Community Brag Posts

Tapered Crate

Submitted by dmcarwin on Sat, 02/16/2013 - 08:06

I was so excited when I saw the plan for this! I love making crates out of wood. It was quick and easy and I already had a cedar fence post! It was less than 30 minutes start to finish! For more pictures check out my blog post. Thanks Ana!

Estimated Cost
Free!
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
It was naturally finished for me!
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

sarahwilley2

Sat, 02/16/2013 - 10:45

Great job! This looks awesome. I can't wait to make some of these babies!

Changing Table / Dresser

Submitted by Ben W on Mon, 12/22/2014 - 09:09

I wanted to build a dresser & changing table combination for our son, who is due in January. I liked the Fillman (Pottery Barn's Fillmore) dresser plan, but also wanted to incorporate some ideas from Pottery Barn's Larkin Hi-Lo Changing table ($1100 - yikes!), namely the side cabinet, so I made a few modifications.

The side cabinet has a pullout shelf to accomodate a diaper pail or hamper. The changing table topper is removable so that this can continue to be used as a dresser when we no longer need the changing table.

I have built a few pieces from or inspired by Ana's site before, but none have been as rewarding as this!

Estimated Cost
$150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Sherwin Williams ProClassic Enamel (semi-gloss) in Snowbound.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Linda7

Mon, 12/22/2014 - 10:26

Beautiful build. Your modifications make this table very versatile, and I noticed that your spacing all around the drawers and door is so even. This should become a family heirloom.

Easy, cheap garage shelving

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 03/23/2017 - 20:12

I used 1x3 box pine instead of 2x4's for the bits that things sit on, and everything fits perfectly.

Originally I was planning on a 3.6m long x 0.6m deep X 1.8m high shelf.  At the lumberyard I found out that 2x4's came in 6m lengths as standard, so I adjusted this to 1.5m high instead, which worked out fine as I think 1.8m would have been a bit tall to get heavy things on top of.  Luckily for me my power points and light switches were just under this, which I didn't think about at the time!

Originally I was going to try and cut grooves for the 'rungs' of the ladder frames to slot into, hence the insets at the bottoms of the legs.  I think that the glue-and-screw construction will be plenty strong enough, though.

This took me about 4 hours to put together, and cost about NZD$170 all up, which is about USD$120.

I've got the bug.  Making things is awesome.

Estimated Cost
USD$120
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Adjustable Bed Farmhouse King Bed

Submitted by Mjtkgundy on Fri, 01/22/2021 - 19:59

We bought our adjustable bed and needed something to make it look better. I loved this bed and modified it to fit our needs. It was easy to build and really made such a difference in our room!

Estimated Cost
$250
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Flat white paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

first try :)

Submitted by booksgirl on Sun, 02/17/2013 - 16:30

This took me an afternoon because I have never used a compound mitre saw before so I was teaching myself through trial & error.
It was really fun to try and I will definitly be making more!

Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax stain
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

mega coop

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 03/26/2017 - 13:42

milled a bunch of cedar with the intention of building adirondack chairs, but we got chickens instead :)

Estimated Cost
$50 in hardware milled all the wood
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
just going to let it weather naturally
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Tryde Coffee Table

This is our very first Ana White project! We are so happy with how it turned out and have definitely been inspired to continue to create. Plans are already in the works for matching end tables, a dining table, and a bookshelf! We used cedar for this table. The stain was MinWax American Walnut, the slight red hue is from the wood only. We finished it with polycrylic because we didn't want any ambering. I think we probably spent about 6 hours doing the actual building A lot of that was spent trying to get the table top boards flush against each other. Any tips for picking straight pieces would be very helpful!! I would suggest cutting and screwing together on the same day do boards don't start to dry out. The rest of the time was really about doing test staining, waiting for coats to dry, etc. We did this in our basement so having water base stains was really key.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
MinWax water based conditioner (pre-stain) (applied with cloth)
MinWax water based American Walnut (applied with cloth)
MinWax polyryclic finish (applied with brush)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

My First Ana-White.com Project

Submitted by bodirskyj on Sun, 12/28/2014 - 18:57

Made a few changes to the cuts on the supports as I made a mistake on the mitres.  However, it worked out and added a different look than the plan's design.  (notice pointed mitres on supports)

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Behr Premium Plus Ultra Satin Green (Craftsman Era Color)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Only my second build since the huge Pottery Barn stic desk!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 03/27/2017 - 12:26

Can't believe I did it myself without hubbys help at all!!  Wasn't expecting to like the outcome, much less LOVE it!!  

 

I made my stain with grey paint and special walnut stain...came out beautifully!!  I used Behr white paint on the base and grey paint as the glaze. I got the knobs on sale at Hobby Lobby and painted them a dark silverish color. The inside of the box is the same as the top. 

I will say this is far from perfect...but I learned a lot and know I will do even better on my next project ;)  Thank you for these plans!!  Can't wait to build more!!

Estimated Cost
Around130 with knobs.
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Modern Farmhouse Writers Desk

Made this for my wife who is an English teacher. I renovated a spare room into her an office space. She loves the desk.

Estimated Cost
$65
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax dark walnut stain
Helmsman spar urethane
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Simple Changing Table

Submitted by JimmyE3 on Sat, 02/23/2013 - 08:59

Wanted to make our friends who were expecting a nice gift that would serve them for many years to come. Used a Kreg Jig (greatest tool ever for amateur carpenter or wood worker!!) for most of the joinery. Wanted it to have a bit of an older look to it.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$75
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Early American 230 stain and Fast Drying Polyurethane Clear Satin (2 coats)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Ava's Play Kitchen

Submitted by tcalford on Wed, 12/31/2014 - 09:10

We really wanted to give our 2 year old a play kitchen for Christmas. We also didn't want to spend the money on the likes of the Pottery Barn set, and weweren't sold on the lesser-expensive options. Fortunately, a quick internet search led me to Ana White's website and plans for this play kitchen. As someone who has never built anything before, the plans seemed very doable. All of the brag posts were also inspirational and sold me on starting this project. I worked on this an hour or so after work for a couple of weeks, and then a few longer nights running up to Christmas Eve (always a bit of a procrastinator!). As neither my wife or I know how to sew, we decided to turn the space underneath the sink into a cabinet. The paint color was left over from painting our kitchen and family room, and we decided to stain the stove and counter tops. Overall, we are very pleased and proud with how this turned out, and our 2 year old loves playing with the set!

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

Comments

JoanneS

Wed, 12/31/2014 - 13:15

This looks awesome! Love all the details and the green color with the stained counter. Great job!

Triple Pedestal Farmhouse Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 03/29/2017 - 11:18

Table was really fun and difficult to complete.  It took me about 30 hours to complete.  However, it is a real hit in the neighborhood.  I used pine and some of the material was really soft and difficult to sand/finish.  Decided to paint the pedestals chalk white (wife's inspiration), which was a really good choice.  Fitting the center sections of table top to frame was most difficult aspect of project.  Thanks Ana for the inspiration!

 

Johnny Wilson

Shelbyville, TN

Estimated Cost
Estimated cost about $300 for materials; wood, stain, paint, poly, etc.
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Table Top; Minwax Early American Stain + Minwax Polyurethane
key: Use t-Shirt to wipe down stain after applying with brush!

Legs: Chalk Paint (mixed at Lowes)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Outdoor Sectional

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 02/09/2021 - 18:00

Thanks Ana White, love the way my sectional turned out. Your plans are perfect for someone want to start building things around their house. You are an inspiration to women like me!!!❤️

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)

Apothecary Console

Submitted by drewkayla on Sun, 02/24/2013 - 23:10

Apothecary Console

Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Krylon white primer, Krylon gloss Ivory, walnut stain and polyurethane spray in semi gloss, Behr faux glaze mixed with a Behr brown (roasted nut)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Ladder Shelf

Submitted by donnamarie on Sat, 01/03/2015 - 13:12

My master bath was in desparate need of storage, and as usual, it was Ana's site to the rescue.  I built this Ladder Shelf exactly from Ana's 'Painter's Ladder Shelf' plans.  I built and had it painted in about 2 days.  Now I finally have a place to store towels.  Thanks again, Ana!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$40
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
1 coat of primer, then a light sanding, then two coats of Sherwin-Williams Dover White in semi-gloss
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Rustic Island

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 04/01/2017 - 16:17

We altered the plans to match our kitchen island to our 10-seat farm table my husband made.  The top design is a replica of our table.  We then added some wrought iron hooks and iron bottle opener for detail as well as corner plates to match our dining table.   We decided to leave out the drawers and add a little open cubby for storage instead.  Will look great with our rustic, country theme in our house!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$250.00
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Miniwax Red Mahogany stain, 2-3 coats of urethane, assorted hardware for details.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

My version of Mini Farmhouse Bedside tables

I built these tables for my brothers who wanted extra space in their rooms. These tables were the second and third ones completed. The table on the left has some decorative plyboard I had leftover from another project.

Estimated Cost
$120 total for both (lumber prices have increased)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
I started with finishings with 3 types of sandpaper (80, 150,220) initially. Then Wood Conditioner to ensure an even-ish stain (dark walnut on the left table, and American oak on the other table). Next oil-based glossy poly, brushed on, then sanded with 320, 500, 1000 grits. Sprayed on oil-based poly for a smooth glossy look. Finally, I polished with finishing wax.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Family File System

Submitted by dmcarwin on Tue, 02/26/2013 - 12:21

I fell in love with this project when it was first posted...which was quite a while ago. I am so happy to have it hanging in my home making my life SO much easier! I modified it to fit the needs of my family and I LOVE it! Check out my blog for more details!

Estimated Cost
I used scrap wood, I just purchased the hooks!
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Spray paint White
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Kitchen Island with Trash Bin

Well this was definitely the most challenging so far because we decided to modify the kitchen island plans to incoporate the tilt out trash bin. Very pleased with the results. Extended the back of the island to accomodate a 11" deep trash bin. Slim trash cans fit perfect. Found a gift wrapping bin for half price after Christmas and it is a perfect fit and 13 gallon bags fit great.

The x's were definitely a challenge because it changed the angles and it would have been best to just mark it with the board before finishing the whole box. 

Now we just need to paint the cabinets and change the countertops and paint the kitchen walls. Not happening anytime soon, but at least the island is done.

Estimated Cost
$120 approximately - This included some hardware.
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Used dark walnut stain for top, drawers, and underneath slats.
Did a very minimum distressing to edges of the turquoise pieces.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments