Community Brag Posts

Rustic X Coffee Table

Submitted by bashir007 on Sun, 12/23/2012 - 07:52

Used cedar wood so I applied a few costs of oil based polyurethane to compensate for the softness of the wood.

Estimated Cost
75
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Steel wool and vinegar solution with an oil based polyurethane finish.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Beadboard Headboard and Footboard

Submitted by M R Fixit on Thu, 10/02/2014 - 17:21

This project took a lot longer than anticipated. I had the entire bed built when it somehow fell over on its own and broke into pieces. It was at that moment that I decided when I rebuilt the bed that I would not use MDF. I used 3/4 ply for the back and I ripped a 1x8 for the top of the head board and foot board. I also used 3/4" half round to cover my semi noticeable saw marks from ripping the board. I didn't have a metal gram for the bed so I made rails out of 2x8"s and ripped a 2x4 in half to make the ledge for the slats. For this bed I placed 3/4 sheeting down instead of slats and set the mattress on that. I also had to fill in the holes from the crown with triangular fillers for the foot board since it would be seen.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
I had to build it twice so about $450
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
White high gloss paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Farmhouse closet

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/16/2017 - 04:56

I had so much trouble deciding what to do with this HUGE closet in my breezeway.  Previously it had just one bar across the top and ugly sliding doors.  I loved Ana's design, but made several changes.  Since my closet was super deep (32") I extended the depth of her design to about 25".  I also staggered the rods for longer coats, and one that my 8 year old can actually reach to hang her stuff up!  I changed the shelf design up a little bit too!  Her instructions are super easy to change to your specifications.  I did end up spending about $350 on this project, but keep in mind I was using 3 - 1x8's for each shelf instead of 1x4s.  

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$350
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Dark Walnut
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Tall Barn Door Cabinet

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 11/03/2024 - 11:23

My son wanted the baker's rack in my kitchen to use as a coffee bar, so he built this cabinet as a replacement for me. His first build. The top is a piece of white oak with a live edge that was given to us more than a decade ago. I'm so pleased!

Toy Chest!

Submitted by Dunnski on Wed, 12/26/2012 - 06:54

I made this for my 5 year old niece for Christmas...she loved it! Got a big hug without her parents saying a word.

Considering it's only my third woodworking project I was pleased with the results. Her Mom has requested one for London's baby brother; if I learn from my mistakes that one should be even better.

I painted all of the pieces separately before assembly, so the project was spread out over several days. If you're good enough to paint it all at once it's a weekend project.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
About $75, much less if you have paint on hand
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Emmerson Changing Table

Submitted by The Smiths on Mon, 10/06/2014 - 22:14

My wife and I decided to build this with the same intent as Ana, to use as a changing table for our baby due in January 2015. We haven't built the topper yet but we're thrilled with the console table!

We did a lot of research on lumber before purchasing and ended up going through a local lumberyard, Gilcrest-Jewett for all but the pine 1x's which were purchased from lowes since the lumberyard didn't stock them in as many varying lengths and would have to mill them all from 1x4's. We used white birch purebond plywood. I understand Home Depot also carries this brand and may have been a little cheaper but the lumberyard cut all the pieces. Since we don't have a truck, hauling two 4x8' sheets of plywood wasn't an option and they can be super accurate with their wall saw. Totally worth it. 

The instructions for the doors say to use glue and nails but we took it a step further and secured each board to the one before it using pocket holes, in addition to the glue. We then covered the pocket holes with the 1x3's, securing with 1 1/4" finish nails. 

This was our first experience with edge banding and it really makes everything look so much more professional. If I were to give any tips, I would say to put it on the fronts of the shelf before putting the 1x2" frame in place so you can hide it, and also that I found it to be easier to use my sheet sander to get the edges off instead of a razor blade as the instructions suggest. 

This was also our first experience with doors. I found that paint sticks work well to achieve that perfect gap around the edges. I should have measured and not assumed but we ended up having to add a piece in the middle of the two doors because the 1x3's (typically 2 1/2" wide) were just under 1/8" too narrow. Make sure you measure those boards before putting it all together. 

In the end, we're thrilled with how this turned out. It's a real solid piece of furniture that's made to last. We actually looked at this piece at a West Elm and the floor model felt flimsy and thrown together. Great plans, thanks Ana!

Estimated Cost
$225
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Rust-Oleum Ultimate Wood Stain in Carrington, followed by Rust-Oleum Ultimate Polyurethane in Matte. This is a wiping stain that was applied with 3" foam brushes and wiped off following the directions on the can. We let the stain dry for 24 hours before applying 3 coats of the polyurethane. The polyurethane was also applied with a 3" foam brush. We chose this finish to get it as flat as possible while still protecting the finish and this is one of very few matte/flat top coats that we could find around town. The only other option is General Finishes flat, which is quite amazing but very expensive. We had heard good things about the stain so decided to give the polyurethane a try. It worked out well.

We taped off boards one at a time on the door and sanded with a sheet sander. It's easy for the tape to get all torn up while sanding so we had to replace it several times.

We chose to not fill any holes since most that were visible were just from the nail gun on the frame and the inside pocket holes were so uniform that it actually looks nice. No wood conditioner was used either.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Loft bed

We recently moved to Texas from Virginia and downsized in living space. Our 3 1/2 year old son had his own playroom so unfortunately we don't have an extra room for that any longer. My solution to that problem was building this loft bed. We altered the plans to fit our measurements (smaller bedroom). We also made it taller so we could use it longer. Also we didn't have a keg jig so we invested in that within that $200 cost. My husband and I built this in one evening from start to finish. 6pm to 2 am! This was also our first wood project. Not bad I say!

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

Pantry Door Storage - 78 inch tall version.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 01/22/2017 - 09:47

Pantry Door Storage

Thank you for your plans.  Love this!  I made a few errors and would make a few changes if I were to do it again...  I would make the dowels higher from the shelves (I think I made a mistake).  I would also try to place the dowels closer to the front of the unit to give deeper shelf space - bigger space containers would benefit from deeper storage.  But it's a great improvement over the commercial options.  Combined with motion sensor LED lights, the pantry is much improved!  Thanks again! 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
60
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Coffee Table

Submitted by yokhaidan on Sat, 10/10/2020 - 01:38

Thank you Ana!

Love your site!
That was my first wood project, and it turned out awesome!

Here are the unfinished, and the finished version, with transparent matt lacquer.
I also added some wheels for easy moving around.

Yokhai

Estimated Cost
~80$
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
transparent matt lacquer
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

Home Office Furniture - DIY Desk with Built-in Bookshelves

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 11/14/2024 - 08:19

"These “built-in” bookshelves are a fun IKEA hack and just about every book we have comes from library book sales and thrift shops. There’s nothing like paying 50 cents or $1 to find out you discovered a rare gem of a book worth hundreds! Our desk is also a #diyproject made with an Ana White plan." - rootedchildhood on Instagram

Built from Plan(s)
Seasonal And Holiday

Farmhouse Table

My husband and I love entertaining, but our small kitchen table was just not cutting it for both our space and our hosting abilities. We decided that instead of searching for the perfect table and spending a ton of money, we would just build our own table. We found that Ana's Rustic Table plans best matched what we were looking for, but my husband being the detailed person that he is didn’t just want to take her measurements and run with them. So we taped off the floor around our old table to decide how large we wanted our own table to be.

We basically followed Ana White’s plans to a T. Until it got to the legs. Ana White used 2×4′s for her legs, but we decided we liked the look of chunkier 4×4 legs instead. We also did things in a different order, like attaching the legs to the apron before attaching the table top. This did make everything way easier when it came to painting, no tape needed. We also stained the bottoms and sides of the tabletop boards before attaching them to the apron. After the top was attached I stained the top side and applied about 3-4 coats of Matte polyurethane. I like the matte finish because it doesn’t add any sheen and makes things look even more rustic; however, we’ll have to add a regular coat of poly as well because the matte is too soft for something that will see such rough use over the years. And now for what you’re all wondering about, how much did this project cost us?

  • Wood – $86
  • Stain (Dark Walnut) – $7.77
  • Paint (Olympic Snow Storm) – $11.97
  • Polyurethane (Rustoleum Matte finish) – $11.93
  • If that is all we needed to buy then our total would have been: $117.67.
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$300
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Dark Walnut
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

mistyclinton

Mon, 12/31/2012 - 09:43

Your table is gorgeous! You did an amazing job.

