Community Brag Posts

Henry Bookshelf

Submitted by ctay on Wed, 10/22/2014 - 19:36

Built this bookcase for my daughter, only modification was to add the X's on the side. She needed to be able to store all of her books on it.  Love it!  I now have another family member that wants one just like it!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Under 100.00
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Rustoleum Wheat color with general finishes poly clear coat in semi gloss.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Tv Console

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 02/01/2017 - 09:31

Tv console with sliding barn doors and an electric fireplace insert. Measures 83" wide x 31.5" tall x 18" deep. 

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

Modern Slat Top Patio Tables

Submitted by Indiri on Sat, 10/24/2020 - 17:36

The little tables I had on my front step were super ugly and it was time for an upgrade. I raided my scrap bins for most of the parts and only needed to use 2 new 2x4s but overall it would probably be 7 or 8 - 2x4s and 6 - 8' 1x4s to make all 3 tables

Estimated Cost
50
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
2 coats of spray paint (2.5 cans). With the slats being so close together it was the easiest way to get down in there.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Room divider cubbies

Submitted by Massielita on Fri, 01/04/2013 - 17:52

My twins share one pretty large room. They are 11 years old now and getting old enough to want more of their own personal space. This 5x5 cubby shelf was perfect to be used as a room divider!

My challenge was that I typically work in the basement, but their room is on the 2nd floor. I didn't have anyone that would be able to help me carry this massive creation up 2 flights of stairs, so I had to build this "on site." Unfortunately, their room is carpeted (poorly), so I brought up some old subfloor panels that I had to have a more flat surface to work on. It wasn't ideal, but made it possible.

It also took me much longer than it would take most people since I was limited to working only during nap times. It probably could have been done in a day or two if I had the opportunity to work continuously.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$125
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Red paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Ridge media console

Submitted by Airframer1 on Sat, 10/25/2014 - 15:40

Used mortise and tenon joints. Primed, painted and distressed the wood. Top was stained. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
130 for wood, hinges and knobs.
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Autumn haze and a dark glaze. Dark stain for the top.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Wine & Cheese Crate

Submitted by binamom on Fri, 10/30/2020 - 13:41

WE love these crates and have so much fun making them!

We have decided to sell these on Etsy and they have done well. we offer multiple stain colors as well as shou sugi ban.

(shou sugi ban traditionally involves scorching wooden boards with a torch or controlled fire, cooling the wood, softening the char with a wire brush, removing dust, and, if desired, topping the wood with natural oil)

Thank you for providing us with a source of income!

Estimated Cost
$14
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
stain
brad nails
shlac
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

My Surprise B-Day Gift and Project Wrapped Into One!

Submitted by Diania on Sun, 01/06/2013 - 17:14

How this beginner project became my B-Day gift: After seeing this on Ana's site I just knew I had the perfect place for these, plus it was a great project to wet my toes :-) After talking my husband's head off for about a week with all the new things I'm going to build this year, we were finally headed to Lowes to get material. Well to my surprise he also bought me a Kreg-Jig(Master Series) I AM GOING TO BE A BUILDING MACHNE! LOL

The cost really is around $10 or less but I spent some extra on Polycrylic to create a nice shine over the wood. I knew I wanted 8ft ledges so there was no cutting involved, wohoo! Here is what I used:

6 1x4 @8ft
3 1x2 @8ft
(I used 1 1/4in screws for project and 2in screws for mounting)
120 grit sand paper
After putting together the wood in a jiffy as described in Ana's plans I then sanded. Even the sanding, which I did by hand was fairly quick. Next the priming and painting took the longest as it had to dry obviously. After a few coats, I sprayed the polycrylic according to directions on can. That's it...

I was so excited as it was going up, I was planning on putting some candles, maybe some decorative stuff to go with the pics. I didn't realize how many pictures I have! Wow! Guess I'll have to dust off my Kreg-Jig and make more. :-)

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$24
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Primer, White Glossy Paint, and Minwax Spray Polycrylic. Polycrylic is easy to use and very quick to dry.(about 30min) I simply used it to create a shiny look.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

4x4 Truss Beam Table

Submitted by CJaq7 on Wed, 10/29/2014 - 18:56

Built for my son and daughter-in-law. Love it

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax Dark Walnut with Minwax Ultimate Poly Matte
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Washer/Dryer Pedestal with Flush Front Drawers

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 02/06/2017 - 18:24

Thank You Dmccoy for the plans used for this project.  Great idea using the 2×6s for strength and stability! I built this Pedestal and placed furniture slides underneath to allow for sliding out for cleaning and access.

Estimated Cost
$130
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
First 2×4s, 15/32", and 23/32" Plywood
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Loft Bed

We have a small house. Okay, a TINY house. We just added a new baby to the mix, had a 5th birthday and Christmas, and suddenly, every room seems more cramped. We knew we needed more storage in our oldest son's room, and this seemed like the best solution!

We used the plans for the bed to a T, and then did the bookshelf on the end to match. We then created a custom plan for shelves underneath, just the right size to accommodate the blue and green fabric bins you see. We also left some spaces for bigger toys, and added a hamper to keep taller toys (swords and such) organized.

We loved the look of the bed painted white in the picture, and since his walls were already practically the same color blue (and a green accent wall), we decided not to stray far from the original design.

Our son loves the bed, and we are thrilled with all the space he has in there now!

We estimated about $350 on the bed, that included the wood, screws, 2 gals Valspar paint, paint accessories, and the fabric bins and hamper.

Estimated Cost
350.00
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
All the boards are 1x's except for one 2x2 for mattress support. We used Valspar prime and paint, used two coats to cover the knots and imperfections in the wood.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Garage Shelves

Submitted by coolove on Sun, 11/02/2014 - 23:16

This project was a bit of a challenge. My garage has uneven flooring and a concrete lip around the edge of wall so I had to make the back legs 10 inches shorter than the front. Overall, it turned out well and everything is completely leveled much to my amazement. I'm thinking of making more shelves on the other end of the garage to free up more space.

Estimated Cost
$90 including extra nails.
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
None.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Pine Chifferobe

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 02/10/2017 - 05:58

I designed and built this chiffarobe based off of the mirrored wardrobe plans provided by Ana White.  I received a Kreg jig for Christmas and immediately put it to use.  We used 1x12's for the top sides and back to make it narrower for our entryway.  My wife did an excellent job painting it green with brown distressed look.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$200 - $250
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Brown and Green Furniture Paint purchased from Lowes
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Farmhouse Table

Submitted by JillianD on Wed, 01/09/2013 - 16:05

Calling myself an amateur builder is a colossal overstatement. I’ve never actually built anything, by hand, using wood. I’m quite crafty and very good at hacking things inspired by others {thank you all other bloggers and Pinterest for your continued inspiration}, but to actually build something from the ground up just hasn’t been added to the curriculum vitae…until now.

I actually hail from a family of handy builders. My grandpa used to build everything, from decorative shelves and stools to more utilitarian items, like bookcases and kitchen cabinets. My father, too, is quite handy; he’s the build-a-back-deck weekend warrior type.

This was my first Weekend Warrior project. My deadline: Thanksgiving dinner! I had no other table option. I either built this table or my friends and family were eating on the floor.

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

Comments

Juanita_r

Thu, 01/10/2013 - 12:56

Just wanted to say (apart from "i love the table") that your story has inspired me to finally jump in. i too am like you, never physically built anything with wood, but have done some revamps and have done a ton of other crafts (i too would like to thank pinterest). reading what you said has just given me that finally push!!! Thanku

JillianD

Thu, 01/10/2013 - 17:14

Hi Juanita! Yay, I'm so glad. It really was a fun and empowering project. I can't tell you how many people looked at me like I was crazy, but a little patience and elbow grease can go a long, long way! Good luck and I can't wait to see the finished project.

rhettar

Sat, 01/19/2013 - 04:53

You did a great job! I love the finish you chose. Isn't it amazing when you think you can't do something and then when you finish it, you're like wow I did that! Ana's site has inspired me so much and I love to see that she has inspired so many others and to see the beautiful things they are making with their own two hands. Again awesome job and beautiful table!

Farmhouse King Bed resized to fit standard king

Submitted by hpu2002 on Wed, 11/05/2014 - 06:14

Hello everyone and thank you Ana-White for all of your plans.  I love this site and have built several pieces of furniture for our home from them. 

This bed is absolutely Rock Solid! In reading the blog I noticed several people asking for the "modified" dimensions or resizing for a standard king ( I put them in the blog but this is what I did)

Headboard: 9 1x8's at 30 inches long and 2 1'x6's at 30 inches long (I omitted the 1x3 end pieces at 30 inches and that way I had 76 inches wide.

The plans call for the 1x4 panel trip pieces (for headboard and foot board) to be 80''.  I resized them to 76''

The headboard 4x4 legs were still 54''

The bottom headers 2x4's for both the headboard and footboard calls for 87''...I changed it to 83''.

The top header 2x6's  for both the headboard and footboard call for 89''...I changed those to 85''.

The plan calls for the footboard to have 10 1x8 panel pieces at 15 inches. like the headboard I changed these to 9 1x8's at 15'' and 2 1x6's at 15''.

We have a new 12'' memory foam mattress so I did like others and used 2x4's for cross beams secured with truss hangers and then used peg board for additional support.  The side rails are 2x12's at 62' ( I wanted a little extra room to be able to bolt them to the head and foot board.)

NOTE: The cut list calls for 4 1x8's  You Need 5.  And to do the plans my way you need a few 1x6's.

Sorry if this is wordy but I hope it helps!

Thanks Ana for all of your awesome plans!  My Fiance' loves the furniture and I am addicted to building because of you!

Dave

Estimated Cost
$200-$300
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Polyshades in Mission Oak (it has poly in it)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Apothecary Console Table

Needed a storage spot in the living room to hide the wii remotes/games and the iRobot mop, while allowing easy access and charging capabilities. This piece fit the bill and looks beautiful!  

We cut a hole in the back, in front of an outlet, and placed a power/USB strip inside the cabinet. 

 

Used routed plywood scraps for the false drawer fronts and they look so real that everyone tries to pull open a drawer rather than swing open a door :)

 

NOTE:  The cut list in the plans say to cut the 1x3s for the decorative top @ 35.5". They should be 37" each, which we realized after cutting and went to put the cabinet together :(

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
around $150, including $40 in hobby lobby knobs.
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Wood Finish in Ebony. Decorative top has gloss clearcoat and the rest is semi gloss.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

8' Buffet/Entry table

Thank you Ana White for having this plan out there. This plan has made my life so much better, considering my wife wanted this and LOVED the final product. This project took me one weekend to complete from start to finish. There were some learning's for me along the way, but I would bot be happier. I changed the top and used two 1x10x8 popolar wood and I used bead board for rear and door panels. Love the end result and could not have done it without your plan.

Estimated Cost
$345 Total cost
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Zinzer 123 primer and Berh Cabinet matte finish paint tinted.

Comments

Ana White Admin

Mon, 11/09/2020 - 09:54

I would say a weekend well spent for something that will be appreciated for a lifetime! Looks beautiful, thanks for sharing!

Swedish Country Doll Beds

Submitted by CaroStyle on Fri, 01/11/2013 - 14:41

I made two little doll beds, complete with bedding, for my two little granddaughters and decorated to suggest 'Swedish Country'. I had such fun making them. I'm going to post them with the rails disassembled so they can be easily rescrewed together.

I reused lots of bits and pieces of wood I had on hand to make the bed. I also used paint and small pieces of fabric I had on hand for the bedding.

The girls are only 20 months and 4 years old and they both play with baby dolls constantly. The four year old has only just started to get interested in American Girl Dolls. I made the beds, thinking of the baby dolls, but big enough for 18 inch dolls, later on.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Under $10 for two beds - used scraps
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
The green bed is Marret Apple from California Paint's Historic New England colors, and the blue bed is Summer Blue from Benj Moore, both in flat finish. Benj.Moore White Dove (in semi gloss) for the flowers and an acrylic felt pen for the lining.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Storage Sectional

I had a horrible time finding an outdoor sectional that fit in my sunroom and didn't cost a fortune, so I adapted the Storage Sofa plan to work for my needs!

It took a couple of weekends, but I didn't work straight through both days - I would do one task at a time; cut all pieces, assemble boxes, stain, put together cushions, install in sunroom.

I used my kreg jig for as much as I could, and adapted from the original plan to leave the backrest open to give it a more outdoor look.  

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$300-375
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Plate Rack

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 11/13/2020 - 12:47

I was browsing Etsy for a plate rack and my Hubby said that he could just make me one. So I knew just where to go for the plans! He added crown moulding to the top, bead board to the back and painted it to match our cabinets. I love it! I use it to display his late mother’s Currier and Ives Plate collection. Thanks Ana!

Estimated Cost
$65
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
She twin Williams custom blended paint color
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Cheap & simple entryway table

Submitted by robindres on Mon, 01/14/2013 - 12:24

This was a great project to begin with. I used pocket holes instead of finishing nails. I also added another shelf and trim work.

Estimated Cost
$60 (Includes paint brushes, stain, and everything!)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax walnut stain (one coat). Minwax wood conditioner. Polyurethane 3 coats.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project