Community Brag Posts

Reporposed Corner Bar

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 10/11/2023 - 10:32

DIY bourbon bar cabinet made from old corner entertainment center. Purchased for $40,

Dallas Garner

Upholstered Nail Head Stools

Submitted by buckybates on Fri, 05/04/2012 - 20:19

Built 4 of these, slightly narrower and thinner to fit all 4 next to a kitchen island. Decided to skip the false ends and use fabric sprayed with scotch guard instead of leather. I did the woodworking and my talented wife did the painting and fabric work. Very pleased with how these turned out.

Estimated Cost
About $200 for 4
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
annie sloan chalk paint and wax. didn't fuss over the finish. filled in the kreg pocket holes, sanded, painted 2 coats, then wax.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Raised Toy Box

Submitted by nuarty145 on Tue, 02/18/2014 - 06:45

My best man (and his wife) are expecting their first child and this was my very first project. The Kreg Jig is great but you need a right angle clamp to put this box together. I stained the project using Minwax white tint base in their driftwood color, I'm not a big fan of the color on the entire box but it serves it purpose as being gender neutral for any future kids. I bought the letters at a crafts store and painted them white and then sanded off the edges and rubbed Danish Oil on it to give it the "distressed" looked.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$40 + stain & letters
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax white tint base, driftwood
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Kid room closet

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 05/17/2016 - 12:18

I used Ana's simple closet organizer and some other brag posts and created a closet organizer for my craft/kid size room.  

 

I used:

(6) 1x12x6' pine for tower and shelving

(4)  1x4"x6' pine for all the cleats

(3) sets of closet rod holders

(2) 4' 1.25" wooden dowels

I primed everything outside after cutting the pieces, which took way too much spray primer - I should have just used brush on.  Then painted the finish coat in place using some good Benjamin Moore trim paint.

 

I'm happy with how it all turned out - errors and all.  

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Total cost is under $100. I had paint and screws on hand.
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Primer and interior low gloss paint. The actual color is a special mix I call Andersen because I had it mixed to match my Andersen windows and trim. Somewhere around white and grey in color.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Modern Nightstand

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 10/15/2023 - 19:03

This is my interpretation of the Rustic Modern Nightstand. The top is made from Padauk, an African wood that is reddish orange in color. It is surrounded by a band of hard maple. The front legs are Poplar. The shelf is Jatoba from South America. The drawer fronts are African Mahogony. All wood was left natural and finished with three coats of Varathane Satin water-based finish.
My wife and I needed two new nightstands for quite a while. When I saw this plan, it just seemed right. I built two of them in tandem. I was quite surprised at the weight when they were finished. Much heavier than most furniture.

Dennis Janssen

Farmhouse Bedside Table

We have been using TV trays as bedside tables for two years. The room is a work in progress... I was waiting to find the perfect pieces...or a plan to build the perfect pieces! So glad I found that plan here. Too impatient to wait for nice weather to head outside, I built this in February on my kitchen floor. It was a little messy and a little dusty, but I am a lot happy with the result :). Cheers.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$75 each
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
I mixed white paint and water and used a rag to apply the whitewash. I let it dry and then sanded it to create an uneven coverage so that the following stain coat would soak in. I then distressed the piece, applied a coat of dark walnut stain, and wiped it off to create an aged/antiqued look.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Perfect for growing into

We modified the plans a little so that our little girls bed would fit snug into the bedframe. We also cheated and bought round short legs from Lowes and stained them with Rust-Oleum Dark Walnut. We wanted the bed to sit low since she is only 3 and I also didnt want her to be able to stuff things under her bed!!

Estimated Cost
Counting the cost of fabric and wood (including headboard) it was about $100
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Fabric and batting. Legs are stained with Rust-Oleum Dark Walnut.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Wood Scrap Pumpkin Decor!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 10/17/2023 - 07:46

Our daughter wanted to decorate our house for fall with pumpkins. We had scraps around and I decided to create some colorful ones for our house!

VPrice

Comments

Seasonal And Holiday

Master Closet System

Submitted by pde00311 on Mon, 02/24/2014 - 22:06

When we bought our bungalow, the entire attic was refurbished as a master bedroom. With so much space in such a narrow and somewhat awkward area, we thought we should convert the nook at the end of the room into a master closet area.

Estimated Cost
100
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Behr Navajo white paint with a couple of layers of Minwax polycrylic
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Love seats

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 05/25/2016 - 07:03

Custom love seats built

Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

King size Farmhouse bed and a additional bed for Ruger the dog

Submitted by sxewhodey on Sun, 03/01/2020 - 09:27

We got to move into our new house and commited to a mattress straight on the floor until we got our bedframe built. Exactly one month later and we are feeling human again in our sleeping arrangements, lol.

The sofa table desk and end tables is next. I am hoping to get a good floating media center plan soon too using a cleat system. * Hint, Hint

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Classic gray
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Farmhouse Bench

This was our first build. I have always wanted a rustic table and bench set, but they are so expensive. We already had a miter saw and jig saw, so I thought why not. We did not use a pocket jig when we built this, so we had to brainstorm for the bread boards. I found these really long screws at Lowe's and they worked great. I actually love the way they look. We are going to use the screws on the next bench even though we have a Kreg Jig now. Soon I will have my dream table without spending $2,000!

Estimated Cost
$20
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
I distressed the bench using a sock with two bolts in it. I also used a hammer, but was very careful to not hit it so it looked like a hammer imprint. I used: Minwax Pre-Stain wood conditioner, followed by Minwax Red Mahogany #225, and finished with Minwax Fast-Drying Polyurethane Clear Gloss. I put I think 3 coats of stain and 3 coats of Poly.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Playhouse with swingset

Submitted by GreenEnvy on Tue, 02/25/2014 - 21:58

I combined a few different plans here, mostly the Playhouse deck, swingset.

I haven't finished it yet, this spring I want to finish the exterior as it's just primed plywood right now. Still going to add a window above the balcony (there is a loft up there).

I insulated the roof/ceiling and will insulate the walls when we finish it. In the bottom we'll be putting in a sandbox with a cover that folds up into benches.

It was a fun project and should give our girls many years of fun.

Estimated Cost
$1000
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Right now the plywood is just primed, we'll be putting some sort of siding or other exterior sheets to finish it.
Recommended Skill Level
Advanced

X console

I built these tables for a friend in need. I enjoyed building these. Need these for my house now.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Dark walnut stain
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Fat Tire Bike Stand

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 10/29/2023 - 19:03

Fatbike rack! Ten minute project for the beginner. Heavy enough to keep your bike standing upright even in windy conditions. Great if you are short on space.
(2) 14" treated 2x4
(2) 28" fence posts
(8) 3 1/2" outdoor screws
6" space between the fence posts
Alter width, if needed, for your bike tire.
No part of the bike hits the wood except the tire.'

Deanna Peterson

Farmhouse Loft Bed (Full)

Submitted by Sugarpig1 on Wed, 05/16/2012 - 18:03

HI all!
This is my first project and brag post. I really like this website and reading all the blogs and brag posts. The information is very informative and inspiring.

I really liked DirtSquirt's Loft Bed (Double Mattress), so I decided to give it a try! I contacted DirtSquirt to get a copy of the plans (Full size Farmhouse Bed and How to Build a Loft Bed) and the Google Sketch up. I pretty much followed the plans except I made the area underneath the bed taller (approx 58 inches), I chose to stain, and I did not secure the slats to the side rail as they are pretty were pretty snug. I'll probably go back and secure in the near future for uniformity in the spacing.

To be honest, I think the staining was the hardest part...LOL. I had never stained before so in hindsight I probably should started off with a way smaller project. Eventually, I got the hang of how to putty the holes with wood filler and then stain to get a consistent look and feel without the blotches!

My future plans are to build a desk to create a study area underneath.

Sugarpig1

Estimated Cost
$550-600
Finish Used
Minwax- Dark Walnut
Polyurethane
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

rdissell

Thu, 06/21/2012 - 20:02

This bed is amazing! It looks so sturdy. I am in love with the farmhouse bed, but I have been looking to build a full size loft bed for my daughter. I just haven't found a design that I'm 100% in love with. This is the perfect melding of a farmhouse bed with another loft design that I really like. Love, love, love it! I'm definitely going to have to design this for her now. Thanks for sharing your work!

lplus10

Thu, 09/26/2013 - 08:17

I have contacted dirtsquirt several times to get the plans for this bed. Did they get back with you right away or did it take them awhile? If you have the plans would you mind emailing them to me? Lplus10 at yahoo dot com

thanks!

gina10151

Tue, 05/19/2015 - 02:00

Not sure if anyone checks this blog post. But I have contacted dirt squirt too and have never been able to get the plans.

Please send me the plans you used to build this bed... I am dying to build it. Similar to yours with the bottom wood there, as it is for boys. But this is my first time building anything and I need plans....

Juniperlily217

Mon, 08/26/2019 - 19:25

Has anyone ever been able to get dirtsquirt’s original plans for the loft house full sized bed? I’m in desperate search of them!!! Please, PLEASE, please message me and I’ll provide you with my email! PLEASE and thanks. :)

Dining table

Submitted by will on Mon, 03/03/2014 - 07:43

I found this table idea on:

http://diy-my-homes.com/stunning-purebond-plywood-dining-table/

...then went for it. This is only the third thing I have built so it was one of those "Sure, I can do that" projects. At first I tried the hairpin metal legs, but they just didn't look right so I went with another design which I feel came out much better. Did a mix of 1 1/2" Birch and Oak strips on top of 3/4" MDF for the top. 2x6 routed out X for the legs bound together with 3 1/2" lag bolts and a 4x4. The chairs you see I picked up for $10 each from IU's surplus warehouse and the before/after are in the picture. All in all I am happy!

Thanks to Ana, Kelly and Dave for sharing their plans.

Estimated Cost
Table and Chairs - $250
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Express - Black, Walnut, Oak, Black/Walnut mixed to make espresso, Minwax poly oil based seal.

Legs - Black gloss spray paint and clear coat.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Nightstand

Submitted by RobA on Tue, 05/31/2016 - 21:16

I built this mostly with scraps I had from other projects so I didn't follow the plans exactly.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$40
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Miniwax walnut gel stain
3 coats Miniwax polycyclic semi gloss
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Back