Community Brag Posts
Firepit Swings
This was a real challenge as I did the whole project alone. 6x6 pressure treated lumber was used as posts and support beams. 120 lbs of quickcrete was used for each post and the support beams are bolted onto the posts. The swings were all made with pressure treated
lumber and I bought heavy duty mounting hardware for the chains. I bought the firepit kit at Lowe's and did the 4 block high enclosure. I had a lot of fun with this!
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
None
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Comments
Tue, 03/07/2017 - 10:28
That is AWESOME! Job well
That is AWESOME! Job well done :) I need one of those in my back yard!
My First Bed
This was my first bed since we can not find any in stock due to the pandemic. I switched up the headboard legs to 2x6s for a slightly wider base. This helped with the mattress in a box we ordered. I built a simple frame using 2x8s, all basic lumber from the big box store, and used 2x6s for the footboard legs. I built the bed frame just about two inches shorter in width to give it some variation in sight lines. I finished it with basic white enamel paint and put 1x4 slats under the mattress. My wife loved it and it turned out well.
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$380
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
White Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Floating bench for entryway alcove
I was looking for some inspiration to clean up our small entryway room in our Cape Cod style home in Worcester, Massachusetts that was typically used for recycling and dirty shoes. These plans were very easy to follow and really spruced up the room quite a bit.
I used standard pine 2x4's for the frame and 1 inch boards for the bench platform and upper shelf features. The platform consists of four boards (3 1x6 boards and 1 1x5 board) that were glued together and sanded down. This was finished with Minwax Colonial Maple stain (a few coats), a couple coats of satin polyurethane, and then sanded down for a nice smooth finish.
I used a couple of 2x4's behind the vertical face below the shelf, giving it some depth and better stability.
Cast iron hooks were found on etsy, ebay, and Amazon.
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$75-$100
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Colonial Maple stain
Minwax satin polyurethane
Automotive turtle wax for a smooth shine
Minwax satin polyurethane
Automotive turtle wax for a smooth shine
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
Drop Zone/mudroom
I used ShelfHelpNow which I LOVED! Got it delivered at the start of a snowstorm! Would never have made it then if I had to go get the wood myself!
Got so many compliments and requests
To build this.
Thank you for your easy plans and wonderful ideas!
In hindsight I would have either connected the two units or separated them more. I’m more a wing it/see how it goes type of builder for myself rather than a planner. 🤣
Diane
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
600 for carcass
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Putting it together took a couple hours. Painting and waiting for things to dry took a lot longer!
Hopefully this will free up some room in my house for more utilitarian closet/pantry.
Hopefully this will free up some room in my house for more utilitarian closet/pantry.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Traditional Bird House Brag Post
My very first project using the Compound Miter Saw. Easy Cuts. Easy assembly. Cost was about $1.50. I think I am going to make kits (as suggested in the sister plan) for a couple of birthdays coming up!
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$1.50
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
No finish. Used spray paint to put Little One's hands on the roof.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project
Cubby Desk
Made from pine boards. Had to add 2 2x4's underneath to hold the drawer.
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
50.00
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax golden oak and wax.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Farmhouse King Bed
Took a little longer than I anticipated. By far the hardest part was finding straight boards at Home Depot. Used Cedar 4x4s for the post to avoid treated wood. Had to make a few adjustments for our king mattress, but well worth it. Bed and platform came in right at $300 for the wood, screws, paint, etc. Thanks for the plans!
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Cedar outdoor table with scraps!
I had a pile of leftover wood after getting my deck rebuilt; so I had some brand new cedar as well as some used pressure-treated wood. (Of course, I made the deck builders leave anything worth keeping!) I thought it would be put to good use as an outdoor table for storage & serving on my new deck! I started off with the Rustic X Console Table plans from this website, and then I made just a few modifications on length (to fit the space better). I was able to re-use my leftover wood, and I think it turned out beautifully! It's been used several times for food serving when the neighbors come over for happy hour, for storage of random outdoor things, and for climbing on when I need to reach the TV above it...so it's definitely sturdy! Thank you, Ana White, for such great plans that are easy to use and easy to modify as needed. Really happy with this one!
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Free
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
None - naturally weathered cedar
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
Comments
Sat, 08/21/2021 - 11:18
Wonderful use of scrap boards!
Gorgeous and functional, what more can you ask for! Thanks for sharing:)
Modified Adirondack Chairs and Coffee Table
I had some Kebony deck boards left over from another project and thought they would work well. I think they did! Kebony is pine that is soaked in an alcohol and then heated up. It has a 30 year warranty and requires no care. I used a Penofin oil on the 2x4s and Cutek oil on the Kebony
Built from Plan(s)
Comments
New Kitchen, New Table!
We just finished our complete kitchen remodel, from tearing down walls to new cabinets, appliances, hardwood floors, and countertops. I assembled the cabinets and installed them myself, along with tiling the backsplash and nailing down the floors. So I though I'd try my hand at furniture building. It was my first time building anything like this and I thought it turned out pretty nice!
I used left over boards from the removation for the bases of the table and benches and 2x6 poplar boards for the tops. I made some adjustments in the size since we're only a family on 3. Since I made the table shorter, I changed the 45 degree cuts on the cross braces to 30 degrees so they would fit.
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$300 just because I bought high quality poplar with the edges planed so they would fit together with no gaps
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
minwax sedona red
zar merlot
minwax red mahogany
in that order, but I found that the stain effects poplar differently than it does pine
3 coats of brush on polyurethane sanded with 220 in between coats
zar merlot
minwax red mahogany
in that order, but I found that the stain effects poplar differently than it does pine
3 coats of brush on polyurethane sanded with 220 in between coats
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
Comments
Ten dollar ledges
My very favourite thing to build, so cheap and simple.
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$5
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
stain and varnish
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project
Adirondack Chairs
This was a fun and simple project. One of my first attempts at making outside furniture and it was nearly perfect the first time....why?... the plans were so easy to follow, the techniques used were not demanding, and the tool selection was ideal for my workshop. I put them outside and I have had good reviews, and requests, for these chairs.
Built from Plan(s)
Comments
Wine oak barrel Adirondack chair
I got some oak barrels from a local vineyard and decided to try making some adirondack chairs. It was harder than I thought it would be, but well worth it!! The stain was a little darker than I thought it be, but it's rubbing off on me!
predrill, predrill, predrill, and learned a valuable lesson in predrilling, as solid wood under strain cracks easy when using 2 1/2" deck screws!
I need to whip out the nice camera and stop using my cell phone for finished products!
Estimated Cost
Around 100.00 dollars per chair (depends on cost of barrel!)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
I used Cabot's Australian timber oil. Not the cheapest product out there, but they actually recommend one coat only and no sanding necessary for future coats. Once it stops beading water, just clean the chair and than reapply! It penetrates deep and forms a wax protective layer that repels water! This is why I chose not to varnish the item!!
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Comments
Sun, 07/21/2013 - 19:45
Yes I did
I did have some plans, which made it easier. I didn't use them as designed i.e. tracing, and I also altered the plans some to my liking. I got the plans for 15$ from here: http://www.gcwoodworks.com/Wine-Barrel-Adirondack-Chair-Large.htm
outdoor sofa from reclaimed wood
Using Ana's plan as a guide, I built two of these sofas to fit an outdoor cushion I already had. I used wood from our old deck -- a great way to re-use and save money, too!
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$110/sofa (lumber was free)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
None, although eventually I will probably seal it with outdoor PolyWhey by Vermont Natural Coatings.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Toddler bed
I made a loft bed for my 4-year-old son using Ana's Chelsea Loft plans. When I finished, I was able to build this toddler bed for my 1-year-old using almost entirely scraps left over from the loft (save for the 1x6 runners). I skipped the curved headboard design and went with a solid piece of 1x12. I was going to round the top edges or cut a more rounded design, but my wife said she liked the squared off look better (she has lots of ideas for painting various designs on it, apparently). Since we were going to use paint and not stain, I ripped some leftover MDF board for the 1x6 footers. The whole project took a single afternoon, including cutting, assembly, woodfill and sanding. The end result is pretty sturdy. My wife laid on it with both our small children and the slats hardly bowed at all.
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$5
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
Cedar Boxes made with Pallet Wood
Thanks for the plans, I was able to make this for a friend's birthday. I made it from pallet wood and it was so easy, I did a mitred top though because I wanted it to look neat and trim. .
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Nil
I used pallet wood
Wood glue & screws I already had
I used pallet wood
Wood glue & screws I already had
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Linseed oil
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
Afternoon farm table
I saw this super simple farm house table plan on my Facebook feed from Ana and I just had to do it !!$50 in lumber a Saturday afternoon and I was done!!!! Followed all her tips and it turned out great
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$50 in lumber
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Danish oil medium walnut
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
Farm House Bench
First bench to match the Farm House table I have built. Istill need to finish my table now to match the bench.
Estimated Cost
$35
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
I first started my staining this bench with ZAR Moorish Teak (looked like I had painted it brown) sanded it down a little added Minwax dark walnut LOVED it! Added 3 coats of Deft stain lacquer.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate