My kitchen drawer wasn't as deep as the one in the tutorial, so I had to use 1x2 hobby poplar instead of 1x3's. I can't wait to do more drawers! It's been more than 6 months, and the drawer is still neat and organized.
This was my first project. I followed the plans exactly! I LOVE it! It is a perfect desk that I will be using to work through this remote teaching I'm having to do. Thank you for the plans. Next up-Rustic X Console!
Built from Ana's doll bed plan. Added a drawer to match my granddaughter's bed and painted it her favorite color.
After spending weeks lurking on the site, I decided to go for it. I have no real experience doing this sort of thing, so everything was a learning experience. I had to invest in a lot of tools but the materials only cost about $100 ($50 in pine from local home store + ~$50 in other materials).
I live in a small apartment, so my workplace was less than ideal. I did a lot of sawing and sanding in the space you see so I made a HUGE mess, but I didn't really have any other choice.
I'm really pleased with the outcome. It isn't perfect, but it doesn't have to be. There are gaps in the planks on the table top, but I can live with it. I didn't follow the plans exactly in order. I built the table top first which allowed me to add removable legs for when it comes time to move. Instead of screwing the legs, I hung hanger bolts and did a nut/bolt setup (as I type this, I realize this was not a necessary step - I could have bolted the legs instead of screwing them in per the stepwise instructions, which would have been easier. Alas, what's done is done!). The picture shows two sets of nuts per bolt, but this is only because I had extra bolts and this ensure that I don't lose them.
I plan on finishing with a polyurethane and building the benches but that will be in the future. My advice to anyone on the fence is to just do it. It's easier than you think and if it doesn't turn out exactly perfect, no big deal. My project goes to show that even with a tiny Chicago apartment, as long as you're willing to make a mess, it can be done. Good luck, thanks for reading!
*sorry my photos are aren't right-side-up - just tilit your head :)
I built one bench originally, but quickly decided that I had to build the complete set. I painted the base of the table and the benches with Valspar Duramax Barnwood and the table top Valspar Duramax custom matched to my garage shutters. The only part of the project that I really needed help was carrying the table to the patio.
Thanks again Ana (and Brook) for a wonderful plan!
I saw the plan and thought I would give it a shot. My wife loved the plan, but wanted something with a higher back. I used the bases of the plan as is, but I adjusted by adding some higher pieces at the back. They are attached at the seat flat and the back rail. It worked out pretty well. I still need to sand and stain.
My husband built this for my birthday. He adjusted the seat height so the storage bins would fit underneath. We also added the corbels under the shelf on top. I can't stop staring at it! Just love it! We had no place for coats etc by the front door of our apartment before!
Simple but beautiful!
I needed 3 stools for my kids to eat breakfast at the counter. These were perfect.
I already owned the fabric so I only needed to purchase the wood and the foam. I made it entirely out of furring strips so it was really inexpensive.
I took me a couple of hours to build and sand all 3.
Modified version of the Ana White Triple Pedestal Farmhouse Table. Table top is made of 1in alder while the base is made of construction grade 2x4 and 2x6 lumber.
Simple Step stool. My husband suggested we needed one of these for our pantry, so I whipped one up for us! The plan was so easy to follow, it took me about 20 mins to make this stool.
I'm a 65 year-old woman and proud to say I built this all by myself with leftover lumber from our deck project. I'm almost finished with a second sofa and plan on building the section piece and a dining table and benches.
Keren Weaver
We followed Ana's "Toddler's Upholstered Bed" plan nearly exactly. The only major change I made was to add fancy looking french country legs I found at the local hardware store. They were screw in, so I used metal screw guides that popped right in after a little pre-drilling. I included some pictures to help explain this variance to help give others ideas. Thanks so much for these plans Ana!
Took a couple of weeks to complete but, hubby only worked on it in the evenings after he got off work. He had trouble finding untreated 4x4s so he glued untreated 2x4s together (which took extra time waiting for the glue to set up and dry). He used paint grade pine wood so our cost was a little higher than what was estimated. We ended up having around $350 in it after buying paint and everything. Overall, he said it was a fairly easy project.
Made this over a weekend. It did take a week to apply the final finish to protect it.
My first cedar planter with trellis. Fun and easy project. Using it in front of my propane tank to hide it.
We fell in love with this daybed plan right out of the gate but had to modify the plan somewhat due to the rain and crazy weather we are experiencing during the warmer seasons. Rather than use a twin mattress we purchased the largest size outdoor cushion we could. We covered it in Dacron wrap and used an olefin material for the huge cover which maxed out at 54x96. It was one heck of a big zipper to sew! The material is mould and mildew resistant and has proven to be really resilient and I vacuum to keep it clean. It feels luxurious to slide into. We added a polycarbonate roof with a 6% slant, that projects 8-10 inches from the front and back, for rain and snow and because it sits under a crabapple tree which provides shade but will drop small projectiles on your head. We wanted to be able to manage the snow efficiently if we received a heavy fall. We hung the curtains using a chain link fence rail and are able to spend afternoons resting catching the breeze and reading so comfortably. It is situated in a southwest exposure so they are necessary to provide a little protection. The curtains are closed and secured with clamps for heavy rainfalls and so far so good! Everything has stayed dry despite high winds.
As you can see from the little ramp, we have four buddies that love the bed as much as we do! It is our little retreat. We love our magic space and the relaxation we experience the minute we slide in. Thanks for such great plans. It was so straightforward that modifications were simple and easy!
For my sons airplane/helicopter Birthday I painted murals on 2inch thick cardboard. three mnths later they are still in the back yard, the cardboard has been rained on as well as the sprinklers have watered them almost daily and as you see they're still intact. so i decided to build them a frame out of pallet boards and hang them on the wall in the backyard. Since I used pallet boards, nails i already had, and remaining spray paint I have from my tractor tire project. This project cost me practically nothing, had to by anchor screws to hang..
This Rustic Table was built by my just-turned-15-year-old, Joey. He is amazing!
Joey is a Kreg Jig pro (and an engineering marvel) and this table is rock solid. The only change he made was the direction of the table legs (per my request) and he tapered the legs as well.
I finished the table using Ana's directions: http://ana-white.com/2013/05/staining-and-finishing-tabletops As a stain and poly novice, these directions were a life saver!!
Learning lesson: When I applied the stain (in several coats to match my cabinetry), I was nervous and patient. Then, I built up my confidence and decided to apply a very thick coat of stain. Don't do that; it was a sticky mess! I searched online and lots of people said that I would have to start over. Don't do that, either. One person (thanks to him!) said to be patient and wait it out. Fwew! So, I moved it onto the screened porch (and turned on the overhead fans) each day so that the warm Florida air could help dry it out (alternatively I imagine you could leave it in the house with some fans blowing across it). It took about a week of waiting (ugh), but it dried (yay!) so that I could apply the Spar Urethane.
Must do: Ana suggests using Minwax® Water Based Helmsman® Spar Urethane for a top that will tolerate water condensation, milk spills, etc. I did this and have no worries that my son's project will be ruined. This table is going to last!
The bench was also an Ana design. It was a really quick project.
Thanks so much to Ana for having these accessible, free plans. I could never have afforded a table of this substance and we are SO proud to tell visitors about Joey's Table when they ask.
My husband and I decided to turn this potting bench into an indoor coffee bar. Great project for first timers, like myself. 😊
