Community Brag Posts

King storage bed

This bed was built using poplar, and pine wood. I used poplar for most of the stained pieces that are visible, and the stain is varathanes Early American. This is the fourth bed I’ve built with Ana’s Farmhouse Storage Bed plans, because it breaks down to four pieces, headboard, footboard and two side boxes, along with the drawers. This makes it easy to assemble on site.

Estimated Cost
$550
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Varathane, Early American stain
Varathane satin polyurethane
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Bengals97

Tue, 07/28/2020 - 14:33

I really like how you built this...I noticed you used the queen plans but made a king. Would you be able to share the changes you made to make this a king. I am still relatively new in my woodworking passion compared to your 25 years of experience. Thanks for sharing your end result...I would be open to pay for the updated plans if need be as I know your time and experience is valuable.

Dog Crate

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 02/24/2023 - 06:28

I modified the Grandy Console to be dog crates for my Grand Pups so we didn’t have to have crates set up in the house. Middle divider can be raised to make one big crate.

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Great Plans!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 01/07/2016 - 09:46

My friend & I made this doll house for a Christmas present for my daughter.  The plans were easy to follow!

I put carpet on the top floor & then used contact paper that lookes like wood for the other flooring.

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

Homemade DIY Kitchen Island inspired by Williams-Sonoma "Cooper Double Kitchen Island"

Submitted by LN2014 on Mon, 04/29/2019 - 22:26

My latest furniture build, custom kitchen island inspired by Williams-Sonoma "Cooper Double Kitchen Island. The workers there weren't too happy when I was at their store taking measurements and me telling them, I'm going to build one myself. The most expensive part was the matching quartz top on it. Here is my start to finish pictures. It's a great addition to my complete home renovation project, which is now on the market for sale. If anyone wants specs and build info, to build it yourself let me know! Thank you Ana-White for inspiring in 2013 to start wood working and building, I have learned so much from your DIYs from the first x console table to now building anything my mind can imagine. https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/8707-Braun-Path-San-Antonio-TX-78254…

diy kitchen island

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$600
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Rust-Oleum Cabinet Transformations black
Recommended Skill Level
Advanced

Comments

2x4 Truss bench

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 03/07/2023 - 14:52

We've been eyeballing this plan since it was first posted. We tend to accumulate extra 2x4s from other projects. Great easy build, was able to knock it out in a morning. The finish is a custom blend.

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Bunk Bed Shelf

Submitted by Medickep on Tue, 01/12/2016 - 13:11

I made this simple Bunk bed shelf so all the stuff my son stored on the headboard, wouldn't keep falling off. It was easy to make and I painted it while working on another project. and I used spray paint to get the orange on a little easier!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Spray paint, primer and color. Waited 20 minutes between coats and did the whole thing in one setting.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

dkkachik

Mon, 10/21/2019 - 19:12

My daughter asked for a shelf for her bunkbed—something to hold her glasses, IPad, and retainer case.  And maybe a book or two.  Thanks to Ana White and free plans...I made the shelf that others have made.  thanks!

Kitchen island

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 04/21/2023 - 11:56

my first project!

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Great First Build!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 10/02/2019 - 05:13

I own a DIY workshop where I teach people to make signs. I always get compliments on my tables which I built from plans on Ana White. I wanted to teach a workshop on a simple first build project to show ladies how easy it is to learn to build your own furniture! This console table was perfect and each person who built one was so proud of the results!

Estimated Cost
$35
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Dixie Bell Chalk Paint.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

Gas Pump Curio Cabinet

Theses cabinets were built for a customer from plans they had found online. The hardware was ordered with the plans for an extra expense and the glass was made to order. Hope you enjoy them thanks for looking.

Estimated Cost
$450 for two
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Latex paint
Recommended Skill Level
Advanced

Panel Bed for Ray

I made this bed over a weekend while I “room crashed” my oldest’s bedroom. 
I’m so happy with the result. I experimented with stains mixing two, well layering colors. 
That was a lot of fun! 
I hope to write a blog post about it one day. I will add it to my ever-growing To Do List. 
Let me know if you have questions. I love talking about building and all things DIY! 

Estimated Cost
100
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Layered Simply White and Early American from Minwax.
I applied the Simply White (didn’t remove excess) and then I added the Early American on top. Let it all sit a bit and wiped off the stain.
This left a beautiful color.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Benchmark Media Console

Submitted by Toastman on Thu, 03/03/2016 - 20:12

This was a great project to do. I have a family member that paid that full price for the real Pottery Barn piece. I then made this one and showed it to them. Ha!

