Community Brag Posts

Farmhouse Bench

Submitted by pwky on Thu, 10/24/2013 - 15:03

First time building furniture. This turned out much better than I thought. After this I probably could've build the farmhouse table myself instead of paying way too much for my wood dining table. Only if I have found Ana's site sooner. :)

Having a Kreg jig also made the whole process much easier.

Estimated Cost
$40 without the stain
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Rustoleum Kona and Minwax pre-stain conditioner and semi-gloss poly
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Sliding Barn Door Console

Submitted by robinadams on Thu, 01/07/2016 - 19:59

I built this console over about 2 months. I really wanted a barnwood look so I found this lumber place that sells pine that puts it through a machine and roughs it up on one side. I also added my own saw marks to it, screwdriver dents, rake dents, etc. to rough it up some more. Real barnwood is expensive and often isn't straight, etc. and since I was using this in my kitchen as a countertop I didn't want any spaces in my countertop. This was about a third of the price of barnwood. I wasn't sure how the look of it would turn out, but I think it comes pretty close to looking like the real deal! My husband helped me with the sliding door mechanism. We used pulleys for it and cut metal down to size. We discovered that using a nut and bolt on it didn't work, it just loosened and would come off so instead of using a nut and bolt to secure the pulley to the metal, we used a clevis pin and some washers. Works amazing! This was my first big build and I am very happy with how it turned out! Behind the sliding doors there is one shelf each. We have found there is so much room for storage!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$250-$300
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Dark Walnut wiped on and then immediately wiped off. Then used American Walnut over top. This way the darker colour got into the saw marks and crevices. I then used Minwax matte polyurathane with 1000 grit sandpaper in between coats. I did 3 coats.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Helping "Foster" Care

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 03/03/2023 - 06:45

We have started a 501 C-3 non-profit manufacturing company making furniture and giving all the proceeds to Foster Care Youths "aging"out" of Foster Care. Foster Care kids are trained on basic woodworking and carpentry skills and assist with the furniture manufacturing.

We are using Ana White's classic Adirondack chair design for our first project, and they are beautiful.

For more info see our website at www.fostercarefurniture.com

Thanks Ana for helping these kids!

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Dress Up Tower for my four year old Granddaughter

I'm a furniture builder now! This is actually the fourth project built from Ana's plans, but the first one complete and gifted. I bought my materials in the morning, and had it together by late afternoon. Now choosing colors, trim and do-dads to embellish was a whole nuther thing. I opted for chalk paint with a wax finish, and distressed her. She has mirrors on both sides as well as two, double hooks for hats, belts and jewelry.

My grand daughter is one pleased princess. Me too! I'm proud of myself.

Thanks Ana for the terrific instructions, encouragement and education you provide.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$75
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
After a wood putty and a light sanding, I mixed Annie Sloan Chalk Paints to get the beautiful blue. It's one part Duck Egg Blue to one part Old White. No primer is needed with this brand, but I did apply two coats of paint. When dry, I used one coat of Old White to the outward facing walls, leaving the inside and top blue. A light sanding at corners and where natural wear might occur took off enough white so blue could show thru. I applied 2 coats of Annie's Soft Clear Wax to seal and waterproof the finish. I'm pleased with the finish.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

cathryn j (not verified)

Fri, 11/11/2011 - 09:19

Great Project! I really loved the heart embellishment on the inside of the top...it makes it even more interesting to look at from many angles.

Question: does the waxed chalk paint finish feel that it may wear away with use? I am considering this finish but have never felt it in person.

In reply to by cathryn j (not verified)

beckiedecker

Sat, 11/12/2011 - 19:20

I love the hearts too! Found them in a clearance bin at a local hobby supply store for .29 cents each. The price thrilled miserly me.

Regarding the wax, it feels very smooth and satiny. I'm new to the chalk paint and wax technique, myself, but I did research before using it. From what I gather, wax, in general, will eventually wear away and have to be redone. When the piece looses it's luster a soft rag should buff the sheen back. When you can't buff up a sheen, then it's time to rewax. It should last years. Ask me again in 5 years. :-)

Oh, I should add, the close up of the curly embellishment was taken before I waxed.

I came across a lot of conflicting info regarding the soft wax. Nothing bad, just different techniques, and it seemed the more I read, the more questions I had. Finally just dove in and found my way. I like, like the method!

Did I answer your question? And then some!

In reply to by margjack

beckiedecker

Sat, 11/12/2011 - 19:49

She's a foo-foo girl, so yes, she was excited. Even more so when she was able to stand in front of her own full length mirror and see how stunning she was in the princess outfit her Aunt gave her. So cute!

kareylynn

Sun, 11/13/2011 - 19:48

You did a beautiful job, and I love the finish! I built the same piece, but only gave it an antique white painted finish. I may have to try some of your techniques on my next build.

Where did you find mirrors to fit? I can't find them short enough...

beckiedecker

Tue, 11/15/2011 - 16:20

I'd planned to use mirror tiles, but while at the Lowe's buying trim and mastif, I came across 2 to a pack beveled mirrors for $19. They were the perfect size! Now that's luck.

Dog Kennel End Table for Donation

Submitted by ksmith311 on Sat, 10/26/2013 - 17:05

We built this dog kennel as a donation to a fundraiser for our favorite dog rescue. It was auctioned off at the silent auction and all the money went to the dogs! :)

We used cheap furring strips for the majority of the project. We also had some leftover beadboard so we used that for the sides & back panel. We painted the base antique white and made a nice top out of some scrap lumber & old hardwood plywood. It took about an afternoon to assemble but another few days to sand and paint. We finished it while all 4 sides were separate to make it easier and it was still a pain to paint. This would be a great project to have a paint sprayer because it is sooo hard to avoid drips with this design.

The whole piece cost us almost nothing to make and we love how it turned out. We need to make ourselves one for our dogs!

The best part of this project was seeing it go home to someone who loves it and all the profits go to the Basset Hound Rescue!

Thanks Ana for the plans we couldn't have done it without you!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Antique white for body and custom mix of stains for the top (basically the last of a couple different cans of stain) followed by a glossy poly.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Farmhouse Queen Bed Hybrid

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 01/10/2016 - 17:56

My bed frame dimensions were 60 wide by 80 length. So that is the inside demension after assembly. My headboard posts were cut to 54". Headboard panels are 31.5" (11- 6" boards). My posts were made from combining two 2x4s together. I plan on mounting the metal bed frame to the inside of the bed rails.

Estimated Cost
$110
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Behr Satin white paint and primer
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Farmhouse Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 05/18/2019 - 15:40

First time major project. My wife wanted a kitchen table. Did tons of research to find the plans I wanted, which is a modified version of the plans on http://image.ana-white.com/2012/05/pottery-barn-benchwright-farmhouse-d… .

Breadbox ends was changed to a tounge and grove ends with wooden dowels as anchors to hold the ends.

Finished with Natural Danish oil, and polyurethane topcoat.
Thanks for Nathan1342 for the advise in getting started.

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Natural Danish oil
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Custom Blue Bleached Table

Submitted by Rickster on Fri, 03/10/2023 - 12:54

Here is a table I made for a friend. 27.5’’ wide x 78’’ long x 36’’ high. It was custom made for the dimensions he needed to fit in his condo. I used pine boards and legs from Lowes, and Bleached Blue stain. Then put 3 coats of lacquer on it.

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Pallet Shelf

Submitted by beingbrook on Fri, 11/25/2011 - 09:39

We are going for a rustic look in our teen sons bedroom. He has some large books that will not fit onto his bookshelf so a pallet wall shelf seemed like a perfect solution.

This project literally took five minutes. If you don't have a sawsall it would probably take around 30 but still pretty quick.

Estimated Cost
Less than $5
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Our pallet didn't come with tons of character so I did a vinegar and steel wood treatment to it to help age the wood.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

October Scrap Projects

Submitted by SaraLodise on Mon, 10/28/2013 - 14:21

Starting to get colder here in SC. I know the northerners will scoff at me but I'm a wuss when it comes to the cold... and I want my warm garage spot back. That means cleaning up my scrap wood and finishing the big projects that won't fit in my little project/craft room. So the past few weekends I have done a few scrap projects that had been on my mind for a while.

First was shelves for our oddly shaped walk-in-closet. Most of the wood was salvaged from my old dresser/armoir with a splash of scrap whitewood boards to finish it up. I love being able to see everything right when I walk in now.

Second is a simple tie rack for Mr. Lodise so he doesn't have to put them on a coat hanger any more. One more step to getting everything in the closet more visible.

Third is a holder for my hair dryer and straightening iron so they don't have to take up counter space anymore.

Best of all my car now fits in the garage again :)

Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
none
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Toddlers new bed

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 01/14/2016 - 19:32

My husband was able to build this no problem from the provided instructions! We used beadboard over plywood for the headboard and footboard. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$300
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Paint- sherwin Williams echelon ecru
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Square Dining Table with Storage

Submitted by mckittt09 on Mon, 05/27/2019 - 10:30

Square dining room table with storage. My wife wanted a square table and could not find one in stores that she liked. We ended up with this table. Briarsmoke is the stain on the table. Used various wood for the table. 2x4s, 4x4s, 4x8 sheet of 3/4" birch, 1x6 & 1x8 premium pine on the top. Chairs were bought at Living Spaces and match really well.

