Community Brag Posts

Emma's cabin bed

Submitted by jiffyone on Sat, 05/13/2017 - 18:38

Made this for my granddaughter and worked on it 40+ hours. I borrowed the removable window boxes and shutters off another plan to girlie it up. If I were to make it again, then I would add an extra 2 inches on the sides, front and back to make it easier to make up the bed. It's so adorable and I can't wait for her to see it. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$400.+
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Paint from the big blue store.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Kentucky Fried Hilton Chicken Coop

Submitted by redtrek on Tue, 05/18/2021 - 23:12

I took the idea of the "small cedar shed" and decided to upsize it for a new chicken coop. Our old one was small enough that we had to let our six hens out to roam the yard. Chickens. Poop. Everywhere. I wanted one big enough to have them live in it. The nesting box is about 24 sf. The whole coop is 18' long, about 6-1/2' at the back with a 15° slope to the roof, and about 4' deep. I built the ladder up to their nesting box and made a mitre-cut panel under the nesting box for cleaning out, feeding, and watering. Total materials cost was about $1000, but a couple of local homebuilders helped by letting me scavenge the lumber for the nesting box from around houses that they were finished framing.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$1000-1200
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Thompson's Clear Water Seal
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Clara Table

Submitted by jasonD on Thu, 04/04/2013 - 17:37

Made this for a friend. Followed the plans from the Clara table, chairs were made from the 4 dollar stackable chair plan.
Finish was Watco Danish Dark Walnut oil, which i just discovered and love. Goes on even and isn't blotchy on pine. For the table top i added a couple coats of polyurethane.
The table was easy to make, but the chairs took quite a bit of time with the amount of slats. Also there are about 30 screw holes per chair to drill, countersink and fill with putty. I am making another set for someone else, and will probably go with a single, wide slat for the back and seat. Also I would suggest adding braces to the legs, they seem a little flimsy

Estimated Cost
$50
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Watco Danish Oil Dark Walnut
Minwax Poly
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Butchers Block Cabinet

Submitted by cbrick57 on Tue, 02/17/2015 - 10:05

I built this for some friends who are having a remodel done in their house to get their washer and dryer out of the kitchen.  The new area was a perfect size for a cool piece of furniture and because of how well my other projects turned out they asked if I would make something for them.  My friend is a great cook and has some really nice cookware that needed housing so we used the "planked wood sideboard plans" as the bones for the project.  I saw some cool things from Pinterest (Glideware) that I wanted to incorporate and we drew up some plans.  All in all it took me about 36 hours to complete. Two weekends and some work at night after work.   I used my miter saw, table saw, circular saw, power drills, wood clamps, Kreg pocket hole jig, and my electric sander to knock this one out.  

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
The cherry butcher block was $280 from Floor and Decor and the rest of the materials from lumber to finishes was about $300 all together a total of $580.00
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Gray latex paint and water based poly (it dries clear). Also, a butcher block conditioner.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

yasky9

Sun, 02/22/2015 - 16:49

I love this project. Awesome Job!!! Where do you find the hook/slides for the pans?

Thank you!

In reply to by yasky9

cbrick57

Mon, 03/02/2015 - 20:25

Hi thank you! I actually made them from 2x4's and 20 inch ball bearing drawer hardware. I mounted them to 1x4's then mounted the whole system to a 1/4 inch thick ply and attached it to the underside of the butcher block. The hooks were just 3 inch hooks from Home Depot screwed in the 2x4.

Anna White Loft Bed with Stairs

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 05/16/2017 - 12:51

I just want to thank Anna for inspiring me! I would've never thought that I could actually build my daughter a loft bed from scratch if it hadn't been for this website! This loft bed took about 3 weeks to build but the reason why it took me that long is because I did it in my spare time which was a couple of hours each alsmost everyday excluding the weekends, also this was my first time using my husbands table saw and drilling pilot holes but once I got the hang of it everything went smoothly. I wanted to save money so I purchased the Mini Kreg Jig which is about $20 from HD and let me tell you it is a must when your drilling pilot holes. I purchased my lumber from HD as well. It took me about an hour to pick out the wood. I decided to paint the loft bed with DecoArt Enamel craft paint because it's non-toxic, the paint cures into a hard finish, no primer, I didn't have to sand in between coats,  or put a protective finish. It also dries fast. I put 3 coats. This paint can get pricey if you pay full price but I just used a coupon everytime I went to Hobby Lobby. I used a tea, vinegar and steel wool mixture for the stairs, again because it's non toxic. I also raised the height of the 2x4 posts 6 inches so my 7 yr old daughter could walk under there without hitting her head. I'm so glad I decided go for it! Thanks again ANNA!

Estimated Cost
Wood $120 (including boards for mattress)
Kreg Jig $20
Paint $35
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
DECO ART Enamel paint in Pure White
Homemade stain
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Farmhouse Hall Tree

Submitted by brino on Sat, 05/29/2021 - 07:53

Added a shelf for plants at the top, coat hooks.
I mounted the back panel to the wall so I could remove the supports between the bench and the back panel.

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Simple Potting Bench turned sand table/ outdoor toy storage

Submitted by aecooper05 on Sat, 04/06/2013 - 15:34

I wanted to build my kids a sand/ water table, but wanted something that would could also serve as other purposes. My father helped me since I used his tools. We shortened the whole project by 16% so my kids would be able to reach it better. We also changed up what wood was used. My father came through and had a pile of wood that he had no use for. So we used 1x6's that we cut down for the shelves and 2x4's for everything else. We also added a brace on the back to add a little more stability to the bench since my kids were going to use it. To finish it up I bought a plastic storage tub with a lid and some sand. The bottom shelf is used for toy storage.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$25 (cost of 2 boxes of screws, plastic tub and bag of sand... wood was free)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
None
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Modified Rebecca Media Side Hutch

Submitted by Radcrafter on Fri, 02/20/2015 - 20:42

I used the Rebecca Side Hutch and Side Base plans to create a slightly wider version to fit the TV in our master bedroom.  The building took one whole weekend and then it took another week to finish it up like filling holes, sanding, painting and then reassembling.  My final cabinet is 36.75" wide at the top and I changed the doors to overlay instead of inset.  I love the finished cabinet!

Estimated Cost
$150-200 - including all wood, hardware and paint
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Black Onyx Behr Primer/Paint All in One, Wax Topcoat
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Red Oak Gallery Shelves

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 05/21/2017 - 14:10

Used the $10 ledge plans, to build 2 10' long and 2 5' long 6" deep shelves. Cost $39 each 10' 1x6 red oak; used 6 boards. Stained mission oak satin.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$260 including stain and mounting hardware
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Poly shades mission oak satin hand rubbed three coats then polyurethane satin to seal.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Adirondack chairs

Submitted by hobbie8 on Wed, 06/02/2021 - 11:02

We built these chairs (and foot stools/tables) using Ana’s modern Adirondack chairs plan. Since we used pallet wood (heat treated oak pallets) and not 2x4’s, we did make modifications but her plan was great! The angle is very comfortable! Thank you Ana for the plans!

Comments

Bristol Outdoor Lounge Chair and Table

Submitted by extexdf82 on Mon, 04/08/2013 - 08:37

I made these chairs and table for my father as a Christmas gift to sit next to his pool. The chairs were fairly easy to make. To stay within budget I did use inexpensive white wood so the quality of the grain was not quite what I had hoped but I believe they still came out very nice. I used BEHR weather proofing wood stain in RedWood which turned out very nicely. The only thing that is currently lacking are the cushions. Due to the price of the foam that will have to wait.
For the table I started with the original plans on the site but when I realized just how long it would be I cut it down and added the two thin strips to break up the pattern.

If I were to do anything differently I would shrink the overall size of the chair to the size of standard cushions that can be purchased at local department stores or outdoor furniture stores to minimize the cost.

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
BEHR1-Gal. Redwood Semi-Transparent Waterproofing Wood Stain
http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/202301646?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=wood+weather+stain&storeId=10051&N=5yc1v&R=202301646#.UWLh8pOcfuM
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Kitchen Table

Submitted by MikeB on Wed, 05/24/2017 - 09:27

My wife wanted an 8 foot long table, but wanted it to be a little narrower that as standard table. This one ended up being 97.5" x 29" I used a torch to scorch the wood then apply poly finish.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
250.00
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Sidebar with sliding barn doors.

Submitted by Daniel B on Wed, 06/09/2021 - 12:36

I built this sidebar from a plan I cooked up in my head, using the lesions I learned building the farmhouse table and bench. I sort of built it as I went along. It took me 40 or 50 hours and cost around $400.00 to $450.00 to finish. It matches the table and bench I made. Thank you Ana White for giving me the confidence, with your easy to follow plans, to under take such a project.

Estimated Cost
$400 -$450
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax stain (special walnut), Varathane polyurethane.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

First Project and pretty proud of it!

We have quite a fixer upper and while re-doing the bathroom, I came across Ana's Island plan in her book, The Handbuilt Home. This isn't the finished picture as we have installed the sink fixture and pipes, where I wrapped the exposed pipes with twine to give it a more rustic look. The table was modified in size and the mirror was a salvaged piece where I made a backer and framed it. Though still in need of some finishing touches, the look so far is spectacular... I wish I had a before and after photo. Much of what you can see, such as the tile in the shower and mirror has been made from found materials around the house or were items that were going to be sent to the dump. I love recycling!

New to building,

Stephanie Broker

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Daly's Stain (Walnut) and water resistant seal
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Truss Shelves

Went a slightly different route, since I'm not a fan of furniture built using 2x4's. I opted to use 1x3"s for the supports. Still more than sturdy, and I think it adds a little to the look.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$58.87
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Rustoleum "Kona" stain, valspar semi gloss poly.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Square solutions coffee table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 05/28/2017 - 09:42

Shrank it down to 28" x 28" to match the size my wife wanted. At that point a single drawer on each end made more sense for them to be practical. This was my first furniture project, so lots of mistakes were made, but I learned a lot. I look forward to many more projects from this site.

Estimated Cost
$150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Classic gray
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

4x4 beam table with matching bench

Submitted by suzziewhoq on Thu, 06/17/2021 - 18:14

This was all made from an old barn. The legs were actually rough cut 4x6 floor joist I used a hand planner to round out.
The chair were from my grandmother old table that I replace the seats with barn board that I had to cut and glue together.

Estimated Cost
50
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Spray water base varnish. About 5 coats.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

16' x 16' Storage Shed

Thanks to the tips and tricks we picked up from Ana here, we were able to build our very own storage shed. We use it for storing our kayaking, sailing and camping gear for our company down here in the Bahamas (which is still a bit unorganized in the photo). It works so much better than what we had before in multiple kit sheds. We even have a loft up top for extra storage, electricity in there with a fan, fridge and lights... MAJOR UPGRADE :) We still need to paint it and finish a few things, but we are very thankful to have it up and being used.

My favorite thing is the door handle (a boat cleat) sliding barn door and the herringbone design for 'eye candy' :)

Thanks go out to Ana and her wonderful site! I would have never attempted this without the foundation I built here!

Estimated Cost
$4,000 (living on an island in the Bahams so it's a bit higher here)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Still need to paint it!
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

jbayer80

Sun, 04/14/2013 - 20:37

What did you use to make the sliding door? Can you upload pics? I really want to make one for my bathroom but all the hardware I find is really expensive.

spiceylg

Mon, 04/15/2013 - 11:30

Great job and love that you also incorporated her laundry basket dressers!

mistievn

Sun, 05/05/2013 - 11:19

It looks amazing! Would you happen to have plans to share? We are in need we do not even have a garage. This would be perfect.

In reply to by mistievn

exuma_momma

Sun, 05/05/2013 - 13:58

Not really any plans that would help. We just drew some rough sketches up some paper and kind of went from there. Between Ana's site here and this book: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Building-Shed-Build-Like-Pro/dp/1561586196 we just pieced things together with the space and money we had. The book just helped me a lot to plan it out, and then all of the building techniques Ana has taught me on here came in handy. It's a group effort :) Hope this helps!

Jilly and Mia Workbench Console

Submitted by lmwst36 on Mon, 03/02/2015 - 14:49

This was my first wood working project from Ana White. I am in love with how it turned out.

I ended up making the console narrow and long to fit in the living room area. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Salsa Console

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 05/31/2017 - 19:18

Did this build in about 8 hours.  Very nice plan getting alot of compliments.  Will surely be building some more. Made from white pine. Left the front doors off this one. The color is American Dream from Amy Howard. The top is a base white with a blue tincture stain then distressed to get my desired effect. And finally a matte clear catalyst laquer to finish it off

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
I actually only spent about $30 on this project as I resawed all the material from reclaimed shipping crates made from Spanish pine.
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Matte Laquer
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate