Community Brag Posts

Cassidy Bed Works Well with a Sleep Number Platform

My husband and I bought our California king Sleep Number bed several years after we bought our solid wood bedroom furniture and it was too big to use with the bed that came with our dressers. After our most recent move, I decided I would have to finally part with the dressers in order to have a bedroom set that matches, which was hard because I love the simple, classic style of the dressers. Then I found this site and the plans for the Cassidy bed.

To make the Cassidy bed work for us, I extended height of the side rails and footboard to the floor so that our little dog could not hide under the bed when it was time for her to go into her kennel. That means I had to buy two sheets of plywood, one for the headboard to be cut from and one for the footboard to be cut from, and I bought 1x16s instead of 1x12s for the side rails. I also adapted the entire dimensions of the bed so that it fits around the plastic platform of our Sleep number bed, so we did not need to use the 2x4 slats. In fact, we did not use any of the 2x4s in the plan. The side rails are hung on the scrap lengths of the plywood. Finally, we did not decorate the headboard with door shims.

In the end, the bed is incredibly solid and beautiful. Afterword, I finished it to match our dressers, which I had stripped, as well.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$450
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Three coats of Minwax Red Walnut and three coats of Minwax Polyurethane (Satin)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Farmhouse Bedside (actually entry) Table

Submitted by canterbc on Wed, 10/24/2018 - 16:04

I needed an entry table and when I saw this plan for a bedside table I knew with just a couple of size modifications it would be perfect for me. It is a little taller and wider that Ana's plans, but other than that is true to her design. Couldn't be happier with the new table!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Around $100, maybe a bit more. Higher cost is because I used Poplar. This plan can definitely be done for less if you use regular pine.
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
I painted the base with Valspar Signature in satin Blanched Pine, one of the 10,000 shades of white. For the bottom shelf and the top, I picked the darkest pieces of Poplar I could find and just used Minwax satin polyurethane on them.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Slightly modified coffee table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 07/11/2022 - 07:59

Table, based on Farmhouse coffee table project. Resized to roughly picnic table dimensions (1200*700 mm, 650 mm high), mostly as a means to recycle board cuttings, left over from building farmhouse itself. Didn't install X shaped sides, because there were no more suitable timbers remaining, which, it appears, my toddler greatly appreciated - bottom shelf makes a lovely crawl space. Shape of the shelf planks was a happy accident: what remained was sized 250 - 200 - 150 - 200 - 250 mm. Looks kinda nice doesn't it?

Comments

The 5 Shelf using 1x8 &1x12 scraps

I wanted to make something using the plethora of scraps in my garage. I ended up making this shelf that calls for 1x6 pieces with 1x8's and I didn't even have enough for that so I cut down some 1x12 pieces and used those too. The long part of the shelf is actually two pieces screwed together using pocket holes. Check out my blog for more on this project!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Krylon Satin Black Spray Paint.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Outdoor Sectional with Corner Pieces

Submitted by unotrainer on Tue, 08/27/2013 - 09:51

We used 2x4s instead of 1x4s to make it more sturdy. We had to adjust some cuts accordingly. I bought the cushions at Target on clearance.

Estimated Cost
$250 with cushions
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Valspar paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Scrap Wood Barn Door

Submitted by milleall on Mon, 10/12/2015 - 07:31

I am finally getting around to the final touches on the home we built.  I have a small pocket office that needed a sliding barn door.  I build this door out of 3/4 inch plywood framed with 1x2 oak boards.  I added planks of scrap plywood, 1x boards, and pallet wood.   I added some different colors to make for a fun industrial/modern look.  I made the barn door track out of steel purchased at a local metal shop and wooden wheels purchased online.  

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Different colors of diy chalk paint (flat paint with water and plaster of paris), various stain colors, and triple thick satin poly.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Wood Tilt Out Trash cabinet with storage

Submitted by bcarter_1 on Tue, 10/30/2018 - 04:47

Modified the plans, my can was shorter for the bathroom, so I added a drawer.

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Rust-Oleum weathered grey stain
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Farmhouse kitchen island

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 07/25/2022 - 20:39

I found plans on here for a farmhouse kitchen island. I built it for my wife. She loves it.

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

sofa for my "portico"

Submitted by pattyitaly on Thu, 08/29/2013 - 14:18

I exactly used Ana's project but I decided to paint light grey and I used for cushions denim jeans. It is really resistent and cool. grazie Ana

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

JoanneS

Fri, 08/30/2013 - 09:23

Your sofa looks super! Love the gray color. What a cool idea to use denim jeans for your cushions!

Play Kitchen

Submitted by AnneReid on Fri, 11/09/2018 - 10:11

This was a fun build.  I used a dog food bowl from Walmart for the sink, the oven handle is a Restoration Hardware pull from Habitat Restore, stove knobs (spray painted red) and faucet are from Home Depot (I couldn't find either at Habitat, but it's worth trying). The utensil bar is from Amazon. I cut out an oven window and glued a small sheet of plexiglass acrylic from HD to the door.  I put a stick-on, battery operated light inside the oven that turns on and off by pushing it. I wanted the oven to open like a real oven, but I should have saved myself the trouble and just put the hinges on the side. The door bangs to the floor unless you can figure out how to install slide hinges to prevent it. (I couldn't make it work, but I'm sure more experienced DIYers would have no trouble.)  I printed out the stovetop coils free from "printablecuttablecreatables.com" and glued them on a thin sheet of black foam.

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

Comments

Ana White

Fri, 11/09/2018 - 12:17

This is too adorable!  All your little details really made it amazing!

A small chair or rope can be used to keep the oven door from opening all the way if you want to try that.

Photo Ledges

This was an extremely quick and easy project to complete. I really love how the ledges tie my dining room together and display all the great pictures of our family. Now I just need to get some more pictures and frames...

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$25
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
1 coat of white primer and 2 coats of Behr Glossy White Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Bunk Beds with Dual Desk

Submitted by bullfiter on Mon, 11/26/2018 - 06:14

My granddaughters needed new bunk beds and an area to do homework. So I combined the 2 projects into one.

Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Farmhouse Coffee Table

Submitted by BK.Kaehler on Mon, 08/15/2022 - 12:29

I really had a lot of fun with this project Ana, so thank you for both the plans and that YouTube tutorial. Built almost exactly like your plans, with the exception of those nail heads I added around the perimeter. Decided to use redwood for the 2x6's, and that seemed to add more wood beauty, but I also ended up with one board that was slightly bent. I fixed that with some wood filler. Finished with clear shellac.

Comments

A Long tapered crate

Submitted by dmcarwin on Tue, 09/03/2013 - 07:52

I love Ana's tapered crate! I decided to add some length to the sides and make it really long! It is super cute and makes a big statement, for only a small amount of work! Sa-weet!

Estimated Cost
Free, or under $5 if you by the wood new
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Potting Bench

Submitted by DavidTR on Mon, 10/26/2015 - 11:58

I modified the collapsibile planting table by Lady Goats.  My wife asked for it to have a removable shelf to keep with the take down Idea and also to come up with a way to have a spicket added.  this was a really fun project to make, I even added carvings and painted to allow it to stand out and to give it some color.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$60
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
MinWax English Chestnut
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Kid-friendly Green Library Console

Submitted by romanweel on Tue, 12/18/2018 - 11:20

I did very little modification to the original plan on this one besides reducing the overall length to 28".  I had an old plate/cup display hutch that wasn't very practical or pretty, so I took it apart and used the pieces to make the shelves (and the curvy bit under the first shelf).  <!--break-->They weren't quite the right size, so I added other wood scraps (including a bit of plywood) to get the dimensions needed.  The 1x2s are crappy used furring strips I ripped out of the attic when we redid the roof, so they were all water stained and covered in nail holes.  The top was a vintage table leaf I acquired at some point and appears to be 3" pieces of poplar glued together (it took the stain beautifully).  Oh! I did do one other thing that wasn't in the plans...I connected the shelves to the base using 5/8" dowels through the horizontal pieces on the sides.  It took a little extra time, but I do feel more secure with the weight of the books+shelves (+possibly a climbing child) resting on those dowels instead of just screws.

