Community Brag Posts

Hutch used for dresser top

Submitted by Lacihansen on Sun, 03/02/2014 - 22:34

I've always wanted a hutch on the dresser and this was the perfect match for what I wanted! I lengthened it to 48 in tall but followed the original plans other than that.

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Wadsworth patio

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 05/31/2016 - 13:55

This is my first time trying something like this and it went great.  I did mine with 2x4's. Thanks for all the great information. This took me a week, but I was only able to work on it during nap times for my baby. Uninterrupted it would of taken a weekend. The only negative thing is now my wife wants me to tackle a Farmhouse Table with benches. Pics soon to come of that I'm sure. Thanks again!

Estimated Cost
13 dollars for each chair, and 17 for the corner piece.
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Thompsons Water seal and stain Autumn Brown.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Adirondack Chairs with Shared Table

Love, love, love this plan! Easy to understand and build...it was sanding all the parts that took forever! ;-) It's been on my build list for a couple of years, and now looks great by my pool. I did use a more traditional arm style for the chair's 2 arms. I added the "table" between the 2 chairs by using scrap 1x4s, aligning them for spacing then used a chalk line, from corner of back arm 2x2/2x4 connection to the front 2x2/2x4 connect, and snapped a cut line. I then used a 1-1/2" hole saw and drilled a hole opening for the umbrella.

Thanks Ana! This is the second Ana White project I've tackled for the pool deck.

Estimated Cost
Under $35 as I had some scrap 2x4s and 1X4s I recycled and used paints I already had
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Behr 2-in-1 satin latex paint in various colors. I used 2 coats.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Apothecary Media Cabinet

Submitted by Kimiemich on Mon, 05/21/2012 - 07:36

This was our first wood-working project, and it was a BIG one. I think it took us about 50 hours, though we did add a couple complicating steps into the process. We installed full-extension drawer glides and stained instead of painting. Both of those added significantly to our time. We also added a lip around top solid wood planks to give it a more solid look, so of course that added to our time.

The plans were great, though we had a tough time keeping everything square. Our cabinet doors were 1 inch thick (1/2 inch door, plus 1/2 inch facade drawer fronts), and that made it almost IMPOSSIBLE to find hinges that would work with the cabinet doors. Cabinet hinges come ready to fit 3/4 inch doors OR whatever-thickness door with a 3/8 inch routed edge. So I ended up having to purchase some really heavy-duty specialized hinges from our specialty woodworking store, and those cost about $18/pair.

We're really happy with how it turned out, and it suits our needs great. See our process on my blog below.

Estimated Cost
$650
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
We sanded down to 200 grit, then applied General Finishes "American Walnut" oil-based stain. We applied it with a sponge brush, left it on for about 15 minutes, and then wiped off with a clean rag. We applied 6 layers of General Finishes "Arm-R-Seal", sanding with 600-grit between the 4th and 5th layers and once again after the 6th layer.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

spiceylg

Mon, 05/21/2012 - 09:34

Wow, you are ambitious for a first project and it came out great! Adorable, model, too, even from the back side, lol!

Now I need chairs!

Submitted by Akona4 on Tue, 03/04/2014 - 18:27

The top was made from big box 2x12s and after an exhausting search for untreated 4x4 lumber, I decided to use reclaimed beams.

Estimated Cost
$450
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Black tea, steel wool and vinegar mixture, clear paste wax mixed with Tudor brown briwax - 1 part brown to 10 parts clear, finished with liming wax.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Children's Craft Table with Attached Paper Roll

Submitted by bdel on Fri, 06/03/2016 - 12:17

This table was a birthday gift for my 3-year old cousin. It was fun to brainstorm ideas to get it exactly the way we wanted it instead of buying one pre-made. Once we had our plans it was an easy build, done over a weekend. A full list of materials as well as step-by-step instructions can be found in the blog post linked. The top is a 20x36 pine shelf board with a 1x2 pine apron attached underneath. There are vertical support boards to hold a raised tray for supplies, and to hold the paper roll under the table. Note that the table legs are inset at one end to accommodate the paper roll. We added two magnets to the face of the table and tied two knobs (with metal washers glued on) to the underside. The paper can then be sandwiched between the magnet and the metal and won't move around while the artist is at work. It's our favorite feature! There are also magnets glued to the inside bottom of the tray to hold the buckets in place and keep them from being knocked over easily. This project was so much fun! I love having the chance to share it with you all!

Estimated Cost
$70
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax polyurethane in clear semi-gloss. Lightly sanded between coats. Sanded with ultrafine steel wool before final coat. Note that the polyurethane may discolor the wood putty and make it stand out.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Nativity Stable for display

Wife wanted a stable for our Nativity decoration. Sorry I couldn't find a picture taken during the day.

Estimated Cost
$30
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
None
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Storage Cupboard

Submitted by sophie on Wed, 05/23/2012 - 23:44

My cupboard is quite a lot bigger than the one in the original post but is super sturdy.
It was a relatively easy project to build. My main issue was that I used chipboard for most of the cupboard and ironed on veneer on the cut sections which threw my door frame measurements out of whack and I had to shave a bit of my door off with a plane to get it to fit in neatly.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
€60
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
White 2 in 1 primer and matt white
Silver hinges painted with high gloss black
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Amandahaslip (not verified)

Sun, 08/12/2012 - 11:47

Hi there. I love this!!! I was wondering if you remembered the dimensions of wood used or what not? I want to make one or two of these for my basement laundry room for storage but am new to this so not sure how much I would increase all of the wood etc from the original plans. Thanks!

sophie

Mon, 08/13/2012 - 02:48

Hi! So glad you like it! I used SketchUp to create my dimensions to fit my space. Have you ever used it before? It's a free designing tool and really helps me to visualise if the wood's all going to fit together or not.
Here are the wood measurements I used:

Chipboard, white, 19mm
Part/Length (mm)/Width (mm)/Amount
Top:1200/436/1
Side x2:2000/400/2
Bottom shelf:1124/350 /1
Shelf x4 :1124/350/4
Frame top & bottom:1162/100 /2
Frame side x2:1800/100/2
Door frame top & bottom:476/100/2
Door frame side x2:1594/100/2

Door backing MDF 3mm
Part/Length (mm)/Width (mm)/Amount
Back:2000/1162/1
Door back:1700 /360/2

If you have any other questions, I'd be happy to help. Good luck!

Media Console

Submitted by Csaum on Sat, 03/08/2014 - 13:04

Worked on this very casually and intermittently for about 3-4 weeks, though I would consider it a weekend project if you have all materials and tools necessary to complete, and a couple full days to devote to the project. With 2 young kids at home, I was only able to get an hour here and there at a time in my shop to work. I decided to leave off the top flip-down style doors, as our cable box requires line-of-sight to work, and my wife wasn't crazy about having to open those any time we were going to watch television.

I was a bit uneasy about the weight of the top, especially once the tv was placed, without any support bracing directly under the top-center piece of plywood. To add a bit of support, I added a 1x3 brace, attaching it between the tops of the 2 center legs, flush to the underside of the top. Completely hidden, and added just enough peace of mind for me to put my new tv on it, worry free.

Materials: I used maple hardwood plywood, and select grade pine for the finish/edge pieces. I found that polycarbonate sheeting was pretty expensive at my local hardware store, plus I had to special order an opaque finish, so I finished my doors with 1/4 plywood that I had left over from the back panel. I used 4 different grit levels of sandpaper (120, 220, hand sanded with 320, and then used 400 between coats of poly). Minwax Dark Walnut stain and 2 coats of clear satin polyurethane. Kreg jig is a must for a project like this, would have been lost without mine! I love that all the hinges and screws are hidden!

I'm planning to build the matching media towers from this collection next.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$200-$250
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
2 coats Dark Walnut stain - Minwax
2 coats clear satin polyurethane (400 grit hand sand between coats) - Minwax
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Craft Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 11/13/2023 - 09:02

Maple top plywood wrapped with walnut trim. Stain is minwax aged barrel. Warm satin polyurethane finish.

Built from Plan(s)

Easy Kitchen Island Plans

Submitted by Tammy MT on Sat, 05/26/2012 - 09:28

We made the top a solid piece, so we wouldn't have to deal with food getting in the cracks.

We modified the measurements to fit our space, it measures 48" w x 16" d x 36" h. I absolutely love this island!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
legs painted black, top stained mahogany
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Corner hutch and twin storage beds

Submitted by Chriss45 on Wed, 03/12/2014 - 01:47

This was my first build and it took me about a week to finish. My son has an L shaped room due his closet being the laundry room. This plan was perfect for his room and provided tons of storage. I could not find baskets that I liked so I just made bins using 1x2 for front and backs, left over scraps for sides and 1/4 plywood for bottoms then stained them. The approx cost for each bin was 5 dollars. I made my own chalk paint and painted them the same as the antique dresser i found on craigslist that I refinished.

Estimated Cost
450.
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Chalk paint recipe using Behr flat primer/paint= 4 parts paint-1 part water-1 part plaster of paris. Finished with a coat of wax.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

bellcynt

Wed, 03/12/2014 - 13:23

I love this room! The paint job is amazing and the beds look great!

Heather03

Thu, 02/05/2015 - 18:09

Do u still have the blue print to make this. I've been looking and it's hard to find. If so can u send me a link

Rustic X coffee table

My first project and I love how it turned out

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Drift wood stain on top, cotton white chalk paint on base
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Bunbed

Submitted by RosalyG on Thu, 04/16/2020 - 07:31

This was my second Ana White project and I LOVE IT. In the picture you only see the first coat of paint. This bunk bed is so heavy duty, even I can sleep with my girls in there in case they need me - we love it

When I built it I did not have a Kreg Jig yet so I bought a teeny tiny little one hole pocket hole thing- so it took me propably an hour longer than it should have... now with the real deal Kreg bam I'm laughing!!!

I already have three friends wanting me to build them one too (there is no store here to buy bunkbeds... everything is with shipping and we live remote in Dawson City so there is A LOT of shipping cost...

I buy the way could not find this awesome plan online but I have Ana White's "The Handbuilt Home" Book where it is in!

Estimated Cost
I paid for wood (it's expensive up north - 200 CAD)
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
whatever our hardware store offered haha, we do not have a choice up here
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Farmhouse Table - My first project!

Submitted by ksuehr on Wed, 05/30/2012 - 13:02

I followed Ana's plans for the farmhouse table and bench. This was my first project and it turned out really well! The flash makes some of the table top look discolored but it does not look like that in person - just a weird flash thing I think :)
The project took me about a week - table and bench and I only worked on it during nap times and when the kiddos went to sleep! The original plan was for a 96 inch table - I shortened mine to 75 inches to fit our dining room.
A great dining room table for us and it cost around $200 for both table and bench.
I am so proud that I actually built something that my family can use and I get so many compliments on!
Thanks, Ana!!!

Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
minwax in jacobean plus a polycrylic finish (3 coats)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Wooden Illusion

Submitted by mtairymd on Sun, 03/16/2014 - 07:39

I found a picture of this online but couldn't find the instructions on how it was built. With some trial and error, I recreated the illusion.

Watching the video is the easiest way to see how it works. I've included a drawing which is linked in the video description.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3vbaZP2cL8

Build Instructions:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Wooden-Illusion/

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

Comments

Mini farmhouse bedside table

Submitted by hummbaby on Fri, 04/17/2020 - 17:03

After years of hand me down nights stands and using everything from milk crates to tv trays, it was definitely time to build something to be proud of. My wife decided mustard was her color of choice. I think when she chose this design, we planned on modifying the Farmhouse Bedside table to make it smaller and then Ana came out with the mini version. Pretty easy all around. I added a stopper block to back inside end of the drawer to keep the drawer from falling out when opened too far. It can be twisted to allow the drawer to come all the way out.

Estimated Cost
$75?
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Mustard yellow paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

DIY Custom Workench

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 11/21/2023 - 16:31

I had been looking for a carpentry bench project for some time that was easy to make and had the ideal dimensions for my space.

Here's what I did.
I added holes in the table to work with wooden clamps I made.
The end result was better than I expected. It's been very useful.
My sincere thanks to Miss White for this project.

Gidenilson A Santiago

Dresser to Buffet

Submitted by tazO on Fri, 06/01/2012 - 06:07

I have been looking for a dresser to transform into a buffet. I posted on a facebook yard sale group and a wonderful woman offered me one she had been keeping in her garage for free.
Step one stripping a lot of old paint and sanding, sanding, and sanding some more. I found a stencil i like on etsy. Stenciled that design onto the top of my "buffet" with white paint and then when it was dry lightly sanded it. I then stained the entire top the color i wanted. 3 coats of varnish finish that off.
The next step was the bottom. The hardest part about that was getting all the old paint out of all the ins and outs of this piece. Once that was done, with the help of the husband, we removed all the rails and braces holding the bottom 2 sets of drawers. It was put together with interlocking pieces so taking it apart left some hold in the side and middle brace. My husband cut pieces to fit in there and were put in place with wood glue. Once dried they were sanded completely smooth. We used a 1/4" piece of luan for the back and 3/4 piece of pine for the bottom of the now open area. A little trim, 2 coats of white enamel and some new hardware for the drawers and tada a new buffet..lol.
Just got it in yesterday so I'm still decorating, but i love the way it turned out!

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

Comments

spiceylg

Fri, 06/01/2012 - 06:29

That came out really nice. Love the stencil touch, too! I am looking for a dresser to turn into a media console. Never thought about posting on FB. Great idea!

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