Community Brag Posts

Rustic Dresser and Bedroom Set

My son was too big for his toddler bed and had been spending his nights in the guest bed, instead. For his Christmas gift this year, his grandparents were going to get him bedroom furniture, but I insisted on building it instead! I love the rustic theme, saw the rustic dresser on wheels and thought it was perfect for him and perfect for us since we move so much with the military. Hello, a dresser on wheels? Like, no man labor trying to carry the thing out of the house? Just roll it? SOLD! I HATE the wheels that I put on it, but I really did not want to dish out $100 for the spoked wheels. I think I may change them one day and put the wheels on that will make it look ten times better, but for now, these will do. The wood for the dresser was pricey, but it was my first time buying plywood and I didn't realize that I could buy nicer plywood in smaller amounts that would have been a little cheaper since I didn't need to buy entire boards! Otherwise, it wouldn't have cost as much I am sure. I built a bed and a night table to match the dresser (as seen in the pictures), and frankly, I am very pleased with this set that I built! (CHECK OUT MY BED! http://ana-white.com/2014/02/rustic-twin-bed-upholstered-headboard-matc…) It was quite a difficult project for me, being the first time I had built drawers and because I didn't have more than a few hours in a week to get outside to work on it, but I finally finished :-) I also had a very small space to work in, since my husband consumes the garage with his man "stuff" and it was cold, so I needed the door closed with the space heater ;-). This project could definitely use some good amount of workspace!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$100-$200??
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax Early American , used a natural bristle brush, foam brush and cloth, set for a minute or two, wiped off.
Minwax Furniture Wax, rubbed on with cloth and let dry for a bit.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Porch End Table

Submitted by Smokeydog on Sun, 05/22/2016 - 17:21

I made this little end table for my daughter-in-law to accompany the porch bench I made for her about 2 years ago. It's a simple little table but it does have one unique feature.  My son and daughter-in-law cut down a large old cedar tree from in front of their house and gave me the wood.   I thought it might be nice to build something for them from the tree so aI milled several pieces of the tree and let them dry in my shed for about one year.  It took a while to run the wood through the planner to get it just right.  I used the wood for the table top and the wood grain looks just beautiful.  In fact, I'm  just now leaving to their house on Bainbridge Island  to give them the table.  I know she'll  love it!

Estimated Cost
$0.00 I used scrap wood for the legs and apron and cedar from their tree for the top. I had paint on hand.
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Rustoleum Spray Paint ... Satin
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Farmhouse Queen Bed, with modifications

Submitted by craw4dz on Thu, 02/27/2020 - 11:27

I built this as a full-size bed to put in our spare room.  I am not fond of the top of the head and foot boards extending out because it wouldn't square-up with the wall (thank you, OCD).  I modified this so that the posts extended above the head and foot board and then trimmed it out inside of the posts.  This project took a couple days to build then another day to stain.  I used knockdown hardware that was terrible to install and won't do it again... lots of hassle and cursing and bloody knuckles.  Overall, I'm very happy with how it turned out and am working on modifying it a little more for our own queen bed with some redwood that my dad had milled up.  Stand by for that!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$120
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Varathane medium oak with satin poly
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Custom Hutch Cabinet

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 10/20/2023 - 07:52

My wife asked if I could build this, showed me the pictured. Well, I’ve never built something that big before but I’ll give it a try. I took the time to draw it all out and get all the measurements down before hand, and it all turned out pretty nice. Most importantly my wife loved it! We paid someone to paint it, because I know my limitations lol.

Bob J - Texas

Farmhouse End Tables

Submitted by pde00311 on Mon, 02/24/2014 - 22:49

Of course, with our new king farmhouse bed, we needed matching his and her bedside tables. It was a pretty straightforward build. However, if I were to build it again, I would install slide hardware for the drawers. For whatever reason, our drawers, which use the wood on wood slides in the plans, are difficult to open/close. When I get a chance, I am going to sand everything down to try to prevent the drawers from sticking so much.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
50
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Behr off white #1873 paint distressed with Minwax special walnut stain
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

ehays216

Wed, 02/26/2014 - 05:44

I love the stain you used on the tables and bed, thanks for giving the details! They all look great!

Shoe Rack Bench

This was my very first woodworking project. I definitely made some mistakes but nothing major, and I learned! This was really fun and straightforward. I’m very happy with the results. Plus it’s a very solid piece. It took me awhile because of the dry times for the stain and finish. Everything else was pretty quick, though. 
When staining, I just covered one side at a time and quickly wiped it away to get a more rustic look.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$35
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax Wood Finish - Penetrating Stain - Ebony 2718 - Apply and wipe away within a minute for the rustic look
Minwax Fast-Drying Polyurethane- Clear Satin - 2 coats
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Kids Storage Table & Stools

I built a storage table and stools for my son's school class project and my wife wanted a set for her mom to give to her on Mother's Day.

Estimated Cost
$130
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Rustoleum Kona Stain, Poly satin finish
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

spiceylg

Sat, 10/20/2012 - 10:25

Beautiful build. Is that the 36" round project panel? I don't the 32" size she refers to in any store.

Modified Kitchen Island from the Handbuilt Home Island Plans

Today I’m sharing this unexpected addition to our kitchen! Everything about the construction of this furniture-style kitchen island seemed to be charmed. There is usually a lot of trial and error that goes on behind the scenes during our projects- but everything seemed to just kind of fall in to place. We enjoyed it while it lasted, since we know it won’t be that easy again! ;) Without a real plan for the island, we found the beautiful marble slab on Craigslist for a steal. While the slab was having it’s edges finished, I began comparing island legs. The ones I decided on came from Osbourne Wood, they are called The Grand Harvest Island Posts. I liked the chunky style in order to support the heavy marble. We are so so happy with the quality of the legs that we plan on using this company for all future furniture building projects. For the specifics on how to build the island, we were a bit stumped. We were just kind of going to wing it. Then, when I was daydreaming about a completely unrelated project, I stumbled across the kitchen island plans in Ana‘s book The Handbuilt Home. The dimensions were almost perfect for the slab! We modified the plans slightly- we didn’t need casters, and our island needed to be a bit narrower than the plan in the book, and we swapped out the 2×4′s for 2×6′s in some places- but the length was perfect, so we were still able to use most of the materials list (a huge time & money saver!) to maximize yields. We ordered a Kreg Jig, like Ana recommended, and I have to say- I love it! This island was so much fun to build and finish- and it makes a huge statement in our DIY renovated kitchen!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Aged Driftwood Finish: I started out by giving the island a coat of Minwax pre-stain conditioner, since I was planning to use a water-based stain. Next, I did a coat of Minwax Waterbased Wood Stain White Base tinted Slate at the paint counter at Lowes. My next step was the whitewashing. I very lightly dry brushed the entire island with white satin paint. After it dried, we sanded it all smooth, removing some of the white paint. Some stayed behind in the detail. Then, we stood back and looked at our results… and we decided that it was too white with the rest of the kitchen, so we went over the paint with Rustoleum Driftwood. Weird, I know- but it worked perfectly! It changed some of the white paint into a more natural looking gray color, and toned down some of the blonde wood peeking through. The overall effect made it appear aged, and we were so happy with it!
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

suschen

Fri, 02/28/2014 - 05:22

This looks amazing! I was wondering how you attached the marble slab to the posts?

gkubrynski

Mon, 03/03/2014 - 17:24

Unbelievable! Great accent to the kitchen. You mentioned you used both pine and maple... can you specify which parts were pine v. maple? Beginner here... Thanks

Great couch!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 05/30/2016 - 15:39

Biult this for my outdoor patio. Got the cushions from Lowes.ca for about $80 each.

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Primer then an outdoor white
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Cedar planter for $20

Submitted by aimercruz on Tue, 03/17/2020 - 14:45

This was my first project using my circular saw and Kreg jig, so I wanted to try something that was not too difficult. It probably took me longer than most as I had to read all the directions on my saw and Kreg jig. Both are super fun to use.  Ana’s plans made it super easy! After assembly, I decided to paint it as it needed to be weather/waterproof. I used Behr waterproofing stain &sealer in slate. Love how it turned out! Thanks for the easy to follow plans. 

Estimated Cost
$20
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Behr Waterproof & Stain sealer. Color: Slate
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

DIY Chicken Coop

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 10/30/2023 - 17:55

As a first time chicken farmer, I have four chickens now fully grown. It was 29 degrees in Iowa this morning, wondering if I should wrap the lower portion of the coop on three sides with visqueen, and should the roost windows be covered? I have straw bales to roost on and add where needed . I don’t plan to heat the coop . Any help will be appreciated.

[email protected]

Seasonal And Holiday

Workbench

Easy to build! Took about 3 hours!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$75
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Floor Verathane
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

deannaf

Sat, 05/19/2012 - 05:15

This is fantastic, just what I need to build. Would you mind sharing some measurements such as height, width and depth.

Garage Shelving

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 06/02/2016 - 10:16

I used Anna's shelving plans from this video https://youtu.be/cTxRBckenI4 and it was super easy.    I also made a cut out for the mini freezer on the far end and also cut the ends closest to the garage door track at a 45 degree.    The shelves are 24 inches and the run is 16' long.   The cost was right at $100.    We are building more of the same shelving in the garage very soon.  

 

Thanks Anna for the design!

Ron from Houston

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

Comments

Square Picnic Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 11/04/2023 - 14:52

I used the picnic table plans with a minor modification for the top and seats. I used flooring for trailers that were rejects. I made this for my wife for her birthday and she loved it.
 

