Community Brag Posts
Mail sort/locker inspiration on a flip top bench
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Our old cluttered coat closet is now lockers with lots of storage. I chose not to do the Braden bench due to a space issue so I framed a bench out with 2x4's, lined it with ply wood, covered the front with some trim and bead board and topped it with a nice piece of stained oak 3/4 inch plywood. The lids were cut and attached with continuous hinges and inside I used 2 lift hinges so that little fingers won't get smashed. I attached the lockers to the bench with a few Kreg jig screws which worked really well.
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Comments
Sat, 08/06/2011 - 21:35
Looks great!
Wow that looks great! It really opens up the space and I like the stained oak top, very classic.
Sun, 08/07/2011 - 07:22
This is so nice!! It makes
This is so nice!! It makes the area look so different and I'm sure you appreciate all that extra storage. I also love that stained top. It looks perfect with the floors.
Sun, 08/07/2011 - 13:42
Outstanding!
Love this idea! I think I'll make a flip top bench to fit my closet. I could climb on it to reach the upper shelves, or sit on it to put my shoes on. And it will be so much nicer than the hampers I'm using for shoe storage right now. Thanks for the inspiration--it looks fantastic and is a great use of space.
Mon, 08/29/2011 - 06:48
Thanks:)
Thanks. I am glad you ladies like it. It has been a God-send for us! The old backpack dumping ground is now a hallway again:). I have even added a "daddy locker between the door and the lockers with a small box for his stuff....I think I need one now too.
Mon, 09/12/2011 - 17:41
mail slots
This looks amazing! If you can, would you tell me the dimensions from top down, just heights, of the cubby system. I'm trying to get a feel for the propotions.
Thanks!
Tue, 09/20/2011 - 16:06
Dimensions
We have 8 foot ceilings. This nook is 65inches wide so each locker is 15 inches wide (and change). The bench is 18 inches high. The lockers are 45 inches high. The paper cubbies are 4 inches. The square cubbies are around 10 to 12 inches as are the top rectangular cubbies. I wish now that I would have also bumped out the square cubbies to make the deeper and provide a place to put some more down hanging hooks but it has been so handy that it is hard for me to complain about much.
Folding (or not) Plant Stand
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This was the most complicated project I've built yet, and of course I had a few problems. First, I drilled some holes in the wrong places, and things didn't line up. So i drilled them again. Then I had trouble with holding everything level without a helper. When it came time for the plant stand to stand ip, it wouldn't.
No worries. I screwed a couple of short boards underneath the top rack and made it a Stationary Plant Stand!
The thing is really cute and everyone asks me where I got it. I tell them I made it myself from Ana White plans. They never notice the extra holes in the legs or wonder why I can't fold it up and store it!
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Large toy box
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Large version of the toy box for the basement. Added a half shelf in the bottom row for small items (cars).
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Mailbox Base
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my mailbox was hit by a vehicle so I decided I wanted to do something creative/different but also didn't want to spend much money as it may just get taken out again in the future :)
this is a good project to get kids to help you with
instead of cutting into the concrete easement, I installed 2 post bases & locked them with sleeve anchors. They're sturdy enough but will give if hit again. drilling the holes for the sleeve anchors was the hardest part of the project.
I used a left over 4x4x8 for the posts, scrap 1x4s, 1x2s up the sides (1/2" gap between boards), and a 2x4 scrap to attach the mailbox. I eyeballed the width between posts using the mailbox itself. I left over stain from another project (almost bought a quart of oops paint at HD)
I figure the total cost would have been about $100
It's a super easy project that took about 4hrs. I've already had a couple of neighbors come by to take measurements to try something similar.
FYI: USPS guildlines for installing a curbside mailbox: https://www.usps.com/manage/mailboxes.htm
Comments
Cat Condo
Built my sister a cat condo before she moved so she could take it with her to her new house. Made out of carpet remnants, and scrap wood, so it was FREE! hahaha. I like free! Don't you?
Factory Cart
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This was my first furniture piece. I was very please with the way it turned out. The step by step instructions are so easy to follow. Anyone can do this!
I stenciled on the design then sanded to make it look worn.
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a place for my plants
Winter is approaching, and my plants needed a place to live indoors. I built two of these console tables to fit in the space at the head of the stairs.
The base layer of the tops is plywood, because I had a half-sheet left over from another project. These went together really quickly with my Ryobi Airstrike nailer
Minwax Polyshades "Espresso"
Wine gift carrier
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Easy and fun project that took part of a day. I made so my wife can give to friends she will be staying with on a girl's trip.
I used Provincial stain on wood I had on hand. I bought handles and it was done.
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Comments
Mon, 08/22/2022 - 17:46
Wonderful gift!
This looks very pretty and I am sure the recipients will love it! Thank you for sharing.
Barnwood frame as a vanity mirror
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I was watching the DIY network while my neighbor was over one day, and got a hair up my butt to take the builder grade mirror down from my hall bath. I had just gotten a $50 Lowe's gift card for my birthday, so I decided to do a mini bathroom makeover. I had NO plans and no clue what I wanted in there, but the mirror was down so I needed to get GOIN!
I saw the plan for the Barnwood Frame and altered it to use 1x3s as well as 1x2s, and (obviously) made it bigger. I also built a medicine cabinet from 1x6s.
The biggest issue with this whole thing was cutting the mirror to size. I had never done anything like this, so my medicine cabinet mirror is about 1/8" too small for the frame (hid that by using DUCT TAPE on the inside!).
I still plan on building a vanity and changing out the sink in there, but that has to wait until I have the motivation to redo the floors!
Yeah, me and motivation aren't very close...
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Coffee Table
I have been looking for a big enough rustic coffee table for us, and oh boy those cost a lot of money!
My friend told me about ana-white.com website and when I found this Tryde coffee table, I was so happy!
It took me about hour to cut (with help of my husband) and put this coffee table together and then during next weekend I sanded and stained it.
We are having our full house under renovation and it was so nice to have clear plans to follow and get this done without hassle.
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Pie Safe
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This is my first, of hopefully many projects to come. I modified Patrick's Jelly Cupboard plans to be 40" tall and added the tins to the doors. I used spruce and pine board from a local lumber yard. The finish is Miss Mustard Seed milk paint inside and out. With kids in the house I didn't want to use stain with the heavy chemical smell so I mixed the milk paint with a lot of water to look like a stain. That product is so easy to use and looks great. Needless to say my wife loves her pie safe. Thanks Ana for this site and the inspiration to give this a try. I'm hooked!
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Topcoat - 2 coats of hemp oil
Painted entire piece in Curio first to get the layered look on the distressed finish. 2 coats of Shutter Gray over the Curio.
Comments
Sat, 10/31/2015 - 09:36
Beautiful!
This is really beautiful! Might I ask where you got your tin inserts? Thanks!
Tue, 12/01/2015 - 11:13
Tins
Thank you for the comments. I ordered the tins from Irvin's online. They were quick to ship and were packaged well. Here's the link
https://www.irvins.com/category/Kitchen-Cabinet-Punched-Tin-Panels/08_2…
Modified X end tables
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I modified the plans for a smaller size and used pallet wood as well as 2x4s and 2x6s ( scraps I had from earlier projects)
Comments
Wed, 12/26/2018 - 13:41
These are gorgeous! Love the
These are gorgeous! Love the modified size. Thanks so much for bragging!
Outdoor Sectional with Slat Design
Dining Room Buffet Cabinet
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I scoured the web unsuccessfully for months trying to find a cabinet big enough to store everything we needed to store. I wanted something huge and bright and simple, and so I decided to just build away. It's 8'4" long, 18" deep and 36" tall. Topped with a slab of Giallo Napoleon granite and painted a nice plain white. Took me only a few nights to build and paint, thanks to my power nailer and power paint sprayer. Thanks to a great deal on a remnant granite slab, this was just about $400 total start to finish. I winged the entire plan and didn't really use any plans in particular, though I have gathered many great ideas and tips from this site.
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Comments
Sat, 08/13/2011 - 14:51
Beautiful!
Wow - looks great! You would think it was done by a pro! You should be very proud of your finished product.
Tue, 12/04/2018 - 06:43
Where did you find these cabinets ?
Trying to find cabinets like this. Did you buy them or build them?
Toy garage
I got inspired by Ana to design my own toy garage - so that there would be somewhere to store all the hot wheels that kept piling up! I have no idea what the angle is for the driveway ramp - it was trial and error with help from my husband, but it's pretty sturdy. Between the mitered cut and the copious amounts of glue, it holds the weight of a 25 lb toddler walking up it (though I try to discourage it!).
I used chalkboard paint and acrylics - so that we can draw parking stalls, lanes, or arrows as desired - my son helped with the painting. So far, the favorite activities are sending the cars down the ramp, one after another...
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Shabby Chic Platform Bed
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I had a similar bed in grad school that I had purchased from Walmart. I loved the design but despised the quality. I was obviously very happy to find this plan here and had no reason to not invest in the required tools and supplies for my very first woodworking project.
This was very easy to make. I did have a small issue in that some of my lumber was bowed but a little improvisation fixed the problem.
I used pocket screws to join the headboard pieces and also used 4 cleats at the back of the headboard to keep it all together. I did not nail it to the wall stud and I see no sign of warping.
I used a semi-gloss polyurethane finish, but I am not a fan of it and will not use it again. I also did not sand between polyurethane coats and wish I had done so. In future I will use a satin polyurethane finish or wax.
I did not use glue because I would like to take the bed apart if and when I move houses. It is nonetheless a sturdy piece and is held together very well.
In short I am very proud of my very first build and the little imperfections are all lessons well learnt.
Comments
Ana White Admin
Thu, 08/04/2022 - 20:38
Fun!
Love the paint job, these look awesome!