Community Brag Posts

Cold Frame

Submitted by erik99703 on Thu, 03/07/2013 - 20:44

This is not my first project, but it is my first brag. I installed new windows in my house this fall and took out some double-pane windows. I can't yet afford to build Ana's greenhouse, so I made this. I removed the old frame around the glass and took some old 2x6 green-treat, ripped them down to 2 1/2" and made new frames around the glass. I then purchased some treated pickets to make the box. The top is slanted at 15 degrees and I put a shelf in the back for a few extra six packs. The overall size at the base is roughly 36" by 46", so I can fit 6 flats there. Since I didn't have to make sure it was really square nor did I have to sand, it was my favorite project yet. I can't wait for the snow to melt and the hard frosts to disappear.

Estimated Cost
Hardware and pickets were about $50
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Built-In Hall Tree Heated

Submitted by adamhatton on Sun, 03/10/2013 - 18:26

I made this hall tree as a gift for my wife. It's a classy way to store coats out in plain sight. it is larger than the design specs from Mimi (7'H by 4'1" W) and built-in instead of free standing. Our house has a boiler with floorboard radiators. There is a radiator inside the hutch, and heat comes out of the holes just behind the lid to the bench this heats up the coats as they hang on the rack. The radiator also heats the compartment under the bench which aids in drying damp boots and other items. Fun project, also an easy project thanks to the Kreg Jig!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Bear semi-gloss interior latex.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Espresso Farmhouse Console Table

Submitted by MacandFab on Mon, 03/29/2021 - 04:28

I built the farmhouse console table over the course of 3 weekends. A relatively easy build, the pocket hole were the most time consuming. Its made mostly of Douglas Fir, and pine for the 2x2's. It's a heavy piece, it weighs about 250 lbs - ish. But the wife loves it, as it will be going in our kitchen.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$125
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Espresso top with 3 coats of poly and a solid black stain on the bottom.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Farmhouse Bench

With lots of leftover wood from previous projects (farmhouse table and sideboard), I decided it was time to start another project. (I did head out to Lowes to get a piece of 4x4 for the legs...they only had Cedar. My friend found some Fir at Home Depot for a buck more).

Found the plans for the Farmhouse Bench, looked at other brag posts and their suggestions...then got to work!

Cutting the pieces was fast and relatively easy. Predrilling the pocket holes also went quick. Putting the pieces together was also very fast (though I did have to add extra pocket holes here-and-there so that the legs and two end-aprons were more sturdy).

Sanded the piece, then added a coat of Rustoleum Dark Walnut Stain, and then a couple coats of Deft Satin varnish.

Estimated Cost
$20 (for extra lumber and materials). Already had leftover lumber from previous projects.
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Rustoleum Dark Walnut
Deft Satin Clear
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Armoire

I got the idea for this dresser after seeing an armoire that I loved, but wasn't willing to pay $1300 for. However I needed a plan that would start me off. So I used the Mirrored Door Wardrobe plans from Ana and Patrick. I used 6- 12x12 porcelain tiles for the top.

Estimated Cost
$300
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Miniwax red oak
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

spiceylg

Tue, 03/19/2013 - 05:59

Wow, you certainly have been busy lately. You've built some beautiful pieces, this being my fav. I like the addition of the tile on the top as well to make it different!

Beautiful table!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 05/05/2017 - 10:29

These plans were very easy to follow and the end result is beautiful. Thank you so much!

Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Kona stain with matte poly
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Outdoor Dining Set

Submitted by ikeymedesu on Sun, 05/30/2021 - 20:00

First part of the outdoor entertainment build was a 6-person dining set. Learned a lot from this build, and it was a great project to build confidence and get back into woodworking. This set is a tank - heavy, durable, yet comfortable and beautiful. We look forward to many gatherings with friends and family, just quiet dinners with the two of use and the pups.

Estimated Cost
700
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Sanded down to 80 on all framing pieces and to 150 on the tabletop and parts of the chairs that make contact with the body. Used Behr Premium Cedar Naturaltone Transparent Waterproofing Exterior Wood Finish.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Seasonal And Holiday

Highland outhouse

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 06/15/2021 - 04:25

It's the first thing I've built on my land in the Cape Breton highlands, Nova Scotia, Canada. We staked it down because it gets really windy here! Great design, thanks Ana!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$800 CAD
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
1 coat primer, 1 coat paint (velvet finish) and green asphalt singles because the hardware store had no alternative.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Industrial Numbered Crate

Submitted by efmolly on Thu, 04/25/2013 - 22:51

I built this storage crate to fill out space on top of my kitchen table. On my table saw, I ripped 1/2in birch plywood down to 6in widths for the outside frame and 5 3/4in for the dividers. The dividers are 6in wide and so I cut the outside ends to 7in. I attached the whole thing with 1 1/2 finish nails and glue. After finishing, I attached some L-brackets on the corners and drilled 2 holes on either end for handles. For handles, I simply braided 6 strands of jute together and tied knots on the inside of the box. I have more details and photos on my blog link.

Estimated Cost
$20
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
I started by staining the whole thing with Antique Walnut by Minwax. I then used Antique Crackle medium by Old Fashioned Milk Paint, and used some Vaseline for paint resistance on the edges. I then applied one coat of a creamy white, latex paint. After stenciling the numbers, I sealed the entire piece with Crystal Clear by Krylon in matte.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Weekend Project King Bed

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 06/18/2017 - 10:26

First ever wood project. Under $200 in materials! Less than a weekend of work (for two people). Beautiful results!!!!! Built from plans on Ana-White.com The only change we made to the build was adding some additional support legs in the middle of the bed. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Satin Medium Walnut
Minwax water based poly stain combo
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Outdoor Bench

This was my very first project I tackled from Ana's site. I wanted to see if I could do it, so started with something easy. I think it turned out great and looks great in our flower bed in front of our house.

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
I primed it, painted it red then sanded it down in spots and rubbed stain to give it aged look.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Three Story American Girl or 18" Dollhouse

This was a blast to make, we added 2 roooms and a swing but every thing else was the same!

Finish Used
Paint/Primer
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Farm Table and floating shelves

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 10/04/2021 - 17:23

Built for my Daughter and Son-in-laws new home

Comments

Cube bookcases

As part of my daughter's big 8th birthday bedroom re-do, I knew she needed some new storage for books and...er...stuff. You know how kids accumulate little scraps of paper, photos, tiny toys. I can't stand to see that kind of stuff lying around, so these cube bookshelves seemed like a great solution for the problem. The canvas "drawers" are from Target and were not expensive. I followed Ana's Six Cube Bookshelf plans very closely with two exceptions. First, I shortened the legs an inch to ensure that the units would be short enough to fit under the bedroom window. Second, I added an overhanging 1/4" MDF panel to the top of each bookcase and trimmed out the bottom of the panel with cove molding. The rest of the wood used was solid pine. I'm now working on building a third unit for my other daughter's room. This time I was smart enough to finish the insides of the cubes before putting the whole bookcase together. Getting into those corners once the project is complete is time consuming and difficult. Painting the insides of the boards ahead of time has proven to be much simpler.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Sherwin-Williams ProClassic in semi-gloss followed by satin Minwax Polycrylic.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Garage Hall Tree

Submitted by Smokeydog on Sat, 04/18/2015 - 10:41

I built this little hall tree, bench and shoe organizer for the garage entirely from scrap lumber and left over paint.  Keeps us organizeed.  I really like it.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
None
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Left over paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Fancy X table

Submitted by Lukilla on Thu, 10/28/2021 - 17:01

We had a good time building this table. We made it smaller (6 feet) than the original plans, and also changed up the breadboard a little bit. We are a military family so made it so it assembles/disassembles with carriage bolts instead of screws. Hopefully that helps it hold up over time with frequent moves.

Varythane golden oak stain on the top and rustoleum charcoal chalk paint for the base. Sanded lightly and a light touch of the paint on the tabletop to create a distressed look.

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Three 4'x8' Raised Cedar Beds for $45 total.

Submitted by amberhibbs on Fri, 04/01/2011 - 13:41

I finished these last weekend and finally took pictures.

I found 44 5' cedar pickets on craigslist for $30 and built these raised beds. I built them according to Ana's instructions except I made them bigger (4'x8'). Since my boards were 5' long I couldn't span the entire length and went with a brickwork style overlap so there wasn't one seam in the center or a weird off-center seam. And, of course, I blogged about it.

Estimated Cost
$15 per bed, $45 total
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
None.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Rustic Wood Cooler Box made from Pallets!

Watch the video on how I did this project here: http://youtu.be/IoP2cKN2WeY

For this week's woodworking project I'm building a Rustic Cooler Box from used Pallets. The project was a lot of fun to do and pretty simple! By just using some old Pallets that were free I was able to build something that will get a lot of use. Plus, by using the Pallets I think it turned out really cool looking!

How to video http://youtu.be/IoP2cKN2WeY

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$40 for cooler and accessories. Pallet wood was FREE.
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Outdoor Polyurethane. Wood was left natural.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Wounded Marine

Fri, 06/14/2013 - 05:14

That is way to cool. I love your idea for the sides. It adds a lot of texture and cleans up the look of it. I enjoyed watching your videos. You have a lot of talent and I like your work man.

Stevens

Wed, 11/27/2013 - 04:02

Awesome way of doing a pallet cooler. Keeping the cost minimal your way of finishing it was really good. Personalizing such coolers would be interesting!

tedgray86

Fri, 10/17/2014 - 10:30

Cooler looks amazing!!  Well done!  What is the black ring inbetween the hose bib and the cooler?  I am looking for something similar to hide the PVC coupling as its white and my cooler is stained.

 

Thanks

Farmer’s. Market Stall

Submitted by Cockroach on Wed, 12/22/2021 - 13:31

I made this for my daughter this year for Christmas. I’m pretty proud of how it turned out.

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Children's Table and Chairs

Submitted by jjunge08 on Mon, 01/01/2018 - 10:43

I made this table and chairs for my 1 year old nephew.  He is still a little small for it but the table and chairs are both very sturdy.  The table top is a one piece, 24 x 36 ,edge glued pine board.  I used the one piece table top as an alternative to screwing the 3 boards together.  I followed the plans for the table for the most part.  As for the chairs,  I followed the plan to build the seat base.  For the legs of the chairs I took advise from carongirls' table and chair brag post and used 2x2's. I used 1x3's to stiffen the chair legs.  I also lengthened the table legs and chair legs by 2 inches.  

 

Estimated Cost
Table and Chairs - $50-70

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
White and Gray Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner