Community Brag Posts

O's big boy room

Submitted by shetee on Mon, 09/03/2012 - 21:33

Our youngest was done with his little boy bed and so we decided we should make him a bed - he picked the clubhouse bed and we went to work. This was a fun build - I used the "Kreg" Jig for just about everything. We decided that he would need a new bookshelf and thought the truss shelves would look great next to the bed. He is so proud and excited for his big boy room, thank you Ana and Jaime for the plans and tips.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
330 (Bed, Bookcase, hardware, paint and wax)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
flat int. paint and paste wax
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Bunk / Loft Bed Combo

Submitted by Linda7 on Tue, 07/01/2014 - 22:14

With three boys ages 17, 14, and 9 sleeping in one small bedroom, an efficient bunk bed/loft bed system seemed to be the perfect choice. I used the bunk bed plans from The Handbuilt Home, but I increased the height, and moved the steps to the end. The loft bed is basically the same as the bunk beds, but without the bottom bunk. I left the top rail off the head of the loft bed, creating a space so that they could crawl from the top bunk to the loft if desired. The short side rails on the top bunk are attached to the head of the loft bed.

The beds are modular and could be stand-alone beds, but I used TimberLok heavy duty wood screws to screw the beds together at the "intersection" on the bottom rail of the top bunk and loft, and the bottom rail of the bottom bunk and loft. That makes the beds very sturdy.

The entire system comes apart for storage or if a move ensues later. One other modification gleaned from a brag post was to use spacers on the cleats of the side rails so that you can just lay the slats down without having to screw them down. What a time-saver!

Thank you Ana White for the lovely plans and to all the brag posters for the ideas.

Estimated Cost
Around $225.00
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
I filled the knots and obvious spaces left by the rounded edges of the 2 x 4 where horizontal joined vertical. I then sanded from 80 down to 220 grit. I used 1 coat of Minwax Pre-stain conditioner, followed by 1 coat of Minwax "Gunstock" stain and 3 coats of Minwax wipe-on clear satin Poly. I used a cloth to apply the stain and poly, which provided a smooth, lovely finish. I like the rustic look of the wood knots and grain, but I didn't want primitive. It took almost 1 quart of stain, and a pint of poly for this project.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Linda7

Tue, 07/29/2014 - 21:50

Jacqueline...sorry for the late reply, but I've been out of town and just now saw this. The plans for the bunk bed itself is from Ana's book The Handbuilt Home. The loft part is basically the same build, but I left off the bottom bunk. I did increase the height of the beds and moved the built-in ladder to the foot board. I tried to explain my mods in the "about this project" section of the post. If you have any questions, just email me.

Linda7

Fri, 04/17/2015 - 18:39

Well, as I mentioned in the original post, I built these beds to be modular so that they could be moved or stored. Less than a year after the beds were finished and installed, my family moved. As we took the beds down, we made sure all the parts were labeled and grouped the slats for each bed. It was easy to reconstruct it at the new house, especially because the spacers between the cleats for the slats enabled us to just lay them down w/o having to use screws.

Play farmhouse table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 10/05/2016 - 10:47

My husband took care of cutting, drilling and putting together the table. I took care of sanding, staining and sealing. It was an easy project. Thank you for the plans, our kids love this table! 

 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
100+ we had to buy tools we didn't have.
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Farmhouse Headboard

My daughter is thrilled with her Farmhouse headboard. She’s a horse-loving teenager & this fits her bedroom style perfectly. All of the wood I used was pulled from piles at our family farm. This plan has plenty of room for little errors & customization of the finished look. I scarred up the wood with a hammer, big screws & went to town with a Dremel sanding tool to round the edges & make it look very rustic. So much fun to build & see my girl so excited. Thank you for sharing this plan!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$15 screws & wood stain (had free wood)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Special Walnut
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

DIY Garden Bench

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 05/15/2024 - 08:18

My name is Nan Farley.  I am attaching the finished garden bench (my 2nd wood project) that I created with the help of your free garden bench plans.  Thank you so much for sharing your videos and plans with us.

 

Built from Plan(s)

Rustic X End Table - Love it!

Submitted by dibbleja on Wed, 09/05/2012 - 17:09

I love this plan and this table. This was my first project, and I think I turned out really well.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$20
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Oxidizing (steel wool dissolved in vinegar)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Farmhouse Bed - King

Submitted by SNukem on Thu, 07/03/2014 - 21:43

We built the farmhouse king size bed over the last week. We used 2x4 hangers to hold the 2x4's in place and used 2x4's to support the mattress. We put 7/16" plywood on top of the 2x4's to support the mattress. We struggled with how we were going to attach the side rails to the bed frame and finally came up with a way we felt would be strong enough. Please see the pictures included to see exactly how we attached the rails to the bed frame. We used lag bolts, and metal brackets.

Estimated Cost
200
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Glidden Antique White Primer and paint combo in semigloss, we did 2 coats.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Hidden Desk

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 10/08/2016 - 12:24

I shrunk the size and dumbed down the plans to fit my skill level.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
175
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Walnut
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Texastia

Mon, 10/10/2016 - 09:08

I love what you did! It looks so great! I prefer this style, which is more simplistic than the other. Great work!!

