Community Brag Posts
Outdoor DIY Play Set
The one toy that we could not live without! Started this as a 2020 covid project and play on it everyday.
Doll Adirondack Chair
Fun project!
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.
Flatware Caddy
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!!!
Wood Storage Mantle
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.
Farmhouse Night Stand
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.
DIY Herringbone Cassidy Queen Bed
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.
Comments
Mon, 05/19/2014 - 11:08
1x3's
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.
Wed, 05/21/2014 - 10:30
You made one too!!
omg, I love that you made one cause you liked mine! I feel so.... special..lol
Yours looks awesome!! Great job:)
Thu, 05/22/2014 - 10:35
We love your bed
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.
Thu, 05/22/2014 - 10:35
We love your bed
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.
Thu, 05/22/2014 - 19:00
wicked!
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!
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
Family Back Deck COVID19 Project Facelift
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!
Cottage Hall Tree
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.
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!
Comments
Sat, 07/28/2012 - 22:23
great job!
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
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!
Emily's playroom chairs
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!
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
in screws
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.
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.
Shared room
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!!
Comments
Outdoor furniture
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.
Simple Tall Dresser
Simple dresser plans modified to use 6 drawers. Made with Ash wood and clear poly to finish.
Lori Tabor
Surf Shack Bunk Bed (Using Club House Bed Plans)
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.