Community Brag Posts

Entry console

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 10/04/2021 - 15:23

I used one by material because I wanted a piece that was less bulky. I also made side tables from the same plan.8 love these, they are exactly what I have been looking for!

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Reclaimed wood headboard -- queen sized

This is my first project, and it turned out really well! I bought the wood at Home Depot. It is pine (except for the crowning 2x4, that's douglas fir because Home Depo didn't have that size in pine) and I probably spent about $150 just on the wood, and then I also bought a palm sander, corded drill, circular saw, and Kreg Jig. I also bought pre-stain, stain, and polycrylic finish which added another $45. Plus I spent money on sand paper, clamps, Kreg Jig screws, and some nails.

I included the picture of the back to show how I used the Kreg Jig. I used it to not only attach the middle part to the sides, but I made the middle part one connected piece so it would be extra sturdy, tight, and pieces would not bow when leaned against. The back isn't pretty, but it's against the wall so no one can see. The Kreg Jig is awesome and I'm glad I bought it so I can do other projects.

I also included a photo of the bottom of the side. I used a scrap piece of wood to make it more sturdy since that's where I drilled the holes to bolt it to the bed's metal frame.

Between sanding, assembly, and finishing I worked on this over the course of about two months on the weekends. If you don't sand much and keep the finish more simple you could potentially get it done really fast. But since this is something we plan on using in our master bedroom for years to come I wanted to try to make it perfect. It still has a handful of mistakes (I learned a lot), but my joke is "it's a reclaimed wood headboard."

Now that I've got the tools I'm on to building matching side tables, and pending that goes well the plan is to build a dresser.

Estimated Cost
$200 (wood, stain, and sand paper)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Before staining I watched a bunch of You Tube videos to get a feel for it. The finish is Minwax pre-stain (one coat), Minwax Provincial (three coats), and Minwax Polycrylic (three coats). When using pine wood you want a pre-stain to prevent blotchiness. My intention was to only do one or two coats of the Provincial (I liked what a couple people in the brag posts had done with provincial), but I had a couple spots that showed imperfections in the wood that could not be seen before staining, which I had to sand down and then restain. I also had a few small spots where the wood glue made it so I had to sand more (even though I sanded a lot!) and re-stain. I used a nice brush to apply the stain for the first couple coats, but the third I used a rag so I could focus on the areas I wanted to hit and not let it soak as long. The Polycrylic really did a great job at making the surface hard to prevent dings. The hard part I found was that its a large project and Polycrylic drys really fast, so even just doing one side I'd get to the bottom, fix a drip at the top, and then end up with some brush strokes. Polycrylic is water based so it doesn't smell so bad when you're using it and it's easier to clean the brushes.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Printer's Coffee Table

Submitted by jbolson21 on Tue, 04/07/2015 - 16:09

Coffee Table

Estimated Cost
Can't remember
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
poly
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Modern Farmhouse Table

Submitted by seesaw on Wed, 03/09/2011 - 18:10

This was our first project. We followed Ana's directions basically word for word. It turned out beautifully! We like the look and easy care of the benches.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$50
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
A mix of Golden Oak and Early American Minwax stain
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Modified Rectangular Planter

Submitted by Steb-Ban on Wed, 05/22/2013 - 14:24

I modified the plan a little to make a rectangular 4 foot long planter and added a top.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$35
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Wood Finish "Red Chestnut" followed by Thompson's Water Seal.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

creativekidd

Sun, 06/26/2016 - 18:25

I know it's been 3 years, but do you recall how many cedar boards you bought? This is the exact size i need. Thanks.

Modified Apothecary End Table w/ Shims

Submitted by ncderemer on Sat, 04/11/2015 - 12:28

I made the shim bed a long time ago and really liked the look  and height of the apothecary side table. I can put all my books and stationary and the stuff I want stashed next to my bed. I modifyied the plan slightly to have shims make up the front panels so it has a slight rustic feel to it and matches my bed. Thanks to Ana's plans I am starting to make my own bedroom set for under $300 bucks and completely to my taste. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Flat black paint and kona stain
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

2 X 4 Farm table with Maple and Walnut top

I really liked the basic table design.  But since it was going in my wife's medical office I decided to make the top out of Maple and Walnut.  It turned out to be a very big job.  I had to Straighten the edges of the boards so that they would fit together without a space between the boards and then put them through a planer.  I then glued the edges and used Kreg screws to put it all together. Surprisingly it all fits and the base sits flat and level.  I spent a great deal of time measureing all of the 2 X 4s in an effort to make sure that the base was level and the angles all work. 

Estimated Cost
$300
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
We first stained the base and then painted it white. The intent was to sand through the white paint for a used look. It did not really work so we left the base white. The table top was finished with Teak oil in order to bring out the Walnut grain. It works well but smells awful and we had to leave the top outdoors for two weeks until the smell dissipated.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Child's Bench with Arbor

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 10/04/2021 - 19:25

I love the way this bench turned out! And your plans were so simple to follow (as always). Thanks do much for sharing all your plans!!

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Storage Daybed

Submitted by ferbit on Thu, 03/10/2011 - 08:15

Ana White storage daybed with baskets! Of all the projects I've done based on Ana's plans, this is my favorite. It was my first staining project EVER so I was terrified. I am so in love with how this turned out. The boxes were made using birch plywood and the trim was all pine. Lots of gorilla wood glue (I think it's the least drippy) and a mix of nails (using our new nail gun) and countersunk screws. I used screws for the plywood and nails for the trim. After sanding... and sanding... and sanding... :) Finish is two coats of Minwax Red Mahogony stain (conditioned it first) and then three coats of Minwax Fast Drying Polyurethane in semi-gloss. Did I mention how much I love this color????? I did my best to get all of the glue sanded out, but I did miss in a few spots (end of this cubby...) But I am still thrilled because you can hardly notice. I've used a miter saw before, but never MITERED corners like this and I am so proud of my self with how they came out! :) I used longer, narrow felt pads along the bottom of each bench (for on each). On the bed is the Katy 5-Piece Daybed Set from Amazon. I got the sweater-like throw on Overstock.com. Baskets from World Market! :)

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
I did two very dark coats of Minwax Red Mahogany stain. Meaning, I glopped it on with a disposable staining pad pretty heavy and then let it sit on the wood for a full 15 minutes before wiping it off. :) I did this for both coats.

For ME, prepping it with the wood conditioner first made all the difference in the world! It really evened out the wood grain variations and gave it a beautiful store-bought look.

I did a test on some scrap without conditioner and the wood grain was too prominent for me (and a lot of people like that look). I love the more muted grain look.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Craft Table

Submitted by brittanyj on Sat, 05/25/2013 - 17:30

With some modifications, the Cubby bookcase Craft Table!
Particular things I changed to fit my needs:
Made it to fit next to the corner desktop so I could have one long cohesive workstation that looked more built-in. That meant drawers on the left instead of cubbies. I glued a tape measure on the front for material cutting.
And, the piece de resistance: A roll-out spool holder.
I am VERY happy with how this turned out. Thank you Ana!

Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Satin white paint, polyurethane on top.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Deck Pass Through Console Table

Submitted by valpal5 on Thu, 04/16/2015 - 20:41

When we remodeled our kitchen we had a piece of leftover granite which was previously used as a bar top.  Rather than having it go to waste, my husband used the plans for the rustic x console table and modified it to add another level.  The goal was to use this as a pass-through from the kitchen windows to the deck.  We also added wheels to the bottom of the table to make it portable, to be used as a bar or a grilling station.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
None
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Brandy scrap wood storage bed

Submitted by Nikkit45 on Fri, 08/18/2017 - 17:01

Was really excited to build this when I moved in to my new home. It's such a functional piece! I used different types of wood to cover it instead of staining it different shades. That was a fun puzzle to figure out. Really love it and thanks for the free plans!

Estimated Cost
3-400$
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Varathane clear diamond wood finish
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Modified Washer/Dryer Pedestal

When Ana hacked Sausha's washer/dryer pedestal, I knew I had to have my own version.

This laundry center measures 34"H x 49-1/2"W x 21"D and provides the perfect place for corralling and sorting Mt. Washmore, and also gives me the perfect height table to fold and stack.

Estimated Cost
$130
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Kilz latex primer, two coats Behr semi-gloss in Calla Lilly, two coats Minwax Polycrylic on all surfaces except top and basket shelves which got four coats each
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Cabin Bench Swing

Submitted by dbergerson on Mon, 05/27/2013 - 15:15

An afternoon project that went great. Kids love it.

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

Comments

Butcher Block Kitchen Island

Submitted by zeneslev on Mon, 04/20/2015 - 21:09

A spin on the original design. Made an end grain butcher block table top out of cherry and red oak. 3 applications of minwax gunstock stain on the pine.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$250
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

JoanneS

Tue, 04/21/2015 - 01:44

What a gorgeous butcher block top! Wow! Beautiful work. I love the details you put on the drawer fronts as well, and the finish color is lovely!

Bench

Submitted by bilalai on Sat, 09/02/2017 - 12:34

First project. Thank you Ana for getting me started. 

Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Wood stain and sealant
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Perfect space savers for my tiny patio

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 10/05/2021 - 08:55

I bought a condo but I didn’t have a lot of space to entertain and grow things so these storage benches were the perfect solution thanks Anna for making such great easy to use plans out there for people of all skill levels

Comments

Raised Garden Beds

Submitted by kari on Sat, 03/12/2011 - 09:54

I made these last summer for my sister. And she didn't even use them yet! Very easy to make. She did want them taller, so that is the only modifacation I made. We're hoping the bunnies won't notice all the yummy veggies up this high :) I know, probably wishful thinking. Makes a great kid corral too.

Estimated Cost
it's been a while
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
none
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project
Seasonal And Holiday