Community Brag Posts

Simple Step Stool

Submitted by bblanchard on Mon, 10/07/2019 - 16:06

This step stool is my first project made from Ana White plans. It is perfect for my almost 2 year old daughter and it's become her new favorite toy! She likes to turn it upside down and ride in it like a boat :)

I love how simple and sturdy it is. It easily holds my weight (180 lbs), and I look forward to many years of useful fun from this great project. This was also my first project that incorporated beveled and angled cuts, but once I got started, it wasn't as intimidating as I initially thought. 

I had some leftover pieces of 1x10 and 1x3 pine boards from building a sidecar crib, so this was a perfect was to use the scraps. I used a table saw for cutting the 1x10s. My miter saw isn't large enough to accommodate 10 inch wide boards, but it was perfect for the 1x3s.

After assembling the stool the first time, I took it back apart and ripped the top down to 8 inches wide. I thought the stool had a tendency to tip with the full width of the 1x10. 

Can't wait to build more of these! For the next one, I'd like to try cutting half circles out of the bottom of the legs with the jigsaw instead of straight cuts and trying some decorative  cutout handles on the sides as well. 

Thanks, Ana!

Estimated Cost
10.00
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Honey stain by Minwax
Covered with one coat of triple thick polyurethane by Minwax
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Refreshment center console with barn door

Submitted by calcowoods on Sat, 10/19/2019 - 07:10

My wife and I built this Refreshment Console as a birthday present for our daughter. She had previously purchased a beverage refrigerator and wanted us to adapt it inspired by your barn door console project. Thus, we modified your plan to accommodate the height of the refrigerator. Also, she wanted three shelves with a closed back on the right side of the cabinet. Simply plan adjustments were all that was needed.

Using your plans, material list and excellent video we were able to construct the barn door rails and hangers using 1 ½ inch fender washers which sandwiched three 1-inch fender washers.  The metal bar was sized to fit the top of the cabinet and connected to the top trim board using spacers, washers and bolts.  As we decided to place a middle support for the bar, we added a t-nut into a center plywood partition so that we could use the same bolts, spacers and washers to support the rail.   

As we were following a rustic theme, we decided to add the X Braces to the barn door and used a project panel board as the top. The barn door is guided at the bottom using a simple U shaped metal bracket that we lined with felt for a smooth glide.

Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Top, barn Door and Bottom Trim treated with one coat of Varathane Aged Wood Accelerator using a rag to create a rustic brown look.
Cabinet carcass and surrounding trim painted with one coat of Behr Premium Plus Ultra Satin Finish Metropolis Grey.
Entire cabinet finished using MinWax Paste Finishing Wax Natural applied with a rag and buffed for a durable finish.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Mobile Workbench

This is from Ana White's "Get the Job Done Workbench" post,

http://ana-white.com/2011/11/workbench-get-job-done

First project using my new Ridgid Sliding Compound miter saw/table and new Kreg HD Jig for pocket holes.

Thanks to my girlfriend for noticing that the depth worked out perfectly for resting three Rubbermaid Roughneck Totes underneath for holding clamps, tools, etc. Also added a paper towel holder under neath, a power strip and of course a bottle opener to the front. :)

Primer and some cheap $2.50 "Oops" paint from Lowe's finished the project.

Now I can move on to other projects and use this sweet new workbench!

Loved these plans. Super easy to follow and modify as needed.

And "Marty" in the photo also approves of the final product.

Thanks!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$125
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Primer + Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

RRPPBBSS@22

Fri, 08/12/2022 - 13:47

Adding to my prior comment, I thought the plans were different because it does not mention casters that I can see. I now see the bench is in the plans but no mentioned of casters other than comments. I will double check. Thank you.

Planter Porch Steps

Submitted by kstarbird on Thu, 12/26/2019 - 15:06

Plan modified to be built on stringers due to hight. 

Finish Used
Pending

Comments

Seasonal And Holiday

Faux Mantle

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 04/22/2016 - 04:14

My office faux mantle came out awesome thanks to Ana White. The only changes we made was that we used dental crown molding and we added the base. Other than that everything else was exactly according to the plans.

