Community Brag Posts

Garage shelves

Submitted by papadog on Thu, 10/31/2019 - 11:46

Added some storage to the garage. Wife got some more room for her canning. Looks much better than older metal shelving. Thanks for the ideas, again!

Estimated Cost
240
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
None
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Poker table with hiding beverage holder

Submitted by jasonr on Mon, 04/02/2012 - 12:48

*I did not have any plans to work from*
the cost really depends on how much you can get your wood for. I had a lot left over from previous projects, so $500 is only a low guess.

This is the second of 3 poker tables built.
Each side is 24"
the table measures 58" across
Some of the accompanying photos of the build were from my first table, but thought they might help.

I purchased a foam pad and "speed cloth" from a local poker supply store. The slide away bev. holders are kept in place with rare earth magnets

If you need any specifics, I'll try to help

Estimated Cost
500+
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
tung oil-
start with a 50/50 mix of turpentine and tung oil and rub into the wood. It will dry fast and absorb quickly. Wipe off excess after 15 minutes (if any). Allow 24 hours between coats. Sand with 220 grit and rub in tung oil with a few drops of japan drier. I add 1ml of japan drier to 40ml of tung oil. Allow oil to sit for 15-20 minutes before wiping off oil. Buff with cloth and allow another 24hrs. Sand with 0000 steel wool and repeat application process. Continue everyday until the desired finish achieved
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

carcreek

Tue, 02/25/2014 - 10:12

If you have plans for this poker table I would love to see them! Beautiful table.

Outdoor Daybed with Canopy

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 08/26/2023 - 12:27

I built this slightly modified Daybed using 4x4’s for the legs instead of 2x4’s. I really like the solid look the 4x4’s provide. Can’t wait for the weather to get cool enough in the south to sit outside.

Braden Turner

Built from Plan(s)

Live Edge Cubby Bench

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 09/03/2023 - 20:34

Entry way bench. The top is made from a cherry tree off our property. It was milled into slabs then I had it dry for approx.2 years before the moisture level was appropriate to build this project. I applied resin to the live edge to protect the edge from breaking off and to provide a smooth finish. I applied Walrus furniture oil to complete the top. The base is made from pine wood and the shelving is made out of MDF board.

Mark Gilles

Built from Plan(s)

Sylvie's coat tree

I built my daughter a coat tree from Ana's plans and it looks basically just like Ana's-even the same color. My daughter-in-law saw it and wanted one for my granddaughter's room to hold her dressup clothes but she wanted a natural look, instead of painted and her room is basically natural wood, red and white so this is what I came up with. I would never have even known I could build a coat tree if I hadn't tried Ana's first!! This one was super easy and cheap, made mostly with scraps and some varnish I already had. I had to buy the balls, dowel and letter S.

I would encourage anyone to build one of these if they have need of a coat tree. You could even make it adult size if you combined Ana's plans with these plans and screwed in some hooks.

Estimated Cost
about $8.00 if you don't have scraps
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Spray on varnish and acrylic paint for knobs and letter.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Queen Loft Bed

Submitted by christy on Tue, 05/22/2012 - 07:54

I made this bed for my 6 year old daughter. I loved Anna's Loft Bed plans, but she wanted a bigger play area underneath. So I modified the twin loft bed plans to fit a queen mattress. I also added extra supports for the mattress, and I used PureBond plywood on top of the supports for the mattress to sit on.
That's the Farmhouse Toddler Bed underneath. My younger daughter inherited her big sister's twin bed, so the toddler bed was put to use in the new "playhouse."

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
I sanded the wood and primed it. Then I sanded (lightly) again and painted it with Valspar latex enamel in Gloss Almond.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Neatha (not verified)

Mon, 08/20/2012 - 13:04

Do you have your modified plans still? I don't know where to begin with editing the originals. I am moving and we have limited space I need to place a desk under and queen sized bed but my ceilings are only 8ft.

Lindsay (not verified)

Sun, 09/02/2012 - 12:45

I think it's great that you modified it to a queen! I live a studio and NEED something like this. Could you share the modifications? It looks beautiful = )

christy

Sun, 09/02/2012 - 20:58

The changes I made were:
End planks cut to 63"
Top back guard and front and back rails cut to 87"
The top guard rails on ends cut to 66"
I measured for the mattress supports and the front guard rail after the rest was completed.
You should also measure for the bookcases after the rest is completed, but each of mine wound up being about 31" wide.

Everything else was pretty much the same.

Hope that helps.

dbai (not verified)

Thu, 11/01/2012 - 08:24

This is wonderful - I've been looking to make something like this for an urban efficiency (adult) apartment! Thanks so much for sharing your modifications!

gmur589

Mon, 07/29/2013 - 14:08

Will the height of the bed allow for adults to stand under it? If not what modifications should be made to make the height fit a standing adult? (the highest being 6'1" male) Thanks! =D

etb1999

Sun, 10/06/2013 - 08:23

Hello, about how much did it cost you to make this?
THANKS

NicoleLance0826

Fri, 09/19/2014 - 12:30

Hey Christy I was wondering if you could send the plans for upgrade to queen size. I cannot pull up the changes. Thank You. Im sure its not to many changes.

pretty-prima

Thu, 03/24/2016 - 16:52

Hello! I would like to build this queen sized bed, could you give me a cost estimate? I don't have any wooden planks sitting around so I would have to buy them all new.

Loft bed for Wyatt

Submitted by Quartney on Thu, 06/20/2019 - 11:47

I did this project 99.97% alone (if you call "alone" with a 1-year old and 3-year old nearby). This was a challenging project that took longer than expected (one full week, working well into the night after the kids went to sleep). I used furring strips for the 1x3s and 1x4s. They cost about $2 less per board! Total cost of this project includes paint, screws, etc.

Estimated Cost
$240.00
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Zinsser BIN primer, followed by Sherwin Williams semi-gloss enamel paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

John Hopkins (not verified)

Mon, 10/22/2012 - 20:40

I have been looking for something similar to this but with a futon in the bottom. Anyone seen plans for such a critter?

Colorful Custom Bedford Corner Desk with Live Edge Desktop

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 06/28/2019 - 20:41

I followed the plans pretty closely. I added dividers to make 3 drawer units but I didn't find it necessary to have the top shelf go all the way to the back since it would never function as a shelf. I used scrap pieces for that and they weren't big enough to be full shelves.

I used 1/2" MDF for the bottom, sides, and backs of the drawers to cut down on weight, cost, and general bulkiness. I used this free app called Cut List to figure out the easiest way to have the guys at Home Depot cut all the drawer panels after I learned I'm not that good with a circular saw. I used a hack saw to cut aluminum bars for hanging files and used scrap wood to make the little brackets to hold the bars upright in the drawer. The full extension drawer slides are functionally and asthetically better but it would have been so much easier to put in basic bottom mount slides. 

I wanted a wood grain top and ended up with common pine boards over more expensive poplar or oak and I would use pine again without hesitation. I used Google SketchUp to figure out the widths of boards I needed to make the top with minimal cuts. Then joined them with glue and mending plates and sanded the hell out of them. I altered the dimensions slightly to make it the same size desktop as the Bedford desk. My two wing sections are 23" x 23" but I should have made them 23" deep by more like 24" or 25" long. I had to hack the bottom bracing to make a spot for the drawer units to slide into. If you alter the dimensions make sure you can secure a brace between the main body and the wing of the desktop and still have room for the brace at the edge of the wing. 

My cost includes things like a Kreg jig, saw blade, clamps, paint brushes etc. so you may be able to do this for less. I could have gone with a middle of the line paint I think. This project was a beast for me because a) I'm not a furniture maker b) I don't own a table saw which would have been amazing c) I picked the hardest way to make the desktop and d) I modified some of the dimensions from the basic plans. I worked on this thing for weeks (granted sometimes I didn't touch it for several days or a week). But it was a fun and rewarding project. 

Estimated Cost
$500-$600
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Behr Marquee, Minwax wood conditioner, stain (honey) and stain poly
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Wood planter with trellis

Submitted by jwright on Mon, 07/02/2012 - 11:07

This is a quick and easy cheap build. I priced planters this size at the store and they were about $75 with a trellis. I built this one for under $20. Thanks Ana!

Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Stained with some leftover stain I had in the garage
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Under Sink Organizer

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/08/2024 - 09:38

I got tired of both the clutter under the kitchen sink and how often bottles of random cleaning solutions would tip over and make a mess. Based on Ana's plans, I made these organizer shelves so that all of our most-used stuff would be at the front. Found some scrap pieces of beadboard from another project for the backing, and put the whole thing together with glue and my finish nailgun. I'm pretty pleased with this small Saturday project. Thanks, Ana!

Sean Payne

Comments

Bar Height Table and Chairs

Decided to use mortise and tenon on the chairs to make for a clean look since I was staining and not painting.  I did use a lot of pocket holes on the table.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
American Walnut and Dark Walnut. Oil Based Poly and Furniture Wax
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

TV Stand Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 08/02/2016 - 10:00

This was a super fun project and didn't cost much at all.

Estimated Cost
$75
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Mixture of Grey and Brown stain with a poxy coating
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Farmhouse King Bed- Beetle Kill Pine

This was our first build and it was quite a big project to take on to start with. We had so much fun and learned so much along the way. 

Our biggest lessons were to hand pick our wood and make sure we get the straightest pieces possible. We had to wrestle some wood to make this bed work!  Clamp everything especially when using large bolts as the pieces would pull apart from each other. We even used a ratchet strap at one point becuase our small clamps weren't cutting it. I'm sure there's a better way and we'd love to hear about it but we made what we had work. We also had to figure out how to attach the side rails and at what height. We ended up using 3 4-inch screws on each end to screw them into the posts.  

We love this bed not only because it was a labor of love but because its such a solid beautiful piece. 

Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax Polycrylic Water based - 4 coats, sanded using a 220 grit sanding block in-between each coat.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Huffaker6971

Sun, 08/18/2019 - 13:47

This is exactly what I've been looking for. Are there plans for this build?

sxewhodey

Sun, 03/01/2020 - 11:29

Very nice! I love the lighter wood too, but my wife likes the darker stain, so we compromised in the middle for the finish. Why  arethe post always so red? I can appreciate the natural tendency of nature to add color, but the 4*4's are always red-er in color. Do they always use a different pine or certain part of the tree for those?

Simple Wood Pantry Shelves

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 03/11/2024 - 13:31

The wire shelves that the builder placed were not cutting it for storage. This setup from your plan helped garner so much more space for organizing. The pantry is roughly 54”x 35” and we were able to place five shelves instead of the four. Thank you so much for your assistance!

Built from Plan(s)

The no more "you make a better door than a window" media cabinet

Submitted by bookette on Sun, 08/12/2012 - 12:30

I absolutely fell in love with the Tall Corner Media Console the moment it was posted. We had a decent corner stand for our TV, but it was low and was hard to watch when kids and adults alike were constantly saying "I can't SEE!" or "You're in my WAY!". I've learned that explaining "you make a better door than a window" over an over to a 7yo and a 4yo only takes longer.

Two dilemmas faced us:
1 - Which comes first, the chicken or the egg? DH insisted that we needed a big screen tv before building the console. I insisted that we needed the console first, so that we would have a place for the tv. Since it was determined the that console was cheaper than a tv, I won :)

2- What to color it? Paint? Stain? I was the one building, so DH said he didn't care, but that he liked the idea of staining. Having never stained before I was a bit intimidated - paint was my safety net. DH got this one, but only after I made him choose the stain.

I have the doors built and they are in the garage. With other things in the living room we wouldn't be able to open them all the way anyway. That and my final build weekend topped out at 105+ deg - and I was DONE being outside :) All in all, i like the open look of it, although I reserve the right to install those doors if need be.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax Wood Stain - Vermont Maple
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

debandtom25

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 18:18

You did a fabulous job and I can definitely see it working without the doors too. The nice thing about stain is that can easily be covered with paint, if you change your mind down the road.

Fancy X Farmhouse Table

This is my first project and I am so happy with it! Thanks for the plans!

You can see my step by step process here:

http://ordinaryhappilyeverafter.com/blog/category/table/

I'm especially happy with how I was able to attach the top to the bottom without drilling through the top. I describe that here:

http://ordinaryhappilyeverafter.com/blog/2012/08/my-table-is-done/

Thanks for the inspiration!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
< 150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Jacobean (2 coats)
1 coat polycrylic satin finish on top followed by 3 coats of wax
3 coats polycrilic high gloss finish on base
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Adirondack Chair

Submitted by Ulrike on Sun, 06/21/2020 - 09:24

Followed Ana’s plans and turned out great. Stained it after it was assembled but would recommend doing that before assembly. Very comfy.

Estimated Cost
$35
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Back