Community Brag Posts

Second project ever

Submitted by NickC on Sat, 01/01/2022 - 13:10

This end table was the second woodworking project I have completed. The first was a doghouse that came out pretty well but was definitely not "furniture grade," so this time I knew I needed to up my game. For the most part, I think I did do that. It was not a completely seamless process, but considering my newness and the number of new skills involved (e.g., pocket holes, staining and polyurethaning) I like how it came out. It also showed me how I can continue to improve my skills so that the next projects will be even better still. The pine 2x4's were very easy to work with and dried out nicely once I got them home to reveal a nice grain. Clearly I have to learn how to cut boards to the same length, but that's part of what gives the project it's character (If you believe it then it's not a lie.). I also need to figure out how to sand polyurethane without scraping it and the stain all off. Thanks to Ana for developing this great page and for all the really nice plans on here. It made the whole process far less intimidating. (sorry for the sideways pics)

Comments

10 Dollar Ledge Shelves

Submitted by ValGal222 on Wed, 05/11/2011 - 20:40

Thanks Ana, I no longer "Think I Can"- I KNOW I CAN! : )

Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
None yet, need feedback on what color...
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

My New Livingroom

I found these amazing tables that i fell in love with! so i decided to take matters into my own hands! i adjusted the measurements to fit my needs and style, and after we purchased the wood, i got to cutting! with a little help from my daddy the project came to life in no time! now i have furniture for my living room that i can completely appreciate and adore forever! i was amazed at how easy this was and how beautiful! and for the price?! theres simply not a store to beat it! and i love all the compliments i get on them and the surprised reaction when i tell people i made them myself! i still plan on building the console table to match!

Estimated Cost
$250
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
mahogony
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Gabriel Wall System Hanging Organizer

This was a very fun project to build. I pretty much followed the directions that were posted, but I used 1x6's instead of 1x4's because I wanted more storage space on the shelves. I also used 1/2" iron piping instead of 3/4" and am happy with how it turned out. Since the guest bathroom is gray, we didn't want to stain the wood and chose to do an easy to do "weathered" (directions below) look. Now all we need to do is replace the ugly shower curtain!

Estimated Cost
$40 (paint not included).
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
"Weathered" look – First, paint a gray undercoat of paint and let dry. Secondly, coat the piece with paraffin wax (especially the edges and corners). Next, paint a top coat of white and let dry. Lastly, scrape off the wax (with a razor blade), to your liking, to give it the "weathered" look.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

tgrott

Wed, 03/30/2016 - 06:41

Love the weathered/distressed look you did.  Can you share your technique for the paint job?

tgrott

Wed, 03/30/2016 - 06:42

I;m sorry!! I just noticed that you did share the paint job!  Thanks! :P

tgrott

Wed, 03/30/2016 - 06:43

I;m sorry!! I just noticed that you did share the paint job!  Thanks! :P

Farmhouse bed - King

Submitted by Rusnok33 on Fri, 01/19/2018 - 06:38

We made the farmhouse bed with a few modifications. We distressed the wood and did a whitewash finish. Absolutely love how this turned out!

Estimated Cost
250
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Stained with tea, then with apple cider vinegar and steel wool stain. Has two applications of the steel wool stain to deepen the aged wood look. Last painted with a basic white paint to white wash.

*Note: wood was warped but adds to the more rustic look. This may not be for everyone!
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Patrick's Jelly Cupboard

Submitted by srodge1 on Thu, 01/06/2022 - 16:48

I love, love how this turned out. I was originally going to build it exactly as the plans are written, but somehow a screen doors came into the design. Thanks again Ana for sharing!!

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Convertible Picnic Benches

With the condition of our inherited 6-sided picnic table in my mind, the idea of these picnic benches was too appealing to ignore!
I gave away our old picnic table, and bought some cedar 2x6 from the lumber mill down the road. (He had a pretty good price so I used 2x6 for everything)
I decided to make them 6feet long instead of 4, and with an overhang of 8 inches rather than two I was able to avoid making a third leg set.
I got everything cut and gave it all a coat of stain before I assembled anything and then screwed the boards together with cedar deck screws.
I discovered when I had the tabletop bolted on that the 2x6 caused some issue with the tilting, so I had to go back with a handsaw and trim the front top corners of the back legs so that the table could tilt to the bench mode.
I'm still puzzling out why I have a bit of play in the top when it's bolted in either configuration...
Now if only this chilly rainy weather would quit so we could put them outside and start enjoying them!

Estimated Cost
$150
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Cedar Naturaltone Exterior Stain.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Washer and Dryer Pedestal

Submitted by Brittney W on Tue, 07/09/2013 - 20:10

This was one of the first big DIY projects for my husband and I in our new home. It took us one weekend to complete. The $150 cost includes all supplies: even paint, rollers, wood filler, etc. My husband wanted to get pedestals for our front loaders because he is so tall, but after pricing it out, it would have cost around $550 with tax to get the red LG pedestals. The $150 was definitely worth it and I feel more confident that we can tackle more DIY projects like benches for the deck :) It's not perfectly made, but it's perfect for us.

Estimated Cost
$150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
1 coat of Latex primer, 2 coats of latex semigloss Valspar paint. We used old filler to fill screws and imperfections. The thinner the coat of wood filler, the faster in dries. The wood filler dried in a few hours. We sanded the piece using medium sand paper on really rough edges and finer sandpaper on the wood filler. We applied the primer and waited for it to dry-only took an hour or two. Then we applied the 2 coats of paint. We waited a few hours between each coat. I chose a semigloss because an online article suggested to use it on plywood, but glossy paint always leaves a "tacky" feel so I sort of wished we could have stained the piece instead. Although stain would have shown wood filler from all of our beginner imperfections.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Bar Cart or BBQ Cart

The rolling bar cart (or BBQ cart) with removable tray is the latest addition to my suite of DIY patio furniture. This site has become a bit of a building obsession with me. Even with the detailed instructions, I still found ways to make this project my own: I added a 3/4" dowel and plastic wheels, instead of wood rounds. I painted all the pieces with primer and exterior paint before assembling it, because it's hard to get paint between the slats, unless you have a spray painter. The white slat design of the bar cart, park bench and matching side tables goes with the white siding of the house for my own patio picnic.

Estimated Cost
1x3's $20
wheels $10
dowel $4
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
White primer & exterior house paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Shaker Cabinet Doors

I used the easy frame and panel doors instructions to build 4 new large cabinet doors for my hallway cabinets!  I painted them Sherwin Williams Alabaster.  You can find my full blog post about them here:   http://www.leapoffaithcrafting.com/make-shaker-cabinet-doors/

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$40
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Lowe's paint in Alabaster Sherwin Williams color
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Farmhouse Style Hall Tree

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/17/2022 - 07:43

Hi, I'm Kevin, (Kevin's Woodkraft) I've made 4 of these so far and really enjoy building them. I decided to cut vertical grooves to make the back panel more like paneling but also going vertical instead of horizontal it allowed me to space the grooves perfectly symmetrical.

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Factory Cart Coffee Table

This was my first project, so it took me a while to make since I had to figure out what I was doing. But, it was so much fun and I'm excited to make more!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax Red Mahogany, Minwax rub-on poly
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

American Girl PicnicTable

Submitted by LorieCali on Fri, 07/12/2013 - 18:40

I sent your plans to my dad, who built a table for my daughter. She loves it! And it goes perfectly with her AG tent.

Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Rustic X Console

Submitted by FrankJr on Wed, 07/08/2015 - 19:12

Needed a table under the TV, and this was perfect. I had to adjust the dimensions to decrease the length 6 inches to make it fit. Used the black tea, vinegar and steel wool combo for stain. Turned out great!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$85
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Black tea and Vinegar/Steel Wool
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Farmhouse Bench

Submitted by bozman75 on Sun, 01/28/2018 - 16:42

Thanks for the easy plans I was able to build this for my moms table.

Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Gallery-style ledge

Submitted by seesaw on Sat, 05/21/2011 - 10:21

This was a super easy and quick project. I actually lengthened it to 36 inches. I can't decide whether I need two ledges or not, but it won't take long if I need another one! My only suggestion- VERY straight boards are a must!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$4.00
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax natural oak
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Hailey Platform Bed and headboard +5" in height

Submitted by Debi G on Sun, 07/14/2013 - 08:07

I used the Hailey plans with the following modifications because there's no such thing as TOO sturdy.

Instead of 2x4s on their own, I used the leftover lengths of my 2x6s for legs, joined at the corners (Kreg pocket hole screws) with 2x4s for a chunkier look and a very stable bed.

I made the legs 5" taller than the plans called for. Otherwise, the bed simply seemed like it would be too squat for my tall son.

For the casing/trim, which is pricey, I went to the Habitat Re-Store and found two matching pieces for $3.00 a piece.

I deviated from the plan by adding the trim last, after the headboard was otherwise complete. I had considered painting the casement, but decided to leave it all wood-tone, and I'm glad that I did.

The furring strips at my local big blue box store were so terribly warped that I used pine boards instead. This increased the overall price, but decreased frustration and time spent sanding. I work slowly and deliberately as it is, always worried about mis-measuring, so anything I build takes twice as long as anticipated.

With every project I undertake, my wood filler shows and my budget exceeds the amounts in plans and other brag posts. The bed and headboard combined cost me about $230 to build. That's still a great budget, but $80 more than I'd hoped after reading Shanty 2 Chic's inspiring details.

The stain on this bed is Minwax Provincial 211, and I used three coats of Minwax's water-based poly.

Best of all, my husband and I carried this bed from the garage, up the stairs, around the corner, and into a bedroom while it was fully assembled with legs. (He lost the bet on that one, saying I'd regret wood-gluing it all together ahead of time.)

Estimated Cost
$230
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Provincial 211
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

bullitt453

Mon, 07/15/2013 - 12:16

Looks really good. Been thinking about doing a heavily modified version of the Hailey bed for my son as well. Could you do me a favor and tell me the measurement from the floor to the bottom of the frame rail?

Small Loft Bed with Dressers

Submitted by JeffHooper on Sun, 07/12/2015 - 19:25

This took about a week to complete.  I modify the original plan to include "built in" dressers and a night stand type of dresser.  The night stand has shelves built on the side.     Two beds were built of different configurations.  

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Cost about $400 per bed.
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Painted with a high gloss white.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Farmhouse Kitchen Island

Submitted by Leahdineen on Wed, 01/31/2018 - 13:59

We modified the plan and made many changes along the way and here’s our finished island. We’re thrilled!

Estimated Cost
$800??!
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Paint then coffee then stain with mineral spirits finished with polyurethane
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Rustic reception desk

Submitted by Markb25 on Tue, 02/08/2022 - 13:21

A friend is opening a new tattoo parlor up and wanted a rustic looking reception desk making up.

Using reclaimed wood wasn't an option so we opted for 25mm t&g boards and randomly cut 1/4 way through it to give the appearance of individual boards. The main carcas is made with 2x4's clad with Baltic birch ply to give it a cleaner appearance from behind and, to give additional surface area to attach the boards to.

To finish inised a combination of forced aging with a solution of WWV, iron sulphate and black tea + coffee, varying degrees of Charing, the walnut and oak stains were by V33 and the whites and greys by French chic.

Comments

Library Book Cart ( A smaller version)

Submitted by nanpannapa on Tue, 05/24/2011 - 13:22

I built a smaller version..THank you so much Ana for the plan. This one is only 2 ft tall and 22.5 inches wide..Perfect size for my 2 year old.
I added a hook to hang my daughter's doodle and on the other side, I added an aluminum tin(wrapped in a scrapbook paper sealed with mod podge) so she can put her magnetic letters/numbers on there. Added this little crayon holder as well. :-)

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
20
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Left over satin paint. Scrapbook paper, Mod Podge
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project