Community Brag Posts

As part of a redecorating project using reclaimed barn wood for our guest bedroom, we constructed this window frame to display some photos from one of our siblings of barns found in Iowa.

The dimensions are 44” X 33” with each photographic image being 11” x 16.5”.
Since the wood had so many bore holes, we used ¾” redwood under the visible fascia for added strength.

Cost - $75 / 4.5 hours to build.

http://ana-white.com/2009/12/plans-barnwood-frames-1-and-10-minutes.html

This table is enormous at 106" long made from pine boards and fir studs. A very easy build considering the final outcome, totally doable by any DIYer.

Due to rain (and horrible ability) this project has been taking a LONG time it seems. =) We had one of those "cheap" playsets from one of the warehouse clubs that would scare me to death anytime my girls got to swinging on it. So... we knocked it down and I took some liberty with the details from Ana's playset plans.

I didn't build this shoe dresser because I particularly needed one, but it looked so lovely that I couldn't resist.

- I modified the plans by building 3 bins instead of 2 so it could hold more shoes.
- I decided against the dowel stick and opted for hinges instead, which were surprisingly not too difficult to assemble. I found that I didn't even need the magnets after installing the hinges as the doors stay closed.
- I used 7" chains on both sides of each bin instead of a belt to make it extra sturdy.
- I added two back legs.

Et voila! This is the end result. I'm very pleased.

PS. Those flopping bins are a pain when you're trying to build!! An extra pair of hands is definitely recommended.

I built these bookshelves with the help of my husband for our daughter's nursery. They were so simple to build, the finishing work is what took the most amount of time. They're very sturdy, and we get tons and tons of compliments on the 'feel' that they add to the nursery!

I had no experience building furniture prior to this project but I wanted a 12 ft outdoor table and could not find one.  This tables center section is 8 ft and was built roughly following the plans for the farmhouse table.  I added two 2 ft extensions at each end making the overall table 12 ft.  The extensions included aprons so when installed they look to be part of the table.  The extensions just plug into the end apron of the center section with 2x4 oak braces which engage in the apron and under the table approximately 2 ft from end.  There is no visual sagging of the extensions. I finished the table with Sikkens DEK finish.

The sofa was my first large DIY project that required a fair amount of construction. It took me about a week working a few hours a day. I followed the plans as they were listed but made a few adjustments to accommodate for the size of the cushions. I used regular pine and then cheap lumber for the slats, lesson learned. Way too much sanding and it still didn't have the finish I was hoping for.  

For the chairs: I used a mix of plans from the Bristol outdoor lounge chair (Ana's) and the simple outdoor sofa. I chose to use all sect pine for the chairs, after the hard time I had with the cheaper wood I chose to use on the sofa.  I was much happier with the end result.  I used 1x3's mostly and then added 1x1 composite molding as an accent around the base.

I looked long and hard for cushions before I started the project based on the recommendations from others. I took me a while but I finally found Somewhat affordable outdoor sunbrella cushions at Lowes. These are the Allen + Roth deep seating sunbrella cushions, which I highly recommend. They are very comfortable and dry quickly after it rains.

This was my first project. I learned a ton through the process. Ana's directions were very easy and straightforward.

I purchased the wood (Doug-Fir) from Lowe's and cut it at home with a circular saw. I filled the gaps in the table/benches with a crystal clear silicon caulk - I have mixed feelings about this, since it dried kind of shiny. The coats of polyurethane helped to dull the finish a bit. For the stain, I used Rustoleum Kona, and Minwax Helmsman Spar Urethane Semi-Gloss for the finish.

Like others have suggested, I built the benches first, then the table. This was a great tip, since you can learn the design on a smaller model before tackling the beast of table (it's heavy). I also added some horizontal supports on the ends of the tables/benches, not in the original plans. I just duplicated the end aprons of the table and countersinked/screwed them in at an angle.

Cutting and building the project didn't take nearly as much time as the sanding, staining and finishing. The back-end part of the project was very detail-oriented and stretched out over several days.

Overall, very pleased with the finished project. It was very empowering to know that I can build something like this. Thanks Ana and all of the others with their tips and suggestions! My wife and I know have a long list of other projects to tackle :)

We've been looking for some saddle back stools for quite a while that would fit snug under our kitchen island. I couldn't find any, so I checked Ana-White and found the perfect building plan. I used scraps to build two matching stools and so I altered the plans to fit what I had. Other then the dimensions being different, I also used a 2x12" piece of wood cut down to 9x15" for the stool top.

I've documented the process as best as I could at; http://www.tommyandellie.com/Site/Home/Entries/2011/6/13_More_Seating_f…

I used Ana's plans for her factory cart coffee table to create my new coffee table. It was super easy and cheap! I used 1x10's for the sides to make it a bit taller. I found my casters at Northern Tool for $12 a piece. That was the main cost of the table. I used Gorilla Glue and 2" nails to hold everything together. I had it done in a couple hours and I love it! You can see more details at http://www.shanty-2-chic.com/2011/06/crate-coffee-table-reveal.html !

This is the 2nd of two loft beds I have built using Ana's plans - they came out great and my girls love them! I did make some modifications to each, as the girls have different needs. It was a great project and I would like to thank Ana for the concise plans, cut lists, ideas, etc. You made it so easy!

If you are interested in seeing more about this project feel free to visit my blog at www.mothersmusings.net. See you there!