The main thing is that this case holds my toddler's whole library.  She can even put the books away by herself without them falling off when she doesn't place them just right.  I love that it looks like it belongs in a grown-up's living room, but it's 100% classy kid-friendly furniture design!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Maybe $6 for screws, glue, and finish - built from scraps and a crummy wood hutch I was otherwise going to toss
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
100 grit sanding, then Zinsser Shellac-based primer and Behr Marquee oops paint for the base. The top is Minwax Dark Walnut stain followed by General Finishes water-based poly in satin (applied with a foam brush which turns out almost looking like I sprayed it: perfect with no brush strokes. I prefer the Wooster foam brushes from Lowes).
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Coffee Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 08/29/2022 - 05:36

Here is a coffee table I built using the plans from Ana and wood from an old picnic table. The plans were perfect and the coffee table turned out well. I used the 2X4 coffee table plans - http://www.ana-white.com/woodworking-projects/2x4-outdoor-coffee-table - I had to make a few cutting adjustments in order to only use the reclaimed wood from the picnic table but it still turned out great.

Comments

5 Cube Tower Bookshelf

Submitted by rhilborn on Thu, 08/11/2011 - 12:25

This narrow cube bookshelf is a very handy addition to my kitchen! I use this shelf to store cookbooks, our iPod speakers, and some other utilitarian odds and ends. I'm particularly a fan of how to facing on the front and back acts as a stopper to keep your items in the bookshelf. It did not specify in the plans but we chose to align the back facing piece flush with the bottom of the shelf and the front facing piece flush with the top of the shelf. You can see what I'm describing in the pictures.

This piece was fast and easy. I think there is a time when finish work is faster to be done once a piece is finished but this not one of those projects. This shelf would benefit from finish before assembly.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$30
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
existing can of Behr Premium paint plus primer; Minwax Wipe on Polyurethane
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Two-toned farmhouse bed

Submitted by JW on Thu, 09/05/2013 - 05:41

He likes natural wood, I like painted furniture. Solution: two-toned bed! Vertical slats are stained in Minwax Red Oak (took 3 times to get that dark color!), surround is painted black. I thought we'd never find a workable compromise!

I changed up the dimensions a bit to fit my preferences:
1. I like a taller headboard and footboard (dog can't rub against the end of the bed anymore - wahoo!).
2. Also wanted the bed to be just a bit higher above the ground so I wouldn't have to buy new under-bed storage boxes.
3. Used 1x6s instead of 1x8s for the vertical slats because they fit the width just perfectly - no trimming needed.
4. Added about 2" to the length so I'd have plenty of room for tucking the duvet at the end of the bed. I hate when the covers get stuck and I can't pull them up easily!
5. I routed out a groove in the posts to slide the side rails in because it seemed more secure than screws alone. Could've done it without, though.
6. We used dowels and wood glue on the 2x6 tops of the headboard and footboard pieces. I think it made a big difference in the overall appearance. We don't have a doweler, but the hubby made a guide with a spare 2x4 to keep our dowels lined up correctly. It worked pretty well.

Next time I would use pocket screws. I've acquired a jig since this piece was completed. It would definitely have saved me some time in the finishing process.

I really wish I could have talked the hubby into letting me distress the finish just a bit. The thing is, it's inevitable around here (my kids are like crazy apes sometimes!). So I really wanted it to at least look intentional. Oh well, I guess we'll get there soon enough even without it!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$300 (be bought the select pine for the vertical slats; wouldn't been a lot cheaper if we'd used all regular lumber)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Wood Finish stain in Red Oak - It took 3 coats to get the right color.

Valspar flat paint in the only good shade of black that I could find. This stuff was terrible - I would NOT use this again! Unfortunately, there were only about 4 shades of black paint available in all of Lowe's, and the others were all too purple in tone.

2 coats of Minwax fast-drying polyurethane.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

GScotti

Thu, 09/05/2013 - 09:07

I like the foot board height. I noticed it in the Arched Headboard version of the Farmhouse bed a while back but could not find dimensions. I also like the idea of having more space under the sides to fit my storage bins. Could you tell me what the cut length was for the 2x6s on the foot board? I like the finish too! Bed looks great.

JW

Thu, 09/05/2013 - 10:27

GScott -

Thanks!

I changed several things on the footboard, as follows:
Slats = 22"
Post = 26.5"
Total height of footboard = 29.5"

I made the slats on the headboard a bit longer too, but didn't change the actual height of the headboard. I just wanted the wood to extend down behind my mattress a bit so I wouldn't have a little corner of wall showing behind it.

As for more space under the sides - I just screwed the siderails in just a bit higher than the plan called for.