Community Brag Posts

Outhouse

Submitted by kraftdan on Sun, 05/31/2020 - 10:54

Added shingles and a 3" vent in the back. Also made it a 2-seater to prolong time between dig-outs and extended the roof overhang. Two inch T&G siding seemed like overkill. I used regular 1x8. Painted it to blend in with the woods.

Built from Plan(s)
Finish Used
Exterior paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Book Stand

Submitted by romanweel on Mon, 05/19/2014 - 00:37

This was a project undertaken to facilitate my current pursuit of learning how to cook, but I think it will serve me well as I study, too, holding my textbooks up. It also let me experiment a little with staining and with using milk paint (which has NO VOCs but is kinda weird to work with). And it let me put to use some scrap wood that I think I was unconsciously saving for something special.

Because I had a scrap pile, screws, a few hinges, and the finishing products, this project was Almost free...I had to buy a narrow hinge ($1.50? I think?), and I chose to buy some pretty page weights ($3 including both pendants and the chain). So...not too bad, right? For a solid book stand that has meaningful beauty to me?

Ok, so this is all scrap wood. The stained pieces are maple leftovers from my cabinet project, and the rest is a mix of pine and poplar. See the dimensions in the last photo. The paint is Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint in Lucketts Green, and the stain is Red Chestnut oil-based stain by Minwax. I finished the whole thing with one coat of wax buffed to a soft sheen (my new favorite finish).

I used a miter saw for my cuts and a router for the kickstand grooves, but really a regular circular saw would've worked just as well (or better, for the grooves). It took me several days to finish this project, but there's no reason it should take (someone other than me) more than an afternoon.

Estimated Cost
$5
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Milk paint, Miss Mustard Seed in Lucketts Green in a 1 to 1 ratio, single coat
Minwax oil-based stain in Red Chestnut (I applied mineral oil first as a conditioner, then the stain for a few seconds, then wiped off - it still turned a little blotchy, though)
Regular furniture paste wax, one coat
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

2x10 Step Stool

Submitted by msyoung22 on Fri, 08/19/2016 - 14:14

With some left over scrap 2x10 wood I made this stool for my children.

The total heigh of the stool is 9" (7 1\2" for the feet, 1 1\2" for the top, and 1\2" for the design on top made from scrap pallat wood)

The top is 1 1\2" x 9 1\4" x 16" (because of the thickness of the wood I would recommend cutting the top to 18" instead of 16")

The legs are cut with a 5 degree angle

I made the design on the top by ripping some reclaimed pallet wood into 1" strips and then cutting each into 2" pieces

Estimated Cost
$20
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax: gray
Minwax: pickled oak
Minwax: weathered oak
Minwax: polycrylic protective finish
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Modern Outdoor Chairs with Backrest Modification

Submitted by GBev44 on Tue, 06/02/2020 - 08:16

My first crack at building outdoor furniture. I built two of the Modern Outdoor Chairs built with 2 x 4 and 2 x 6. The first one was a little rough, but the second one was much better. In order to accommodate the higher cushions and make the chairs more comfortable, I added piece 2 x 6 secured to a 2 x 2 to make a partial backrest.

Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Numbered Cubbies

This was my first project to cut angles. I like the way it turned out! Clamps were a help to hold all the pieces together. Very easy to put together.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$5.00
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
paint with a stain on top.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Simple White Outdoor Chair

Submitted by klray on Wed, 05/21/2014 - 21:47

These chairs followed the simple white outdoor chair instructions. There were a few adaptations. I used 2x3s instead of 2x2s for the legs, like in the simple white outdoor loveseat instructions. I purchased my cushions from Target, and their dimensions are different than the cushions used in the instructions, so I changed some of the chair dimensions. I created the pattern for the ottomans, but it is very much based on the simple white outdoor chair instructions.

Fun project and happy with the results. Staining instead of painting probably made the project take twice as long.

Finish Used
Minwax Ipswich Pine - 2 coats,
Deft Exterior Polyurethane semi-gloss- 3 coats
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

sojaco

Thu, 05/22/2014 - 13:37

Your chairs are gorgeous - I feel compelled to go copy your handiwork immediately. :)

Would you mind sharing a link to the Target cushions you used? They look great on your chairs.

klray

Sat, 05/24/2014 - 10:56

Thanks!

Threshold Outdoor Deep Seating Cushion:
http://www.target.com/p/threshold-outdoor-deep-seating-cushion/-/A-1508…

Threshold Outdoor Deep Seating Back Cushion:
http://www.target.com/p/threshold-outdoor-deep-seating-back-cushion/-/A…

Just a note on the cushions, they are beautiful and highly economical, but that also means they likely aren't as supportive as cushions 2 or 3 times their price and the covers do not have a zipper, so you can't wash them. That being said, I am happy with cushions.

CreativeChaos

Fri, 05/23/2014 - 07:44

I built these chairs and love seat last summer and have sat on them wishing I had ottomans! You inspired me to build the ottomans. I have the same Theshold cushions from Target and they are great! Good job!

klray

Sat, 05/24/2014 - 11:09

Thanks!

The only tricksy part about the ottomans for me was attaching the "armrests". There isn't enough room to use the pocket hole screws after attaching the side aprons. I tried screwing the "armrests" to the legs before the aprons, but that just caused problems. In the end I screwed the side aprons and legs together and then screwed the "armrests" down from the top. I used wood filler to fill in the holes above the screw heads. So it isn't quite as clean looking, but worked for me.

amorg11

Mon, 06/08/2020 - 10:36

These chairs came out amazing!!! The only struggle was to find inexpensive cushions but worth every penny. Have had so many complements. Love them! Your instructions are so detailed!

jkess44

Tue, 06/09/2020 - 13:33

These look great! we just put together a section and would like to move on to the chairs. I was hoping to find ottoman plans, do you have the plans you used? If so can you please share?

Elsa Loft Bed

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 08/21/2016 - 16:22

Wow! This took much longer than 2 hours and cost around 200 but it was worth it! My 3 year old LOVES it. We added a safety rail to the foot end. 

Estimated Cost
200
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Splurged on a "one coat" pain from Home Depot. It's amazing.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Standing Desk

Submitted by shellyward on Wed, 06/03/2020 - 18:59

During the 2020 quarantine I started working from home and had to take up an office in my grandsons room. I wanted to leave enough space for him when he comes over so I needed it to be more narrows than most but with plenty of space for multiple monitors as well as workspace. I got ideas from many plans here but ultimately designed my own with a little inspiration from multiple plans. I included a pullout for the keyboard as well as 2 additional pullout shelves for added workspace.

Estimated Cost
$500
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Paint and poly on MDF, stain and poly on plywood
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Workbench

An easy to build workbench to keep my tools organized in the garage.

Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Glidden Paint. Martha Stewart colors.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Traditionally rustic reclaimed barn wood headboard

Submitted by suzhansen on Sat, 05/24/2014 - 21:17

I have to admit...I'm an Ana White and Pintrest addict. I was visiting my cousins farm and saw a pile of beautiful old & weathered barn wood. She let me take a big pile home. I washed and scrubbed the wood with a soft brush to get the years of dirt off. After dried, I layed down all the wood and picked out all the neat character pieces. I freehanded a template of the headboard on butcher paper and traced it on the boards. I cut the boards and lightly sanded the edges. I brushed on two coats of clear coat. When dried my hunky hubby helped me put it all together with 1x2"s and screws. We attached it to the bed frame and there ya have it! A gorgeous traditional-rustic headboard!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$10
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Deft satin clear polyurethane
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Much needed for our bathroom!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 08/25/2016 - 09:48

I am a really beginning builder (read: this is about my fifth project ever), but it is perfect for our tiny, narrow bathroom. I finished it with Golden Oak stain I already had on hand, and I enjoyed the process. Thanks so much for sharing the plans!

Estimated Cost
$30
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Golden Oak Stain and Poly
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

NightTable - Finished with Chalked Paint

This is my first Ana White project, made for my daughter who just moved out on her own. Fun project.

Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Chalked Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Balin console table modification

I absolutely loved this table but needed to modify it to fit into a specific area of my house, so I put two drawers on top of each other instead of having all four across. I also shortened the legs as a result. I really love the way it turned out. It is so pretty.

The only thing I dislike is the drawers. They are incredibly heavy, don't slide that well (not because of any mistake on my part, just because they are wood sliders and not metal or plastic), and the shape and size don't make them very usable. They're sort of awkward. I originally wanted it to be a place for my boys to store their Thomas train tracks and Legos, but there's really no way a kid can use drawers that heavy and deep. So that's a bummer.

But overall it's a really nice addition to that part of our living room!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$75
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax's cognac
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Linda7

Thu, 08/02/2012 - 10:40

Your console table is beautiful! I read a recent post that addressed the awkward drawer slides. This person used teflon tape on the slides and said it worked well. Here's the post...
Submitted by alexnb on Thu, 2012-08-02 00:30.

That might work for you, too, so that you could actually use the drawers for those pesky little toy train and Lego pieces! :-)

Lady Goats

Thu, 08/02/2012 - 10:44

I've loved the Balin console since Ana first posted the plans, but haven't gotten a chance/place for it. Your modifications are amazing, and the finish is stunning. WOW!

katiesommer

Mon, 08/06/2012 - 09:13

Thanks guys. Your nice words made me feel so good. Linda, can you send the link again? It didn't post here.

Thanks again. :D It was a fun project and the mods make it unique.

Narrow Farmhouse table

Submitted by ajreilly on Tue, 05/27/2014 - 15:52

This is my third project - built the Full Farmhouse bed and Haley platform bed. Son wanted a 6 ft table to accommodate all of his computer/gaming devices.

Came together quickly - sanding/stain/finish took majority of time. Stained base with Minwax ebony (2 coats), used Minwax weathered Oak on table top (1 coat) and 3 coats of Satin Polycrylic.

I now have a long list of projects....

Estimated Cost
$60
Finish Used
Weathered oak stain
Satin Polycrylic
Ebony stain
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Rustic Console

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 08/28/2016 - 16:58

My first project.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Dark Walnut
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Simple Wood Pantry Shelves

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 03/11/2024 - 13:31

The wire shelves that the builder placed were not cutting it for storage. This setup from your plan helped garner so much more space for organizing. The pantry is roughly 54”x 35” and we were able to place five shelves instead of the four. Thank you so much for your assistance!

Built from Plan(s)

Console Table

Submitted by LaserTech on Mon, 08/06/2012 - 08:37

I built this in just a couple of hours. I thought it would look good in our living room. I also wanted to try the Gel stain and thought this would be a good project for that.

Estimated Cost
$44
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Sand, Minwax Red Elm Gel stain
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project
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