Alan Welch

Built from Plan(s)

Double Farmhouse Beds with Trundle Bed

Submitted by Kirk on Mon, 05/21/2012 - 23:25

These were my first builds. I am so pleased with how it all turned out! My sister in law introduced me to Ana's page and I was off! We have twin, 5 year old girls with their own rooms. They both needed new furniture and I fell in love with the Farmhouse Bed Plans. I used a little of the Mom's Fancy Farmhouse Bed Plans and the Queen Farmhouse Bed Plans. I wanted to use our existing mattresses with box springs, so I put a cleat on the inside edge, running the length of the side rails. Another modification, being that I wanted to use mortised bed locks on the side rails to allow for quick connects to the head and foot boards. I used these from LV: http://www.leevalley.com/en/hardware/page.aspx?p=67916&cat=3,40842,4126… I routered them in using a guide. I strongly recommend them if you are able. You can paint the bed pieces independently and assemble very easily. No building in the room! The other modification I made was that I made the actual side rails higher in order to fashion a trundle bed underneath. The trundle is a double as well, rolls on stationary castors, and on carpet too. I have a single mattress in it and it can be pulled out on either side. One side is for the bed and the other can be used as storage etc. My girls can easily pull it out and put it back in place. Great for sleep overs and extra company! It is technically unattached from the bed, but there are small stationary castors that run the inside length of the head and foot boards on their sides to act as guides for the trundle. I have attached pictures to show what I mean. I did not want it banging around underneath, and the castors are great little guides. I have more detailed pictures, but am having difficulty including them as their file size is too large. Since making the beds, I have also made the farmhouse side tables, and am in the midst of making the Madison Dressers to match! It is all coming together nicely. It took me about 2 months to complete the beds, but that was a few hours here, and a few hours there. I didn't think that was too bad, as I made two of them and it was my first project! Either way, I am very excited and have the builders itch now! So many things to create. Thanks for a great site, and so many ideas.

Estimated Cost
$250 per double bed and double trundle
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
All pieces were primed and painted with an air spray gun, and the colour is Benjamin Moore "Cloud White". If you can do it, I suggest spraying. It makes the paint go a lot further than if you were to brush or roll it on!! Way more affordable.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Abby K (not verified)

Wed, 07/11/2012 - 17:35

I absolutely LOVE these beds you made! This is *exactly* what I have been thinking about for my spare bedroom...a mix of the farmhouse bed, farmhouse storage bed, and mom's fancy farmhouse bed! I wanted to have the option of a trundle beneath our spare bed as we frequently have overnight guests that have children, but I thought the storage would be awesome, too! Your modifications are perfect!! I would love to know more and see more pictures...and pick your brain about all you changed/did with yours! Thank you so much fro sharing!

Kirk

Wed, 07/18/2012 - 12:22

Thank you for commenting. I am very proud of these, I still go and look at them! Haha! I do have more pictures, they were just too big to put in this post. There is a MB size limit. If you'd like me to send them, just leave me an email addy to send it to. I am afraid I will be of little help as far as the measurements go. It was a learning project, but in the end it went well. I can help, but I went by measurements from their existing mattresses and heights, and what I conjured from other plans from this wonderful site! If you do not have one, I strongly suggest getting a Kregg Jig. I did not have one for the beds, but now have one for the nightstands and Dressers. IT MAKES LIFE WAY BETTER!! It is an investment, but worthwhile! You will also need some clamps, but like I say, worth it! Happy building!

Farmhouse Doll Bed

Submitted by risingeden on Wed, 03/05/2014 - 22:39

My daughter and I built the farmhouse style doll bed and had a great time! The plans were wonderfully easy to understand and follow. It was a great experience to work together and learn some new skills. She even chose the paint color herself - pretty good taste for a 9 year old! Thank you so much for a great, inspiring website!!

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
We used valspar "posh red" interior paint. Love it!
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

LV wine case

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 06/05/2016 - 13:09

I built this wine case for my for my daughter and her husband. I couldn't done it with Ana"s great plans.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Daughter and son-in-law will use it to store the many wine bottles they receive as gifts.I think natural Oak is beautiful and just use a poly finish.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Coffee Table [Modern Farmhouse Collection]

Decided this table looked like something a moderately skilled person could handle and I was right. I made one modification because I couldn't find any straight 1x10s and I didn't want to use plywood since it can look wrong when staining. I decided to go with an 8 ft. 2x10 instead but then accidentally bought a 2x8. Realizing this after cutting all the boards to length, I fixed my screw up by squaring up the long edges of a 2x4 and adding it up the middle of the top and bottom shelves using pocket joinery like the standard plans. The table turned out a bit heavier than the standard plans would have, but it has a very solid feel. My wife loves it and I am looking forward to adding the end tables.

Estimated Cost
$45
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
2 coats of Danish Oil Dark Walnut and 3 coats of Varathane Ultimate Polyurethane Clear Gloss
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
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