I am getting ready to attempt my first two projects, bookshelves and a buffet table. I had a couple of questions about how you got such a consistent stain.

1) The Stain - What kind of stain did you use? How many coats did it take? Did you use a conditioner first?

2) Wood filler - How did you get the wood filler to match the stained areas so well? What kind did you use?

Thanks for the advice! I was thinking I would have to paint the buffet but after seeing your table I think I may actually attempt the stain.

Kitchen Shelving

Just finished this project...took a little longer than I expected...it was a low cost project...I had most of the stock...but probably would cost around $75 to make. Paint and stain were the most expensive items. This was a lot of fun to make...Now to make the matching table...LOL

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Varathane Spring Oak Stain
Behr Paint....Crème White
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Square X Base Pedestal Gym Floor Table

I used the "square x bass pedestal" plans to complete this 4' card table. The top is made from reclaimed gym flooring from the local high school. The "x base pedestal" provides a nice sturdy base for the large table. The project was completed over several weekends when I had time to work on it. 

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
I painted the base and frame around the top with a black gloss paint. The top and base both have 3 coats of water based polyacryllic.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

First build

Submitted by blondewolf on Wed, 10/14/2020 - 08:45

I built this chair out of scrap lumber and leftover stain I had on hand for proof of concept. I love it. I’m calling it the sherbet chair, lol. I’ll definitely be making more in the future. I learned a lot in the process.

Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Variety of stain colors

Comments

Hockey Gear Drying Stand

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 11/21/2024 - 08:34

Kids gear was getting so mildewy in between practices. This was easy to build with scrap wood I had laying around and really helps the gear dry. - KuhnTosa

Built from Plan(s)

Reading Nook

Submitted by bjhoove on Tue, 01/01/2013 - 10:17

From Closet to Reading Nook ... it took me a month from start to finish to complete and worth every minute spent on it! Come by to see the full story ...

http://www.joy2journey.com/2013/01/01/reading-nook-before-and-after/

No plan was needed for this project, just imagination :)

Hugs and Happy 2013!
Bj
http://www.joy2journey.com

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Jacobean Stain, Calypso Berry 35A-6 paint, and White paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Farmhouse table and benches

Submitted by Magnus on Sat, 10/18/2014 - 18:08

The kitchen remodel left me with 400sqft of old-growth-pine laying around(60year old subfloor). While still pine, this was too good to throw away. So I decided to build a kitchen table and some benches.

Given these were old tounge and groove 2x6 I spent a lot of time with the planer, so hardly a weekend project. Further more I decided to use biscuit joints. The table probably took me like 5-6 weekends and the benches another 4...

My kids already managed to put some dents in the table, but that just makes it look more rustic.

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
I used Minwax for this project. Started of with a light coat of pre-stain, then stained it twice with 'Red Mahogony #225'. The kitchen table I spray-painted 4-5 coats with Semi-gloss Polyurethane and polished it off with some 'finish wax'. I did regret the semi-gloss on the table so the benches I just painted 3 coats of satin polyurethane...
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

fire pit bench

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 01/26/2017 - 18:34

fire pit bench

Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Kitchen Island

Submitted by TX_Richie on Sun, 10/18/2020 - 02:32

I’m very excited for my first project. Not to be boastful, but I am very proud of myself. So my wife decided she wanted a kitchen island. I began from the top of the plans and about halfway through I realized I have a small kitchen. The wife came in and said “that’s way to big). So I had to make a lot of adjustments. For instance, the 4x4 legs became 2x2. I was afraid it would not be sturdy enough, but it turned out nice. I left out the portion of the plans for the range and just made a bigger shelf to accommodate my wife’s mixers and other large kitchen items. Instead of a second shelf I made a slide out trash can (single instead of double). It fits the kitchen well and more importantly the wife loves it. Now to build stools. Thanks to your site Ana, I was able to make a place for my family to have dinner together. My daughter helped me with this project and has been asking when we will start our next project.

Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
I did the top in Jacobean (Minwax). It only needed one coat. Then used clear (water based) polyurethane.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments