Community Brag Posts

Barn door bookcase

Submitted by Kristi88 on Mon, 05/04/2020 - 15:20

This is my second project and I am really happy with how it turned out! I needed more storage in my kitchen but I only had a 3 foot wide wall to put this up against, so I altered the plans to 5 feet 7 inches tall by 3 feet wide. The handle is an antique from my great great grandmother and dates back to the 1800s. I think it adds some character to the piece.
Thank you for the plans Ana! I can't wait to start my next project!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
450 CAD
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Rustoleum chalk paint in aged grey for the unit and Ipswich by varathane for the door.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

acantiello

Fri, 05/15/2020 - 08:31

This looks so beautiful! Similar to you, I have a 3 foot wide wall to place this against. As a beginner here, and my head hurting when I do try to adjust the measurements... Would you happen to still have the measurements that you utilized?

Play Structure & Swing Set

Submitted by Colby032 on Fri, 04/18/2014 - 11:52

My second building project... this one took quite a while, building in the evenings after the kids went to bed.

The playhouse is based off of Ana's Playhouse Building series, with some modifications to fit the space in my backyard and accommodate climbing wall, monkey bars, and slide.

To put the main deck structure into the ground for sturdiness while protecting from moisture, I dug out 5 holes to fit single hole cinder blocks (4 corners plus an extra 4x4 for the monkey bars; you can see an leftover block on the ground in one of the pictures). I placed some brick in the holes, then the cinder blocks on top. I then partially filled the cinder blocks with sand, put the pre-built deck in the cinder block holes (with help - it's heavy!), and then filled the rest of the cinder block holes with sand. It's worked remarkably well - the deck has been up for about a year now. I also sprayed some clear waterproof sealant on the bottom part of each beam near the ground for extra protection (deck, monkey bars, climbing walls, and swingset A-frame). This has allowed me to still run sprinklers near/around the playset and even grow grass underneath the swings!

Materials used:
* Playhouse: pine, plywood, Suntuf solar grey polycarbonate corrugated roofing panels (I live in Arizona, so little rain to worry about but lots of heat - the sheeting lets light in but blocks most of the UV rays, corrugated shape also provides venting at top when placed sideways)

* Deck/Swingset/Monkey bars: treated lumber, composite decking, pine for railings, monkey bars purchased from Amazon

* Climbing wall: pine, treated lumber, handholds/railing bought off ebay/Amazon

* Swings/slide/bongos/wheel, telescope: purchased from Amazon

Modifications:
* Turned playhouse 90 degrees to be in back of the deck, with swingset coming off the side. This meant the support beam for the swingset had to pass through the playhouse - modified the frame for that wall slightly and created a notch for the beam to pass through.

* Slide comes out one end of playhouse - made the "window" on that end larger than the plans called for in order to give room for the slide.

* Monkey bars come off one side of the deck - used extra 4x4 here to create support for the bars, and used extra bars to make a ladder on this side

* Climbing wall instead of ladder for main entrance

* Put large window in back wall of the playhouse

* Added cross bracing to side of decking on swingset end to make it more solid/cut down on sway when swinging

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Paint on playhouse, water seal on railings
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

yubbie2

Tue, 04/29/2014 - 20:41

This is phenomenal - just the plan & design we've been looking for. Can you upload a few more pictures? Any sketches you can provide? Shopping list? Really great job - I hope your kids love it. It looks awesome.

JeremyFox

Wed, 04/30/2014 - 04:53

Love it! I like the way it sits right next to a tree - I thought it was a tree house at first.

Colby032

Wed, 09/10/2014 - 14:03

Thanks! It's certainly nestled in right behind that tree - I originally was going to place it in between that tree and another one but then decided to just place it behind them in order to take better advantage of shade (critical in AZ) and fit in everything I wanted to put on it (monkey bars, swings, slide, climbing wall)

masons_momma2015

Mon, 07/08/2019 - 00:48

We've  been looking at these type of players for our son, and good grief! Prices are astronomical for playsets that are NOTHING like this. This absolutely an amazing  place for those boys to make memories. You're  amazing!  Do you mind if I ask what it cost once it was finished? I never imagined  that it would cause a tic in my eye to look at the kids from Lowe's or anywhere else for that matter.

Colby032

Tue, 08/20/2019 - 10:14

I don't remember how much it cost in the end... but probably around $900?  That may include getting some tools that I needed but didn't have at the time.  The slide was the most expensive single piece I bought - I think I got it from Amazon.

When it was all done, I remember thinking that what I got for my money was *way* beyond what I would have gotten by purchasing a kit or a pre-built play structure.  Plus, by going my own way, I was able to build it to fit my space and the needs/abilities of my kids.

While the whole thing is big and looks like an intimidating build, it really isn't bad - the platform is a fairly blank base to design everything else off of, and is incredibly sturdy.  Everything else is a discrete part that branches off of the platform and can be planned out as you need.  Adding the monkey bars required putting in a 5th upright (the first 4 are the corners), but that was an easy modification since I knew I wanted it before building the platform.  The playhouse just sat on top of the platform (screwed down, of course).

 

patelscope

Sat, 08/01/2020 - 20:40

Hello. This is pretty cool, probably the best modification that I am looking for from Ana's default plans. Could you please add some more detail on the right side wall, and how you incorporated the support beam through the playhouse? (with maybe a picture from inside of that wall). And secondly, if you can add the dimensions for the monkey bar setup on the left side of the deck? Thanks, much appreciated

Garden bed with folding screens

Submitted by Kate_14 on Wed, 05/27/2020 - 09:39

I added folding screens to my garden bed to prevent my dog to go in it. It can also discourage hares, cats and other animals. The folding screens make it easy to work in your garden.

Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
None
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Farmhouse King Bed- Beetle Kill Pine

This was our first build and it was quite a big project to take on to start with. We had so much fun and learned so much along the way. 

Our biggest lessons were to hand pick our wood and make sure we get the straightest pieces possible. We had to wrestle some wood to make this bed work!  Clamp everything especially when using large bolts as the pieces would pull apart from each other. We even used a ratchet strap at one point becuase our small clamps weren't cutting it. I'm sure there's a better way and we'd love to hear about it but we made what we had work. We also had to figure out how to attach the side rails and at what height. We ended up using 3 4-inch screws on each end to screw them into the posts.  

We love this bed not only because it was a labor of love but because its such a solid beautiful piece. 

Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax Polycrylic Water based - 4 coats, sanded using a 220 grit sanding block in-between each coat.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Huffaker6971

Sun, 08/18/2019 - 13:47

This is exactly what I've been looking for. Are there plans for this build?

sxewhodey

Sun, 03/01/2020 - 11:29

Very nice! I love the lighter wood too, but my wife likes the darker stain, so we compromised in the middle for the finish. Why  arethe post always so red? I can appreciate the natural tendency of nature to add color, but the 4*4's are always red-er in color. Do they always use a different pine or certain part of the tree for those?

BRISTOL OUTDOOR LOUNGE CHAIR

I followed Ana's plans to build the Bristol Outdoor Lounge Chair. I used White Oak for the chair. The plan was pretty easy to follow and i enjoyed the project. I am excited to build a second chair as well as other items that i will find of interest on her website.

James

Estimated Cost
$220 including cushions bought at Lowe's
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
I used General Finishes Exterior 450
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Farmhouse Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 09/21/2016 - 19:43

We love the look of farmhouse tables but we wanted to try building our own rather than spending over $1500 on one. 

We saw this tutorial on pinterest and we decided to make it our first woodworking project, we love how it turned out!

 

Estimated Cost
$300-$400
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
We used 1 coat of Minwax wood conditioner, followed by 1 coat of Minwax Early American. We finished it with 2 coats of Minwax Polyurethane, sanding lightly between coat 1 and 2.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Surfboard bench

Modified the sofa design and created a surfboard bench

Estimated Cost
£30
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Dark Oak woodstain

Rustic Table and Benches

Submitted by Veenstra on Mon, 09/10/2012 - 06:14

Originally built this to be part of a set and then took it home. (My two year old loves the bench!) Used 4x4s for the legs and increased the table thickness to 2".

Estimated Cost
About $175 (very good quality wood)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Danish Oil
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Shari Hurley

Thu, 03/07/2013 - 23:47

I love what you have done here with the 2" top, and the 4x4 legs. Do you have any plans for this or can you tell me how you attached the wider legs from the inside? Still just screwed it in or some kind of bracket? Thanks :)

In reply to by Shari Hurley

Veenstra

Tue, 06/24/2014 - 11:53

I am just seeing this comment now! I used the plans provided, just switching out the top and legs. I did add a few extra 2x2s under the table top. The end 2x2s are right next to the legs and add a little extra support.

Farmhouse Storage Bed

Submitted by abbpim on Thu, 09/13/2012 - 09:35

I made this farmhouse storage bed using three different plans! For the headboard and footboard I used the plans for the regular (with no storage) Farmhouse bed. For the storage and bed part I used the farmhouse storage bed plans. I also put the footboard on hinges so that I could access the huge amount of storage under the bed. I got that idea from someone else on here who posted it. Hers had a built in box below the footboard for storage but I just really like having the massive space under there. (My kids think its their fort!) We also put 2x2 kickstands on hinges on the sides behind the footboard so that we could stand the footboard as a table. (I really don't think that feature will get utilized but oh well)! I'm very happy with how this bed turned out! This is the coolest coolest bedroom set I've ever had and I paid the smallest amount for it!!! It blows my mind! I did not add drawers because I really like the open look better. Thanks for these plans Ana and anyone else whose I looked at!

Estimated Cost
280
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
I used regular white paint mixed with primer and added coats of the dullest poly for protection.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

DIY Little Kids Picnic Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 06/07/2024 - 07:27

When I built the little kids picnic table, I substituted 1x4 lumber, except for the top slats, the seats and the cross supports. The measurements needed to be adjusted of course. It was a fun project to build. The plans were clear and easy to follow.

Rick

Built from Plan(s)
Seasonal And Holiday

Dollhouse

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 12/15/2016 - 11:31

When my daughter was born I promised that I would make her a dollhouse. A few weeks ago I found these plans, and absolutely loved the visual layout of the rooms. I stuck with this layout and tweeked the dimensions according to what worked best for the space it would proudly sit in. It is 46 inches high and 31 inches wide at the walls, and is made from 12 inch wide MDF which I primed with a latex primer and then finished off with a semi-gloss white on the majority of the walls. I also mixed the colors for the roof and also the 3 accent walls to give it an extra wee shot of color. 
I was very, very happy with the end result, and haviong caught what I now know as the "dollhouse bug" I though "what about if I added a chimney ?". So I added it. I then thought what about adding a roof ridge and something to cover my dodgy gable on the roof front . The house looked even better. Progressing onto full-blown "dollhouse-flu",  I then decided to make a chair for what would later be the living room. That was it, fully addicted now I couldn't stop and found myself obsessively planning, designing, messing up, re-designing, cutting, building and painting until I reached the point where last night I attended my first "DA" meeting. 
I found Dollhouse Annonymous very helpful and although not cured, I realise that it is perfectly acceptable for a 44 year old Scotsman to build a dollhouse for the daughter (naughty 2 1/2 year old daughter) that is the love of his life. If she is happy when she unwraps it on Christmas morning, then all of the work shall be worth it. 
This site is top of my bookmark list and I love it. !

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$90
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Indoor daybed without canopy

Submitted by marcyproch on Fri, 11/16/2012 - 18:52

I chose to modify the outdoor daybed with canopy for my finished basement, to replace a secondhand sleeper sofa.

The only power tool I used was a drill, including screwdriver bit -- with hand tools it took longer, but wasn't impossible.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Dark gray-brown semi-gloss paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Home Depot DIH Workshop Rolling Storage Cart

So I went to the DIH Workshop held at my local Home Depot and finished my cart over the weekend. I had the guy at HD cut my plywood down, won't make that mistake again. He made each one about a inch shorter than I asked for so I had to make my adjustments for everything else based on that. Next time I will take a tape measure with me to make sure instead of lugging everything to my car, taking it home and then measuring.

All-in-all I like the way it came out even with the minor adjustments still a fantastic cart.

Estimated Cost
$52
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Olympic Paint Gold
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Large Bench

This bench is freaking huge but I love how it turned out. A lot of pocket holes for the back so it took a lot of putty to cover those up but that’s to be expected. Proud of this one.

Estimated Cost
40
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Chestwick King Bed and Headboard

Submitted by ladybug618 on Wed, 12/28/2016 - 08:31

This project was a task! The bed is huge so we brought it into the room in pieces and put it together inside. Pretty happy with the outcome

Estimated Cost
$250
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Indoor Garden Boxes for Science Class

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 02/16/2017 - 19:12

After doing some string art with the Kindergarteners in my class, the were anxious to pound some nails in "all the way." I remembered seeing this plan before on Ana's website, and earlier in the week our science teacher had been talking to the Kindergarteners about how the seeds they had planted were starting to get too big for their containers. The students themselves suggested a bigger box to put them in, and just like that... our next project was born!

 

The students did every part of this build, except for the cutting of the boards. They loved it, and couldn't believe how quickly they put it together. Here are a couple of tweets to show these little #elemakers at work!

https://twitter.com/JimTiffinJr/status/830163344057327617

https://twitter.com/JimTiffinJr/status/830164086847655936

https://twitter.com/JimTiffinJr/status/830164527304077313

 

Thanks for sharing some very simple projects and plans that even the littlest of builders can do!

Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
none
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Chunky Truss Table

Submitted by DangerDad on Thu, 12/11/2014 - 13:38

This is my first full sized table project.  I wanted to make an inexpensive dining table with nice looks and this one fit the criteria.  I deviated from the plans by making the legs frames and the middle truss using rabbit and dado joinery.  As a result the middle truss and leg frames did not have to be fastened together with any screws.  This design modification made it easier to build in the garage and be able to move easily into the house for final assembly.  Top is made of SPF lumber stained to match the natural colour of the cedar legs and truss frame.  Thanks Ana for the inspiration to build this beutiful piece.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$150-$200
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax Stain (early american) and Minwax Helmsman finish.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

earthbybike

Thu, 12/11/2014 - 17:11

Love how you rounded the edges of the 4x4s and taylored the cross beam underneath. Just simply fabulous

ctufano

Mon, 07/24/2017 - 05:24

Hey Dangerdad! Wife and I bought cedar for the base and have all sanded, but are torn on how to stain. I liked your table, and was reading your description of your finish. Did you stain your cedar? You say you stained the top to match the natural cedar, so am thinking maybe you just sealed it without any stain?

Could you clarify? Thanks so much!

ctufano

Mon, 07/24/2017 - 05:25

Hey Dangerdad! Wife and I bought cedar for our table base and were discussing how to finish it. Did you stain your cedar? Your write up seems like you may have just finished it and not stained at all, and only stained the top? Just curious

 

Thanks so much!

 

Washer/dryer stand

Submitted by Hoff84 on Wed, 02/20/2013 - 09:58

Built this from the plans on this site. I beefed up the top frame with 2 extra 2x4's

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Lots of sanding
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

4x4 Truss Beam Table and bench

Love this plan and the table and bench turned out exactly as I hoped.  I did it by myself except for a little heavy lifting from my sweetheart. I researched the finish online and I am so happy with the results.

Estimated Cost
With finishing products and screws this was approximately $200
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax Pre stain conditioner, Minwax English Chestnut *( 2 coats), Varethane Poly *( 3 coats) then #0000 steel wool to smooth the bumps then Minwax Paste wax hand rubbed until the finish was perfect.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

wjc129

Tue, 02/10/2015 - 08:19

We have been shopping for tables and cannot find anything we like for a good price. I keep going back to building one myself. Your table top looks great .. nice and flat. Did you follow the plans to a T, did you use a kreg jig?

roadtripmom

Tue, 02/10/2015 - 22:13

I did change the dimensions of the top a little. I wanted a wider surface. I did use a kreg jig, it made it a breeze to build. I spent a lot of time on the finish, sanding, using steel wool, and several coats of polyurethane. Thank you for the compliment !

Homeschool Bookcase with Barn Door

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this homeschool bookshelf my husband made from your plans! THANK YOU! We homeschool three children and the clutter was overwhelming! This bookshelf provides storage and a beautiful accessibility to supplies without the clutter! THANK YOU!

Built from Plan(s)
Finish Used
Homeschool Bookshelf

Comments

Tall Corner entertainment Unit

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 06/01/2017 - 13:06

Loving this tall entertainment center to fit under my wall-mounted television!

The dogs cant knock over my photos anymore!!!!

Added some fancy trim pieces in the middle to match the trim on the bottom.  So sturdy and hides all my junk!

http://www.ana-white.com/2012/06/plans/tall-corner-media-console

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
fruitwood minsax stain
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate