Community Brag Posts

Octagon Picnic Table

Submitted by athingvall on Thu, 02/07/2019 - 15:05

My 11 year old daughter and I built this table in a weekend for a fundraising auction for her school.  We changed out 2x6 for 5/4x4 Cedar.  We also fixed nailers on the underside so no screws show.  The table was a fun project to work together on and for Taylar to learn to use power tools.  BTW the table raised $700.00 for her school, I would say that is awesome.  Thanks Anna for the plans!!

Estimated Cost
220$
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Spar Urethane
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Factory Cart Coffee Table

Submitted by LindseyA on Mon, 09/19/2011 - 18:17

I was feeling like I needed a new project, so I called my sister. She was more than willing to give me ideas to build for her new condo and gave me a WHOLE wish list of furniture projects to choose from. After looking at her list, we decided on the factory cart coffee table. If you look elsewhere, this kind of table ranges from $600 - $1500 dollars! And our version costs right around $100!

Ana's version set the basis for the build and the only modification was adding three 1x2's under the slats on the top (rather than directly attached the slats) so that the compartment underneath can serve as a secret storage area (plywood lined and screwed into the lower supports). We absolutely love the table and it looks AWESOME in her living room!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
~$100 (Wheels were the most expensive part, but give the table its style!)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Alternating Rustoleum "Sunbleached" stain and Minwax "Dark Walnut" one coat of each color at a time, with time to dry in between coats) with a satin poly finish.

Wheels are 6 inches tall from a local supply store and were spray painted oil rubbed bronze.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

skyeblu87

Tue, 09/20/2011 - 11:22

I just wanted to say that your finish is gorgeous! Your table is beautiful too, but my goodness does that finish bring it over the top! Good job :)

Rhune (not verified)

Thu, 10/11/2012 - 12:48

How many of each color did you use? I'm looking for this driftwood look for my kitchen shelves.

Taylors console

We needed TV and game system storage for our vacation cabin and didn't want to spend a lot. This is perfect!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$80
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Used a mixture of some old darker stains I had on hand over the bare wood, then some Vaseline on edges I wanted to distress. Painted with DIY chalk paint (approx 1 teaspoon of unsanded grout mixed with a little water, stirred into 1 cup of latex paint.) Distressed with sander, then finished with two coats of wax.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Trimmed and ready for Christmas - Dollhouse

Built this from Ana's plan. Made a few small floor changes and added casing, baseboard, trim and cedar shake shingles.

Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Ana White Admin

Tue, 12/22/2015 - 11:11

You knocked this out of the park, so excited for the recipient! Thanks for sharing:)

shanebernskoetter

Wed, 12/23/2015 - 15:07

Thank you for the kind comments. I really appreciate your work putting the plans out there for others to follow, Ana! My father is a high end custom homebuilder and made a house for my 3 sisters 20 years ago for Christmas.  I thought if I'm going to do this, I might as well go all in and try to make something grandpa would be proud of. It is for my 2 girls, ages 8 and 11. The 11 year old still plays with dolls. I'm trying to hold onto her youth as long as I can! Again, many thanks.  -Shane

shanebernskoetter

Wed, 12/23/2015 - 15:12

Thank you for the kind comments. My father is a high end custom home builder and made a house for my 3 sisters 20 years ago for Christmas. I thought that if I was going to make a house I should go all in on something to make grandpa proud. I am very grateful, Ana, for your posting of the plans on the web for others to imitate! The house is for my 8 and 11 year old daughters. The 11 year old still plays with dolls and we are trying to hold on to her youth as long as we can. With thanks and gratitude, Shane

Chunky leg bedframe

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 02/12/2019 - 17:43

I got tired of sleeping on the floor like college kids, but I didn’t want to buy a junky particle board bedframe. My husband and I are novice woodworkers. Even still, we bought the lumber around noon and managed to finish the whole project in about 5-6 hours! We used a Kreg jig for the first time and it was pretty simple. I am really pleased with how this turned out, and I can’t wait to try more of Ana’s plans in the future.

Estimated Cost
$100 including the cost of pockethole screws and finishing nails.
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Outdoor chair frames and coffee table

I built a set of chairs and a coffee table for our newly designed outdoor area. These look amazing and people love sitting on them and hanging out outside our house.

Comments

Seasonal And Holiday

Ella's Doll Bed

Submitted by margjack on Sun, 09/25/2011 - 17:12

Just finished the American girl farmhouse bed for my sweet niece's birthday & she loved it! The best thing was that it was made totally from scraps and paint on hand - only had to spend $6 for the fabric!

Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
white spray primer; Gloss white spray paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Bedside Tables

We love our farmhouse king bed, but that meant that our old side tables didn't fit anymore! (our old bed was a queen)

I really like the mini farmhouse bedside table, but the open storage would be problematic with the dog, so I added full length sides and a door.

The top of the tables is a board we found at my husband's grandparents farm, and the pulls are from some old tack. The metal loops were on some old horse harness, and the leather was cleaned up from the same piece. I was able to drill a hole in the leather and then pre-dill the doors to accept post screws from home depot.

I love these tables!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$125 for both tables
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
The tops are stained with Varathane gel stain in Walnut, and then a wipe on poly.
The sides were done with Kilz primer and then a white paint.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

JoanneS

Wed, 10/02/2013 - 19:11

Love these tables! The wood top is just gorgeous, and I love you you re-purposed other items to make the hardware. That is so creative! Great job!

spiceylg

Thu, 10/03/2013 - 05:24

I concur. Love the tables and love that you re-purposed items for them!

jackiemacrae

Sun, 11/10/2013 - 18:58

Thanks guys!
I'm loving these- they are perfect for the space, and it makes me smile to know that the re-purposed parts come from the cottage.

Lego Table

Submitted by aclayton on Wed, 12/23/2015 - 10:35

I decided to build the art table and use it as a lego table instead. I had a piece of 3/4" maple plywood left over from a previous project, so the only thing that I had to buy were the 1x4's and lego plates.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
I spent about $30 at Lowe's for the 1x4's and $24 on ebay for some generic lego plates. I already had the plywood, screws, and stain on hand.
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax "Red Mahogany" stain and a coat of polycrylic.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Reclaimed Wood Look Bedside Table

Submitted by holly1968 on Sun, 10/02/2011 - 08:52

My husband and I built this table in an evening. We really like the finished table as it suits our needs perfectly. The plan was easy to follow. We followed the plan nearly as it was written with the exception of leaving out the drawer glides. The drawers are a little wonky because of this, but i think it adds to the charm and character of the farmhouse feel. I bought the drawer pulls from Lowes on clearance for $1.19 each. This table and the farmhouse bedside table match the farmhouse bed that we built back in January so very well. We love our new furniture and we love Ana White plans! Our plan is to have a whole house full of Ana White Farmhouse Furniture in due time. lol. Thank you so much Ana for your plans. You are truly amazing to design and put them online for others to build!

Estimated Cost
$30 - $35
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Do-It-Best Hardware paint and primer in 1. Color is Bullfrog. I used 1 coat.
Stain is Rust-oleum in the Summer Oak shade.
I have not put polyurethane over the paint or stain as of yet.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Rustic x console

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 12/26/2015 - 20:48

One of my first projects and I really felt like I had good cuts, however it was still a real challenge for me. I ended up doing the bottom in white to hide some of the errors. In the end I am happy with the resultes. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
White paint, honey mini wax poly
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Bedroom Set

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 02/25/2019 - 20:19

King Bed made with wood shims. Matching nightstands and mirror

Estimated Cost
$500
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
MinWax "honey" stain with semi-gloss polyurethane
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Twin-size Storage Bed

Submitted by kristen on Thu, 10/06/2011 - 08:30

I recently finished this bed in white for my daughter, when one of my sons decided he'd like one for his room. So this is my second time building this bed. I like the drawers Ana has in the Queen storage bed, but I needed it in a twin, so I used two of Ana's plans to modify the bed to our needs. Drawers make me nervous (but less so now that I've done them a few times) and these work great, so all is well!

The only problem? Now with the bed in his room, I feel the need to paint the rest of the furniture, change his duvet cover, paint the walls...you know what I mean?

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$325
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Benjamin Moore Super Spec D.T.M. Acrylic low-lustre in black (comes off the shelf in black)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Pam the Goatherd

Thu, 10/06/2011 - 17:05

Definitely paint the rest of his furniture to match, but with a black and white graphic design of some sort. All black would be too dark, but with the white trim in the room you could get away with some really creative graphic art on those dressers.

jen227

Sun, 03/10/2013 - 21:31

looks like the face of the drawers are trimmed out instead of being just plywood in the front...how did you modify this?

"Fireplace"

Only heating source for our house have been wood stove and some mornings we don't feel like starting a fire even if it is chilly, so we bought electric fire place. As our house is Scandinavian country romantic style, I wanted to make modern fireplace a bit more rustic.
We are missing some beams and moldings, so it looks a bit "naked" now.

More about this project you can read in my blog:
http://ourleaningtree.wordpress.com/diy/fireplace/

Estimated Cost
left over lumber
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Dark walnut
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

My First Project

Submitted by cshandyman on Mon, 12/28/2015 - 15:10

I used Poplar for the top and Pine for everyting else.  Only took about two hours from start to finish.  This is my first project using a Kreg Jig and now I don't know why I didn't get one of these years ago! 

Estimated Cost
Total cost was $175. Can be done for less, but I upgraded the top to Poplar which cost more.
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Golden Oak Stain and MInwax Gloss Poly. Satin finish interior white paint for the remainder. I applied two coats of stain and paint and three coats of Poly.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Farmhouse dining room table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/30/2023 - 08:25

This table started out with several pieces of rough pecan slabs. I planed the lumber and created the table. It is finished with teak oil.

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Dog Kennel into Entertainment stand

Submitted by bigshowble on Mon, 10/10/2011 - 15:44

This was my first ever woodoworking project. I was looking for a good plan for me to use. At first, the kennel was going to be in the living room, but we couldn't imagine spending nights without our little girl in the room with us. The only thing is that the bedroom is quite small. However, the TV stand she was using at the time was lower than the level of the bed making it awkward to watch TV. I decided to create an entertainment stand out of the kennel in order to save space and make the TV at a viewable height.

Well, I already had a kreg jig for a project I am planning in the future. I borrowed a circular saw from my dad and I had a few tools of my own. It took a total of two days from start to finish. I ran into a few hitches because I wasnt using the jig properly, and a few other rookie mistakes, but I fought through and managed to get it done! I can't wait to do some more plans from this site!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$50 for Lumber about $20 for screws and stain
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax black stain and polyurethane finish
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Gimbler

Tue, 10/11/2011 - 06:21

It looks to be plenty large enough for your pup and an attractive and functional piece of furniture too. I just love multi-function furniture. Nice job!

Kristi's Craft Desk

This was my FIRST Ana White project ever! I really wanted the PB version of this desk, but didn't want to spend $1,200 (cough, cough, gag)!! I started out with Closet Maid cubbies (since I had never used a power tool - ever) just to be safe. Then, I went to Home Depot and got the MDF for the table top, and had the hubby help me figure out how much moulding to get (because it HAD to be fancy, darnit). I raised the height with 3 support boards across the top and the hubby made some feet for the cubbies. Then I attached the moulding. On the sides and back of the cubbies I used spray adhesive and paintable beadboard wallpaper! That stuff rocks! And it's really cheap at Lowe's.
I didn't get very detailed photos as this was my first project and I was so excited I didn't want to stop. Now all I have to do is fill in the nail holes and throw a coat of paint on it! The best part: The whole thing cost under $300!! AND the Ikea chair that I almost gave away fits and matches perfectly! Someday I will build matching chairs (1 for each side so I can craft with a gal-pal), but for now my craft room looks pretty awesome. Thanks Ana!!

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

Perfect Side Table for the Kitchen

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 12/30/2015 - 07:48

The only difficult part of this plan was making sure all the cuts were precise and fit together as they should.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Stain is MIniwax Provincial, with 3 coats of Poly.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Wedding gift for niece

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 03/10/2019 - 16:30

This is the second time i made these tables.  The first time was for my son and his fiance to match the farmhouse bed that i made for them but i did not do the inset drawers.  Tried but couldn't get them to sit right.  My niece liked them and didn't have any tables to go along with the bed her new huband's grandfather had built.  I love the inset drawer look so i tried again.  The first one i had no problem with but the second one had to make the drawer box over a couple of times.  I did differ the pattern a bit and used 2" top instead of 1 inch simply because i had some leftovers.  I also used drawer slides instead of wood slides.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Estimated cost for both tables was about $120. I used good pine 2x2 to have straight legs. Had leftover paint and Varathane gloss finish from cabinet project.
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Behr white paint with Varathane gloss finish. Top was a mixture of stains to try to match the bed.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate