Community Brag Posts

Repurposed Demolition Trunk

I had an old chest I had gotten from the Army many years ago that was used to pack explosives. I had been using it to store some tools until I built a new tool shed. I went ahead and power washed it and then stripped it. I gave it a good sanding and then applied 2 coats of Minwax Antique Maple gel stain. I then top coated it with 2 coats of Minwax fast drying polyurethane. It turned out better than I expected. One of my sons uses it to store his book bags from school.

Estimated Cost
$30
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
2 coats of Minwax Antique Maple stain. 2 coats of Minwax fast drying polyurethane. I applied the stain with a brush. After 15 minutes I wiped it with a cotton cloth. The poly was applied with a brush. I used 320 grit sandpaper between coats. I stripped the old paint off with a cheap paint and varnish remover I purchased at Walmart. I did have to power wash it first because it had quite a bit of oil/grease that was in the wood. I dried the trunk by placing an electric heater next to it over night.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

missinfwb

Thu, 03/01/2012 - 02:28

Just wondering, I always use 3 coats of Minwax fast drying polyurethane on my furniture builds or refinishes. The trouble that I have is the lingering odor. I recently built my son a bed and then finished it and he cant stand the smell and refuses to sleep in it and it has been about 2 weeks or more. Any ideas on how to get rid of the smell quicker. Everything that I have read says it just takes time but surely there has to be a quicker way!! Any suggestions from anyone would be greatly appreciated.

claydowling

Thu, 03/01/2012 - 06:39

At least, that would be my suggestion for him. The smell will dissipate when the smell dissipates, and that's all you can do. You can speed that if the bed is stored in a very well ventilated space for a while, but it's just a matter of the urethane needing to fully cure. That manufacturer estimates four weeks for full cure.

Urethane has a distinctive smell. You can avoid it by using an acrylic finish instead (the water-borne finishes), but acrylic has its own smell that's probably equally offensive.

windjamer812

Sat, 03/10/2012 - 02:27

It does take a little time to cure and eliminate the odor. Any oil based finish; poly, paint, etc. does have a little stronger smell than water based. Try an open box of baking soda. An open window also works wonders. Ever notice how wonderful sheets smell whenever you dry them outside?

Chalkboard Wood workers planning desk

I needed a new desk for my office workspace in the garage. I wanted something inspired, and that would BE inspiring to me as I sit at it. So, I made this chalkboard surface woodworking planning desk with mismatched legs. I love that the legs are mis-matched. LOVE IT. IT would make type a people squirm, but me. Nope, I love it. I quick made some set of sawhorse legs, and a box leg. Attached a 3/4 piece of plywood cut the the size I wanted. Stained the legs dark brown, and rolled on 3 coats of chalkboard paint on the top. Boom!! And the best part of this design, when it gets messy, I just sand it down. And clean it up again with chalkboard spray paint.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$15-$20
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
brown stain and chalkboard paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

4x4 Truss Beam Table

Submitted by WolffA on Fri, 10/11/2019 - 08:15

Used Kreg Jig HD screws and pocket holes with glue. Stained in Dark Walnut. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
250
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Dark Walnut Stain
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Easy Upholstered bench

Wonderful project! Very fun. Built a bench from scrap 2x4s (left in the garage by our home's previous owner, so they were free!) and a piece of MDF shelving. Perfect for our entryway. The bench itself was incredibly easy to build. The hard part, in my opinion, was finishing it. So many pretty things to choose from! I used a piece of 2-inch foam plus a double layer of batting for the top, some striped upholstery fabric, and 160 nailheads to finish it off. Love it.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax stain in cognac, and then two coats of minwax poly.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Guest (not verified)

Sun, 02/19/2012 - 12:54

Love it! Wondering if I could build it and have some type of slipcover on it. (house with three kids under 5 years old does not go well with permanent upholstery! haha)

Guest (not verified)

Fri, 03/09/2012 - 09:06

If you check out Ana's original plans for the Easiest Upholstered Bench, you'll see that she DID use slipcovers! You could make different ones for each season, or for holidays like Christmas or birthdays...

ehahn1

Wed, 10/30/2013 - 08:36

Hi Katie, I am having a difficult time finding fabric (hard to believe)! did you get yours online? How wide are the stripes? most fabric I am finding is not wide enough to cover the top and sides. Thanks for the help! Great build!