Estimated Cost
$180 using #1 pine from Home Depot
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
We used Black spray semi-gloss
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Corner Media Console

Submitted by craw4dz on Thu, 02/27/2020 - 10:39

We had just moved into our new house and were using an end table for our TV stand I just didn't like it.  I found this and modified it so it's shorter and fits in our room better.  I also opted to not put doors on it and use it to display items instead.  This was a relatively easy build and I'm learning new things with every build I make.  It took about 2 days to complete not including filling holes/paint/stain.  I love it, it looks so great in our room and I am planning on building end tables to match as well as replacing our buffet with movies in it to match also.  Thanks for the easy-to-follow plans!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$45
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Whatever white paint I had on hand (haha) and Varathane Kona with a satin poly for the top.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

DIY Pantry Shelves

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 11/04/2023 - 14:49

Built in 5ft x 5ft pantry using pine panels as they were available in the widths we needed. Inspired by your pantry build video, thank you.

Rob Worsnop

Built from Plan(s)

Dining room plate racks

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 07/11/2016 - 15:21

We took the plans and customized them to fit the area around our windows in the dining room.  We also added a 1x6 to the top so we could fit larger items and added a trim piece.  We made the shelves different heights to accommodate our plates and added a shorter shelf on the bottom 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Benjamin Moore Advance Dove White
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Simple & Elegant Console Table

This was our first project using the Kreg Jig K4 pocket system.  We wanted a simple and affordable project to learn how and practice using this tool.  I also wanted a narrow buffet table to fit in our formal dining area, which I could never find in stores, so making one seemed appropriate.

The only difference from the original plans is that the sides are 37 1/4" and the back is a 1x14 @ 58 1/2".

Thank you for this simple yet elegant console table plan!

Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Potting Bench/Stand

Submitted by MikeO on Tue, 06/16/2020 - 09:58

Built this for my girlfriend's birthday present. Added a 1x4 backsplash and a 2x6 for the top shelf to give a little more shelf room instead of the 2x4 called for in the plan. Stained with Varathane "Vintage Aqua" color and then 3 coats of Helmsman Spar Urethane for outdoor durability. Set the whole thing on caster wheels (not pictured) so she can move around the deck as needed.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Varathane Vintage Aqua
Helmsman Spar Urethane
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Seasonal And Holiday

Beverage Station

Submitted by davis7029 on Thu, 06/18/2020 - 06:29

After seeing this same cabinet on Etsy for $2000+ I decided to try building my own. This was built using Ana's plans for the Barn Door Cabinet with Mini Fridge and Microwave. On top of the cabinet is a custom chalkboard which I anchored to the back of the cabinet. Attached to the chalkboard is a shelf for liquor. The rail is made from 3/8" black iron pipe from Home Depot & Amazon. Unfortunately, my Home Depot did not have nipples larger than 6 inches so we had to source 12" from Amazon. The fittings and shorter nipples came from Home Depot. The supports for the shelf and coffee mug rack are made using 1/2" black iron pipe and fittings which were 100% sourced from Home Depot. The finish for the borders of the chalkboard and cabinet top were stained using Varathane Stain + Poly. The color is called "Mission Oak" and it is a satin finish. The hardware for the barn door was purchased from Amazon.

NOTE: If you decide to build a similar version of this I'd consider leaving at least 33.5" on the inside where the refrigerator sits so you can fit a 120-can refrigerator instead. Most are 33.5" tall. I prefer to drink beer from a bottle and the space in a 2.2 cu. ft goes quick when bottles are placed inside.

Estimated Cost
$1000
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Varathane Stain + Poly (Mission Oak)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Floor to Ceiling Canned Food Storage

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 04/19/2024 - 13:56

Loved these plans. Top unit was built exactly to specs. Bottom unit was built to accommodate one column of cans. I have also built one for my sis-in-law and will be building one more for this pantry. Love this project!

Leah

Built from Plan(s)

Farmhouse Table and Modern Bench

Submitted by benabb on Wed, 09/05/2012 - 20:42

I followed the plan exactly except that I left out the stretcher. It turned out beautifully and fits our kitchen perfectly. I wanted to complete the building in a weekend, but even with a helpful husband the kids distracted me. It ended up taking me three weeks working during naptimes and after bedtime.
My recommendations:
-I used 2x4s for the legs, but if I had to do it over again, I'd just buy 4x4s and use those. I did my best to fill in the seams in the legs, but I still notice them from certain angles.
-Sand, sand, and sand again. I hate spending time sanding, but this is a project where it's totally worth it. I sanded everything really aggressively with 60 or 80 grit paper and after I filled in screw holes and cracks, sanded again with 120. Then I hand sanded with 220. I'm really glad I did.
-Don't cut the table top boards (2x6s) till you are ready to place them. You want to make sure you have a really tight fit here.
-Because I didn't want any cracks on the table top, I filled in the seams between the boards with Elmer's wood filler. I was really nervous about how it would stain, but I just was super careful to sand any excess wood filler off the boards before staining. The wood filler appears a bit darker than the wood, but I think it looks ok. Better than cracks.
-I notched out the table legs with the skill saw and I thought they looked pretty rough and it was a long process. When I made the bench legs, I used my table saw to notch. I'm not sure if this is recommended or not, but the notches were much cleaner looking and it was a lot easier.

Estimated Cost
$80-$100
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax Red Mahogany on the top. 1 coat of pre-stain followed by 2 coats of stain and 3 coats of poly. I used old t-shirts to apply stain and poly and it was so much better than using a brush.
White paint on the legs.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Fancy X farm table

Submitted by coon_ta on Tue, 10/11/2016 - 20:11

This is my first attempt at furniture. Anna's plans were very easy to use and I had a lot of fun building this table!

Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

drew_jc27

Thu, 10/13/2016 - 22:58

Awesome job! what stain was used on this? I really like that table top color.

 

Floating Corner Entertainment Stand

This is a corner entertainment stand. I didn't have a plan to follow so I made it up as I went. The dimensions are 40" L xW and 27" tall. It has a base hidden underneath it help support the weight and is also screwed into wall studs to prevent tipping. The angle for the front cross section is 22.5 degrees. I made this for a friend. She is going to paint it unfortunately. Materials cost only around $120. 3 sheets 3/4" plywood, some 1x2s and a couple hinges and cabinet knobs.

Estimated Cost
$130
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Justin G (not verified)

Sun, 01/06/2013 - 04:49

This is REALLY a nice looking corner unit. In our living room, the ONLY place for the tv is in the corner. I have a prebuilt unit now that cost me quite a bit, and we hate it. Its all modern with glass shelves. This corner cabinet is EXACTLY what I want to build. I have a 1 year old so having doors to hide the electronics is a must.

I would VERY much like to build this. Are there any more detailed pictures or a plan I could download? Ive been searching for the last few days an just cant seem to find anything that catches my eye like this one.

Looks great!!

Wounded Marine

Sun, 01/06/2013 - 06:18

The shelves are made out of premium plywood. For the top, bottom, and the middle shelf, I measured and cut out on pieces of plywood. Then used plywood for the "walls" of the unit. I trimmed it with 1x2s. The doors are also plywood. I just rabbit jointed nice wood for the frame of the doors. Underneath the the TV stand is a 2x4 set back a little bit to give it that floating looking. It is anchored to the wall on the inside of the unit with screws going into the studs of the wall. I hope this makes since.

arod718

Thu, 09/05/2013 - 19:13

Is it possible to get dimensions of the stand and what you based the base from. I would like to build the Ana version for my wife because of the storage it has. Thank you, best site ever.

Storage Daybed with Bookshelf Surround

Update 8/2017: This project started with the Storage daybed, which I built in 2014. My daughter is a book lover and I wanted to provide her with more space for her books. I recently added the following plans to the Daybed with Storage Trundle Drawers:

- Twin Storage Headboard Base

- Small Hutch for Storage Headboard

- Cubby Hutch Plans for the Storage Headboard

I also made one extra storage headboard base and added more shelves along the long side of the bed so she could be surrounded by books. There are two additional supports under long bookshelf and I placed them roughly behind each of the trundle drawers.

For the bed (I built two), I opted to use the alternate slat system. I also used 2" caster wheels and added dividers to the drawers--one drawer has three compartments, and the other two drawers were divided in half.

Note: In my main brag photo it looks like the drawers don't close flush... I didn't notice when I took the photo because I was focused on the new shelves. But they do close and line up perfectly!

 

Estimated Cost
$600 (Fairbanks, Alaska)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax Dark Walnut and one coat of gloss polyurethane
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
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