Community Brag Posts

Beer Keg Tap Handles

I had some left over Walnut wood, so I decided to make some more Beer Tap handles.  This is a fairly simple DIY that doesn't take that long to complete.  I have already written a full tutorial on my blog:

Estimated Cost
scrap walnut + $3 lock insert + chalk tape (optional)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Water Based polyurethane
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Rustic X Coffee Table

This was my first ever attempt at making something real out of wood. I've only made some really basic floating coat hangars and docorative rustic pieces to set around peoples houses and a spice rack. I really wanted more of a challenge and this was a perfect place to start. I had to purchase the Kreg Jig and a couple of large clamps but once I got the hang of drilling and filling pocket holes it was smooth sailing. 

 

The Mrs then finished it off with some lovely rustic baskets and a serving tray with all the latest Southern Living magazines.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$39.97 - Kreg Pocket Hole Jig Model R3

~$60 - various cuts of wood, Home Depot made this easy and cut it all to size for me when purchased. (other than the angled cuts)

$7 - Speed square (for the angled cuts)

$10 -100 count pack of 2 1/2" pocket hole screws & 100 count 1 1/2" pocket hole screws

$7 - Foam brushes
__________________________________
Total: $123 w/some spare wood
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
5 layers of stain are applied in the following order:

1st - Miniwax Dark Walnut
2nd - Varathane White wash Pickling
3rd - Miniwax Classic Gray
4th - Miniwax Dark Walnut (Wiped off almost as fast as it was put on)
5th - 2 coats of clear gloss.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Modified Rustic X Console

Submitted by coreym95 on Wed, 08/19/2015 - 16:04

Modified from the original plans to make it longer and thinner to fit the space/need.  

For the "X" cuts I just built the frame, clamped on a rough length of 2x2 and drew lines where the cuts should go.  I ended up cutting those by hand since they were well over 45 degrees.  Next time I will make a jig for my miter saw to handle those angles.

Finish is just vinegar and steel wool.  The picture with the clamps is before the top coat was applied. Once the poly was put on it gave it a nice gloss and nice, rich colors. 

Now it just needs some decorative pieces sitting on it :)

Finish Used
Steel Wool & Vinegar with 3 coats of poly
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Kari410

Fri, 08/21/2015 - 20:53

Your console turned out great! I was curious if you still have the dimensions you used?

Thanks

Farmhouse Table

I love this table and bench set! Very easy to build and didn't take too much time. We made it a family build. My kids helped put together the benches and table. My wife and kids did all the staining.

Estimated Cost
$150 for lumber and supplies.
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Early American used with a staining pad. We applied two coats for a darker finish.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Inspired by the Farmhouse Bed..... for my Dog!

Submitted by dmanar33 on Wed, 06/22/2011 - 20:15

Inspired by Ana's Farmhouse Bed plans, I built this dog bed for my Jack Russell. I measured and planned for it to comfortably fit two standard bed pillows (in waterproof covers of course!). She loves it!

Estimated Cost
$20ish
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Primer and latex eggshell paint with glaze on top
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Mgoodlin

Thu, 10/03/2013 - 08:49

I love this dog bed and want to make it for my puppy's Christmas gift. Where can I find or purchase the plans to make it?

Toddler bunk beds

Submitted by jarsofclay on Sat, 08/03/2013 - 19:01

well after I made my daughters bunk beds my toddlers were begging and begging me to make them a bunk bed so this weekend I decided to make a toddler bunk bed. So here it is and I'm here to share with you all.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
I stained it with early english stain
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

CreativeChaos

Sun, 08/04/2013 - 16:20

That is absolutely adorable! We know all about the little ones wanting to be like the big ones. Great job!

jarsofclay

Mon, 08/05/2013 - 15:57

Thankyou very much! Yeah it was every day every time I'd go into my work shop they asked if I was making their beds

herrejon

Sun, 10/13/2013 - 17:48

Hi! it's just what we're looking for!
do you have plans or something like instructions por dummys :)
i'm a begginer

herrejon

Sun, 10/13/2013 - 19:11

Thanks a lot! It looks so easy! Can't wait to start! I'll share with you our happy little faces when it's done :)

More From Johnnie8!

Submitted by Johnnie8 on Mon, 08/24/2015 - 04:23

Hi Ana,

 Here are a few more pics of some tables I've built! I would love to know what people think!

