Community Brag Posts

Doll Adirondack Chair

Fun project!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Paint and Cricut Vinyl
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Stuffed animal holder

I had a friend ask me to build this for her daughter. The bars are bungie cord that you can order by the roll. I made 3 frames the same size then put 2x2's on the inside corners and counter sunk the screws the stapled the bungie cord at the top and the bottom. I would highly recommend securing this to a stud in the wall incase a little one tried to climb on it.

Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Flatware Caddy

Submitted by Eddie A on Sun, 05/31/2020 - 13:19

We camp a lot in our travel trailer and until now we’ve always used a coffee mug to move our utensil around and keep them easily accessible; the problem was, that coffee mug was constantly falling over! I saw this and knew I HAD to make one.

Made this with scrap 2x6 and 2x4 boards which cause the measurements to be a bit different, but the results were still great! Super easy and gonna be very useful!!!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$10
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Varathane Weathered Wood Accelerator
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Wood Storage Mantle

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 02/23/2024 - 10:26

I had been wanting to build a mantle for quite a while but couldn't decide what I wanted it to look like, then I saw the wood mantle with hidden storage plans on Ana's website. I used a steel wool\vinegar mixture as a stain, 3 coats making sure it dried completely before applying the next coat. I finished it off with a beeswax & orange oil wood polish & conditioner. So far I'm storing the remote for the fireplace, the key to the gas for the fireplace and the tool that helps remove the front of the fireplace in there. I'm not sure what else will find it's way in there. I'm very happy with how it turned out.

Julie V.

Built from Plan(s)

Farmhouse Night Stand

Submitted by searcyb on Tue, 07/24/2012 - 20:28

My Wife asked me to look into a night stand for her. I am so so so thankful that I was able to come across Ana's site. I showed the site to her and she asked me to build this night stand as opposed to going out and buying her some expensive poorly built nightstand. Thank you Ana for this wonderful site and the inspiration that some of us need to "get started."

One thing that I didn't think about when I started this project:
The cut list is a suggestion of what you will need to cut. I only ran into one major issue and that was with the inset bottom of my pull out drawer. I cut my drawer sides to the dimensions on the cut list (not paying attention to the note from Ana) and had to adjust my cuts for the drawer. I ended up ripping down the remainder of the 1x12 and paired it with the 1x6 that I had left over. Using the Kreg Jig I now had a perfect fit for my drawer.

I would have liked to have had a darker stain (more of an espresso) and that is my fault for not buying different stains and testing them on my wood choices. As far as my wood choices I used 1x6 and 1x12 "white board" 1x2 and 2x2 precut pine and bought a scrap piece of 1/4in plywood for the backer.

The Kreg Jig made this project very easy to complete as well as my counter sink drill bit. Although not impossible to complete without these two tools it is remarkable easier to complete.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
125
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Bombay Mahogany and Polyurethane
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

DIY Herringbone Cassidy Queen Bed

Submitted by mrcleland on Mon, 05/19/2014 - 06:46

I cannot be happier with the final look of my new bed. I decided to take on this task with intentions to make small changes in the plans based on my needs and preferences. The process was easy and original plans were definitely easy to follow. I had the head or foot boards completed in about 3 hours (without the herringbone pattern). I saw where someone else decided to add a herringbone design and I liked it so I did the same. It was a little tedious but overall not hard at all. Building the frame was easy as well and didn't take long at all. I started running into problems when transporting the footboard. I dropped it from about 2 ft and the leg post snapped off. I thought the pocket holes were not that strong from the beginning. This was not a problem though because I just followed the special note in the instructions and added a 2x2 to the back of each side and attached them with 3 inch wood screws. I did this for the head and foot board and it made me feel more comfortable with the stability overall. I was going for longevity for the bed so I wanted to make it easier to disassemble and move around (screwing the frame in would wear out with a few moves). I went to a woodworking shop and picked up some 5/8 inch insert nuts and bolts to match. I added one to each corner and tightened accordingly. This was by far the biggest headache for me. If I could do it over again there are a few things I would change.
1. I would have sanded my cedar post before attaching them
2. I would have attached my cedar post with the 2x2 and not used pocket holes (I l like pocket holes but not for such a heavy load)
3. I would have drilled and placed my insert nuts on the post before attaching anything to them (this would have helped to ensure a level hole).
My wife and I love the natural look of the wood but it doesn't really go well with the modern contemporary look in our home so we are having a hard time deciding on paint or stain. We are leaning toward stain because we love the grains throughout the bed.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
200.00
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
To be determined
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

spiceylg

Mon, 05/19/2014 - 08:15

I absolutely love how this came out. What did you use for the herringbone part, are those 1x3s?

mrcleland

Mon, 05/19/2014 - 11:08

I used the pine 1x3's from my local home improvement store. They were $1.39 each for a 1x3x8. I used about 15 total. I decide not to go with the select wood for the herringbone and glad I didn't. I feel the less perfect, rounded edges add character.

mrcleland

Thu, 05/22/2014 - 10:35

I like it so much, I am planning to add a box spring to mine. I really like how high yours sits. I also like the color of yours. We are experimenting with stains now and I will post new pics once it has been done. Don't be surprised if it looks very close to yours :). I used cedar for my post so I think it will be hard to match the colors.

mrcleland

Thu, 05/22/2014 - 10:35

I like it so much, I am planning to add a box spring to mine. I really like how high yours sits. I also like the color of yours. We are experimenting with stains now and I will post new pics once it has been done. Don't be surprised if it looks very close to yours :). I used cedar for my post so I think it will be hard to match the colors.

jeannajustfine

Thu, 05/22/2014 - 19:00

I love that you like it so much. Between this and getting picked for Anas brag post of the day on Facebook yesterday, I was walking in the clouds...lol

I used Minwax 1 coat of espresso and 1 coat of jacobean for all the larger pieces. I used Cedar as well for the posts. And it does come out a little redder. Just mess with it till u get something you like. It may not match the rest of your pieces exact, but it will look great once its all together.

I also messed around with the herringbone pieces. I used the same colors of stain but did some with one coat some with 2, some for 30 secs some for as long as 15. It kept the colors along the same line, but gave some variation.

I finished with paste was

As for the mattress. I love how mine sits. Feels very regal being up so high..lol. Its such an awesome bed plan. I cant wait to see yours finished.

Thanks for making my day. That was my very first project. So very cool!

Pallet outdoor sectional!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 08/19/2016 - 17:49

I made the sectional from pallet wood

Needed extra wood for legs to be stable. I made these under the house, and unfortunately had to take apart to get out! luckily  i used screws.

I made to measure after getting the outdoor cushions first.

Taught me heaps

Estimated Cost
Cost of cushions $60nzd and paint $25nzd
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Family Back Deck COVID19 Project Facelift

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 06/02/2020 - 11:53

Thank-you so much Ana White! We took on our back deck as a family COVID19 “homeschool” two weekend project! Why just build a sectional sofa when you can build a sectional sofa, coffee table, farmhouse table with two benches, two Adirondack chairs and a side table that the 11 year old designed and built himself! Mission accomplished, he’s a builder for life.

Our deck was brutally neglected and the boys had had some exposure to power tools and small builds. We decided that the best way to remedy the situation was to set up a family build all at once so that the tools are out and then put back away after the build is complete!

The plans were easy to follow and incredible! Thanks again so very much!

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Stained the sofas, chairs, coffee and end table with outdoor solid stain. Used the same solid stain on the bottom of the farmhouse table benches, and outdoor oil based spar varnish on the farmhouse table and bench tops. Finished the look by refinishing the deck with Behr Penetrating Oil finish in Chocolate and cushions from Lowes for the sofa. Adirondack chair cushions were sewn by myself with Sunderland fabric leftover from front porch, cushion inserts from IKEA.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Cottage Hall Tree

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 02/26/2024 - 10:45

Great plan, I used knotty pine boards for the entire build, including glue up for 2x4 pieces. And the hooks came from a recent visit to England. The wood was reclaimed from a tear down of our family cottage. Using the material gives our new home a sense of history.

Built from Plan(s)

Back To School Podium

I recently landed my first teaching position, and unfortunately my predecessor left quite a blank canvas for my classroom. I will be teaching math and definitely needed a lectern to hold my book as reference for examples during instructional time. However, I was completely unable to fork over $200 for a lectern...so of course I turned to Ana White! I saw the Podium Plan that another had submitted, and used it as a guide with some changes:

1) My dimensions are 15" wide by 21" long by 43" tall (I'm shorter than your average bear).

2) Used the table saw set at 45 degrees to create mitered joint edges with my plywood

3) Inset the shelves into the frame for added stability using a router.

4) Added casters to the base for maneuverability

5) Added an easily-removable laptop shelf for the side for easy hook-up to the Promethean Board in the classroom.

6) Decoupaging my name to the front for some visual interest...(and of course to claim ownership...:) )

My room is painted yellow, and all of my accessories are teal, lime green, and brown. This is gonna look GREAT in there, and best of all, it's attractive AND functional!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$40.00
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Paint and Spray-On Poly
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

birdsandsoap

Sat, 07/28/2012 - 22:23

I don't remember having ANY teachers with anything this cool and personal in their classroom (except maybe woodshop, har-de-har-har). All the other teachers will be jealous!

Liberty Wall Art

Submitted by Malwina on Thu, 05/22/2014 - 11:52

I had a lot of leftover pieces of wood from other projects and really wanted to use them. I have been wanting to build the Liberty Wall Art for a while so I finally got to it. I already had a 2x2 piece of a 1/4 inch plywood so I made my piece smaller, fitting my plywood. Obviously, since my piece was smaller I cut and played with the pieces until it looked good to me and this is how it turned out. I glued everything to the board first and then nailed it from the back because my husband didn't want to see the nails. Also, he didn't want me to distress it so I went with his wishes. I think it would have looked nice distressed but oh well, still looks nice. With my husband being in the military, I really wanted this piece and now it's featured in our dining room! Thanks for the idea Anna! As always your plans are great. We have already build several items from your plans and I can't wait to post these brags!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
free! already had everything
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
used leftover paint from other projects and then put a layer of policrylic
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Emily's playroom chairs

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 08/22/2016 - 12:20

So we had our grandchild Emily needing a play table and chairs, a limited budget, an old play table but no chairs! Ana White to the rescue! We made 4 chairs and painted them and the table to match. As you can see Emily has made lots of new friends over tea! 

Estimated Cost
$30
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Enamel paint and clearcoat
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Picnic table

Got the plans on here had a little trouble with the angles on the seat but overall looks good and was easy to follow the plans

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Free wood just time invested and $10


in screws
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
None yet
Recommended Skill Level
Advanced

Small Upholstered Stool

We just purchased a rolling island to replace our old kitchen table. We wanted to make stools to fit under it properly at the right height. We used all recycled wood and it’s painted with and exterior black semi-gloss paint that I had on hand that I use for my outdoor barn quilts. I covered it with 1” foam, a layer of Dacron and some off white(to match our kitchen cupboards) heavy vinyl. We really like our new look❤️Thank you Ana for sharing all of your plans. We are going to be using more in the future. I just know it.

Mississippi Lakeside Creations.

 

Built from Plan(s)

Laundry closet makeover

Laundry closet makeover. I was tired of having only the one wire shelf to store laundry supplies. So I added a cabinet, hanging rod, and counter-top over the washer/dryer for folding clothes. Also, behind the curtain on the left is a built-in garbage can for lit. Recovered small ironing board in same fabric as curtain and hung it up so save space.

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

Shared room

Submitted by kile529 on Fri, 08/26/2016 - 05:38

We have 3 (almost) teenage boys and needed the storage of the Brookstone bed for their sport gear, etc. I built 2 of them and my 15 year old built his. I can't get over how easy they were to build! This was the first building project I ever made and they turned out beautifully! The headboard took about 2 hours to build and the bed about 5 hours. I was pretty slow though, checking and double checking measurements, glueing and clamping like crazy, being careful not to rush. Still, 7 hours to make the bed and a couple hours to paint, not a bad days work! The lumber cost $144/each so we were happy with the cost of the beds. I would highly recommend furniture movers underneath them. I used 4 huge ones under the ends of the 2x2 supports and small squares under the legs/headboard. They move so easily with them! Thanks, Ana, for a great plan!! We are so thankful and love our new beds!!

Estimated Cost
$144 for lumber
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Grey paint. Wanted a grayish stain but couldn't get the pine to take it the way I wanted it to.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

anita1977

Tue, 12/06/2016 - 07:56

I have 4 boys, but 3 are married and gone now and I bought my youngest a new bed last year, but I would have loved to have been able to make these for the older ones when they were growing up!  Great job to you and your son!

Outdoor furniture

Submitted by td_tx on Sun, 06/07/2020 - 11:33

I used rough cedar to build the patio set. I pre-sanded all pieces to smooth them out and sanded again at the end to limit any remaining splinters. I could not find cedar 2x2, so I ripped all 2x2 from 2x6 using the table saw. The furniture is covered by our porch and we decided to leave it unfinished to let it weather naturally. The plans were modified slightly to accommodate IKEA outdoor cushions. I had some remaining wood, so I built a basic coffee table using some black iron hairpin legs from Amazon.

Estimated Cost
$600 with cushions
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Left unfinished to let the cedar weather
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
Seasonal And Holiday

Surf Shack Bunk Bed (Using Club House Bed Plans)

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 08/28/2016 - 21:39

We decided to follow the Club House bed plans, but we added another bunk below. We did this by adding a foot to the height and duplicating the slats and ends etc. My boys absolutely love this bed! We actually enjoyed building it. I can't wait to try more Ana White plans - they were so easy to follow and it's so satisfying having made something cool from scratch.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
One part water to two parts white paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Playset Addition

Submitted by Derek S on Wed, 06/10/2020 - 08:27

Decided our old play set needed an addition, landed on these plans of Ana's. Sat on them and mulled them over for months. Once the wife said something about adding on to it I made the purchases needed. Connected the two platforms with a bridge. I used 4"x4"x10' for the runners, same boards as the decking for the platform of the bridge(5/4"x6"), 2x4's and 1x4's for the railing. If you look at the 3rd photo, I had to chisel out the 4x4 post to get the 2"x6"x12" support to fit correctly. This should measure 2"x6"x13". Another change I made was to cut the bottom and top trim pieces longer on the front and back sections so that the trim would cover the framing of the gable end walls (see last photo). my son wanted windows so I faked in some windows with scrap 2x2's. I used 2x6's as supports from the 4x4's to the 2x6 framing (see photo 3) I added the monkey bars about a month before deciding to do the platform/deck and playhouse. The ladder is based loosely off of a couple of plans I found online. I was able to do all of this work myself except for the roof. Need my dads help to lift the plywood, he then helped me with the rest of the roof.

Estimated Cost
$1000
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
I used a dark wood stain fore the house, green exterior paint for the trim and white exterior paint for the interior of the house.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Seasonal And Holiday
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