenge for me, but in the end, I'm thrilled with the results!

I modified two of Ana's plans to come up with this storage bed and I share more pictures of the process and how I finished this project over on my blog Tinsel + Wheat.

I used the Twin Bed Farmhouse plans to create the headboard and footboard, which turned out beautifully, but because of the storage base needing to be installed flush with the edges of the 4x4 posts - this made the bed a little wide for a standard twin size mattress. I don't mind the extra 2.5" of base on each side of the mattress but if you decide you would rather have the mattress edges match right up to the bed you will need to subtract one of your center 1x6 panels from both the headboard and footboard. This will give you the perfect size headboard and footboard for this build.

So grateful to Ana for these plans!  

Happy building!

Miranda

 

Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

vstroud

Sat, 03/02/2019 - 10:02

Might you have the lumber shopping list for the storage boxes to go with this modified Twin Farmhouse with storage bed? I looked at you personal website but you just have the cut list for them not lumber list. Desperate  need to purchase my wood Monday.Thank you so very much!

Table turned cabinet

I had an old table that was in my basement.  I wanted to re-do my craft room.  I have been thinking and thinking about it.  So when I saw Ana’s link to her drawer organizer – and how to install drawer slides – I thought – ok – now it’s time to do it.

 

I spent about a week drafting plans, making measurements.  At first I was going to recycle the metal sliders I had left over from the kids dressers…but there wasn’t enough – and to do 12 drawers would be more money than I wanted to spend.

 

So – a trip to home depot – I was able to take this table that was just collecting junk – literally – to an organized and functional crafting cabinet – with huge deep drawers.  There are 12 drawers in total.  They are all 6 inch in height, 26 inches deep, and then there are 8 that are 16 inches wide, and 4 that are 12 inches wide.

 

Here are some before and after pictures – I have all the details on the build on my blog.  I wouldn’t have been able to do it without Ana.  Her plans and continual inspiration!

Estimated Cost
Around $80
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
On the fronts of the drawers only. Sanded, primed and painted with high gloss white.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Wood Toy Fishing Game

This was a very easy project from scrap wood I had leftover from previous projects. I modified the box a little. I cut slits in the box so the top slides on nicely. I also stained the box and sealed because I love the look of stained wood. I used early American wood stain.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
early american
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Seesaw

Submitted by KimmoPT on Wed, 06/12/2013 - 02:38

Greetings from Finland. I made teeter-totter from excellent plans Ana has donatet for all of us. I used treated wood, so I didn't need to paint the project (and never will :-) Handles and seats are made from raw wood. Gives also nice twin color look. To add some extra support I embed the beams at foot.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
37€
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Seasonal And Holiday

Playhouse - Drew Gaffke

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 12/26/2021 - 14:46

I combined a couple of playhouse plans for this one. The framing is 2x2 treated pine. The front is real stone. I tried to match our home the best that I could. The floor is made out of composite decking.

Comments

Seasonal And Holiday

Kentwood bed

Submitted by Wiscogrl on Sun, 06/28/2015 - 06:59

I built this for my four year old son! He even helped me out so that made him love it even more :)

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$100-$120
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Oil based stain- Dark walnut
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Red Hen Home's Modified Providence Bench

This is a slightly modified version of the Providence Bench. I used 1x wood rather than 2x wood, so the legs are slightly longer to make the bench come out to the same height. Made this to match a planked-top table. More photos on my blog: http://redhenhome.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-other-solomon-table-bench.ht…

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
50
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Custom mix of Minwax Weathered Oak and Antique Walnut stain, followed by hand-rubbed polyurethane.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

JW

Thu, 09/12/2013 - 05:46

I like the planked top! Great job on the finish - it's rustic without being overdone. It's one of the things i love about pottery barn furniture.

What is the hand-rubbed polyurethane? Is that just the wipe-on stuff I keep seeing at the store? Was it easy to use?

Phenomenal Family Room Built-Ins

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 04/05/2022 - 22:55

We had an awkward family room with a second front door which rendered the layout less functional than it could have been. My sister mused, "I wonder what would happen if you took out the second entry and added built ins?," and this project was born. With a 4 year old and a 2 year old and limited tools and workshop space, we were excited to find ShelfHelp, which allowed us to create custom built ins at a fraction of the cost and time they otherwise would have required (utilizing the "Frameless Built-Ins, All in One Method" plan) . Including the custom soapstone top that we had made from a local shop that was advertising remnants, the project came in under $1000, and we were thrilled with the results. SO MUCH TOY STORAGE, an unobtrusive TV, and a much more functional layout. Thank you, Ana White!

Comments

My wife's new Craft table

Submitted by MattB on Tue, 08/09/2011 - 23:29

This is actually my third project from your site Ana.

I acctually decided to make this table ten inch wider since my wife has a loooooooot of crafts :)

This project took a little longer then I thought.
It was my own fault!!! I thought I would safe some time and get some of the wood cut buy the clerk at Home Depot. That turned out to be a really bad idea. Most of my cuts were uneven and even after I gave the clerk the exact measurements, a few of the boards were up to 2 inches too long. At the end I had to buy two more boards because I had to cut peaces away to have straight edges.
Lesson learned!!!

I love building wood furniture. And I already got my next plan from your site that I'm going to build.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$160
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Valspar-Dove tail white(Eggshell)
Behr- Surfer(eggshell)
2 coats of clear Polyurethane Semi-Gloss
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Guest (not verified)

Wed, 09/07/2011 - 04:18

awesome job! im in the middle of making one of these at the moment. but just to be a tad different i have put a small cutout hole on the top, theres a little bin that sits on the shelf under it, so all i have to do when ive finished with all my paper cuts is swipe it down the hole! hehe how nifty. oh and where did your wife get the black cricut machine?? lol

Building Built In Bookshelves

I decided to build bookshelves on either side of the fireplace, where it was just drywall. I wanted them to be flush with the wall, and the garage is behind the wall. So, I built them into the garage.
I put headers above where the bookshelves would be, and framed the back side in the garage with just 2x4's. I used full sheets of bead board to cover the backs and sides, and tops. Then I bought pre made shelves and put them up using quarter round to support the shelves on all three sides.
I then bought a door frame kit that I liked, that came with fluted pieces for the sides and top with decorative squares to put at the corners. I caulked and painted it all once it was built. I used a circular saw, framing nail gun, compressor, trim nail gun, chop saw and a hammer total. It was a pretty simple project but has made the space much more useable and pretty. My next project is to build a mantle and surround that matches the bookshelves.

Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
glossy white paint, Behr Polar Bear white.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Rustic Table - 4x4 legs

Submitted by Bridget327 on Tue, 11/08/2011 - 17:55

LOVED doing this! I am a total beginner so it is not truly perfect but that is what we love about it! My five year old helped me and learned how to work an electric screwdriver. We saw Pottery Barn was broadcasting a table like this and using that the screws showed as a marketing piece - so we have some screws showing and it is soooo warm and inviting. It looks 100 years old. Everyone loves it!! Thank you for the great inspiration. We made ours 6 feet long and 3 feet wide to fit our space and 4x4's for the legs.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Miniwax in jacobean
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

alyse (not verified)

Sun, 11/13/2011 - 17:17

I LOVE this table!!! Could you tell me which plans you followed? I need the exact same measurements...Any other pictures you have you should post, too. Great job.

Guest (not verified)

Thu, 11/24/2011 - 20:26

Can I have the step by step plan too! Pretty please! I love this table :)
Thank you so much
-erin

Brick Fireplace

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 03/17/2023 - 18:08

We used Ana White shiplap fireplace tutorial to build the structure and then followed her advice for brick installation instead of shiplap. It all turned out so great. The fireplace has changed the entire feel of our house now. Thank you Ana!

Comments