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my first project - Kitchen Island

Submitted by eyall on Wed, 03/16/2016 - 02:27

Made from Easy Kitchen Island Plan With a few changes.

Body built from pine, Top surface built of oak.
The shelves were shortened by half To make room for two chairs.
Body painted with varnish polished sporadically.

Top Painted with three layers of varnish after polishing.

Built from Plan(s)
Easy Kitchen Island Plans
Estimated Cost
wood - body 100$, top 200$
paint and others - 50$
total - 350$
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
varnish
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Fire-pit Life

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 10/28/2019 - 18:38

Fortunate enough to live on a beautiful river, my wife and I decided we were done bringing the folding chairs out for each weekly bon fire. Our three girls love s’mores and we wanted a great atmosphere with a place to easily grab wood and snacks in the dark while we enjoyed the outdoors. The combination of plans took us about a week to finish. The kids were away for the weekend and we rented an auger to drill the post holes. This proved to be the most difficult part of the project. It took nearly the whole weekend to dig out the unexpected granite and all the patience that we had in reserves. Once the posts were set, it was only a slightly uphill battle.
My wife made the bench in the time it took to return the auger and come home. The fire pit benches were also a pleasure to assemble and the most functional part of the project. I suspect the whole thing would have been faster if the large posts were easier to cut through. That treated lumber can eat saw blades! When setting the top posts it was also a two ladder and two person job. They were quite heavy and a little nerve wracking to set if you don’t love heights and a heavy load. We would do this project again in a heartbeat as it is a feature in our yard and makes for many enjoyable family and friend gatherings. The fire pit bench top is also great for hosting the entire bbq meal assortments to select from.

Built from Plan(s)
Large Modern Porch Swing Couch
Firepit Benches with Table and Storage
Estimated Cost
$1000
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
None, treated lumber, 3 years later and still looks brand new!
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Seasonal And Holiday
Spring
Summer

Daughters simple bed with arch

Submitted by Brian on Sun, 03/04/2012 - 08:10

We had just moved from OH to NC and needed a bed for our daughter. We decided to build rather than buy when we found out the prices. We built it out of pine since we plan to upgrade to something bigger in a few years. The plans were easy to follow and we made a few changes to fit our needs and the trundle we built under it for stuffed animal storage for now. The process was simple since we bought all the material in one place. We glued each piece and used screws to hold it all together. We purchased brackets from online to allow us to remove the rails from the head and foot board for moving. Sanded each piece with 180 than 220 grit sandpaper and wood filled all the cracks for a smooth finish.

Estimated Cost
200.00
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Bunk bed for American Girl dolls

Submitted by Trekker on Wed, 01/01/2014 - 12:58

This doll bunk bed was constructed by my twin sons (age 9) and me as a Christmas present for their younger sister.

The tools used were:

Circular saw with Eurekazone tracks
Random orbital sander
320 grit sanding sponge
HVLP 4-stage sprayer
Dowelmax
Kreg Jig
18 gauge brad nailer
Various Clamps
Oscillating Multitool
Chisels

The Eurekazone tracks allowed me to easily rip the thicker stock for the ladder steps and also allowed for boards to be cut to identical lengths as necessary.

The Dowelmax was used for the head and foot of the bed. It allows for very close alignment of the faces. A quick sanding allowed for straight gap-free alignment. It also allowed the boys to easily drill straight.

The Kreg jig was used with two screws at the end of each board. This allowed the use of the Kreg 90 degree clamp in one of the holes. The holes were filled with the Kreg paint-grade plugs. The top boards were aligned by setting the bed upside down on the bench for alignment.

The plywood was attached using a gel cyanoacrylate glue with a few brads.

The oscillating multitool was used to flush cut the Kreg plugs. The little bit of plug left after that was trimmed off with a chisel.

Built from Plan(s)
Doll Bunk Beds for American Girl Doll and 18" Doll
Estimated Cost
$40
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
The topcoat is Sherwin Williams Kem Aqua Plus White, Mid Gloss (Sheen 45-50) tinted to Whisper. This paint is in Sherwin Williams commercial line and most stores don't carry it. It has the advantage of being very fast drying: 15 minutes to touch, 25 minutes to sand, and 25 minutes to recoat. We applied three coats with an HVLP 4-stage sprayer using a 1.4mm aircap. We sanded between coats with a 320 grit sanding sponge. In order to get a sag-free finish, I laid the piece on its side before spraying so that the finish could be sprayed on a flat surface. The fast drying time allowed me to lay the piece on sides that were sprayed less than a half-hour before without any sticking or marking. The primer was General Finishes White Undercoat. We applied one coat with an HVLP 4-stage sprayer using a 1.4mm aircap. This is a very thick finish but it has great grain filling properties and is very sandable. The plywood platform finish was General Finishes Enduro-Var, Satin (Sheen 30). We applied three coats with a foam brush, sanding between coats with a 320 sanding sponge.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

HD

Thu, 01/02/2014 - 08:47

I was looking at the closeups of your joints. The dowel joints are seamless. I used dowels when I made this bunk for my kids, but I didn't use "blind" dowels like you. I used simply drilled a hole through the joint, inserted a dowel, and trimmed off the extra (so called "through" dowel joints). I painted it so you don't see the dowel, but you're joints look nearly perfect and can be used with a clear finish. I'm envious.

Trekker

Fri, 01/03/2014 - 11:21

The real key was the Dowelmax jig. You can easily get 1/100th of an inch accuracy across reference faces (basically as accurate as your fingertips can sense). After that, it's just a bit of sanding.

Using the pocket holes was a bit trickier for both alignment and filling in the holes. Using two pockets holes so that one could be used for clamping made the alignment easier. I would have skipped the pocket holes entirely, but I had dowel interference problems if I used dowels for both the ends and the sides. Pocket hole screws easily screwed into the end dowels that were hidden. The pocket holes would also make a clear finish more difficult (I'd probably stain it first to blend the inserts with the normal wood).

Weathered Wood Finish Farmhouse Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 03/19/2016 - 18:11

We get so many compliments on this table! Adjusted it to be a little shorter and narrower for our space.

http://thetarragonahouse.com/2016/03/19/past-projects/

Blog Link
The Tarragona House
Built from Plan(s)
Fancy X Farmhouse Table
Estimated Cost
$65
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
1. Early American
2. 70/30 Weathered Gray/Early American
3. Light wipe of Sunbleached
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Laundry Station

Submitted by M0saic0318 on Tue, 10/29/2019 - 20:09

I built this project for my daughter’s birthday. Her laundry area was a mess in her kitchen and she had no place to fold the clothes. This laundry station keeps her laundry area tidy, and it looks great!

Built from Plan(s)
Laundry Station
Estimated Cost
$50
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Espresso stain
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Repurposed Tool Trunk/Carpenter's Chest

This was an old handmade tool trunk/carpenter's chest my dad gave me many years ago. It had been painted over many times and was quite ugly. I decided to strip it and refinish it. It is made of yellow pine and has many dings and countless nails in it. I think it just adds to the charm. It is now a coffee table.

Blog Link
Refinished Trunk/Coffee Table
Estimated Cost
$30
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax gunstock stain (2 coats) and Minwax fast drying stain 3 and 4 coats. I also applied Briwax for additional protection. I must admit the stripping was quite a task. I must have gone through 2 gallons of paint stripper using a putty knife, wire brushes, and a dremel tool. The hardware was impossible to remove so I had to leave it on. I also had to hand sand much of it due to the many dings in the wood. I painted the hardware using Rust Oleum spray primer (brown) and Rust Oleum spray paint (dark brown).

The grooves on top were packed with wood putty. It was difficult to remove. I am thinking of maybe adding some cast iron pieces to fill these. I have also ordered some handles from Vandykes.com and will add them when they come in. I will add photos of the changes as I make them.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

viola

Thu, 03/08/2012 - 09:59

I would love to see plans for this great chest. It looks great!

windjamer812

Sun, 03/11/2012 - 01:47

I will have to draw something up. Or at least give the measurements. It really wasn't created to be a piece of furniture, though I use it as a coffee table. It really is heavy because it uses 2 layers of wood on the exterior and interior and then an abundance of nails were used and driven through both layers and then bent over. It made the refinish quite a challenge. Try sanding around all of those bent over nails w/o tearing your sandpaper. I also quit counting at 5 layers of paint. Much of it wasn't today's latex which removes quite easily. It was given to me by my deceased father so every minute I spent on it was sure worth it.

I have one more similar to it that I plan on refinishing in the near future. I am also on the hunt for an antique factory cart.

Our Daughter's 7th Birthday Gift

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 03/21/2016 - 10:30

We used the site plans and then added on more trim (front, around the roof and the corner pieces - plus "crown", "baseboard" and "chair rail". 

Built from Plan(s)
American Girl Dollhouse - Fits 18" Dolls
Estimated Cost
I purposefully did not keep track so that I could be in denial when we were done :).
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Goose1078

Sun, 11/20/2016 - 17:26

Hi,  the house looks great!!  What did you use for the crown and base? 

 

Thx, 

Frank 

Boys room with Hanging Beds

This is a room that we redid so that our two boys that shared the room could have a room that felt more age appropriate and allowed for better function. They have always had to share a room but have never had the space to have desks or much seating. So we hung both their beds from the wall and the ceiling allowing them to have some space under the beds for storage and a small desk. Having the beds up high keeps the area under the bed much cleaner. We also built a window seat for storage and used pallet wood to create a feature wall. The stairs between the beds also have storage accessible from both sides for books and toys. We did the same basic thing in the other boys room but had to do two sets of stairs because of the layout of the room. The stairs were built from a modified version of the Sweet Pea Garden Bunk Bed Stairs. http://ana-white.com/woodworking-projects/sweet-pea-bunk-bed. The beds we just basically took the legs off the beds we had and added braces in the corners.

Estimated Cost
300
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Just plain paint on the finish. We might have gone with a lighter color on the stairs next time as it is hard to see them in the dark. The boys wanted a manly paint scheme so we stuck with the darker colors they wanted.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Shop Bench

Submitted by zakany on Mon, 03/12/2012 - 10:47

I built this bench to practice making base cabinets. Made the cabinets rather large (24 inches wide and deep). Provides a large, sturdy work area.

Built from Plan(s)
Kitchen Cabinet Sink Base 36 Full Overlay Face Frame
Estimated Cost
$250
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Three coats of Minwax Polycrylic, smoothed with 320-grit sandpaper between coats.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Pallet sliding barn door console

Submitted by juanpicipo on Thu, 03/24/2016 - 17:00

Utilicé pino y la madera de dos pallets. Modifiqué el plano original para que entrara en el espacio con el que contaba.

Built from Plan(s)
Grandy Barn Door Console
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

paolans12

Tue, 08/16/2016 - 11:08

Hola, tendras fotos o planos de como lo construiste?? te importaria compartirlas ?? es mi primer proyecto y me siento un poco insegura 

Rustic X Console

It turned out so pretty!! 

Built from Plan(s)
Rustic X Console Table
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Special walnut stain and Satin polyurethane coating
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Desk with Drawer

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 07/24/2023 - 12:45

Hi Ana
My granddaughter is starting first grade in the Fall. She needs a desk so I checked out your site and found this simple yet functional project. It worked up in no time. Now Gianna just needs to pick a paint color.

I also found a slight boo boo in the plans. See the marked up cut list.
Thanks for all you do.

David Grilli

 

Built from Plan(s)
A Simple Modern Desk

outdoor sectional

We loved the idea of an outoor sectional but was wanting it to be in just two pieces. I modified the plan so we had only two seats and two ottomans.

The cushions are from the big orange store and most of the wood is from their discount rack. (.51 for each board) this saved me quite a bit of money :)

It fits perfect under our covered patio and will get lotsof use when it warms up enough to have pool parties and cook outs.

Thanks Ana for helping make our homes US!

Built from Plan(s)
Simple Modern Outdoor Sectional - Armless Piece with Corner/End Option
Estimated Cost
$650.00 the cushions were $500.00 of the that
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Cabots deck and siding stain in semi transparent. Wooden plugs were used in screw holes. Then corners and hard to rech places stain was applied with a small brush the rest I used a small roller to apply the stain.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Guest (not verified)

Fri, 04/06/2012 - 10:27

Looks great! Love how you modified to make it less pieces. I am finally going to try it this weekend. Hope it turns out as awesome as yours!

MissyMama

Fri, 02/22/2013 - 05:53

Hi there I have recently found this site and have absolutely fallen in love. I just thought I'd ask I love how you modified the original plans to make 2 pieces plus the ottomans instead of creating singles. Are you willin to provide me with details on how you modified the dimensions and measurements please? I would greatly appreciate it.

JAck74

Sun, 12/21/2014 - 16:32

Do you have the specs I would love to create this.. or just additional pics?

Washer/Dryer Pedestal

Submitted by Codding58 on Mon, 03/28/2016 - 11:00

I tailored my pedestal to work with the limited space that I had to work with. I began by "cleating" a 2x4 board to the studs on the back and side walls using 1/4" lag bolts. I then laid a sheet of 3/4" MDF on top and screwed that down to the cleats. Afterwards I built the supporting 2x6 legs underneath and screwed those to the top MDF board. We put a strip of 1x2 across the top-front side to keep the machines from ever "walking off" the pedestal. We then painted and trimmed out the front face and the legs. The wife is very pleased with the project, and loves the added space in our laundry room because we can now store the dirty clothes underneath the machines.

Built from Plan(s)
Farmhouse Washer Dryer Pedestals Bases
Estimated Cost
Around $50 including the molding, MDF, lag bolts, and paint. The 2x6 boards were left over scrap, but would not have added much to the total.
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
White Paint (baer)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Soda Crate Caddy

I decided to make this for our dining room table. I was going to use reclaimed wood but it's a hot commodity a round here these days, so I decided to use pine and let the wife paint and distress it.

Built from Plan(s)
Reclaimed Soda Crate Caddy
Estimated Cost
$10.00
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Red Paint Distressed and clear coated
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

High Chair for 18" dolls

Submitted by petera on Thu, 01/09/2014 - 07:47

My daughters loved this plan. I added one extra thing to the original, making the tray flip up and down.

Thanks for the plan. Happy kids at my house!

Blog Link
doll-high-chair
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
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