Mason Jar Centerpieces

Submitted by bludevil35 on Tue, 12/24/2013 - 05:55

We decided this year to make gifts for our family's Secret Santa!

Thanks again for the plans!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$4 for the handles
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
2 coats of Minwax Dark Walnut
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Dog Bed

Submitted by big mike on Sat, 03/05/2016 - 00:19

Dog bed for our German Shepherd. I will post plans a little later. 

Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

bird Feeder

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 10/14/2019 - 02:52

Bird feeder aksed by my mother. I used rest of IPE wood used for a deck. The thickness is a little big! 22mm but its strong and 30years waranty :) I changed a little bit the dimensions to convert in mm.

Estimated Cost
0
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
not necessary this wood very smooth
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Hudson Dresser

Submitted by ktrinity on Mon, 02/20/2012 - 15:04

Took us about three weeks mostly working on weekends. We could only work when our child was sleeping. A worth while project if you have the time, space and tools needed. It weighs a ton when done. Our higher cost is due to using a higher wood quality and $125 for the eight ball bearing drawer slides. All the plywood is birch, the top is an Aspen panel and the rest is select pine.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$500
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Latex Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Advanced

Comments

KyleV (not verified)

Thu, 10/25/2012 - 11:44

I'm about to start building this and I was wondering how you installed the drawer slides.

Thanks!

Walnut Truss Beam Dining Table

Eight foot Truss Beam Table built out of pine, for about $250 for all of the lumber, pocket screws, stain and poly.

This was my second project, and I found it easier than the Benchright Coffee Table, except for the lifting of the wood. It was so heavy that I needed my husband's help to move the table top after it was pocket screwed together, and we waited until we brought the table inside to attach the base and the table top, due to weight and size.

More photos of the build process: http://thehandcraftedlife.blogspot.com/2013/11/dining-room-progress-diy…

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$250
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Rust-Oleum Ultimate Wood Stain in Dark Walnut (one coat, left on for 5 minutes before removing) + Rust-Oleum Ultimate Polyurethane in Satin (2 coats). Looks nice with a little Old English every once in a while.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Rebecca.Marie

Sun, 01/25/2015 - 16:26

Gorgeous table, and it's now on my to-do list for this summer, but I also love the light fixture! Was this a DIY project as well? I've seen plenty of similar projects using mason jars but I much prefer the variety and shape of the glass covers used in this piece, are they upcycled? Any details I can get would be appreciated!

56x34

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 03/07/2016 - 08:43

Love it. 

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax dark walnut stain and polycrylic.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

TCossins1

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 10/19/2019 - 07:52

I used the 4x4 X Base Pedestal Dining Table with Planked Wood Top plans for the base but I decided to go with a round tabletop because it fits better in our kitchen. The tabletop is 16 2x4’s attached together using pocket holes and wood glue.

Estimated Cost
$150.00
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Varathane “sun bleached” brushed on with a cheap paintbrush and wiped off with a towel after about 1-2 minutes after application.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Plane Shelf

Submitted by sidman on Fri, 02/24/2012 - 18:25

Had to build this when I saw it. My coworker just had their first newborn baby boy and wanted hanging shelf's so I built one out of some scrap wood.

Estimated Cost
0
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Red and black Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

Bedside Table

Submitted by AndyH on Sun, 12/29/2013 - 07:34

First of your plans I followed and already have two more projects on the go for different tables. Great plans and ideas!!!

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Ebony Stain and Satin Poly and then two coats of Minwax Wax to finish.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Bathroom Cabinet

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 03/12/2016 - 06:31

My niece had an area in her master bathroom that she wanted to make into a closet.   Since she is very interested in woodworking I was happy to assist her on her first project.  It was a challenge as one wall was out of plum by 1.5 inches but we managed to successfully address the problem. 

The project turned out very nice and now my niece has a large closet with lots of storage space.  But we also created a monster as she has definitely caught the woodworking bug!  Her birthday is coming up soon and all she wants are tools!

Estimated Cost
350.00
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Interior white paint ... to be applied.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Rustic X-Entryway Table

Submitted by LN2014 on Mon, 03/14/2016 - 21:29

Handmade rustic entryway table. Stained with Varathane Stain and made from 2x4s & 2x6s Canadian white pine

Estimated Cost
$25
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Varathane Ash Stain.
Varathane Polyurethane Satin
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

paveltrudel

Mon, 04/11/2016 - 05:30

Hi,

I really love your entryway table. Do you have a plan that we can use with dimensions and cut list?

Thank you

Tkkl07

Mon, 07/11/2016 - 06:38

This table is beautiful!  Are there any plans?  The link doesn't show the plans or the cut list. Thanks! 

elaina_tanaka

Sat, 08/06/2016 - 19:56

This table is beautiful!  Would you be able to share the plans for this?  Thank you!

 

Brian Famous

Sat, 03/17/2018 - 19:38

I modified the design slightly, by adding feet and a 1x4 board accent (that makes it easier to build).  I'm assuming the overall height is 29.5" and the length is 48".   If you want these to be different, feel free to reach out to me and I can help you adjust. 

You can find the plans here: http://famousartisan.com/diy-x-base-sofa-table-plans-or-entry-table/

Brian Famous

Sat, 03/17/2018 - 19:39

I modified the design slightly, by adding feet and a 1x4 board accent (that makes it easier to build).  I'm assuming the overall height is 29.5" and the length is 48".   If you want these to be different, feel free to reach out to me and I can help you adjust. 

You can find the plans here: http://famousartisan.com/diy-x-base-sofa-table-plans-or-entry-table/

Entryway Bench with Deep Storage Drawers

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 10/28/2019 - 14:02

We needed a better solution for our entry way where kids tended to drop their backpacks and clutter the room. We used the "Mudroom Bench with easy drawers" plans and modified it to be just a little taller for our space. Adding a simply shelf above gave a space to hang up coats and backpacks while shoes and umbrellas can fit in the deep drawers.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
200
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Sherwin Williams lacquer enamel pain in "Pure White" sprayed with a paint sprayer, sanding between coats.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Twin farmhouse with trundle

Twin farmhouse bed with trundle. Slightly modified to make foot board a bit taller.

Estimated Cost
$350
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Red Mahogany stain, with Minwax fast-drying polyurethane.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

staci (not verified)

Thu, 09/06/2012 - 19:19

I would love to get blue prints if u still have them please

Farmhouse daybed

My son plays games while sitting on his bed, we love the farmhouse style, but for room sake and looks, making it this way turned out perfect. Took the basic layout added some thicker boards top and bottom and additional surface boards to give it depth. Since there was no footboard I built a free standing frame, and attached it to the headboard.

Estimated Cost
140
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax dark walnut and satin poly
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

JoanneS

Wed, 01/01/2014 - 06:35

What a fabulous daybed! You did an awesome job! The finish is absolutely gorgeous. And it's so timeless, it will last for generations. :)

Daviddickey

Sun, 01/05/2014 - 16:12

Thank you so much!! My wife helped sand and did some of the finish, it was a fun project... Super heavy, I'm hoping that leads to a lifetime of use.

Linda7

Tue, 01/07/2014 - 10:22

Joanne's comments are spot-on! Love this...and the finish is stunning!

Daviddickey

Tue, 01/07/2014 - 12:08

Thank you Linda!! Just used the wood conditioner, a coat of stain, 3 coats of poly, with a sand in between. I made a kitchen table using the same stain, it really is a beautiful color that my wife picked out.

Kburrell

Tue, 12/22/2015 - 07:42

This is the perfect playroom bed for a boy! I'm looking to build two of them. Every other bed I've searched that is farmhouse style is boarded on three sides. I LOVE this playform style for the same reason you mentioned....they can sit all around on the bed and it's much easier for kids to change bed linens.  I love the "chunkyness" and masculine appeal of this bed! You mentioned using thicker boards on the top.  Would you mind shag what yo used? Also, what did you use to make your "feet" on the bottom? I would appreciate any tips

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