Thanks!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
My own blend of stain, paint and wax. Finished with a poly sealer.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Buffet, serving table

I made this buffet, serving table to go with a large gathering farmhouse table I made. I loosely used the farmhouse table plans but did some designing of my own based on a picture my friends had of what she wanted.

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Varathane - Kona stain
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Dog Kennels

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 04/24/2022 - 10:20

Here's some photos of customer products I have built, over the past 2 years.

 

by Bob

bar stool and side table!

Submitted by Marisol on Mon, 06/27/2011 - 19:33

i made this a while back, but just got through painting it. Saw it was a great table for drinks, will serve a double purpose.

Estimated Cost
$10
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Behr outdoor white paint and killz outdoor primer
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

Marisol

Tue, 06/28/2011 - 11:24

I was surprised at how sturdy it is, although my husband is still scared to sit on it, but it's sturdy! :)

spiceylg

Wed, 06/29/2011 - 11:01

Nice job and I absolutely love your profile pic! That's the best!

Hey. I built a bed!

Submitted by Al Lulu on Mon, 08/05/2013 - 17:19

Well, one thing's for sure. Follow Ana's plans and everything will come out just right.

Oh. And another thing. I can't get my kid out of this bed! It's awesome. And really simple to make.
Thanks, Ana!

Estimated Cost
$125-$180
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Suede Gray Beauty

Submitted by pfossi on Thu, 08/27/2015 - 18:25

This was produced from the Queen version by adding 16 inches to the width of several of the pieces of wood.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$250
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Webster Chalk Paint added to Behr Ultra. Finished with several coats of bees wax,
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Split Chevron Trestle Table

Submitted by rbgreene04 on Wed, 04/18/2018 - 22:32

I followed the X-table plans for the base and then went a little nutty on the table top. I also beefed up the bottom stretcher on the base as I felt it complemented the 4x4s used for the feet well. I left off the diagonal braces as I liked the contrast of the beefy legs and stretcher and the open airy appearance between the base and tabletop. There were several blogs/ideas on Pinterest about a Chevron style table top. I took pieces from all of them for my design. The table measures 99.75 inches long by 41 inches wide. I thought being a quarter inch under 100 was a bit quirky and did it merely for that reason. Oh and please forgive the photo bomb by my daughters. I could not take a picture without getting at least one of them in the frame. My oldest is being a little silly in the pic trying to show the detail of the Chevron design--or split Chevron as I'm calling it. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Under $100
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
My last outdoor table failed miserably (it was a beautiful design IMO, of plywood strips layed on edge to create a striated table top). I finished that failure with spar urethane specifically for boats. But plywood, while extremely stable indoors, is a terrible choice for outdoors. Lesson learned. For this table I used a deck stain and sealer. It's Olympic Maximum in Canyon Brown color. Hopefully I'll have better luck!
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Hope Chest

Submitted by Daniel B on Sun, 04/24/2022 - 13:26

Wooden chest built by Daniel!

Comments

Kreg Jig Workbench

Submitted by angiemicn on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 04:02

I wanted to start building right away....But had nowhere to build! Anna suggested the Kreg Jig, and since my birthday is when I found the site, "suggested" this as a gift to my daughter, who passed it on to the big guy...and viola, Master Kreg Jig. Happy Birthday to me! I got the plans from the Kreg Jig Community....super helpful site, answer all questions, and a great resource to beginner builders.
The worktop is made of 2 pieces of MDF, which is SUPER durable. Loved working with it. This took a day, and not a day goes by that I don't use or get some kind of compliment on it. What's really neat is there is a utube video to follow as you build geared towards the just starting out builder, which shows layout, cuts, jigging, very easy to follow. Plan is on Kreg Jig Community, free if you register, as well as lots of cool free plans....not quite as cool as Anna's :)
Very reasonably priced about $70 inc 100 ct Kreg screws

Estimated Cost
72.00
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
left unfinished
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Moose Head

Submitted by Newfey on Wed, 08/07/2013 - 17:37

This is a wall ornament I made for my daughter for their get away home on the golf course at Canadian Lakes, MI. "No animals were hurt in the mounting of this moose head" The only thing to suffer was a few pieces of scrap wood that I had laying around.

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax stain and spar varnish. Just something that I had lawing around
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Newfey

Fri, 08/09/2013 - 08:24

My daughter say a small one on a shelf in a little restaurant in Stanwood, MI and told me that she would like one, only larger. That was as large Asia could make it wit the scrap wood that I had laying around.

Newfey

Fri, 08/09/2013 - 08:29

My daughter say a small one on a shelf in a little restaurant in Stanwood, MI and told me that she would like one, only larger. That was as large as I could make it with the scrap wood that I had laying around.

4x4 Truss Beam Table -Modified Size

My husband and I moved in to our new house last fall and we needed a dining table that would seat at least 8. We picked this plan from Ana's site because I love the look of the 4x4 beams. I used Adobe Illustrator and my math skills to modify the size and scale to fit our dining room with exact spacing all the way around. We had difficulty finding untreated 4x4 beams but were able to special order some for a reasonable price from a local lumber company. It is more expensive than combing 2x4s but I did not like the pieced together look of the 2x4s. We stained with Rustoleum Dark Walnut and Matte Poly just like the blog post from Ana's site. We also used the Kreg Jig HD which is SO AWESOME! We love the table. Now we just need to decide: chairs vs. benches. I hate to block the beautiful truss design of the base. Its so gorgeous!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Around $200 including the Kreg Jig HD, screws, sandpaper, and glue.
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Rustoleum Dark Walnut
Rustoleum Matte Polyurethane
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

MrCoffee

Mon, 08/31/2015 - 14:18

I love this table.  The finish came out great by the looks.  My wife and I are moving into a house soon and I think this is going to be the design for our table as well.

jlandttc

Mon, 09/07/2015 - 06:21

What a beautiful table!  Is this table square?  We are also looking to build a table to sit 8 and love the look of yours.  Could you share your cut list or dimensions?  

Spayton821

Thu, 12/10/2015 - 06:59

I am so in love with his table. We have a family

of 7 and are looking to replace our current dining room table and this would be perfect.  Is there any way you could share your measurements. 

Jake'n'Leelo

Mon, 08/29/2016 - 06:08

Thank you for all the kind comments! I did not know that I had gotten any and had not checked back over the past year. The jump drive with my dimensions on it got damaged last year shortly after the build and I lost all of my home decor files including the AI with my cut list and dimensions. I know it had been a while since several of your comments but I will see if my husband can help me measure the table and figure out what the dimensions are and post them on here for you. Happy Woodworking!

topdowndoorsoff

Tue, 11/15/2016 - 18:01

This table really looks great!  I'm about to start making one and would love to know the dimensions you used. I also noticed that you didnt use the bread boards on either end.  How many people does this table fit?

Thanks!

 

Accidental Sectional

Submitted by JoanneS on Fri, 05/18/2018 - 09:44

This project evolved from us purchasing the wrong foam to go under 4 area rugs.  After it didn’t work for the first rug, we had 3 more rolls of the stuff that we couldn’t take back to the store (we had waited too long to do a return).  I originally had intended to buy an inexpensive sectional sofa for the downstairs family room, but with all this foam staring at me, I decided to put it to use and make sofa cushions.  There was enough foam to do a whole sectional!

 

The sofa frame is based on Ana’s Outdoor 2x4 Sectional sofa.  I adjusted the size, because the fabric I wanted to use was 54” wide, and that would fit nicely around a 22” deep x 4” thick cushion.  Each cushion is 11 layers of the foam (seat cushions: 67 x 22 x 4, backs: 67 x 18 x 4). That length for the cushions fit exactly into the 8 yards of fabric available on the bolt.  The next week I ended up going back for some more fabric for the corner cushion and an ottoman that's in work. 

 

I had the frame assembled and was ready to add the final upper back pieces, when Hubby suggested we give it a slanted back.  That required a little re-engineering and a couple of extra boards on the back and armless end.  Instead of using 2x4s the full length for the seat, I had used some 1x2 furring strips reclaimed from another project.  Also used some of those for the upright pieces for the backs.  Added some 1x6 to top the arms and ½ x 3 ½” craft boards to the front to hide the cut 2x4 ends.

 

The cushions are covered in a polyester faux tooled suede (fabric from Hobby Lobby).  The cushion covers are slightly loose on purpose, to give the nice worn squishy look that a real soft leather sofa cushion would have.

 

It’s surprisingly comfy and we love the look! 

 

 

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
The finish is 2 coats of Clark & Kensington Satin enamel in Winter Storm. 

Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Ana White

Tue, 06/05/2018 - 14:47

You are so resourceful!  Love how this turned out!  Thanks so much for sharing such detailed instructions, much appreciated!