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Briarsmoke
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Adirondack chairs

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 03/17/2023 - 23:53

This was such a fun project. Your plans were spot-on and easy to follow. I am not a total beginner woodworker but not experienced either and I am so proud that I created these beauties with your help. They are adding so much to our curb appeal. I learned a lot and I got an education on pocket screws and the Kreg jig; I ended up buying the 520PRO. I am so grateful!! Thank you so much!

Comments

Simple and easy console table

Submitted by Jen Pedro on Thu, 12/01/2011 - 13:44

I built this as a place where my husband can store his keys and wallet. This table has nice, clean lines. The simple angles fit with the many pieces of Asian décor that we have.

Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
brown low VOC acrylic latex
polyacrylic
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

My bench with strap style hinges

Submitted by bash7325 on Thu, 10/31/2013 - 16:39

Followed the plans closely. Used a roman ogee bit to add a decorative edge to the top. Used strap style hinges instead as well.

Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
minwax ebony stain, single coat polyurethane
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Val Manchuk

Thu, 10/31/2013 - 18:46

I bought some Minwax Ebony stain a long time ago and have never used it, but I will now! It makes a beautiful finish!
Val
artsybuildinglady.blogspot.ca

They see me rolling, my pedestal (I'm sorry ;) )

I haven't decided yet if I am going to use the under portion as storage or not, so I am leaving it unfinished until then. The plan was perfect for my house as the laundry room is relatively small. In order to make sure I didn't have to lift anything major in case the washer/dryer needed cleaning/repair behind them, I modified the plan to include 2 4" static wheels from the Home Depot. I am going to skirt the pedestal later, but needed it framed and functional for the dleivery of the washer dryer. instead of using 4x4 for the uprights, I laminated 2 2x4's and lapped the joints for additional strength. I also made the pedestal 22" total in hieght as I am 6' tall and wanted to minimize bending (spinal surgery 2 years ago)

 

Even the delivery men were impressed as I was able to pull the pedestal out for them to easily lift the washer and dryer on top of it and slide it back into place. The pedestal is perfectly stable and doesn't move at all during a wash cycle. I still plan on securing it to the walls once the drywall is completed with a pair of L brackets.

Estimated Cost
$80 to this point. Skirting will add another $30, Prefab drawers cost an additional $200
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Gloss white trim paint... eventually
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Perfect end table

Submitted by jarsofclay on Thu, 06/06/2019 - 12:21

I've been looking for a simple end table when I stumbled upon this gem.

To get the wood grain to pop I torched the top before staining, then I high buffed a glass look into the clear coat. It really turned out perfect.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$30
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Torch and then Dark Walnut stain
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Lean-To Shed

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 03/24/2023 - 13:17

I’m a first year teacher of construction class at Waterloo High School in Illinois. We recently used your Small Cedar shed instructions with some modifications for a class project. It’s a bear getting cedar right now, so we used T1-11 for the outside and 2x4 for the frame.

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Spa Bench with Doors

My first Ana project- took the spa bench and added doors. Thanks for the easy-to-use plans, Ana. Still learning, though- I ended up buying three sets of hinges before I was happy!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$40
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Ebony Stain
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Built-in Bookshelves

Submitted by brittanyj on Mon, 11/04/2013 - 11:51

My summer-long project (admittedly, I was lazy about getting it done) was to make built-in bookshelves for our huge family room. For the bookshelves themselves I cobbled together plans from different sites, and modified them all to fit our space/needs, and the cabinets are built after Ana's cabinet plans, modified to be as thin in depth as the bookshelves. Doors on the cabinets were a pain, but they are also my favorite part of the whole shebang with their beadboard inserts. Moulding at top and bottom finishes out the look, and caulking in all the gaps helps give it cohesion.
I could not be happier with my built-ins. I feel like I have a library now, and it got all of our books out of boxes and onto shelves. Yay!

This entire project cost around $80-$100 because I acquired quite a bit of free wood off Craigslist. I also got wood from the scrap bin at Home Depot for great discounts. Since this would've likely cost near 1k to buy, I am quite pleased.
Anytime you are making projects without real plans, it take quite a bit longer and more mistakes are made. But, to have something completely customized to your needs and space is better than any price tag/time you can put on it!

Tools used: drill, kreg mini pocket hole jig, orbital sander, countersink bit, miter saw, jig saw, HPLV paint sprayer, clamps, circular saw

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Primer, white latex paint, poly top coat
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Pantry hutch

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 01/20/2016 - 05:44

I built this pantry cabinet as gift for my son and daughter in law. Their kitchen doesn't have much storage space so this is what we came up with as a solution. I combined features I liked from a couple of Ana's plans. I wanited the piece to look a bit more like a piece of furniture than a cabinet.  It was built in 2 sections so that it is easier to move and position. The finish is an organge tinted stain with several coats of polyurethane for protection.

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Tinted stain with polyurethane top coat
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments