Outdoor Chairs and Cedar Storage Chest
Ana White chairs along side my Ana White cedar storage chest (one of my 1st builds). Ana, thank you for the plans & for inspiring us to build!
Keith from Springdale, AR
Community Brag Posts
Saw Horse Work Bench
This was my first project off of Ana's site. I followed her simple sawhorse table plans verbatim. The only thing different I did was use a self-made chalkboard paint for the top (instructions under the finish section) and added screws to the left side to mount my power strip with (easy on and off for everything on the bench). I made the top a chalkboard top so that I could write notes on the table and mark measurements for various projects. Costs were $30 for wood (some leftover), $8 for paint, $2 for screws, and $5 for surge protected power strip. If you have any other questions please let me know.
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$45
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Espresso stain for legs and a self-made dark blue chalkboard paint for top (mix about 1 cup of paint with 2 tablespoons of non sanded tile grout).
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
King Farmhouse Bed
Second project ive completed from Ana White, and I am very happy with how this bed turned out! The only thing I would fix would be the finish, I wanted it a bit whiter. not so creamy. Otherwise very quick and easy fun project to do. =)
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$300
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
1 coat of a basic latex white paint.
Then I sanded down just so raised grains would become exposed.
1 coat of dark walnut stain (wipe on with cloth)
Done.
Then I sanded down just so raised grains would become exposed.
1 coat of dark walnut stain (wipe on with cloth)
Done.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project
Comments
Thu, 05/22/2014 - 16:34
Thank You Ana.
Thank you for sharing all of these awesome projects. I was always hesitant when it came to wood, but now I cant seem to stop!
Tue, 06/10/2014 - 08:13
More about your finish
How exactly did you achieve this finish? sand first, paint second, sand again and then stain?
In reply to More about your finish by JGoates
Wed, 06/11/2014 - 13:43
How I got the finish!
(You can do all this before or after your project is put together or not.)
Be sure to do a test piece before hand so you can see exactly what your getting :)
The first step I did once the head board and foot board were put together, was to sand any sharp edges or corners. I liked mine rounded and worn looking. I did not sand anything else.
Second step is to paint 1 even coat of a basic white latex paint.
Third step is to sand away some white paint. because we didnt sand it before hand the grains in the wood will be very bumpy. so the paint on the grains will sand off while the paint lower than the grain will remain. makes sense? hopefully i explained that right!
Fourth step is to now wipe on the stain of your choice. I went with Dark walnut. It stains the paint a bit bringing the white to a gray/brown tone. and stains the wood dark walnut so the grain patterns show up dark.
Let me know if you have any other questions and good luck!
Thu, 01/29/2015 - 07:49
sanding
What grit of sand paper did you use to sand off the white paint? and did you sand it by hand? Also, for the dark walnut stain, did you wipe off immediately or leave it on for a bit before wiping? Beautiful bed, I want to achieve this look!
Fri, 02/06/2015 - 09:15
Hi jbogan15, thank you!
Hi jbogan15, thank you!
For sanding I used a palm sander with 120 grit to get the job done a bit quicker, than went over lightly with 220. When staining I actually just dipped a rag in the stain and would wipe the stain on. =)
Good luck!
Justin
Fri, 01/27/2017 - 11:05
SIde rails
Love this look! Exactly what I am trying to achieve...A few questions about the side rails. How high did you connect them to the 4x4 posts and exactly how did you connect them? Did you use brackets or screw right into the posts? Thank You!
Thu, 09/05/2019 - 15:07
Mattress height
I have seen several beds from Anna White. I was wondering if the frame require a box spring mattress or not. If not, are the beds lower than what a traditional mattress and box springs are. Thanks !
Keepsake doll crib and highchair
We were trying to figure out what to give our granddaughter for Christmas when the great grandparents arrived with our 2 kids old maple crib from the 80's. After much debate(well, not really, apparently the crib now breaks every law in the book!) we decided to repurpose it into keepsakes. Enter Ana White! We settled on a doll crib and doll highchair. After many design changes trying to best utilize the old wood we came up with these. As you can see they were a hit and luckily very sturdy! There are now 2 doll cribs, 2 high chairs and 4 granddaughters, each family has a set as a keepsake. There are a few scraps left just in case a grandson happens along! Should be enough for a logging truck!
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$30
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Original finish plus Danish oil and clearcoat on cut ends
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Farmhouse Headboard and Planked Wood Bedside Tables
For this project, I made the headboard from the Farmhouse Bed plans. I omitted one of the 1x6 slats to fit to my metal frame. I made two planked wood bedside tables with shelves and I created a lift top bench that was inspired by both the bed, and the side tables. Finally, I threw together a blanket ladder using 2x3s.
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Behr off the shelf white in Satin, and shou sugi ban with Maker Brand simple finish.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Kids Storage Bench
I created what I call the Kid Kave for our grandkids. I used the front entry bench plan to make a small sofa for under the loft. My best piece yet!
Built from Plan(s)
Washer and Dryer Pedestal
Our very first project! We absolutely love how it looks and that there's an easy way for our kids to sort their laundry. Can't wait to start more projects! You can see how we built it here http://addicted2diy.com/2014/01/14/diy-laundry-pedestal/
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$125
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
School Library Cart
My 11 year old son made this library cart for our homeschool books. He followed Ana's plans with a few changes on dimensions. I love how it turned out, and it is a perfect addition to our school room. We kept the cost low by using some wood and paint that we already had.
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$23.00
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
Pine Farmhouse Table
Simple pine farmhouse table, top is 2x6 Pine cut down to 5" wide strips top was joined with pocket screws and glue
Base is 4x4 pine joined with lag bolts
Longest part of the buld was sanding the top smooth, special care was needed in measurig the notches to fix the X-Brace legs
Tools: Drill, Table Saw, Circular Saw, 1/2 socket drive
Estimated Cost
$150 all in for wood, bolts, screws and stain
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
minwax espresso and poly clear
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
Adirondack Chairs with matching table
My dad and I spent 2 weekends making his and her Adirondack chairs for my husband and I and a matching side table!
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$140 total for chairs; $9.96 for table
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Storage Workbench
I took the pony wall idea and went with it.
Mazda Mitch
Built from Plan(s)
Neighbors
I found Ana's website in my search for the desk plans, and in the process found many other wonderful plans I want to try. My goal is to make a sawhorse desk for my new home office. I need to learn all proper woodworking skills, however.
Therefore, I decided to start with this birdhouse project, which was a joy for me since I have a fascination with photographing birdhouses wherever I go. I also have fond memories of making birdhouses with my mother when I was a little girl. She did all the cutting and nailing, and I sanded and painted.
This project brought back happy memories, and my mom got a kick out of seeing photos of the finished results.
In addition, today I had the wonderful opportunity to photograph my own birdhouses!
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$3 per house for the wood
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
I used a combination of paint I had on-hand, all Valspar. Most of the paints were Valspar Ultra Paint & Primer.
Paint colors for the birdhouse on the left are called: Country Heather (blue), Bittersweet Stem (beige), brandywine (terracotta), and Pistachio Ice (green) for accents.
The colors of the house on the right also included Country Heather, Bittersweet Stem, and Pistachio Ice (again for accents). In addition, Buttered Hazelnut was used for the walls and roof.
I completed most of the painting prior to assembly, adding only accents such as hearts and windows post-assembly.
Paint colors for the birdhouse on the left are called: Country Heather (blue), Bittersweet Stem (beige), brandywine (terracotta), and Pistachio Ice (green) for accents.
The colors of the house on the right also included Country Heather, Bittersweet Stem, and Pistachio Ice (again for accents). In addition, Buttered Hazelnut was used for the walls and roof.
I completed most of the painting prior to assembly, adding only accents such as hearts and windows post-assembly.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project
Cubby Desk
I modified the plans so the top was 2 ft x 4 ft, more suitable for a college student like myself. I also used a full sheet of 3/4 MDF and used that for the top as well as all of the 3/4 plywood pieces. MDF was much cheaper but next time I would spend the extra money on plywood because the MDF cracked a bunch and was not as easy to work with. Thanks for the plans!
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Shellac based primer and latex white paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Pony wall work bench
Had to shorten plan due to garage size. Added drawer under miter station. Pined weather wash.
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$450
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Pined
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Farmhouse Table
This build was done with all pocket holes. I used some pre-made project boards for the top and joined them with pocket holes and glue. Also I used all pine for this project. The chairs are just old chairs from my previous table. Stained with special walnut and finished with semi-gloss poly and finishing wax. I rubbed and buffed the finish to get the nice shine. This project took a while because I decided to let the poly cure for about a week before finishing and placing in my dining area.
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Special Walnut and Minwax Polyurethan (Both of them were Oil based)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
Outdoor Daybed with Canopy
This was an awesome, quick, and easy project. The sanding, staining, and drying, took forever for me but the actual cutting and assembly was super quick. I have this on an uncovered patio and my local store didn't carry cedar in the sizes I needed so I went with the cheapest wood I could find and used a high quality oil based outdoor stain. I am hopeful it will hold up to our pacific NW winter because it won't be coming in. Considering I had never made anything before and had never used a miter saw, sander or quick square, I am happy with the time it took to finish this.
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$150 for lumber, screws, stain, and glue
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project
2x4 Outdoor Sectional with Matching Chairs, Ottomans and Table
We were looking for outdoor furniture for our deck, and for the size and amount we needed it would have cost us at least $2000. We really like the idea of having an outdoor sectional that we can also use for dining, and we had trouble finding a set we liked. We found Ana's plans for the 2x4 Outdoor Sectional, and i loved the look. After seeing what others have done with the plans, I thought I would be able to modify it to get everything we needed for much less cost than buying a set.
We ended up extending the size of the 2x4 outdoor sofa by one 24" section, for a total length of 96". I then used the same design to make two outdoor chairs, just reduced the length to 24". I modified the 2x4 outdoor coffee table plans to create two ottoman's that can be moved around to make the seating more lounge style Finally, I modified the coffee table plans to make a 5 foot outdoor dining table. All in all, it took about a week and I couldn't be happier with how it turned out!
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$800 Total ($200 for the wood, $600 for the cushions)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Valspar Semi-Transparent Antique Oak Stain
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
Rolling Kitchen Organiizer
Not the prettiest but extremely effective. I think my entire kitchen will be all Ana White by the time I finish….what an inspiration she is! Thank you!
Built from Plan(s)
Adirondack Chairs
Here are some of the outdoor projects that I do to make extra money, Adirondack chairs...adult and kids sizes....patio tables....garden benches, used old pipes for the slats!!!
Estimated Cost
$15-$40
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Olympic Red Toner..with water repellent, good for seeing the wood grain!!!
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Comments
Thu, 08/09/2012 - 04:56
Beautiful work!
Wow, really nice and I love the idea for the back slats! Great job!
Tue, 08/14/2012 - 14:52
beautiful!!
would you consider posting your plans?? they look really great & comfy!
6 cubby book case - nursery
This was my first project. It is for our nursery. Painted white to match the crib and dresser. So much fun. Plan was great and very easy to follow. Thanks to the other brag post which mentioned there was a missing cut for the box (bottom shelf). 28 3/4. I used countersink screws with a 1/2" countersink drill bit. I also used shelf pins to secure the shelf. With the paint I noticed the shelfs were very snug. I would probably take off 1/4" off the shelf size if I built it again. Can't wait for the next project! Thanks.
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
130
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
White paint. Eggshell finish.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner