Community Brag Posts

Our Console

Submitted by anm8ed on Mon, 09/07/2020 - 09:08

It was fun to build this and i took my time over several weekends. Not being in a hurry probably helped me figure stuff out before actually doing things. I will probably remake the door as these are thick and probably to heavy. We will probably end up doing something decorative with the doors once we decide if we are making new ones or not.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Poly Shades espresso on the top and a simply flat white paint on the main console. Used wax sealer over the paint.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Wooden 6 Pack Caddy

Made from re-purposed fencing slats, shims & copper tubing . The handle doubles as the bottle opener. I like that the piece will improve over time as the handle oxidizes. The Holiday Spirit now comes in packs of six.

More at:
www.facebook.com/chuckedwood

Estimated Cost
$7 (including wax)
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Homemade stain from steel wool soaked in vinegar & coffee. Wax furniture polish.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Narrow Cottage End Table

Submitted by Plawlady on Wed, 09/10/2014 - 11:45

This was my first woodworking project! Thank you Ana for the easy to follow plans. Making this end table has given me the confidence for my next project - bathroom vanity unit, which is almost completed.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$50.00
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Stained top and painted base
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

JoanneS

Wed, 09/10/2014 - 14:12

Congrats on an awesome build!  You did an absolutely beautiful job!  LOVE the finishes you used!  :)  JoanneS

Truss Beam Coffee Table

Submitted by mlatanzi on Fri, 12/30/2016 - 08:42

Slightly modified version replacing the "X" with a Truss design on the ends. The table top uses a 2x8 in the center and 2x6 boards for the rest. This is because when you rip the edges off the 2x6's for a nice gap free table top the total width of the top is too small so the 2x8 in the center re-gains the lost width. Finished with Minwax Expresso and Spar Urethane Ultimate!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$75
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Expresso and Spar Urethane Ultimate
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Fancy Farmhouse Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 09/09/2020 - 08:54

My mom, dad, husband, and I built this farmhouse table over the course of a couple weeks. The top was barnwood pine and the base was pine lumber. This was my first build and I'm hooked!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$300 (barnwood was most of the cost)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Grey stain on base and just poly on top
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Truss Shelves- my first project!

Submitted by Slrusch91 on Thu, 11/29/2012 - 16:28

Not going to lie, as this was mine and my husband's first time building we did run across a few challenges BUT, nothing that we weren't able to figure out and correct. It came together beautifully and I can't wait til we purchase our first home in January so that I can figure out what color to stain it!

FYI- the angles were difficult to get perfect especially since we were using a makeshift work bench (ie: a pallet and the sidewalk) and a circular saw - we were also rather unfamiliar with some of the terminology used in the directions

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
80.00
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Not So $10 Ledges

About 2 years ago when we were redoing our kitchen, I made these ledge shelves inspired by Ana White's $10 Ledges.  I originally wanted to use them as storage for spices and our olive oil, but once our vent hood was installed, there just wasn't room for them, at least not as I had originally intended.  Since mine are made of yellow pine (harder wood) and I used a 1 x 6 for my platform instead of a 1 x 4, my ledges cost more than $10.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Annie Sloan's chalk paint with 2 coats of poly, sanding between coats.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Loft Cabin Bed

I built the original cabin bed for my son when the plans first came out and it has been such a huge hit. After seeing the loft version on RH, I decided to modify the original plans in an effort to give my son more floor play space in his room. The loft bed was his Christmas gift and I've never seen him more excited (he's four). Both he and his brother spend hours a day playing in the bed and underneath. It's hands down the most satisfying project I've built.  

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$300-$350 Cost includes lumber, stain, screws, white paint, and fairy lights.
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
White painted base, and Minwax Special Walnut stained roof.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

ccreations

Tue, 03/06/2018 - 08:49

Hello, will you be adding plans for the loft bed? It looks as though it is only the original plans from the Cabin bed. Thanks! 

ccreations

Tue, 03/06/2018 - 08:52

Hello, will you be adding plans for the loft bed? It looks as though it is only the original plans from the Cabin bed. Thanks!

kadyfong

Fri, 06/22/2018 - 17:50

This is absolutely stunning!!! I want to build the same one for my kids' rooms! Did I mention I love the colors as well? You did such a great job! Did you have to add anything for additional support since it's lifted higher than the original plan? Anything else I should be aware of or anything you can share if I were to build this bed? Thank you so much!

Kind and Karen

Mon, 06/24/2019 - 10:07

Thank you! I'm so sorry for the delayed response. I don't seem to receive notifications of comments on here. No, I did not have to add any additional supports. It is really sturdy. The build itself is very similar to the original, I just adjusted the height of the bed, and changed the dimensions of the upper cabin to leave more space on the bottom for play or another mattress. Hope that helps some. The plans are linked above in the "blog link" section if you're still interested. 

Kind and Karen

Mon, 06/24/2019 - 10:11

We have 8' ceilings. If you're still interested in the plans, I linked them above in the "blog link" section. Sorry for the seriously delayed response. I apparently need to check my notification settings. Feel free to email me if you have any questions. [email protected]

Modified dorm desks

Due to COVID-19 the first 9 weeks of my children's schooling will be online. When I looked for cheap desks in my area they were completely sold out. I have been a big fan of Ana White's designs since I first discovered her through Pinterest. This was my first furniture build project and while it's not perfect I will definitely be attempting another. I modified the height of the desks to fit my 1st and 5th graders. I also decided to add a second bookcase for extra support and storage. My husband owns a flooring store and he had custom quartz desktops made instead of using wood. We temporarily glued the desktops on versus a more permanent install. This is so when the kids go back to school full time and the desks are no longer needed in our dining room we can remove the bookshelves, finish the tops off in another way and move the bookshelves to their bedrooms! I may still add cork-board to the front section of each desk but I am undecided at the moment.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$175 for two desks
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
The dark blue desk is one layer of Minwax water-based navy stain (son insisted on stain, I don't know why). Before staining we applied Minwax water based wood conditioner. Finished with 3 layers Minwax satin water-based Polycrylic. The lighter blue desk is Krylon Fusion all-in-one satin beach glass spray paint and primer in one. It is also finished with 3 layers of spray on Polycrylic.

Play Kitchen

The standard play kitchen. The pine planks used were not a consistent 12 inches. I would recommend using plywood. Finished with hardware from IKEA ( blue handles) and lowes (flowers and hinges).

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Pink and white latex paint.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

In love with our new bar! Easiest build yet!

Submitted by maryday on Mon, 09/15/2014 - 17:15

We've built a headboard, two nightstands a farmhouse table and bench all off of knockoff wood and this workbench console table and hutch was the Easiest build yet !

We didn't use pocket holes so instead of doing the middle center shelf of the hutch we chose to keep it open. I actually love the way this looks better than the original plan!

Waiting on our black bear mount bottle opener that will be attached later this week and then we can't wait to stock up our new bar. It looks great next to our farmhouse table and bench!!! Thanks for the deer antler inspiration - this gave the perfect finishing touch!

Estimated Cost
$110 lumber for both hutch and table
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Coffee Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 01/03/2017 - 16:52

4'x4' Coffee Table 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Jacobean for base
Golden Oak for top
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Hexagon Coffee Table for the patio

Ana, I borrowed the structure of your hexagon picnic table and created a coffee table to compliment my collection of Adirondack chairs on our patio. The rib structure using 30 degree angles is surperb, and with pocket screws on the joints plus Gorilla Glue, it is far stronger than I anticipated.

The table is first shown unpainted, then again on the patio in poor light (sorry for that.) I primed and then painted it brick red and am in the process of updating the paint on all of the chairs to match.

The 30 degree angles are probably the trickiest part. If your saw is off by even a tiny bit, the tolerance buildup will come back to bite you. For example, if each cut is off by 1/2 a degree, you have six cuts, which equals 3 degrees of error. My mistake was not calibrating the cuts made on my table saw or mitre saw. A professional woodworker buddy of mine suggested buying a cross-cut sled for my table saw. That's my next purchase.

Overall I am very happy with the final outcome despite the slight imperfections in the spacing between the slats. A little wood filler covers a multitude of sins!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
water-based primer, then water-based semi-gloss latex enamel (three coats)
Recommended Skill Level
Advanced

Comments

Fred C

Wed, 05/15/2013 - 16:21

Really like this table. Besides a coffee table I think it would make a great picnic table for the little kids, where they could pull up their small chairs and I also think I might try building this out and up a little and use it as an addition table for dining on the deck. Now I just have to decide what kind of chairs to build to go with it. Thanks for all the additional ideas.

New TV Stand

Submitted by mrloren on Fri, 01/06/2017 - 20:58

2 years ago I mad a TV stand that was nice. I decided to make a new one now that I know more about wood work. First one was made from Lowes top choice oak plywood and took a lot of work. I have discovered real hardwood stores and for plywood I like Baltic Birch.

I didn't  make any hard plans for this one, made it by ear. 2 sheets of 5x5 18mm (3/4) 1/2 sheet of 12mm (1/2) and a 1/2 sheet of 6mm (1/4) Baltic. For edging I left the baltic alone and just rounded it over.

60'wx20"dx 28h

Estimated Cost
$180
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Old Master Cherry wiping stain
Deft Waterborne Acrylic semi gloss
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Rustic X Desk to Plan

Submitted by AhmaNaz on Thu, 09/17/2020 - 10:17

Build for niece. Easily converts to left or right handed desk. I'm a lefty and initially built to suit for me....then moved the footboard from back to front and turned that baby around....none the wiser lol

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Raw
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Kitchen Nook

Submitted by Scheppie on Sun, 12/09/2012 - 13:06

I modified the plans from the storage bed to create two benches according to the sizes I needed. The benches were arranged in an L formation and secured to the walls and to a base that I built from 2x4s. I made overlay (correct terminology?) drawers using accuride drawer slides that were super easy to install. Floor molding around the base and some 1x2s for the trim. Drawer handles from the depot. Custom cushions ordered online (I can't sew and yes this was the most expensive part of the project). Pillows from Kohl's with free ship and a 30% off coupon - whoo hoo!

Estimated Cost
$200 (not including cushions)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
zinsser primer, BM semi gloss white, polycrylic spray (water based)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Helper tower!

Submitted by CJCram on Sat, 09/20/2014 - 13:12

We used Behr cloud burst for the colour and Minwax special walnut for the stained platform.  I hand drew and painted the owl (the wings are scrapbook paper) and coated with three coats of polyurethane.

Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Ana White Loft Bed Playhouse

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 01/08/2017 - 13:22

It was very easy to follow the directions and the costs were minimal. Our granddaughter is in heaven with this bed. 

Estimated Cost
$150 not including the cost of the Kreg Jig.
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Will be using enamel paint.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Rustic X Console table

Submitted by MandyM on Sun, 09/20/2020 - 14:03

Modified the console table by height (approx 39"), length (approx 40"), and eliminated the middle shelf. I can't put an accurate $ estimate since I bought wood for three projects and this was one of them.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$50
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Charcoal grey stain
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate