Community Brag Posts

Shaker Peg Board

Submitted by rhilborn on Thu, 08/11/2011 - 12:15

This was a fun easy & free project! I had a number of 1x4's left over from building the Classic Bunkbed and we paired that with some old knobs I saved. These 3 peg boards have made a great addition to the foyer of our house. We use them to keep purses, bags, dog leashes, and hats handy and still organized. I am tempted to put up a few more peg boards in our hall now!

This probably took 30 minutes total from inception to installation.

Estimated Cost
Free!
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Wipe on Polyuerthane and minimal sanding. I basically sanded off any thing that could give someone a splinter and polyurethaned just enough to protect the wood.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Coffee table with a massive drawer!!

Submitted by Bunnie1978 on Wed, 09/04/2013 - 19:39

This was my second coffee table. Anticipating that the hardest part would of course be the drawer, I actually started with the drawer and built the rest of the table around that! Made a big difference too. It was much easier.

I took my time with this project with things that I had rushed through before, sanding parts before assembly, dry fitting with lots of clamps at each step, and I took extra care on cutting pieces square.

Since I was able to get the drawer done so much easier this time, the hardest part was the top. I hate how the ends turn up slightly... does anyone know how to stop that from happening?

I spent about a week and a half on this table, working on it for a few hours a day while my son was in school.

I am SO SO SO happy with how it turned out. The drawer was really tight in the shop (no air conditioning) but when I got it home, it has loosened up a bit, and its still just a little sticky, but not bad at all. I just love this finish. It's by far my favorite finish of any that I have tried.

I am trying to sell this coffee table, and my next project is going to be a console that coordinates, but will have the base part painted and the panel top stained. I really need a good job in the near future so I don't have to keep selling these things that I build and fall in love with!!

** On a side note, this coffee table got me a marriage proposal from a near stranger. Who would have thought that making sawdust would be so attractive to guys? LOL.

Estimated Cost
$125
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
First stain with Minwax Golden Pecan, then rub edges and massage into a gradient with Minwax Red Oak. Two coats of semi-gloss poly. Last coat on top is applied VERY HEAVY. Sanding with 600 grit by hand in between coats.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

brookifer86

Wed, 09/04/2013 - 20:47

You can get silicone in a spray can and it will keep the drawer sliding slick and not catch. I had to use it on my apothecary console table. I believe beeswax or candle wax can also help if you'd like a more natural solution. Great table!

Bunnie1978

Thu, 09/05/2013 - 20:44

actually since I have it home and it's so much cooler, it doesn't stick at all anymore. It is completely perfect. It took a couple days for the wood to adjust, but I'm so happy because there are NO "obviously handmade" flaws. You know what I mean?

Doll pram in baby's room

Submitted by whitebrow on Thu, 10/29/2015 - 11:22

This is a fun a straight-forward project.  I built it for our littlest one's first birthday as both a doll stroller and a walk-behind push toy.  I used select pine for the stroller, a 1" oak dowel for the handle and some pre-made wheels / rounds.  Wheels were from Michaels (I think) and the rest was from Lowes.

I want to find a way to better secure the wheels, but the plans' method works pretty well.  The axle caps can sometimes fall off so I just check them for tightness every so often.

Best of all, Greta approves.

Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
painted wheels, whitewashed body
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Christmas present

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 12/26/2018 - 19:33

I made some adjustments to the look of the tower by adding an extra window, I also made the middle part more solid instead of railing since my kids are destructive. I made two more stairs too so no storage under stairs. I have not put the stair railing in, but will use a standard stair railing and the wooden posts for it for an estimated additional 25 dollars, my husband also insisted he do his part and put in additional 2x4 under the top bunk so they have jumped on the bed and the wood doesn’t move. Also made the bottom a bed instead of a loft, but kept the books under the slide and the place to sit in the window. 

I have no previous woodworking skills and learned as I went, there was a learning curve but manageable.

Estimated Cost
750.00
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Spray paint and acrylic paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Farmhouse Table and Stools

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 09/03/2022 - 15:55

My daughter has a small 1 bedroom appointment and needed a place to eat. I built this table and stools to give her and her friends somewhere to gather. The stools came out darker than expected after I put a harder finish on it. They we’re getting scratched up from the sitting on them. But over all she loves it.

Comments

Square farm table

Submitted by Lady Goats on Sat, 08/13/2011 - 21:03

My couches were inherited from my mom, and she loves everything BIG. So I have very deep, very tall and very BIG sofas that need a hefty table to hold it's own between them. I was working on converting the dimensions of the modern farm table on my own, but Miss Ana is known to be a mind reader, and drew up these plans before I finished mine!

I am terrible when it comes to a) reading the advice given in comments and b.) finishing, so I didn't know it would be absolutely beneficial to stain these pieces before assembly... OOPS! At least it's in a corner! :-p

Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Gel Stain - Mahogany
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

made with love by my Grandchildren and I

My grandchildren needed a table that they could use for blocks, coloring, trains and just all around fun so with the help from my 4 year old and 3 year old Grandson's we created the perfect table from the rustic x coffee table plans.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$65.00
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax polyshade. Stain and polyurethane in 1 step. Pecan satin color
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Restoration Hardware-like coffee table

Submitted by kkellg on Wed, 11/04/2015 - 07:25

So Worth It!

 

This project was possibly beyond my expertise however persistance, reading and asking for help worked. This table was a 5 month project with a start, a quit, a re-buy and finally a full steam forward to the finish line. 

Although difficult, I learned so much during this build-how to use a biscuit joiner (then reverted back to my Kreg Jig), how to clamp pieces so that they remain even, how to properly finish a table, how important measuring and squaring are, etc...

I have a large sectional so I had to revise the size of this table. Ours is a 3' x 5' table. The most difficult part of building where we live is finding good lumber. There were 3 different types of wood used on the project but thankfully I was able to stain to match. 

Off to start my next project-our son's headboard. Should be a piece of cake. I'll let you know and it WILL be sooner than 5 months! Happy Building! Karla

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Approximately $400 because I started over once.
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
MinWax Ebony
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Spa bench

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 12/30/2018 - 00:05

My wife asked for a terrible particle board bench for Christmas.  When I complained about the quality, she told me to build one instead.  I may have been played.

 

I found the plans here and the only modifications I made were resizing to fit our space, and adding a tree design to the sides, cut using my desktop CNC router.  The design was purchased from an artist shop on Etsy.

 

She loves the bench and I saved a few hundred dollars.  I also got to finish another project which is awesome.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Red mahagony stain
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Shed Tool Rack

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 09/09/2022 - 08:05

The instructions were easy to follow. I didn’t have the exact wood so I improvised with what I had on hand. Thanks Ana!

Comments

My pottery barn ledge

Submitted by ajcajj on Tue, 08/16/2011 - 10:59

I've been wanting the pottery barn decorative ledge forever! I saw the picture online and was hoping I could find a tutorial for it. I ran across a couple but they weren't quite as big as the original and I wanted it to hang above my king size bed. So yesterday I headed out to my garage where I new I had a bunch of scraps/leftovers from my projects as well as my neighbor brought over some of his scap wood. I printed of the PB picture and wrote down the dimensions and got to work! This was my final result.

Estimated Cost
I only bought one piece of trim for $6.36.
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
I stained with a chocolate brown stain. I then brushed a light coat of white sanded/distressed and then brushed stain on and wiped it off.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Building Built In Bookshelves

I decided to build bookshelves on either side of the fireplace, where it was just drywall. I wanted them to be flush with the wall, and the garage is behind the wall. So, I built them into the garage.
I put headers above where the bookshelves would be, and framed the back side in the garage with just 2x4's. I used full sheets of bead board to cover the backs and sides, and tops. Then I bought pre made shelves and put them up using quarter round to support the shelves on all three sides.
I then bought a door frame kit that I liked, that came with fluted pieces for the sides and top with decorative squares to put at the corners. I caulked and painted it all once it was built. I used a circular saw, framing nail gun, compressor, trim nail gun, chop saw and a hammer total. It was a pretty simple project but has made the space much more useable and pretty. My next project is to build a mantle and surround that matches the bookshelves.

Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
glossy white paint, Behr Polar Bear white.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Butternut Coffee Table

Submitted by jsliter on Sat, 11/14/2015 - 08:49

I built this table out of really rough old lumber from our family farm.  Lots of sanding and a real rustic look.  Thanks for the plans!  I love it!

Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Oil finish - after drying, used three coats of Clearcoat - satin.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Dream Dollhouse

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 01/01/2019 - 11:40

Built for 3 year old Granddaughter 2018 Christmas.  Great instructions thanks.  Added ridge cap instead of chimney. Stained floors for the hardwood floor look.

Estimated Cost
$115
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Coffee table with storage, based on the factory cart coffee table.

Submitted by SuperMick on Sat, 08/20/2011 - 13:41

I modified the factory cart coffee table plans to make a coffee table with a removable top for storage. The result was more Pottery Barn than Restoration Hardware. I put a piece of plywood on the bottom, to make an enclosed box. Then modified the frame under the 1x6's of the top, to make it fit snugly in the opening of the top of the box. The sides of the box were 1x12's I had leftover from another project. Actually, everything was leftovers, except the 1x6's for the top, and the castors. The 4 inch castors were painted flat black with high heat wood stove paint (also a leftover from refinishing our pellet stove). I used smaller castors, since the table was already taller than the original plans.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Espresso Stain (oil based)
Satin Polyurathane (oil based)
Ralph Lauren Flour Sack White Latex paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Rustic X Desk from - Console Plan

Submitted by ezematis1 on Thu, 09/12/2013 - 06:09

I wanted to create a library table (big desk) for my two youngest boys so they would have a craft/homework space. I liked the plan for rustic x console so I adapted it to make this 7 ft desk. Kids love it so much I couldn't even get a picture of it before they started using it.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
I used minwax ebony for the base. The top is a semi solid gray benjamin moore stain. Then I rubbed rusty steel wool and vinegar over it. Then topped with a spray poly.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Joni

Fri, 09/13/2013 - 07:02

I love what you did with the finish on the top. It makes it look like metal. It looks so good with the black base. Very unique!!

ezematis1

Fri, 09/13/2013 - 11:07

The vinegar will turn oak dark purple (not a chemist so I can't tell you why). The first coat of stain (gray) protects the wood (but not entirely) from that reaction. So when you rub the rusty steel wool and vinegar over the surface and let it sit, it creates depth. But it is easy.

balloongal247

Fri, 05/09/2014 - 07:55

This desk is great! I love the X plans, and I need a better desk than what I have. Would you be willing to do a plan post to share how you modified the console to a desk. While I've been lurking Ana-White for a few months, I've yet to actually build things, so I'm not sure I want to attempt going too far off plan on one of my first eventual projects.

Antiqued TV frame

Submitted by kbdesigns on Tue, 11/17/2015 - 15:03

Me: Hey can we get a new TV?

Wife: No, there is nothing wrong with ours.

Me: Darn, ok. Hey what if I build this cool frame around it?

Wife: <3 <3 <3 OK! <3 <3 <3

Me: Win.

 

So this is a project from quite a while back, one of my first builds that got me hooked on woodworking actually. I made a few modifications (obviously) since our TV was super thin it just wasn't going to work the way I wanted. I decided to go with more of a tapered look instead. It was my first experience with the "antiquing" technique, after lots of trial and error I ended up getting the look we were going for. It was overall a fun and fairly easy build, with a few learning moments along the way. The only time any of these projects seem "complicated," is when you over think everything, like I do :)

Estimated Cost
$75 (I used the fancier 1x4s from Home Depot)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
White paint, antiqued with dark walnut stain.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Ashlin

Sat, 03/26/2016 - 08:42

This looks beautiful! Was wondering where you purchased the barn door hardware? Been looking everywhere to find some that won't break the bank.

Country Table - picnic

Submitted by TrayScates on Mon, 10/03/2022 - 19:00

Outdoor - pressure treated; added 1 foot to length.

Comments

The Wife's Request

Submitted by tugnut1 on Mon, 08/22/2011 - 16:39

My wife wanted me to build her a coffee table that looked like an industrial cart for about the last year. I saw this plan on the Ana White web site, and it was just what she wanted. The hardest part of this was finding the wheels for the cart.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$70 for the wheels and about $25 for the rest.
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Var Premium Wood Stain (Can't remember the color) and MinWax Polycrylic.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Another Pirate's Treasure Trunk

Submitted by JoanneS on Sun, 09/15/2013 - 14:00

I had so much fun doing the prototype of the pirate’s treasure trunk, I built another one today! It was a super-fast build, and I did some things differently today which really speeded up the finishing process.

The first difference on this one is the use of the ½” x 2 ½” angle. It’s the next size larger than the one from yesterday. Instead of using the screws that came with it, I used some 1 ¼” Kreg screws. The hardware and screws are painted with some gloss black paint. I think it made for a sturdier hinge, so I’ll be doing them that way from now on. I also made a little “gasket” out of felt to go behind the bracket at the bottom where the pivot screw is attached. I’m hoping this will protect from friction over time.

For the finish, I started it with the gray wash just like the original. For the walnut glaze, instead of mixing the Minwax Express Color with mixing glaze, I just diluted it with some water. This dried much faster, but it gave the same look. I added 2 coats of Minwax oil modified water based poly before attaching the hardware. I still used the super glue before attaching with the furniture nails, but skipped the mod podge step, and just went over the hardware and keyhole with an artist’s brush and some poly.

All the wood was scrap and the finishing materials were left over from other projects. I bought the corner brackets and the larger angle brackets this morning at Ace for $7.50. These pieces cost a little more than Lowe’s, but Ace was closer so it saved me a trip.

There's another one of these in work (a lady’s trunk) which I will post later.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
wood (free- scrap), finish (free-left over), hardware $7.50
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Paint wash: Ace Greek Column (diluted 1 part paint to 5 parts water) brushed on then wiped off. Glaze: Minwax Express Color in Walnut, diluted 2 parts stain to 1 part water), brushed on then wiped off. 2 coats Minwax oil modified water based poly. Hardware: Clark & Kensington gloss black paint (2 coats)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

JoanneS

Thu, 09/19/2013 - 18:18

I gave this treasure trunk to a friend at work to give to her son, and he has proclaimed it "cool" - so I'm a happy pirate! :)

Table centerpiece trough

Submitted by brittanyj on Fri, 11/20/2015 - 10:20

Used scrap cedar fence pickets for this build- only sanded the roughness off the top so that the saw marks remained to give it a rustic look.  added tea stain then steel wool vinegar mix to age the boards, then a coat of poly on top.  Very quick build, held together by brad nails. 

Estimated Cost
Free- Scrap cedar fence pickets
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
steel wool and vinegar mix painted on after a tea stain. Poly on top.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner