Community Brag Posts

A Bittersweet Building Project

I built this table for my friend who is moving away in a couple days :( She's going to use it as a coffee bar in her new home. Visit my blog link for the complete play-by-play!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$125
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Rustoleum Ultimate Wood Stain in Black Cherry and White High Gloss Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Love love love

Submitted by OliveJuice on Thu, 05/29/2014 - 13:53

Our first build! Adapted plans to make a king size. Headboard is an old barn door I found. (Pic is crooked not bed ;) ) We had to use 2 Twin XL mattresses due to narrow staircase. Added extra slats. I'm saying it took a weekend to build only because it was below 30° in garage and we took warm up breaks.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$100 (bed only... headboard separate)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Jacobean
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Built 8-29-16 in a couple of hours. Thanks Ana!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 08/30/2016 - 15:47

Easy plans to follow and my wife loves the results! Will be used as a book shelf for home schooling our 3 kids. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$55
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Black base followed by a layer of mossy green then sanded so some of the black came through.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Custom Toybox

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 03/18/2024 - 10:16

My husband and I built this toy box for our grandson from the farmhouse toy box pond you had on your site. We adjusted the size from what was in the plans, but it turned out really nice!

Built from Plan(s)

DIY Kids Seesaw on the Cheap!

The seesaw is like a dinosaur: the extinct relic of the playground, still held in awe by kids the world over. No longer available to the public in its original form, the original seesaw is the perfect DIY project. My older daughter had been asking for one for a couple of years, and after finding the plans on Ana White’s website I was able to build one cheaply for about $50 in wood and screws. This was the perfect weekend project, and I was able to use up some leftover paint and fabric to create this nice addition to our yard.

Check out my blog post about this seesaw here:
http://sandiegocountypropertymanagement.com/diy-kids-seesaw/

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$50-$75
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Behr exterior flat paints.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Headboard and nightstands

Submitted by kabm99 on Sun, 06/01/2014 - 14:33

I made this headboard a year ago and it was my first Ana White project. I finally got around to making the nightstands last weekend and I just adore them. My guest room is finally complete!

Estimated Cost
Unsure since part of it was built last year
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax Dark Walnut with Polyurethane (satin)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Dollhouse bookcase

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 09/03/2016 - 23:21

We did make some revisions to the plans, including making it shorter and not as wide. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Hi gloss Behr Marquee paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Birthday See-Saw :)

Submitted by stacie_b on Mon, 06/02/2014 - 13:55

I built this for my daughter's 4th birthday. The kids love it!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$20
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Paint from the "Oops" section! - 2 coats. First coat applied before assembly.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Simple Rolling Bar Cart

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 09/05/2016 - 13:29

Made this over the weekend with my Daughter. Gray oil based stain. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$70 with wood, casters, fasteners, and stain.
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Oil based gray. Brushed on then wiped with rags.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Cabana turned Galmper

Submitted by JeannaF on Wed, 06/17/2020 - 19:16

I stumbled across the Cabana design and just fell in love.
Once I decided I was making in tough, I needed to customize it a bit to meet our needs.
1. Needed to be able to sleep in it (so Mosquito proof)
2. If I am sleeping in it I want
a. Privacy
b. Possible rain protection ( I like a dry bed)
3.Need to be able to have a guest

So, We made it a bit larger 9x10
Added screens all around and under floor boards, Zipper entrance in front.
Made Canvas side panels (attach with velcro)
Made front and back canvas panels/doorways.
Chose two stacking twin beds that can be snapped together for a couple or left apart for two guests.

Just for fun, we used timber framing ties (Simpson Strong) instead of the joist hangers and end caps...this gives is big beefy bolt heads and black metal straps across the beams. They do the same thing but give it a more rugged look.

My 12 year old has slept in it for two weeks already and plans to not come in until the snows come this winter!

Thanks so much for the great inspiration and general plan to get us started.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$300 for all the Tent Canvas and about $500 in other materials.
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Canvas
Recommended Skill Level
Advanced

Small Balcony Planter

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 03/25/2024 - 08:51

Adjusted the original plans to meet AOAO requirements. Shortened the boxes to 20” and the length to stay below balcony railing. Love this herb garden on my very tiny balcony in Hawai’i ❤️

Made by Melissa Puanani Nobriga-Petrichko.

Family Organization

Submitted by red98dawg on Mon, 08/13/2012 - 09:39

I loved the post from Lady Goats on the PB inspired daily system and the modifications from debandtom25!
I knew this was an answer to clean up our counter, before items even make it to the counter this is right at the door when you walk in our house!

I didn't use a picture frame but used plywood with molding of my choice for the "frame." I selected paint at Home Depot and just purchased the sample paint in three different colors. The wording was done on a computer and used as a stencil (cut the letters into contact paper, stuck contact paper on and painted).

Estimated Cost
$35
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Purchased the sample paint in three different colors, will post colors later.
Final coat in Rust-Oleum clear gloss.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Reclaimed clubhouse

Submitted by Mrsmilburn on Wed, 06/04/2014 - 15:52

I did this all with fence panels. The dimensions were determined by my 2x4's. I trimmed the pickets to size and overlapped them to give it a real siding look. Then I power washed it and let the kids have fun, we have not finished decorating but we will and I am sure it will change over time since their decoration of choice is chalk. I say a weekend because you need to inventory what lengths of wood you have to plan it out and the smaller cuts for the siding can be time consuming. This didn't cost me a thing I had screws left over from building a deck. I built each wall then screwed them together and attached siding making sure to only screw into the facing wall so I could disassemble if needed.

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

Maple Edge Grain Cutting Board

A cutting board seems to be a right of passage for any new wood worker, that and making a mallet! I’ve already made a mallet and have been putting off making a cutting board so I figured now was as good a time as any. I’ve always liked the look of edge grain maple and I had some scraps of maple that were too narrow for most projects so I figured that I would go for that look. To spice it up a bit I decided to add a couple of accent strips of Oak.

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

Modern Loveseat with Slight Modification

Thanks so much for this plan. I modified it slightly by using 2x6 For the arms so I could cut out a hole for a glass or bottle. I also added an additional 2x4 underneath to keep the glass from falling through.

I spent a lot of time sanding and putting the first finishing coat on each piece prior to assembly to make final finishing easier. Extended elapsed time but I think it made actual time shorter.

Estimated Cost
$150
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Coat 1: 70% Teak Oil 30% Cabot Gold Sunlit Walnut
Coat 2: Cabot Gold Sunlit Walnut
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Painters shelf

Submitted by Krissymia on Fri, 08/17/2012 - 06:47

Whew! I am a total novice. I have never used a saw in my life, but with a little bit of instruction from my husband i was able to do it almost completely on my own. Even as a beginner i could have finished it in a full day, but i was trying to work on it during my daughters naps so it took almost a week!

Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Raised Garden Beds

Submitted by Deekra on Sat, 06/07/2014 - 16:31

I used the basic Raised cedar garden bed plans with a few alterations. I made them different sizes, stacked one on top of the other for some dimension in my garden and secured them together from in inside.

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

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