Community Brag Posts

DIY Hay feeder Stuffed Animal Storage

Submitted by SweetAsh on Mon, 08/29/2016 - 08:12

All scrap lumber was used on this, cost was $0

3/4 plywood 2'x4'

1x6x24"

1x4x24"

1x2x13" front trim

Estimated Cost
$0-$10
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Dark Walnut
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

SweetAsh

Mon, 08/29/2016 - 08:29

My son loves horses, so I made him this Horse Wall Hay Feeder to keep with the theme but where he would have a place to put his babies! :)

Ultimate Workbench for me

Submitted by ianr on Mon, 06/22/2020 - 15:13

I altered the original plans in the following ways:

  • Only built one rolling cart because I already had a multi-drawer tool chest that fit right under the workbench.
  • Built the right half of the workbench as a separate piece from the miter table because attic access is right above it and we need to move the workbench to get to it.
  • Built a half cart for the table saw because the Dewalt contractor saw extends too far to the sides to have it boxed in.
  • I'm going to add a sliding plate that locks down for my miter saw so I can pull it away from the wall without dragging or lifting it.
  • I used a nail gun with two inch nails instead of staples since I don't own a staple gun that holds staples that long.

I'm not that experienced with projects so here are a couple of things I learned:

  • Attach the castors far enough under the cart so that the wheel never extends beyond the sides.
  • Watch what grade sandpaper you use on the plywood. It's easy to strip off a layer.
  • This was not a one-person project for me. Even with clamps, I still needed help bracing parts and rotating pieces.

Thanks for the great plan! Now I can start on all the other projects on our improvement list.

Estimated Cost
350
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Petra's Doggie Day Bed

Submitted by Joni on Sat, 08/25/2012 - 10:33

Yes, my husband and I share our bedroom with 6 dogs and an occasional cat (or 4). Our older dog (Petra) has slept on our bed for over 10 years, and she's getting too old to jump anymore. We didn't want her to feel like she was getting kicked off the bed, so I made Petra her very own bed at the end of ours so that she wouldn't feel left out. I was inspired by MurdaRae's dog bed (http://ana-white.com/2012/06/doggie-daybed), and thought it was genius to use a toddler/crib bed. So I went looking for plans on Ana-White, and came up with a mixture between a couple of twin bed plans. I love that the plans are easy enough to modify my sizes, and come up with exactly the custom solution that I need. This was my first big project using Bri-Wax. The last one was kind of a disaster when the wax changed the stain color to something not-so-great. With this project, I learned to wait at least 2 weeks before attempting to wax it. I was blown away with the results. It is a beautiful subtle satin finish that feels great to the touch. Plus, I can easily touch up all the dog fingernail scratches that will inevitably occur. When I re-assembled the bed in my bedroom, I actually nicked it in a few places. No problem -- slap on some more Bri-Wax! My Bri-Wax was 11 years old, and pure liquid. I tossed it in the fridge (per Bri-Wax's recommendation), and it was as good as new. The only real problem I had with this project was leaking sap from one of the 4x4s. I'm still fighting this today. In talking with Rustoleum/Zinsser reps, they said that no sap could penetrate their "Seal Coat" shellac product. After 5 coats, the sap is still penetrating, but only if I turn it on it's side or upside down. I'm still baffled. I made the mattress cover out of a dog blanket, and made the cushions from some remnant fabric (suitable for dogs and weekly washing), so this was a fairly inexpensive project. It was a success because Petra slept in her bed from the fist night and loved that she had all the room to herself, and no boston terrorists (I mean terriers) attempted to bother her.

Estimated Cost
$65 for Wood, $60 for Crib Mattress, $7 for stain, $9 for Decorative Clavos
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Combination of Minwax Water-based stains: 6 parts Colonial Pine: 1 part American Walnut, followed 4-5 Coats Bri-Wax (Light Brown)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

spiceylg

Sat, 08/25/2012 - 18:41

You did an amazing job! Looks professional and at first glance, you definitely can't tell it's a dog bed.

StacieM

Sun, 08/26/2012 - 10:24

It matches the woods in your bedroom so well and looks great! Also, I love the bolster pillows around the edges. That is something I need to make for our dog bed. Thanks for sharing.

Mudroom Storage Lockers and Bench

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 04/19/2024 - 14:06

I really appreciated your garage/mudroom project guidance. I stumbled on it as I was trying to figure out how to design my project. I basically copied yours!! 😁

You also turned me on to pocket hole joinery. Previously I have used a biscuit joiner and find it very challenging. Thank you, I am a convert!

Don Arrowood

Outdoor rolling bar top

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 07/08/2020 - 19:43

We had some leftover granite from an outdoor kitchen build and wanted to maximize the use of it. We loved the look of a rustic table from Pottery Barn and set out to find something that was asking the same aesthetic. I came across the Jilly and Mia workbench console and thought it would work great with some minor modifications. I shortened the overall length and height, went with some heavy duty casters to support the weight of the granite, and reinforced the cross beams that would support the 3/4" plywood sheet and granite. I went with cedar for this build since it was outdoors and I'll finish it with a clear sealant.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$300
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Large Modern Porch Swing + Ghetto Stand

Submitted by mrhelton on Mon, 09/10/2012 - 17:04

Made the swing then just kinda came up with my own frame.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$110
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Just some semi gloss outdoor paint. Going to paint the frame in a few minutes.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

mikejillnelson

Tue, 09/11/2012 - 05:04

I have been considering making this bench for a friend but I wonder how comfortable it is...is it comfortable? Does it require a cushion? Is the back high enough to be comfortable leaning back in it for long periods? Also - how long did you wait to paint your pressure treated wood? I just recently learned you have to allow pressure treated wood dry out before painting...no one seems to tell you how long you have to wait though. Thanks for any help/opinions you share.

mrhelton

Wed, 09/12/2012 - 19:38

Honestly, it's not very comfortable. I think the seat part is a little too long, and the back is a little too short. We're going to put a beefy cushion on the back, and I think that's going to help because it will push us forward a little bit. It's not bad to sit in, but I definitely think it could be tweaked.

I let the wood dry out for 4 days (but I cut and assembled it the day I bought the wood). I'm not sure if that was long enough of not, but I was getting impatient, and, like you, couldn't find any real answers on drying time. It wasn't really that wet to begin, though. Hope that helps!

tracysmith

Thu, 09/13/2012 - 00:04

I thought my kids and I were the only ones who used "ghetto" as a way to describe things... but I have to say that your frame looks great, it serves its purpose so I have to respectfully disagree with you, it doesn't look anything like "ghetto" :-)

Joe (not verified)

Tue, 01/22/2013 - 10:02

Hey, can you post the dimensions of your frame? its exactly what I'm looking for. Do you have it screwed down to the deck? will it tip over?

Joe (not verified)

Tue, 01/22/2013 - 11:27

Hey, can you post the dimensions of your frame? its exactly what I'm looking for. Do you have it screwed down to the deck? will it tip over?

Pottery Barn Style - Full Size Headboard

Submitted by Oshynlover on Thu, 10/13/2016 - 03:21

My very first big project!  My 6 year old daughter was in need of a new bed and a room makeover so I decided to build her a headboard which then turned into a whole new room!!! 

 

I really wanted it to it to have some dimension to it so I added some moldings and a mini shelf to the top of it.  I basically just designed it myself, based on what some of the $1000+ pottery barn ones look like and spent hours at the hardware store finding the perfect moldings.  

 

For the main backboard I used plywood, however to keep it light I used a sheet of molding and added a round edge to make it seamless.  

 

My my daughter was so excited Mommy built her whole room. 

Estimated Cost
$150 The Moldings added cost but can be made for less than $100 without it. But why would you??? It looks SO much better!!
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Behr Semi Gloss
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Wood Ledges

Submitted by SaraLodise on Sun, 07/13/2014 - 19:55

A nice quick build to add some decoration to the house. I made three ledges at 80" long. I had initially made them for a different room that could only allow 80" ledges, but ended up not being able to put them there because the wall was too curved to attach the ledges. Ledges have two coats of Miniwax Special Walnut Oil stain and Polycrilic.

All the "art" things were painted on old scrap from a years worth of ana-white projects. I used the three different stains I had left over (Miniwax Aged Oak Gel Stain, Weathered Oak Oil Stain, & Special Walnut Oil Stain) and alternated them on the three different types of wood scraps (Oak, pine, & maple). Then I "distressed" them with physical abuse and watered down acrylic craft paint. The designs were also acrylic craft paint. Then I sanded it all down to give it a worn look.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$37 in whitewood boards
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
2 coats of Miniwax Special Walnut Oil Stain + Polycrylic
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Collapsible Table for Craft Fairs

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 06/03/2024 - 08:58

My wife wanted a collapsible table for her craft fair sales. I put a wooden dowel in the opening for her to drape packing paper over and hooks on the sides for gift bags. Easy plans to follow and it turned out great!

Todd Martens

Built from Plan(s)

Outdoor patio furniture

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 07/24/2020 - 12:19

Thanks Ana, for the great plans and inspiration!

Estimated Cost
$450
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax stain & polyurethane ( Bombay Mahogany)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

I made Adirondack chairs!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 08/01/2020 - 12:39

Hi from Pittsburgh! I’ve always wanted to make stuff from your site, and I finally did it — I made Ana’s favorite Adirondack chairs and man, are they comfortable! I made them out of cedar 2x4s and cedar shelving pieces for the slats. Very comfy and I hope they last a long time. Awesome instructions, Ana— I’ve directed my neighbor to your site bc he wanted to make some, too!

Estimated Cost
$80/ chair
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Chairs by fire pit
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Window Seat

Submitted by MaryL220 on Tue, 08/11/2020 - 19:28

My daughter turned 5 in July. She loves twirly dresses, unicorns, and building. Her current project is a full size airplane made from wood. She is certainly ambitious. For her birthday, she received all kinds of building toys (Legos, knex, etc.) and quickly got to work, creating masterpiece after masterpiece. Like every 5 year old, dismantling a masterpiece is unthinkable. So, she has taken it upon herself to display her projects on every available surface, despite its intended function (i.e., my desk). We needed something that she could use to build, store, and display her projects that wasn't in the way and didn't disrupt our everyday routines (Mama's gotta work!).

Enter, this window seat. I've been wanting to build one for years but never really found a plan I liked. This is exactly what I was looking for, as it has enough building space and storage space to meet our needs. Maybe one day i'll get to use it as a window seat!

I used the flip top storage bench plan and modified the length to fit our windows. The lid is 69" wide and the base is 64.5". I added some supports in the middle, as well. I painted the inside storage space purple to give it a kid friendly touch. I also added lid supports on both sides to prevent pinched fingers.

Estimated Cost
$100?
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
White paint with purple paint in the storage area. Sealed with mod podge hard coat. 😁
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Old English Style Farmhouse Dining Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 11/27/2016 - 06:12

First table my husband and I have ever made, and it turned out beautifully!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$150
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Provincial Stain, 2 Coats
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Hemnes cabinet with wire mesh

I'm still pretty new to woodworking so this cabinet took a little longer than it probably should have. I made the drawers a little deeper than the plans originally called for, which changed the height of the cabinet doors, but otherwise, all the other dimensions are the same. The laminated glass would have added another $100 to the cost so I used a chicken wire mesh that I dry brushed with the white I used on the interior. The knobs are from Anthropologie and I added a little trim piece around the top. I really love how much this cabinet holds. It is very versatile.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$100 including wood, hardware and paint
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
I used a custom mixture of Annie Sloan's Chalk Paint ( Duck egg Blue) and an antique white. The mixture was about half blue and half white. I finished with a couple of coats of dark wax.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

CroomScM

Sun, 10/30/2016 - 13:07

love it! Did you have any issues getting the drawer in when the slides are installed? We installed the slides on the drawer box and then the slides on the case and we had to loosen some to actually get the drawer in, because the little wheels of the slides were basically blocking us from pivoting it in. Thanks!

Modular office sewing/craft table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 07/25/2019 - 17:58

We built three base units-each with different storage options and used the corner desk plans. Then created our own long desk top using a 6ft long board and using a jigsaw to create an open space for the sewing machine. 

Estimated Cost
$300
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Semi gloss paint-behr paint and primer in classic silver. Polycrilic semi-gloss top coat-3 coats with wet sand before final coat.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Rustic X desk

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 09/17/2020 - 16:47

Great desk, easy build and very solid.

Only issue with the plans was not enough 2x4 (unless I cut it wrong).

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$80
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Smoke stain
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
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