Community Brag Posts

My Fancy X Desk

My son had been asking if I could build him a desk for months, so I finally decided to get it done! I found this to be a fairly easy build and with some minor changes, will likely build additional ones in the future.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax English Chestnut, Minwax Satin Wipe-on Poly
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Christmas Helper Towers

Submitted by papamike on Sun, 01/05/2020 - 13:25

I built two of these for my grandkids for Christmas.  One for each of my kid's homes.  I used Phillip Moore's folding modification where each side is a separate panel.  (Great mod!). I used one T-Nut per hinge on the side where short screws had to be used.  I just felt a little safer having that connection that cannot come apart since my grandkids can get pretty active.  The kids love them!!  Thank you for this plan!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Paint and semi-gloss clear coat for easy cleanup. I recommend spray paint because no matter how hard I tried to avoid it, the sharp inside corners formed drips with a brush. Finally sanded them off and spray painted with much greater success.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Tall Cedar Planter

Submitted by zzjb2 on Fri, 09/08/2023 - 08:29

Made a tall wood planter from cedar and pine fence posts using Ana’s plans this weekend! Modified slightly and added a frame around top to give it a more finished look.

Awesome plans! Thanks Ana.

Built from Plan(s)

My Bookshelf Dollhouse

Submitted by wmaughan on Wed, 04/11/2012 - 22:26

After much deliberation, I decided to make a dollhouse for my daughters Christmas gift. The aesthetics of the bookshelf-style dollhouse appealed to me over the more intricate and fancy designs. I took the literal meaning of the style and incorporated an actual bookshelf/DVD rack into the dollhouse. On the apposing side I built a magnet board for my daughters given that my refrigerator is not magnetic. About the project: I knew my design would end up being heavy so I started by building a basic frame out of construction grade 2x4's. The frame is placed on four casters and is concealed by the baseboard. When on carpet, the casters are not visible and have come in handy. Working upward, the majority of the construction consists of 3/4" cabinet grade plywood which you can find at Home Depot. The "carpet" I chose was an inexpensive bathroom rug that I purchased at Walmart. The scale & thickness of the berber seemed appropriate for the dollhouse and I attached it using carpet glue. For added security I tacked the perimeter with some staples. For the bathroom tiles, I cut some groutable adhesive tiles into squares on the table saw (use a cross cut sled if you have one) and attached them to the bathroom floor. Make sure your surface is free of dust, and a heat gun or a propane heater will accelerate the drying process and create a better bond. Make sure to use unsanded grout for the joints. To make the shingles, I cut a 4'x8' (used about 2/3 of the sheet) piece of 1/4" mahogany veneer into 2.5"x4' strips. The cuts were made perpendicular to the wood grain to give the desired aesthetic. This gave me a robust shingle construction with the look of shake shingles. I then cut about 3/4 of the way through the strips with approximately 1 1/4" separation between each shingle. Attaching the shingles was easy. I didn't want to wait for glue to dry so in addition to some wood glue, I also tacked the row of shingles in place with 3/8" brad nails. When placing the shingles, make sure to start at the bottom and work your way up to the pitch of the roof. This will allow you to overlap the shingles about 3/4" to cover the uncut portion to give it the appearance of individual shingles. You will also want to offset your rows to change the vertical alignment of the shingle spaces. I marked each row with a pencil prior to cutting the final width. You may also consider which side of the shingles you want facing up. I opted for the rough side to give it a more weathered look. With some of the extra shingle material I made hardwood floors for the kitchen.The veneer I purchased was mahogany on one side, and oak on the other which allowed me to alternated sides and give it a unique look. Attach the floor using wood glue and allow 24hrs before sanding. Place weights on the floor to secure it while drying. I applied both a stain (Minwax Golden Oak) and some wipe-op polyurethane for the finish. The storage bins are Ikea boxes that can be easily removed to allow for additional play areas. The piece of sheet metal I used for the magnet board was already cut to the desired size at Home Depot. I attached it using some 3M spray adhesive, then secured it with some poplar strips. I also used the 3M construction adhesive to attach the craft paper/wallpaper. With all of the chaos surrounding Christmas I wasn't able to quite finish it. Here is still what's in progress: - Painted white ladder to loft - Stained mahogany stairs to family room - Kitchen cabinets - Cobblestone chimney - Closet doors

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
120
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Stain for shingles & wood floor was Minwax Golden Oak. Wipe-on poly for wood floors. Paint was Behr paint.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

ferbit

Thu, 04/12/2012 - 08:29

Oh WOW!!! This turned out amazing! So jealous my kids are too old for a bookcase like this! You did a fantastic job!

jeff womack (not verified)

Fri, 04/13/2012 - 15:18

How did you make the railing? It looks great, but wouldn't it be fragile? What did you use for trim and molding throughout the house? Did you use a dremel to work with the small details? This is an amazing looking doll house that my daughter would love. I just may need to do this sometime before Christmas.

birdsandsoap

Fri, 04/13/2012 - 20:38

Looks like an intricate design, and whoa! All of those little shingles by hand? Good job. I love how you incorporated the bin storage into the bottom.

wmaughan

Mon, 04/16/2012 - 17:32

It gives the appearance of individual shingles, but I actually just cut strips with grooves in them. I have seen several dollhouses with shingles that have fallen off so I wanted to avoid that :)

Milca (not verified)

Fri, 06/08/2012 - 20:32

Super duper good job on it :) Wish I had time to make one like that for my 4 yo. She's so particular, can't let her see the pictures ah ah. Lucky girls! Talented mama!

Wide Cabin Dresser

Submitted by Amynikkel on Sun, 01/26/2014 - 20:03

Wide cabin dresser from pine, charcoal grey wood stain, soft-close drawer slides, and turquoise hardware.

Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Farmhouse Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 04/21/2016 - 07:37

This was my first project!!
This plan took me about three weeks start to finish working off and on (multiple hours on weekend days). I widened the table to 48 inches (the dimensions for my table are approx 84" long x 48" wide. Used 4-2x10s and 1-2x12 for the table top and 1x8s for the bread board ends.

Estimated Cost
$100-$150 (I didn't have any of the items on hand or scrap) includes stains/paint/urethane, PH screws etc.
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Stained with two coats of Minwax Early American and then one coat of Minwax English Chestnut (tried to match another furniture piece) coated top with 3 coats of Minwax Pro Spar Urethane in satin. The base is made with 4x4s for the legs and then 2x4s for the aprons and stretchers. Painted in Valspar Satin "Wet Pavement", 2 coats and clear coated with the satin Pro Spar Urethane, 3 coats.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Rustic X DIY changing station w/ removable top

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 01/11/2020 - 15:42

A Christmas gift for a friend who recently had a baby.

I went with one inch (3/4") project panels. The top shelf is 1"x 20". The lower shelves are 1"x 16", but I added 1 1/2" with two 1"x 2" banding. For the "x" brackets, I used 1"x 2" and added a middle piece to connect the legs and double as a side shelf ledge. The baby changing station top is secured by an L-bracket, where I added a block to keep the spacing even around the station top and screwed from underneath. (Note, you might have to trim the L-bracket to fit on the underside of the lip.) Also, I put on furniture felt under the baby changing station top to prevent any marring to the top shelf.

The removable top allows the changing station to become a standard shelving unit once the baby outgrows the changing station top. There are no holes drilled onto the topside of the top shelve as it's being secured by two L-brackets.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
The wood cost was about $70.
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Cherry stain, white paint, and poly.

I stained all three shelves first. I painted the rest of the project white, which needed two coats. Then I assembled the unit together. Afterwards, I applied three coats of poly with a foam brush. After the second coat of poly, i used a gray finishing pad. On the third and final coat of poly, I used a white finishing pad (finer than the gray pad).
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

10 dollar ledges

Submitted by a.stauff on Sun, 04/15/2012 - 09:40

Our take on the 10 dollar ledges. We definitely wanted a rustic look. I love them!

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

Comments

Felisia Me (not verified)

Mon, 10/08/2012 - 00:37

Hello, these are gorgeous! What kind of stain/finish and in what color was used on these shelves? Really love it and would like to know how to make them look liek this.

Spice Rack (Built-In)

Submitted by bhammond on Tue, 01/28/2014 - 21:00

I followed the spice rack plans but put this right inside my wall and added a face frame. I love the detail in the carved wood!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$10
Finish Used
White paint and white caulk in cracks. The detailed carved wood was bought from Home Depot.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Lego Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 04/26/2016 - 06:52

Very Easy project, the plans are straight forward. The kids love having a table to play lego's and we love being able to hide everything away. Very Nice Table. When the girls get older and the Plywood cover shows signs of wear from much use, I'll probably replace the cover with one made from pine 1x6's biscuit-joined to give a nice textured look, but still with the storage for games and stuff.

Estimated Cost
$225 CAD
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
CIL Crisp Linen Paint & Minwax Red Mahogany Stain with 3 coats of Minwax Polyurethane Topcoat.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Covered Pergola Walk Way

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 09/15/2023 - 08:38

Built a pergola with a roof attached to a pool house.

Ed Nixon & Jim Reitenbach

My First Project - Farmhouse Bedroom

This was my first big project...I wanted to get rid of the store-bought bedroom set that overwhelmed our small room, but I still needed to keep all of the storage space it provided. I started small with the Farmhouse Nightstand, then moved to a double size nightstand. I couldn't stop once I got rolling! The most challenging was the dresser, but I have no complaints! It was a wonderful challenge. Lastly, I made a queen platform storage bed - it has open cubbies underneath with baskets for drawers. I couldn't be happier or prouder of how this came out, our bedroom looks 10 times bigger! I've always been a do it yourself kind of gal - but I surprised myself with this one!

The tables were quick to build, they can both be done in a day. The dresser was a weekend project as was the bed. The finishing has to be done over several days. I'd say this could be done over a week if you have the time. I did this over 3 weekends and finishing in the evenings after work.

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
I used Minwax stain in "Provincial" for all of these. Final finish was done with 3 coats of glossy polyurethane.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

JoanneS

Fri, 01/31/2014 - 20:47

Your farmhouse bedroom looks awesome! Looks like you used all your available space beautifully and to its best advantage. And the finish is gorgeous! Great project!

Sideboard - 1st Build!

This was my first build from Ana White and my first piece of furniture.  It is doable for a determined, handy beginner/ intermediate.  I took my time and worked on it when I could, thanks to my wife for letting me take over the garage for several weekends and her great painting skills!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$400
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
General Finishes milk paint: Buttercup (yellow)
Sherwin Williams: Blue Bell

General Finishes: Poly Finish - satin

We primed it white
Two coats yellow
Two coats poly
Light sanding between each application with superfine sand paper sponges.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Reclaimed Wood Rolling Shelf

These were fun to make. They let me whitewashed brick show through while still being functional. I made a shorter one to go under my tv too. My advice is to secure them to the wall if they feel tipsy like mine. 
 

Home Depot cut and threaded all my pipe. They were great!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Jacobean and grey
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Scrap Wood Dog Bed

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 09/18/2023 - 15:22

Scrap wood build for a dog bed. I built a new couch to replace the chair she destroyed and used the old chair cushion in her new bed. Has kept her off the furniture and on her own bed ever since.

Grace LeBlanc

New Room for Hayden

I promised my daughter that I would build her a new room for her birthday (in February). I finally got around to it in late March and I couldn't be more excited! She picked out the paint color (blue) for her room. And I got to work! Every time I go in her room I smile and feel so incredibly accomplished! I did the whole project myself! The only exception was carrying it up to her room. I overcame my fear of the circular saw which was awesome. The only problem was my oldest took one look at the room, fell to the ground in tears and wanted to know why her little sister had a "better" room than she did. And where her bed was! So I told her we'd get her a desk - she looked at me and said "No Mommy - I want you to build it!" I love that!

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Prime and painted.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

dananryan

Sat, 04/21/2012 - 09:11

You have every reason to feel accomplished! The room looks stunning. And you've already inspired your daughters to DIY. Time to build some memories ;-)

Abdul Wahid (not verified)

Sun, 04/22/2012 - 02:48

thankyou very good idea

barnes7483

Sun, 07/12/2015 - 19:31

Okay I have found the plans for the bed, the towers and the hutch on top but i cannot find plans for what the hutch is sitting on.  I know its non on the bed or that would shorten it.  Where can i find plans to build the headboard that the hutch is on?

Porch Swing for a 1924 FourSquare Home

I was shopping for a porch swing for my 1924 Four Square home and I couldn't find any to my liking...I stumbled across this web site on Shanty2Chic's Blog via Pinterest....and I am thrilled by what I have found!

Attached is a photo of the swing I built. I need to finish sanding, filling in the holes and then paint it. I will post a pic of the hanging on my front porch once the weather breaks.

The only deviation in the plan design is that I made the back 2x4 50' long so I could attach eye bolts to support the back. If you have scrap lumber, it would have cost me hardly anything.

Think spring!!

Estimated Cost
$90
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Will use an exterior white paint and poly on it for additional protection from the elements.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

My version, cheater style

Submitted by januaryMH on Mon, 05/02/2016 - 17:42

I believe I found the orignal quick version on the Finding Aloha site with a link back to Ana's original Farmhouse Bed. I made the blanket and bedding from some cheap FQ's. It was a hit for my neice's 7th birthday.

Estimated Cost
I had about $12 in all - including the fabric and wood.
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
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