Community Brag Posts

Nightstand

Submitted by Klem413 on Sun, 12/18/2011 - 18:05

Another project my husband worked diligently on! It took him forever because he's a perfectionist, but he finally got one done. He used a piece of 3/4" plywood framed with mitered wood instead of the planks for the top. Now, on to the other one.

Estimated Cost
20.00 each
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax Poly Shades Bombay Mahogany
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Debbie440

Wed, 01/22/2014 - 07:51

I love the way the top is done.......... I made a bed and stained it with the same stain as you used. I'm hoping my nightstand turns out like yours.

Reclaimed wood-look headboard

Submitted by TxDork76 on Sat, 11/09/2013 - 21:52

A friend found Ana-White, found the plans and asked if I could build this for her. I'm still new to building, so this was a great, easy project to work on. I went with slightly less expensive boards/furring strips. It means more searching/digging though.

Jaime_C mentioned having to use boards on the back to brace/even up the face boards as much as possible so I did this as well.

We were very happy with the finish. She painted a couple of coats of the base color (antique beige) then we glazed the headboard. We thought about distressing but the practice board looked great without it. I wiped on the glaze and she followed wiping it off to get the look she wanted. The picture really does the finish no justice.

Great plans, easy to follow and fun to build.

Estimated Cost
$80
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
base coat of ?Glidden? Antique Beige (satin) Rustoleum Java Brown semi-transparent glaze.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Privacy wall

We needed some privacy from the neighbors and to hide their pool equipment and voilà!!! 4 2x4 for the frame 22 1x4 for the slats

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$176
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
None
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Modern Farmhouse Bed

Submitted by DCecil43 on Mon, 07/08/2019 - 19:54

Just like my previous post on the nightstands, It was cheaper to build a bed than I envisioned instead of searching for something over priced.  I found the plans for this bed on the site but made the headboard a little over 6 feet tall.  This came out amazing and really compliments the nightstands.  I also built the sconces that are centered over the nightstands to keep the tops of the nightstands clean and not cluttered.  They also have touch pads for the lights mounted behind the bed to make them easy to turn on and off.

This is hands down the best transformation in any room in my house.  Ana, you saved me a ton of money with DIY.  I even picked up most of the Kreg jigs along the way which is an added bonus!

Estimated Cost
$275
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Early American Stain and Minwax Satin Polyurethane
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Clubhouse bed

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 04/14/2023 - 05:36

My dad and I built this for my son. He wanted a treehouse bed so that’s what he got.

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Faux Fireplace

I tweaked the plans to fit the spot I had in mind- It's a little skinnier, but still super cute!

I eliminated some of the extra trim, but I don't think it suffers any for it.

It's super cute!

Estimated Cost
50
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
I sealed the knots with kilz primer and then used a paint and primer in one that I had laying around for the white.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

jackiemacrae

Mon, 11/11/2013 - 14:47

Thanks Ana!
I have this set up in my photography studio. The floors are just ripped 1/4 inch plywood painted brown, then the crackle stuff, and then a top coat of white, and a poly to seal it.

Pam the Goatherd

Thu, 11/14/2013 - 09:50

The "fireplace" looks really good! And I'm glad to hear how you did your floor. I've been trying to convince my hubby to do a 1/4" plywood floor in our trailer as a temporary fix until we can either afford to put down "real" flooring or build the house we have been intending to build on this piece of property for the past 17 years. I've pointed out that we can replace the almost 30 year old, worn-out vinyl and carpet in the living room, kitchen and main hallway for less than $300 including paint/stain and polyurethane. But he thinks it will look tacky. I'm going to show him your picture so he can see for himself that it can look pretty doggone good!

jackiemacrae

Thu, 11/14/2013 - 10:37

Hi Pam- try googling plywood floors if you haven't already. I know I've seen some bloggers use plywood floors in their laundry room , and rec rooms.

Claras Table and $4 stackable chairs sized for 18" Dolls.

Submitted by pjhaan on Mon, 12/26/2011 - 07:48

I decided to make the Clara table and the $4 stackable chairs for my daughters for Christmas. They were not for them though but rather for their American Girl dolls. I had to modify the plans to work for standard 18" dolls.

The Table:
It is a little taller than it should be but it allows the doll to fit under the table/apron while sitting in an appropriately sized chair (5" seat).

I also changed the length from 18" to 15 1/2" so the cuts could be made from a 4ft board.

3 - 1 x 6 @ 15 1/2" (Top) (1 @ 4ft)
4 - 2 x 2 @ 10" (Legs) (1 @ 4ft)
2 - 1 x 3 @ 10 1/2" (End Apron) (1 @ 4ft)
2 - 1 x 3 @ 9" (Side Aprons)

The apron is 1 1/2 inches. a 1x2 would probably work for the aprons too. You could then shorten the table legs by about an inch.

The Chairs:
The over all dimensions are now 12" H (back), 5 1/2" H (seat) X 6" W X 6 1/2" D

Cut List:
2 - 1×2 @ 4 1/4" (Side Aprons)
2 - 1×2 @ 5" (Side Supports)
3 - 1×2 @ 4 1/2" (Front Legs and Front Apron)
7 - 1×2 @ 6" (4 Seat Slats, 2 Back Slats and Back Apron)
2 - 1×2 @ 12" (Back Legs)

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
White paint. I used some Valspar paint on the table and one chair then decided it would take too long to get all the cracks and crevices. On the other three chairs, I used Krylon Spray paint. I put two coats of the spray paint on the first chair for better coverage.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

KAD050209 (not verified)

Tue, 10/09/2012 - 17:19

For the dimensions you have for the chairs... Is that to make one chair only? I so0o0o wanna make this for my DD! She'll love it!

Toddler Day Bed

Not bad for our first project...We love it and so does our daughter! Followed the directions except we did 1x10's instead of 1x6's and we left one inch to hold the mattress on instead of the 1/2 inch it called for since we bought her a foam mattress it needed a piece of plywood for extra support.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$120 total. The wood alone was $90. We had the sheet and crib skirt.
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Headboard was fitted with a velour crib sheet. Bottom of bed we used her crib skirt that was made of tulle.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

JoanneS

Thu, 11/14/2013 - 16:19

This is just darling! Absolutely beautiful. Congratulations on a terrific first project!

Farmhouse night stand

I loved this plan. It fits perfect in our daughter's bedroom as a night stand.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax special walnut and ebony
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

2x4 sofa and chairs

Submitted by papadog on Mon, 07/22/2019 - 08:01

Combined the 2x4 sofa and 2x6 chair plans. Added the extra 2x6 under the arm rest, to keep future pillows from falling through the gap. Great plans! Thanks!

Estimated Cost
$700, including cushions (on clearance at Lowe’s) and fire table (on sale at Amazon).
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Exterior paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

papadog

Wed, 08/14/2019 - 23:38

Thank you! Actually added another couch, two side tables, and a ottoman to match! Looks like it came out of a magazine! Planning on doing one of your bedframes next. Love your site!

 

MartyMcFly

Mon, 12/21/2020 - 12:04

@papadog - I love your build and the way you iterated on the plans to make it work best for your specific needs. I'm in the process of building off these plans myself, and the one thing I cannot figure out is how the base of the back is intended to be secured to the sides. In the plans (step 7) it just says "secure to the sides using 2 1/2" screws". Am I supposed to drill from the outside of the sides into the back base? I'd like to avoid that, and based on the pictures, it looks like you have. If you can share how you secured the back base to the sides for your build, I would be very grateful.

Rustic X

Submitted by khump1990 on Tue, 04/25/2023 - 10:57

This was a big undertaking for indoor furniture and I learned so much! I slightly adjusted the size to what I had available with some scrap wood from my old stairs so saved a little on costs with lumber!

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

one more farmhouse doll bed

Submitted by justqltin on Wed, 12/28/2011 - 19:27

A cooperative project. Hubby made the bed and I did the bedding.

Estimated Cost
$10
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
going to paint it white
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Modified washer/dryer pedestal

Submitted by KaraBoo on Wed, 02/03/2016 - 09:32

I loved the idea of building a washer and dryer pedestal for extra laundry basket storage underneath! Sashua's is beautiful so I took her idea and modified it a bit to work for me. My washer is very, very heavy and I was worried that if there was no support under the weight in the middle, it would start to bow and sag. The original plan also put the washer too high for me to have been able to use without a step stool. So in my modification I screwed cleats into the 2X4 frame of the laundry room wall, placed the 3/4" plywood on top of it and screwed it in. In the front, I used 4X4's as the two corner leg supports and then added two 1X6 supports in the front center, creating three laundry basket bays. I placed it directly onto the floor as opposed to building the bottom base. This saved me money since I was able to buy half the lumber and also allowed me to lower the height of the platform while leaving enough space for my baskets. The top of my platform is approximately 14 1/2" high, which is just low enough so that I can see into the soap filling compartment at the top of the washer. Being that I'm only 5'2" I would have needed to use a step stool to use my washer at the original 19 1/2" plan height. I framed the top edge of the platform with 2X2's, to ensure that my washer or dryer never walked off the edge. Finally, I added some trim along the front edge and around the legs and that's it!

Estimated Cost
$60
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Codding58

Mon, 02/15/2016 - 12:25

I REALLY like this modified version, I think it looks GREAT!    when you say you screwed cleats to the back wall, are you talking a 2x4 across the back fastened to the studs, or what did you use?    I think my wife would love this version, and I may just have to get started on one myself.   yes

Fancy Outside Dining table!

Submitted by cfrascone on Mon, 07/29/2019 - 08:55

After looking for an outside table with no luck, not to mention the unbelievable price tag, I asked my husband to make me this table..He worked on it for the day with my son and ILOVE the way it came out!!! The plans were simple and easy to follow. Thank you Ana!!!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Stain
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Raised Planter Stand

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 04/30/2023 - 13:02

Created the stand for the raised planter using 2X2 assembled using dowels. Painted the stand mixing black with a bit of white to simulate metal. The actually plastic window box fits within a wood open box with mitered corners fir clean log. Bottom of the stand provides a shelf using (9) 2X2s with a dado placed on either end to fit on the runners of the stand.

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Entryway Closet Drawers - Done

Submitted by cdswhite on Sun, 01/01/2012 - 20:28

We're still working on these but I wanted to show an in progress picture. Getting organized is fun! I've got lots more details on my blog if you're interested.

Update: We're all done with the drawers and they are the perfect way to organize and create storage in the entryway. It was a lot work getting them to fit into the closet but well worth it.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$110
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
We'll be painting these white when they're all done.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

sdevost (not verified)

Tue, 09/04/2012 - 11:21

Do you have a detailed how-to for these closet drawers.
I love the cut out portion at the top - and I have been trying to find an affordable alternative to the Ikea Stolmen drawers ($120 for 2 drawers)
If you could perhaps send me some details on materials, sizes, how you did the cut out at the top - that would be great.
Thank you
Stephanie

Farmhouse Storage Bed = Amazing

Submitted by hechoenwi on Tue, 11/19/2013 - 15:18

We bought our first home this year and I wanted a new bed frame for my new home. This plan was perfect for our narrow bedroom in our small 100+ year old home. It fits right in with the character of the home and provides a lot of needed extra storage. I did try to make the drawers but as the instructions state drawers are tricky for beginners! So for now I will leave the drawers off. This bed is very sturdy. No one can believe I made it all by myself!

Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Behr Ultra Swiss Coffee with antiqued edges
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

King Farmhouse Storage Bed

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 08/18/2019 - 15:41

After a successful attempt at Ana’s farmhouse desk I decided to make a bed for my wife... needless to say I think she likes it! Thanks to Ana and Pretty Handy Girl’s plans! (This is my 3rd woodworking project)

Estimated Cost
700
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Valspar Cabinet Enamel
Minwax Dark Walnut stain
minwax Polycrylic satin polyurethane

I used acetone to transfer the graphic I designed for my inlay. I carved out the inlay with a router. I stained the wood and then painted the surface black.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Adirondack chair

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 05/05/2023 - 07:30

I used 1 by 8 rather than 1 by 10 for seating. Nice cedar was used, very comfy, thanks for the plan

Comments