I used Alder ply but because of the expense I only bought 1 sheet which will run $90-$105 from Menards or Home Depot. Other lumber yards ran up to $140. I got all the pieces out of 1 sheet except for the 2 adjustable shelves which I used birch ply. And you can't even tell. I was going to make my own jig but just bought the Kreg pocket mini jig. Invaluable! and about $20. I found the overall cost from the plans to be under reality. Acrylic, hardware, and hinges will run you $70-$80 easy. But I guess if you use cheap pine or something than maybe you can be close to the estimate. 

As queried by others, I too found the plans to specify how to attach the top. I used tiny "L" brackets around the underside perimeter and attached them with my screw gun to the frame (pic attached). For the doors, I didn't like the idea of just screwing the acrylic glass to the inside of the door so I routed the inside and attached some plastic tabs I found in the screen door section of HD to hold them in place. (pic attached). You could also use small mirror clips installed upside down.

I wrestled with the color choice for a long time but finally found the Minwax Gel Stain Mahogany (which is different than regular stain mahogany) to be the right color. After staining and a coat of sealer, I glazed, let dry, then sealed some more. Finished it off with some supa-fine steel wool and paste wax.

I love this piece now because I only glued certain pieces so that I can take it apart and put it back together as I am moving soon. (out of country). The European hinges were a bit of a pain to mess with since they have some movement to them and only lateral adjustments, no vertical. But it came out great. (I think)

Thanks so much for these plans!smiley

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$300
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Mahogany Gel Stain, Polyurethane for finish
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

$10 ledge and first build with a kreg jig!

$10 ledge and first build with a kreg jig!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$8..97 (had 10% off coupon from Lowes!)
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Valspar Satin Paint in Buckeye Brown
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

claydowling

Sun, 02/19/2012 - 18:31

It looks nice. And having seen how much these shelves cost in the stores, it's good to be able to build your own.

custom cedar bench for deck

Submitted by canyadigit on Sun, 03/06/2016 - 15:14

Standard cedar deck, as you can see not complete, . However the benches are complete. Seen a picture in a book and custom cut and fit peices on my own

Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Horizontal Murphy Bed

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 07/09/2023 - 17:49

We are remodeling our 3 bedroom house into a 4 bedroom. In doing so, my youngest is getting the smaller room. We decided to go with a Murphy bed to allow more play time space. I do not particularly like the fact that this bed doesn’t sit off the ground but overall love the simplicity of making it. We turned it horizontal and just love the overall product. I can mot wait to make something else from this site!

Tams

10 dollar ledge

Submitted by Brian on Sun, 03/04/2012 - 07:58

We built three different sets of these ledges one set for each of the kids and one for our bedroom. We requested some sample paint off line in some colors we choose so the paint was free. Very simple to make and finish. We drilled holes 16 on center to hang them off the studs to allow heavier items down the road. Picked up the wood from the home store cut them down and sanded with 180 than 220 grit sandpaper then slapped on the paint.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
10.00
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
sample paint
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

Outdoor Sectional

Submitted by flarbort on Wed, 10/30/2019 - 06:36

Just put the final stain on the outdoor sectional and I'm so psyched at how great it came out. Believe it or not, this is a very beginner piece (just 2x4s, NO pocket hole screws, all straight cuts- x ends optional) and anyone can do it with a circular saw, some clamps, a sander and an impact drill. Just takes some planning ahead of time. I bought the 2x4 wood and the cushions off Facebook Marketplace to save money so the total cost of this whole sectional was only $140 (wood, cushions, stain, screws). If you price similar new wood sectionals (U shaped, 9 seats) they're well over $1500+. Now, my sectional isn't as perfect as a brand new sectional but I do feel way cooler for saving a ton of money and doing it myself. In all it only took 4 days, working no more than 2.5 hours per day from start to finish to build this and stain it. It's made up of three pieces and I finished one piece a day and stained on the last day. You can make it while your toddler naps;-P Or if you had no other distractions you could bang it out in one long day. As for any of Ana's outdoor sectional plans the biggest expense is going to be the cushions. The cheapest new ones I could find were $40 a set (a 25" seat and a back cushion). That would have made this at least $400 in cushions ALONE! So what I did instead and I recommend this for anyone trying to save cost on this project is that I got a whole bunch of cheap and random cushions off Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace and then I bought cushion covers off Amazon. https://amzn.to/2BRBeeZ I cut some of the cushions to fit the covers and added stuffing to others.

Estimated Cost
$140
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Golden Honey
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
Seasonal And Holiday