Community Brag Posts

Very Green Camp Loft Bed with $10 Ledge Bookshelves

I built this bed in July in anticipation of my two children sharing a room for the first time. They love it. In August, I thought to add the $10 ledges to the frame of the bed when I realized our walls wouldn't support their weight and we're in a rental. I used 1x3s instead of 1x4s those plans called for so the shelves would sit at the same depth as the 2x4s on the frame of the bed.

I wish I knew more about painting soft wood because I don't love how the paint job turned out, though it is green per my son's request. I couldn't deal with more green, hence the ledges are stained.

I love the little alcove this has created. I added curtains and we read stories in there every night. Thank you so much for the inspiration and plans!

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Interior latex paint with primer built in. I don't recommend this. Better to prime the wood separately, I think.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Vinegar and Steel Wool with Tea Project

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 12/22/2015 - 17:23

Loved this first project! Can't wait to start the TV stand. Thank you Ana White 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$35
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Oxidized- Vineger and 0000 Steel Wool
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Four Generation Farmhouse Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 02/17/2019 - 13:43

Slowly, over the course of 6 months, my grandfather, my mother, my sister and I put this together.  Believe me when I say if I can do it, so can you.  We had to watch a lot of Youtube videos to learn to do the pocket holes, but they are so worth it!! 

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Varathane - Dark Walnut stain
Varathane - Water based Matte polyeurathane
Behr Marquee - Polar Bear paint for bottom
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Console Table

Submitted by amym on Sun, 10/02/2011 - 07:50

This was my first building project using plans from Ana's website. I love it in my entry way where it fits perfectly and fills up an otherwise blank wall.

Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Dark minwax stain
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Headboard out of kitchen cabinets

I wanted to make a headboard for our Queen-sized bed and wanted it to be something I hadn't seen before. I came across a pallet of kitchen cabinet doors at a discount resale shop and knew these would look great! I used a 1/32" spacer between each door so I wouldn't have to sand the edges. If I ever do something like this again, I would do another row to make it just a bit taller to give it a hotel room look.

Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Walnut stain and Minwax Poly.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Matt's bed

Submitted by wjvoltzke on Fri, 12/25/2015 - 16:53

I slightly modified the Full/Twin storage bed plans to place the top of the cubbies on top of the vertical supports, rather than butted up against them. The cabinets were assembled using glue and pocket holes and screws. The foot board cabinet, being fully exposed, received pocket hole plugs to conceal the holes. I also employed threaded inserts for the cleats and also for attaching the cubbies together. This way, the bed can be assembled/disassembled for easier movement in less than 10 minutes, without leaving any stripped holes or damage. this project used oak and oak plywood througout, and both stain and polyurethane to finish.

Estimated Cost
$250-$300
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax Stain - Ipswitch Pine, wipe-on polyurethane
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Modified loft bed

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 02/24/2019 - 11:35

This is made from the loft bed plans and has modified steps. 

Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Two different latex paints
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Rustic Modern Farmhouse Bed

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 01/17/2023 - 10:57

This is my first bed build. Modified plans by adding 2x6 and 1x4 on top head/foot board, to give a more traditional farm house look. Painted in Sherwin William's Sea salt color. Overall, easy build, and great plans by Ana. Thank you.

Comments

Kitchen Island Bench

Submitted by RMJ3 on Tue, 10/04/2011 - 20:41

I used the Large Rustic Bench plan and modified the dimensions to fit under our kitchen island. The height was adjusted to 24" and the length to 48". I used brown pockethole screws to connect all the pieces together and add a decorative touch. The top was covered with 2" foam padding, batting and drapery cloth. A staple gun was used to attach the batting and cloth.

Estimated Cost
$150.00
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
English Oak stain applied with soft cloth
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

RMJ3

Tue, 10/04/2011 - 20:45

This was my first Ana-White project plan completed and I now have a favorite project web site! Thanks for sharing.

Farmhouse Night Stands

After I got our bed-frame done, it was time to make night stands :)

I used Farmhouse bedside table plan, but I modified it for our needs. In my blog you can see step by step what I did.

We don't have need to drawer so I left them out.I also made them a bit smaller as our bedroom is quite a small. Also I wanted to make it match our bed frame, so I used plywood on sides, not 1x12's. (foot-board in our bed frame is plywood)

http://ourleaningtree.wordpress.com/diy/night-stands/

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
20$
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
MINWAX dark walnut
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Mud Room

We were in desperate need of some functional storage in our laundry/mud room. I had been searching for a long while for a solution and almost built another mud room configuration from this site until I saw the 'Smiling Mud Room'. It was EXACTLY what we were looking for! This is the first thing my husband has ever built and I think he did an awesome job. We had to change a few things to fit our room and taste and there are still a few things that need to be finished (hooks, trim pieces and painting). It took him about 20 hrs total to get this far.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$170
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Latex Enamal paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

[email protected]

Tue, 10/11/2011 - 07:03

Thanks! I wanted to be able to reach the shelves without a step stool and I am not very tall. I agree it would have looked better if they went to the ceiling but functionality won out over style.

CrunchySoul

Sun, 11/06/2011 - 14:35

Wow, this is really impressive -- and encouraging to know it was the first thing your husband built. Thanks for sharing!

End table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 12/29/2015 - 17:51

End table with top made from repurposed pallet wood

Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Workbench w/Mitre

Submitted by mdgurnoejr on Tue, 01/31/2023 - 21:45

Still need a couple more drawers, plus stain and seel, but I just couldn’t wait to post. Took me most of the day (drawers suck), but it was extremely helpful to have the article and visuals to aid. Can’t wait to move on the the next project. I’m slowly becoming obsessed and a “wood whore”

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

My New Coffee Table

I found a table on Pinterest that I wanted to make but I wasn't sure how to make the base for it. I used the Tryde Coffee Table plans to build the base but then I altered the plans of the top of the table to give my table the look I desired. I LOVE it. It's very sturdy and a beautiful addition to our living room.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$120.00
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
For the base I painted 2 coats of primer and then 2 coats of high-gloss wood finishing paint. For the top boards I used 2 coats of Dark Walnut stain and a final coat of high-gloss enamel.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Easy Shelf Bench

I used some leftover 3/4" maple/birch plywood for the box, douglas fir 2x2 legs, and free trim from a deconstruction warehouse to make this super simple shelf bench. We keep a select few books on ledge shelves for my daughter to read through for the week or so, and all the other books are stored in the bins in this little bench. :)

Simple building process in photos @ Sunnyside Up-stairs

Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Olympic No-VOC Semi-Gloss (un-tinted), gold spray paint for the legs.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

JoanneS

Sat, 10/12/2013 - 02:26

This is super cute! What a great addition to the room! Love the gold painted legs and pumpkin, these add great "bling" to the room. The paint and trim go perfectly with the closet cubby. Beautifully done!

yurra-bazain

Sat, 10/12/2013 - 06:10

So pleased you like this, Joanne. I've been thinking about these builds for some time. It was nice to make very simple versions and use up some wood in our garage. :)

Farmhouse bed

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 01/02/2016 - 04:07

I wanted a mix of the two - detail with a footboard. I modified measurements to suit my project. Also, I did a though mortise for the bed rails and pocket screwed from the inside. Then I used 5 slats and a center raiser for three of them because it was a double box spring.

Estimated Cost
~$200.00
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Glidden interior bright white in eggshell.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

DIY seesaw

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 03/14/2019 - 11:08

We were setting up our finished seesaw the same day we bought the project supplies, so this is a fun project without a lot of waiting around. It’s been a huge hit in the backyard and the extra-long seats allow a couple of kids to pile on each end.

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

Custom Playhouse Bunkbed

Submitted by Abzman on Wed, 10/19/2011 - 16:28

I wanted to create something for my 2 girls (6 & 4) that would make both of them happy, fit in a small room, and get it done within 3 weeks while they were away on vacation. It was a surprise as neither the girls nor their mother had any idea what I was doing.
I copied the idea from others on this site but then modified it a bit to get what I wanted.
I still have more touches to complete.
I didn't finish the inside for the sake of time. I might wallpaper the inside or just paint it when time allows.

The top is a full size bed. The playhouse is enclosed with walls on all sides. There's a bed inside of the playhouse that's a Twin size with a simple stool to get on it (ran out of time - was going to create a 2 step drawer stairs).
The stairs are drawers and there's a "secret" opening under the bed going into the stairs where the girls can hide stuff.
Left the first step open in order to use for totes. My 4yr old currently fits in there and can get in and out of the playhouse through that opening. I might put a flap there.

I worked on this playhouse for about 200hrs which includes tons of visits to hardware stores, furniture stores, finishing, touches, etc. Worked in the garage and built it such that it can be disassembled and re-assembled easily.
Wanted to make it more fancy but ran out of time.
Made the stairs a separate piece on its own.
MADE MANY ERRORS but was able to correct almost all of them. Learned a lot from this project.
I didn't follow any particular plan except for the concept since my dimensions were different. I made the rails higher for added safety since my girls almost sleep walk!
Accommodating the Full size mattress made this project very challenging and more costly since I had to get a full sheet for each side - total 5 sides.

Detailed Pictures and Dimensions:
https://plus.google.com/photos/103590147643813514240/albums/56496973048…
Stairs:
https://plus.google.com/photos/103590147643813514240/albums/57625265707…

Estimated Cost
$800 including mattresses & comforters
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Base paint, Latex white & Latex colored
Paneling (optional)
Decorations
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

hammertime

Sun, 10/23/2011 - 08:03

Completely brilliant in so many ways. Way to go. What were their reactions? I imagine they are in heaven!

Abzman

Thu, 12/01/2011 - 13:08

Sorry just saw the comments.

After some 30hrs of travelling by air and land, they arrived exhausted. When they saw this they all got charged up with energy. The girls loved it and it's now a toy & a bed. Their mom loved it and all the storage and began using it right away.
Slight problem is that the younger one wants to sleep in the top large bunk so we settled to having them swap in the weekends!
One nightmare is making the beds!

Dimika (not verified)

Wed, 12/07/2011 - 07:53

Abzman this is the most wonderful thing I have ever seen. At first I thought I was gonna read where you got this from but when I saw you made this I just had to tell you what a marvelous job you did. I really wish I could buy something like this for my own girls (4 and 3). Thanks for sharing

spiceylg

Wed, 12/07/2011 - 09:15

What a wonderful and generous surprise for you wife and daughters! I'm sure that was better than their vacation!

Guest (not verified)

Wed, 12/21/2011 - 19:23

Hi, I'm building for a full size mattress as well. It looks like you are using 1x4 for the slats. How are they holding up? Did you have to reinforce them because of the added width?

Also, how high and deep are the stairs?

BTW, everything looks great.

Thanks for the help.

In reply to by Guest (not verified)

Abzman

Wed, 12/21/2011 - 22:10

Hi,
I just finished documenting some of my dimensions and included them in the photo album linked below.
I did use 1x4's and picked the hardest and straightest I could find. I tested all of them first at HD!
They are holding up well. I used 12 total. They are all a tight fit and that was good enough support. I didn't use additional support and I know they will hold up well for a 100+ lbs person but I still have it planned to secure a few of the slats. I laid down on the top bunk and it felt sturdy.
Note that some might not agree with the height of my top bunk rails. They are at 4' even!
As for the stairs, I included the measurements in the pics. Hope this helps.
I will be covering the inside walls with colored carpeting! It will also act as a noise insulator so the kids won't wake up early AM from street noise.

https://plus.google.com/photos/103590147643813514240/albums/56496973048…

km621326

Fri, 07/06/2012 - 20:11

Do you have pics and dimensions for the drawers and how you installed them in the stairs?

In reply to by km621326

Abzman

Fri, 07/06/2012 - 23:08

Give me your email address and I'll email you the pictures I have. I don't have dimensions but maybe the pictures can help. Since my staircase is removable I built the drawers outside of the bed then re-inserted the staircase. I did it the easy way using cleats and I installed felt padding under the drawers so they wouldn't scratch the steps.

km621326

Sat, 07/07/2012 - 10:15

[email protected]

Thank you! I'm planning on building the stairs separate as well. I've never built any with drawers in them before, and I can't find any plans for them. :-(

In reply to by km621326

Abzman

Sat, 07/07/2012 - 13:32

I just realized a better solution, I've posted the pictures to Google Photos. Hopefully that would help.
Basically, I built the frame of the drawers and made the front fascia separate which I attached afterwords. It allows for error correction in case the drawer doesn't come out straight and also allows for adjustments and fine tuning.
Go here: https://plus.google.com/photos/103590147643813514240/albums/57625265707…