 

Jessi_ites

Tue, 10/11/2016 - 14:56

Thanks! I wish I would of set up an account before I posted so I could get notifications.  I honestly didn't think anyone would notice it :)

Jessi_ites

Tue, 10/11/2016 - 14:58

I am so excited that people noticed this :)  Is there any way of putting this under my account?  I didnt make an account until today and I would like to get notifications.   I have my project on my facebook page and can prove that I made it with other pictures. Thanks!

crstorm

Mon, 01/20/2020 - 07:44

I would love to see this in a farm-house (rather than rustic) aesthetic along with drawers under the seats for extra storage. Maybe on casters with a fold up extension on the other side? So many ideas running through my head with this!

Hailey Platform Bed

Submitted by juls02 on Thu, 07/09/2020 - 10:15

I'm just beginning to experiment with furniture building, but I am pleased with how the bed came out. The plans were easy to follow. I didn't have a finish nailer at the time, so I had to use 2 inch finished nails which I hammered in. Although you can see the nail heads along the side of the head board, I don't think it distracts the eye.

Estimated Cost
$120
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Alternating with Verathane's "Flagstone" and "Briarsmoke" wood stains
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Refinished Oak Dining Table

My father loved his woodworking and refinishing antique furniture. He built a wood shop years ago and loved spending he retirement years in there. He enjoyed going to auctions and the like and picking up antique pieces for $5 and $10. He had an antique oak dining table that someone had given him years ago. Cancer took him 4 years ago and he still has that shop full of antiques. I came across the old table and it was in sad shape. It was literally in several pieces and the legs were cracked. I decided to refinish the table.

I had some oak plywood and 1" by oak left over from other projects. I went ahead and removed all of the bracing and replaced all of it. I began stripping off all of the old finish. The underside of the table had been painted. The legs were the real challenge. Not only were the legs turned, they are fluted. I stripped off what I could with liquid stripper. I then used a power washer to help remove more. I then began sanding by hand every nook and cranny. I then filled all of the little cracks with wood filler. I used pin nails on the larger cracks. Once everything was stripped I began seeing a beautiful patina that only time can create.

I then began staining with Minwax Aged Oak gel stain. I used 2 coats on parts and up to 4 coats on other parts trying to get a uniform appearance to the wood. I used between 3 and 6 coats of Minwax quick drying polyurethane on the table. I sanded with 220 and 320 grit sandpaper between coats. I think it turned out pretty well.

The only thing I really had to buy was new casters. I think I spent about $10 for them. Everything else was left over from other projects. I worked on the project here and there between other projects I was working on. I think I probably had around 20 hours total on the project. Stripping and sanding the legs took the longest time. Somehow I think dad is smiling down at me when I finish his projects he had on the back burner.

Estimated Cost
$10
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax Aged Oak Gel Stain and Minwax fast drying satin polyurethane. The gel stain was brushed on and I wiped down after 10-15 minutes with a cotton rag dipped in mineral spirits. The polyurethane was brushed on and I sanded between coats. I used Briwax after the poly was dry to buff out the finish and add some protection.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Coconutpalm79

Sat, 04/05/2014 - 11:53

Hello,

I have almost the exact table that you featured on a different project where you refinished an antique white oak 5 legged fluted table. I was wondering if you could provide info. on removal of these antique castors? My husband is tall and we would love to remove the original castors and possibly add wood furniture feet to add to the height of this short beauty. Any info. would be much appreciated. Thank you for your time!

windjamer812

Wed, 01/21/2015 - 22:58

I'm sorry I have not been on in a while. Most casters come in two parts. The wheel usually has a stem on it. This can usually be removed by simply pulling it down. If it is stubborn then you may have to use pliers or channel locks. Once this is removed, you will find a sleeve that fits into the table leg. These tend to rust over time. Also they become quite stuck. I usually use a very fine standard screw driver to work them out. Occasionally the outer rim of the sleeve breaks off. I have used a drill and drill bit that fits the same size of the inner diameter of the sleeve. Use a very slow RPM on the drill and it should come out. Good luck with your table.

Camp Loft for Boy

Submitted by masmith38 on Mon, 07/07/2014 - 08:08

Made this loft bunk a few hours at a time, over the course of several months. Spare time and weather in Utah has been less than cooperative. I used some back pack strapping screwed to 1x3's for the mattress supports. For the finish I used 2 coats of paint with primer, and 3 coats of high use water base polyurethane. With a 5 and 7 year old I didn't want to be worried the paint would be getting dented and chipped off for a long time. I wanted to stain it originally but failed to remember to wipe off the wood glue before it dried so it got painted. This was a very fun project to build, my son loves it. Now to build another one for his sister.

Estimated Cost
$85
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Sanded one time with 80 grit and 2nd time with 120 grit. Rolled 2 coats of semi-gloss paint with primer, and brushed 3 coats of satin high use water base polyurethane. Be careful to catch drips on both paint and primer. Sanding, painting and poly took the longest amount of time.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Farmhouse Bar Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 10/11/2016 - 18:18

I made several changes to the original Ana White plan. I wanted to build a bar height table for my husband's man cave. I left the length at 5ft long, but instead of dinner table height, I raised it to be a bar top. It perfectly accomodates typical bar height stools, as seen in the picture. 

 

www.withlovefromgablog.blogspot.com

Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Farmhouse Table Home Run!!!

I needed an outdoor dining table for our very long narrow paved side yard. I looked just about everywhere for a table I liked and that was even reasonably priced. Gotta be honest, there was no way I was paying $1000.00 for something I didn't like. That's when I stumbled on the plans for this table on Pinterest. I have never built furniture before, but I had just finished building a privacy fence so I thought I would (could) take it on. It took me about 4/5 hours, by myself, to make the table and I practically burst into tears when I saw how stunning it was!! I altered things a bit and used three 12-inch boards rather than six 6-inch boards (and I used 1/2 inch spacers so that rain water could move through). I was so excited by the table, that the next day, I built the bench! Same alteration as well. I used a single 12-inch wide board (with a gorgeous raw edge--sanded for comfort and safety) for the seat. I'm so damn proud!!! Thank you so much for this spectacular plan! It has inspired me. My next project is the Farm House bed frame for my teen daughter!!!

Estimated Cost
$100.00-$125.00
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Build a Loft Bed (and win your daughters heart)

When it was time for a big girl bed for my daughter I was so excited because I had been WANTING to make the Hanging Loft Bed since first spying it on The Bumper Crop and Ana White. I'm a novice so this was the perfect first project for me and my daughter LOVES it. If you have unique space challenges in any of your bedrooms this is the bed for you.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$200 (I needed to buy some tools)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
White Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Rob from Wisconsin (not verified)

Tue, 12/18/2012 - 17:17

What a great idea! I can't wait to make one for my little girl next weekend. Can I ask a few questions? How did you affix it to the ceiling? I will not be able to get on top of the ceiling so I will be finding he joists with a stud-finder. I assume you screwed in eye-bolts?

How did you make the rail and ladder? Any help is GREATLY appreciated. Thanks so much for the idea, my Daughter is going to love it!

Thanks,
Rob

britpatt2010

Thu, 08/01/2013 - 06:03

I just wanted to say that I just came across this and absolutely love it! My daughter and our new baby will be sharing a room and now I have inspiration on how to make it work! Can't wait to try this out! Love the ladder...how did you make the ladder?

Entryway Revamp

I had always wanted a bigger entry way at my front door. Last year my husband was gone for 3 weeks (military training) and I had the perfect opportunity to make it happen.

as you can see the original closet took up half of the entry way, and was not very functional as far as storage. It was always crammed full of stuff and there was just no good way to organize it.

With the help of my mom and sister (huge thanks) we tore out the closet, put in a new floor in the entry way, built a bench with nooks for my girls, shelves below for shoes, and shelves above for storage containers.

The new floor was added as we found after the closet was out that the oak flooring did not continue under where those walls had been, and after consulting with a wood floor specialty guy, I was informed that the flooring in my house has not been made for some 50 years now. We added new flooring (which has been better with wet shoes anyways) and moved on.

The bench/ shelf was built by us with the size of the space in mind, and the height of the tallest shoes also in mind (my husbands boots) there are two cubbies and enough bench to seat one at a time to get shoes on or off. the back of the cubbies is painted in magnetic paint. very helpful when the girls need to take notes to school with them, I simply hang them up and they stuff them in their back packs on the way out the door. we have found that friends pictures go up through the school year there too. The round black containers that you see are perched along the top two shelves. They are $1 discounted, plastic garbage cans that I spray painted black to match. They have recently been labeled, gloves, hats, scarves, flip flops, out door chalk, etc. the very top shelf which you need a step stool to reach hold the off season bins and the lower shelf holds the in season bens. there are also 2 bens below the bench seat to hold, flip flops or gloves and hats for easy access for my girls.

Over all, the overhaul (:) has been great. people can now actually get into my house and out of the weather more then one at a time. the storage is much more efficient, and I feel much cleaner looking.

and best of all, because I like to change things up all the time, I can change out the bins to square or rectangle and any other type of material, anytime I like, I wont always have to stick with the repurposed garbage cans that I am using now. although these suckers hold a lot more then I ever would have thought.

This was my first really big project. and I am pretty proud of it. - And my husband actually thought he was in the wrong house when he came home from training :)

Estimated Cost
$500.00
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Painted
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Sectional build

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 07/13/2020 - 22:43

Thank you Ana for all that you do! Me and my family are very thankful.

Enclosed Garden Beds

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 05/28/2024 - 12:31

Made a few subtle changes. Excellent plans. Clear and easy to follow. Thank you.

Cynthia Dinardi (Oregon)

Built from Plan(s)

mini farmhouse table

mini farm house tables

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$60.00 for 2 tables
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
We used white semi-gloss paint and Minwax dark walnut stain
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

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