Community Brag Posts

Rustic X Console

Pretty easy project.  Check for square often.  It will pay off when putting the shelves in.  The "x" on the sides was the trickiest.  Cost was approximately $100.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Miniwax Special Walnut stain. Satin polyurethane.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Jody Knowles

Mon, 11/24/2014 - 10:39

I plan on building this console table for my Daughter in the next week or so. Love Ana & her website, she has me hooked on building things with wood.

Rainbow Poplar

Submitted by brian12321 on Sun, 02/26/2017 - 14:32

I made the top removable by attaching blocks to the inside corners of the apron and using a spade bit to drill a hole.  Then attached hanger bolts to the table top and fastened with washers and wingnuts.

Estimated Cost
600
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax ebony for base. Top is natural with only polyurethane.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Lunar2

Fri, 04/21/2017 - 13:18

Your tabletop is gorgeous, can't tell anything else because of the shadows.  Thank you for the close-up of your fastener, nicely done

Kid's chair

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 12/13/2020 - 09:58

Fun little project. Tried for the “distressed look” Now it’s on to a craft table.

Finish Used
I used Briarsmoke stain and white paint.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Phil P

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 03/01/2017 - 02:45

Treated myself to a load of new electrical tools and bought a kreg jig, this was my first project of this size for many years and also using the pocket hole method, my wife was very happy with the end result as was I. The doors, all made from scratch using the jig also finish the shrine off well. I'll be hunting around on the site for a new project soon, this one took me a lot longer to complete than I anticipated, it ook months before I finally managed to finish if off but then I had an issue with the amount of time available I could spend on it on a weekly basis.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
not calculated, between £400 - £500
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
wood primer followed by cookie dough emulsion for the shelves and satin white for the doors, door panels cut from pre painted mdf 3mm decorative panels and glued and pinned into recesses created.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Rustic X desk

Great project! Delivered it to my brother and he loves it. Decreased the size to fit the space. Kreg jig and glue for assent. I used a dark walnut stain. My wife now has a number of build projects for me. It’s a little more than the original $50 with the lumber prices up.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$125
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Dark walnut by Varathane oil based stain and minwax one coat polyurethane. Probably won’t use this polyurethane again. Too many brush strokes left with how tick it is and how fast it dries.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Tractor crates

Made from following these plans, and using scraps I already had.

Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

entryway locker

This is my first project.  With some help from my husband (navigating the power tools-- the table saw in particular) it was completed in a few weeks.   We live in Army housing, so I never really know what kind of space we will get. Inevitably, there is never enough storage, so this will find a home in any new home we might live in.  I used beadboard for the back, stained minwax special walnut. The paint is Benjamin Moore serenity blue- and then I used acrylic polyurethane- adding another level of kid resistance;)  Great plans Ana, and I am so excited to do my next project!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
200
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Benjamin Moore eggshell latex paint- about three coats- sanding in between with 220 grit sandpaper. Then added (satin)acrylic polyurethane-another three coats- and sanded in between with 400 grit. I didn't sand in between the 2nd and third coat. I don't know if that is technically "correct" , but it seems to make the smoothest surface for me.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Modern Coffee Table

Modern style coffee table

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Walnut stain satin finish
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Two Play Kitchens

Submitted by Pa on Tue, 12/22/2020 - 23:03

Two one-year-old cousins. What can I tell you; they BOTH needed a kitchen set for Christmas!

We were glad to stumble upon these plans for heirloom toys and greatly appreciate that they are free for all to access. Directions are easy to follow and the user-comments offer lots of good ideas which I incorporated into the units I built. I added three inches in width and height to the sink and stove units. Sanded pieces before assembly. Used screws instead of nails; screws were set using a counter-sink bit. Rounded all edges; this was very appreciated by the mothers! Both mothers also requested a clear polyurethane finish instead of paint. Magnetic closures on all doors.

Touches of realism for the ovens: cookie-cooling racks on the oven shelves to simulate the oven racks, a motion-sensor-light in each oven triggers when the door is opened, cooktops created with a black silicone placemat and a white permanent marker worked well to draw/simulate the burners. Despite the families’ actual home ovens having digital controls, both moms requested knobs for the children to manipulate ... screws through the back of the faceplate allow the knobs to rotate. Oven doors have side hinges for ease of child access to ‘baking food’ and to prevent anyone from stepping onto an opened door hinged on the bottom. Touches of realism for the sinks: aluminum mixing bowls for sinks, box-store bathroom faucets, hook at the side for hand towel. Touches of realism for the Narrow Fridge: hinges on the right and freezers on the bottom to match the children’s home refrigerators. We considered coating the top door with magnetic paint, but per request to stay away from paint, cookie sheets were screwed to fronts so that children can display drawings or anything magnetic.

Several Christmasy additions such as linens, dinnerware, magnets and mini floral buckets really added to the “wow factor” under the Christmas tree!

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

Comments

Sling Chair birthday present

Submitted by romanweel on Thu, 01/31/2013 - 18:11

I did these as a birthday present for my husband. He is very picky about seating, but he said these were very comfortable! I used 1x4 oak for the headers and pine for the rest. After reading others' concerns about the support dowel, I decided to do the following:
1. Drill a 3/4" hole halfway through each 1x2 support with a 1/4" hole continuing the rest of the way through to the outward facing side of each
2. I glued a 1/4" dowel into one 1x2, pushing the dowel as flush as possible to the outer edge of the 1x2. I then slid a 3/4" hollow steel tube onto the wood dowel, and into the 3/4" hole in the 1x2.
3. Finally glued the other end of the wooden dowel into the other 1x2 (which forces the steel tube to nest into the 3/4" hole in the 1x2) and trimmed the excess dowel flush. The steel tube acts as the support, and the 1/4" wood dowel simply holds it all together. Did that make any sense?

If you can possibly avoid paying full price on the fabric, DO! That alone accounts for 70% of this project's total cost!

Estimated Cost
$25-30 each
Finish Used
Stained with Rustoleum dark cherry and sealed with a marine spar varnish. I wouldn't stain again, however...the red oak took it very differently than the pine (of course!), and I think paint would have looked better in the end. The varnish held up very well over a summer of high heat and moderate usage.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Kids Lounge Bench

We made this in just over 2.5 hours with the kids "helping."  We made it a bit taller, with the seat at 19 inches, so the leg pieces were 25.25 inches instead of 18.25.  Because of this, we will probably add two supports across each side as it seems a bit wobbly when the kids all wiggle on it.  Now we finally have a seat where all 3 kids can sit together to play on the computer.  Thanks for the plans!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$54 for all the wood and #100 screws.
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
for the kids
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Play kitchen

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 12/26/2020 - 16:28

Made this for my grand-daughter’s birthday!
I used the play kitchen with back wall plans. I used my circular saw to make 1/8 grooves for the shiplap, a dog bowl for the sink painted with enamel paint, the faucet is actually a coat hook I purchased from Amazon. The hutch is made from basic 1x4’s. The burners were made from an svg from Etsy as was the pie in the oven and the sign above the stove. Super cute, fun project!

Built from Plan(s)
Finish Used
Waverly paint in Ballet Slipper pink, gray chalk paint and white paint. Sealed with polycrylic.

Library Addition

I had a lot of fun making this. I am so excited to be using it. Ana's plans were easy to follow.

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
I used Sedona Red Stain.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Aromatic Cedar trinket box

Submitted by JoanneS on Fri, 12/05/2014 - 14:33

This was a project to use some pieces of left over ¼” thick aromatic cedar closet lining board.  I cut off the tongues and grooves with the sliding miter saw, and calculated the measurements for the box to fit the size of the wood.  For this build I used the micro-pin nailer with compressor, and ½” headless pin nails.  The finished box measures 4 1/8” tall, 6” long, and 3 3/8” wide.

Inside, a divided lift-out tray sits on rails made from small pieces of the cedar board glued to the inside.  The addition of an extra decorative board to the top made it ¾” thick, to work with a regular knob.  The inside of the box stayed unfinished to preserve the cedar fragrance.  This was an afternoon project.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
The cost of this build is just for the knob, since the wood and finishing materials were already on hand.
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
On this build I ended up with some discoloration from the glue. I re-sanded and touched it up with some Minwax express color in Mahogany on those areas to even up the color and make it all look natural again. Then everything received 3 coats of gloss polycrylic, topped off with an acrylic crystal knob from Lowes.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Linda7

Fri, 12/05/2014 - 17:56

Joanne, you are the queen of trinket/jewelry boxes! I love all of your posts which show how something simple can be so different and special. These would make wonderful Christmas presents for loved ones, friends, or co-workers. Thanks for sharing.

JoanneS

Sat, 12/06/2014 - 04:58

Linda, thanks so much for the nice comment!  I have such fun doing hand built gifts for Christmas!  Thinking up how to decorate them and what to make them from is a big part of the fun!  smiley

Apothecary cabinet

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 03/09/2017 - 06:47

I've wanted to build one of these forever! I changed the plans a lot to accommodate my needs, but I loved the idea of faux drawers on the doors to have an authentic look. It fools most people! Took 2 weeks for me to complete, working on and off. It has great storage inside for all the kids' stuff I didn't have a place for previously. The stain is ebony by minwax and the hardware pulls I purchased for under $10 for 30. 

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax ebony stain with varathane poly in satin
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Kentwood Bookshelf

Submitted by cwatson on Wed, 12/30/2020 - 05:03

Built the Kentwood Bookshelves for our living room. Bookcases are 6ft. Made of Pine and Whitewood. This is my 2nd build and looking forward to more.

Estimated Cost
325
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Colonial Maple
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Hanging Wall File

Submitted by naomi on Mon, 12/08/2014 - 03:38

This was just a quick little project as we decided we needed a bit of organisation in the office.

I just used scrap mdf and leftover bits and pieces from other projects for this wall file. We now have somewhere to put all the postage stuff for our online sales site.

Cheers... Nay

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
White enamel paint
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Liam's Christmas Day Barn Bed

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 03/11/2017 - 17:52

Our son Liam-Joseph wanted a "Big-Boy Bed" and then he added "I want Daddy and Santa to make it".  Well "Santa" and my wife Jacques looked all over the internet and finally found your Cabin Bed via jennwoodhouse.com.  Jacques altered the plans demensions and she realized the bed could be barn-like so she came up with the red and gray paint job.  She actually wanted a cupola but I thankfully talked her out of that.  Well somehow we keep the construction from Liam 2 weeks before Christmas.  On Christmas Eve Liam's Grandparents keep him at their house while "Santa" and I put the bed together (I never did a trial run so I was relieved when everything fit right together).  The next day after opening his presents he ran up to his room and saw his bed for the first time.

The project isn't completed.  I recently finished the roof with wood pallets but I need to finish the trimming of the interior of the bed walls.  

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

Altered apothecary console

Submitted by scooper812 on Fri, 01/01/2021 - 19:56

I built this based on the apothecary console plans but with the modifications that VLilly made for the Altered Apothecary Media Console. Very happy with how it turned out! Thank you Ana for sharing the plans!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Whitewash, stain, distress, polycrylic
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

X Frame country coffee table

Wanted something sturdy because of my kids. Found the project on here and was fairly simple to build. The step by step instructions really helped.

Estimated Cost
$65
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Special walnut stain with gloss white paint. 3 coats polyurethane on the top. Sanded between each coat with 320 grit.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Simple Side Table

Submitted by mom of 4 on Fri, 02/08/2013 - 15:30

I built this for a friend who needed a small side table. All the cuts were made with a chop saw. I used 1X3 furring strips and 2X2's. It was a little tricky to get all the table slats to match up. I used the Kreg jig to conceal all the screws and get stronger joints. I love that thing!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$10
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
I brushed on two coats of Minwax Polyshades in Honey Pine Gloss, then rubbed in a coat of Howard Feed-N-Wax.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner