Community Brag Posts

Hall Tree

Submitted by tbonia on Wed, 03/19/2014 - 13:50

This was my first attempt at building actual furniture. It went pretty well I think. I followed the plan pretty much. I made the bench longer and taller. I also added a few inches to the height if the hutch.
A couple other changes I made that I thought it needed was 2x2 bracing on the bottom if the bench for stability. I also added a band of 1x2 to the bottom of the hutch so I could screw the hutch to the bench without having to go inside of the bench and try to line it up .
I then added another board to the top band of the hutch, because with the one small board there it want wide enough to mount a decent size hook to.
That's pretty much it. If you have any questions, let me know.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Painted White
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Just a beginner! Second Project

Submitted by Rifka on Tue, 06/21/2016 - 18:35

Great first project!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$20
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Annie Sloan chalk paint with clear wax.
Works great for outside too.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Rustic x hall tree

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 04/19/2020 - 19:57

My first wood working project. Made it a little taller and added a shelf.

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

Recycle Bin Dresser

Submitted by Booooozle on Tue, 06/05/2012 - 15:13

I saw Ana's Laundry Basket Dresser & thought it was an awesome idea, I am notorious for not folding the clean laundry for weeks & our new puppy likes to steal the clean socks & in the process pulls out other clothing all over the closet floor. I plan to build two of the basket dressers & then space them apart & add a top to them to make it like a folding table with the basket storage built into it but that involves a trip to Lowes. This project also gave me the best idea for tidying up our mudroom. Our local trash/recycling company decided 6 months ago to go to an every other week pick up schedule for recycling, with an every week pick up we only had a bin & a half, very managable & tidy. Now with every other week pick up somehow we generate 4 bins! As you can imagine, even with breaking down cardborad & nealty placing items in the bins, it gets messy & looks awful & this is the main way people enter our home. So after seeing this dresser project I got the idea to just adjust the plans to fit our bins. I also only had a single sheet of plywood & limited space so I tweaked the design from Ana's plan to accomodate my needs & materials. Now our bins are contained & the bin dresser doubles as a large table where we can put down the groceries when we get home from shopping! While I put it down as a weekend project, I only did so because I spread out the work over two days because I wanted to give the paint time to dry, I like to paint & stain my Projects before assembling as it's easier to get full coverage & I don't end up with dificult to paint knooks & cranies.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
For me, nothing, already had the materials though probably $30-$40
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
I just used some interior paint we had leftover, not exactly the perfect thing to use but it's in a mudroom & I just wanted to cover the ugly plywood.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Farmhouse Kitchen Island

Grabbed some cheap whiteboard for my first project. My wife was looking at buying an island and I decided to surprise her by trying my hand at building one. Turned out to be an enjoyable new hobby that I hope to continue (plus, Laura now says I am her "favorite husband!").

Materials breakdown:
The lumber is white board from Lowe's for $115
The countertop is laminate Pragel from Ikea for $59 (cut to size)
Paint, polyurethane and drawer hinges were $50

I had another $75 in tools, glue, wood filler, nails, etc, because this was my first project.

Estimated Cost
$225
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Green paint with black and chestnut dry-brushed distressing. Two coats of polyurethane.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Pastor Priestley

Wed, 04/02/2014 - 17:42

We just moved into an old house with a garage and the previous owners left a work table and an ancient Craftsman jig-saw, circular saw, and scroll saw (all from 1956). They were a bit sketch, but they got the job done!

gozinehtalaee

Tue, 11/15/2016 - 00:15

I love that. It have a nice design. ین درها دارای تکنولوژی مدرن و پیشرفته بوده و استفاده از آن سهل و آسان می باشد. وجود موتور توبولار و مرکز کنترل پیشرفته الکتروند فرانسه در آن باعث ایجاد امنیت، آرامش خیال و سهولت کارکرد آن بصورت دستی و اتوماتیک شده است. این مدل درب اتوماتیک به دلیل کم حجم بودن و جمع شدن در زیر سقف فروشگاه ها و یا مراکز تجاری و یا به صورت عمودی در سوله ها و کارخانه ها، هم باعث کارآیی بیشتر و هم دارای زیبایی مضاعف می باشد و کاربرد آن در مراکز تجاری، فروشگاه ها و صنعتی باعث ایجاد امنیت، راحتی و سهولت در استفاده از آن شده است .

Leaning wall desk/bookshelf

Using only scraps from all my other projects, I modified Ana's plans to create this workspace in the house we just moved into. I changed the dimensions of the shelves to take advantage of the materials I had on hand. Additionally, though I have a lot of different things on the shelves in this picture, I'll be using the shelves more for books and reference materials, so I needed standard shelf sizes. Though this is a simple design, cutting some of the angles and installing the shelves was a bit tricky, therefore I think this is more of an intermedite project. I also added 2x4 legs to support my Mac. Can't have that tumbling to the ground!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
I used all scraps and left over lumber from other projects to make this. My actual cost was $25.
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
I used an all-in-one Verathane stain+finish (ebony). I put on 3 coats, sanded with a fine grit sponge and put on one additional coat.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

picture ledge

Submitted by Jess1ka on Tue, 04/21/2020 - 07:44

A great way to display books in the kids playroom. So easy to make.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

My Rustic X Console

This is my third project from this site (ok, third project EVER). I was coming on to look for doll bed plans, and the Rustic X Console showed up on my screen....I loved it instantly, and knew I had to try it. My husband ran out and picked up a Kreg Jig for me, and we spent a couple evenings on it. Had lots of fun, though now I know why Ana says to make sure you buy straight boards--the middle shelves were not straight, and that was frustrating to work with but we made it work! Now I just need to figure out what I'll be using it for.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$50
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Just like the original, I used the steel wool & vinegar mixture. I did two coats of this, which amounted to about one and a half cheese whiz jars full. Then my husband lightly sanded it (I really, really hate sanding) and we sprayed it with two coats of Minwax satin finish varathane. We'll probably still add one more coat of that.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Rhyan Coffee Table

Submitted by dbwalk on Wed, 04/02/2014 - 19:15

I loved this coffee table plan. I found it on www.morelikehome.net and also linked on Ana White's page. My wife and I loved the size and also the number of drawers for storage. I would say that the plans were great and I had to only make minor adjustments due to my own errors.

It took me about four days to complete. I used the Kreg jig to complete most of the joining. I put it all together by the end of the second day. It is solid as a rock. The last two days were mostly staining all pieces and then restaining to get the right finish. It also took a couple more weeks to find pulls and get them installed. But now it's all done and we love it already!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
140
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Black satin polyurethane
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Side Street goes Shabby Chic

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 06/27/2016 - 21:14

We sanded, stained, painted, and distressed the wood before building. That was truly the most time consuming part. The plans were great and everything went together smoothly! We decided to take off the top 2 planks from the footboard, and used those as the side rail. We created the ladder from what we had on hand. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Stain- dark walnut
Paint- Paint left from our kitchen ceiling

Distressed with electric hand sander
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Farmhouse Barn Door Console

Submitted by calcowoods on Fri, 04/24/2020 - 08:11

Followed the overall plan to build the console for my daughter's birthday. Made several modifications including using (3) 2 X 6 inch pine boards attached using Kreg pocket hole screws for a seamless and sturdy top; substituted barn door hardware rollers with Barton Kramer 1-1/2 in. Patio Door Wheels providing a smooth glide and budget friendly alternative; added more partitions to accommodate extra shelving; and utilized u shaped brackets lined with felt to keep barn doors in line.

Used Kreg pocket holes to assemble the unit which gave us the ability to easily transport this rather heavy and
6-foot large console. My daughter was extremely pleased and actually many of her friends wanted to know where she bought the unit. This was truly a rewarding experience and confidence builder for me and my wife.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Varathane Weathered Grey and Kona Wood Stain.
Entire cabinet finished using MinWax Paste Finishing Wax Natural applied with a rag and buffed for a durable finish.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Benchright Table and Benches

Submitted by mebohn on Mon, 06/11/2012 - 14:14

I wasn't very experienced when I built this table. It was only my second big piece of furniture (farmhouse bed was my first) and it was the first time I had every used a compound mitre saw, which my husband had just bought for my birthday. We had no dining room furniture, so I made the 2 benches to go with, until we could set aside money for the ever so expensive dining chairs. (We'll keep one bench for sure for the kiddos!) My seasoned carpenter husband was so impressed when he came home from out of town to find this table done just in time for the holidays. I love it so much and am very proud of the finish since it was the first time EVER I had used stain or poly. We did order materials for the stretchers, but haven't put them on yet. They were from Fastenal and are pretty pricey - but hopefully, they'll give the industrial touch to finish it off. The whole project took me under 2 weeks - but it would take far less for someone who is more skilled and doesn't have to stop every 5 minutes to tend to 2 very active toddlers.

Estimated Cost
Less than $200 without turnbuckles
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
2 coats of Minwax English Chestnut and 3 coats of Polyeurethane, lightly sanding in between coats
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

SawgrassHomeGirl

Tue, 06/12/2012 - 06:01

The table looks gorgeous and I love the stain color. Bravo! Can't wait to see what it looks like with the hardware! :)

givehugsprn

Mon, 07/02/2012 - 01:12

My sister is in need of a new table and I have been thinking of building this table for her. I bought a very nice round table and 4 chairs on CraigsList but the table is too small for her dinning area so I sold the table and kept the chairs. Now I'm working on stripping the wood and recovering the pads on all 4 chairs. Maybe after all the chairs are done I will be able to start the table. I hope mine looks as nice as yours. Great Job!!!

Rebecca H. (not verified)

Mon, 07/30/2012 - 17:52

Hi - what a beautiful job! I'm thinking of making this my first big project and you have really inspired me. One question, did you stay with dimensions found on the original plan? For some reason the table seems bigger. Also, if you did keep to the original dimensions, do you think this would be an easy plan to adjust to making the table wider? Thanks so much and congratulations!

mebohn

Tue, 08/14/2012 - 18:47

Sorry Rebecca - I just saw this question. I ended up adding an extra 1x6 board to widen the table just a few inches but my 1x6's here were not 5 1/2 inches, they were more like 5 1/4 inches. So I had to adjust the whole tabletop anyway. I'm thinking of actually building another one that's longer to fit my dining room better and stain it a little lighter. I don't think this was my first BIG project. I think the farmhouse bed was for me - but I haven't posted yet b/c I just refinished it. This was my first project with a compound mitre saw that my husband eventually bought me for my birthday. I had to learn my way through bevels and angles by myself and I did make a few mistakes, which were frustrating, but a total learning experience. You can do it! Just don't rush and be patient with yourself. I wish you so much success!!! I look forward to seeing your table posted when you finish it! :-)

Simplest Console (first furniture project)

Submitted by Yrkylvr on Sat, 04/05/2014 - 18:50

First furniture project with my Kreg Jig. Went smoothly. Loved the plans and how descriptive they were. This is a great beginner project. It only took me about 2 hours to complete.

Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Kona Stain and Valspar paint on bottom (white) then distressed with mouse sander. Actually the more the paint gummed up on the sanding disc the better it distressed!
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

JoanneS

Sun, 04/06/2014 - 06:33

Congrats on your first furniture project, great job! Your distressed finish and stained top are awesome. Love the Kona stain color, and I think it is the perfect amount of distressing on the paint. Beautiful!

Farmhouse table

Submitted by Shugh on Fri, 07/01/2016 - 16:01

Thanks for the plans!

Estimated Cost
$200 and 40 of that was a box of 1000 screws, and 35 for stain (not in image)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Still to be finished/stained
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

First Ana White style modern Adirondack chair

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 04/28/2020 - 09:19

Thanks Anna, great design great plan. My first attempt at a chair. Was a lot of fun , just have to build 5 more, my wife loves it.
Bob
Duluth MN

Estimated Cost
$25
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Un decided
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Patio Table

Submitted by Rennie82 on Wed, 06/13/2012 - 17:42

Project took a lot more time and patience than the last few little ones that I have done. I like the simple outdoor table but wanted a little bit more. I used the basic concept and mixed it with a patio table from PB that I really enjoyed but didnt want to pay $800 for. The table looks fantastic and am still debating on what type of finish, if any, to use. Hoping to make the matching bench soon for one of the sides of the table.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Around $120 including the carriage bolts so I can take off the legs.
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
None as of yet, leaning towards Thompsons clear waterproofer
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

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