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Raised Garden Beds!

Submitted by ferbit on Thu, 03/10/2011 - 08:02

Yay! Here are my raised beds, motivated by Ana White's post. :) I decided to use 2x lumber rather than 1x lumber because I plan to add benches on the ends of each bed. I just love how these turned out! I used Hemlock rather than cedar because it was a THIRD less expensive. Orange told me hemlock would last roughly 5-6 years whereas cedar would last 7-9 year. I staggered the sizes too - first bed (with the strawberries) is 4' x 10', second is 4' x 8' and the third (with the stakes) is 4' x 6'. Hubby hauled in a bunch of pea gravel to surround the beds while the girls and I added rocks from around our yard to the perimeter. :)

Built from Plan(s)
Cedar Fence Picket Raised Garden Beds - 3' x 6'
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
None!
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Harriet Higher Chair

Submitted by tara2 on Fri, 05/24/2013 - 12:20

This is one of two chairs we made for our two kids. They love it!

Built from Plan(s)
Harriet Higher Chair
Estimated Cost
$15
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax walnut stain (2 coats)
Behr Ultra White Hydrangea (2 coats) - the small samples have enough paint to complete project
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

BBQ bench

Submitted by Airbugs on Tue, 04/14/2015 - 13:21

First project I tried from here.  Not too bad.  I have a Cordless miter saw (Ryobi)

Estimated Cost
under 40 bucks
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Airbugs

Thu, 04/16/2015 - 20:55

Thanks, I am going to customize it with whatever my fiance needs i.e. hooks, shelves, lights but the cost surprised me. 36.98 for the just the wood. I'msure when my fiance adds the stuff she wants it'll be more lol

Three Pedestal Table

Submitted by AttyGuitar on Wed, 08/16/2017 - 12:17

Pedestal Table

Estimated Cost
$250
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Golden Oak MinWax polyurethane, Satin MinWax 3x clear coat
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

"Tidy Up" End Table

Submitted by seeca13 on Mon, 05/27/2013 - 14:45

This is a variation on the tidy up end table. The dimensions for the tidy up end table were too big for my space, so I made it a little smaller and added an extra shelf to store our laptop computers. This makes it easier to charge our laptops and keep them out of the way. It took me a little longer than it should have because I had a 3 year old and a 5 year old "helping" me.

Built from Plan(s)
"Tidy Up" End Table
Estimated Cost
$25
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Golden Oak. Then 3 coats of minwax waterbased semi-gloss finish.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Chair Build with Loveseat Modification

Submitted by Joshh81 on Sat, 09/02/2017 - 12:26

Built the 2 chairs according to the plans, and then modified it for a bench that's 48" (our cushions are 23.5 x 23.5). Worked really well!

Built from Plan(s)
Modern Outdoor Chair from 2x4s and 2x6s
Modern Outdoor Loveseat from 2x4s and 2x6s
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Seasonal And Holiday
Spring
Summer

Headboard with fold down table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 10/05/2021 - 08:50

I wanted my storage a little deeper so I used 2 X 6 instead of the 2X4s. I also added a footboard. It turned out great. I may put a tea stain on it and coat it with a polycrylic.

Comments

Coat Tree

Submitted by annem on Sat, 03/12/2011 - 07:27

With my 3 young kids and all of their winter gear, I needed a coat rack that they can use. Since I don't have a miter saw, I asked my Father-in-law to make the cuts for me so I can't claim to have done that (although I am asking for a miter saw for my birthday!). Assembly was pretty easy with 2 pocket holes each on the roots and one for each of the limbs. With the small pieces of wood, it was tricky to get the holes centered using my Kreg Jig Jr. so I added some small finishing nails to some of the limbs for more support. (Think young kids tugging to get their coats down!) Some things I learned: Sand all pieces to the way you want them BEFORE assembling as it's nearly impossible to do later. Stagger the bottom roots because screwing in 8 screws to the same center point does not work. I ended up using shorter screws than the 2 1/2" recommended and had to add felt pads to stabilize the legs that were moved up to allow for me to fit the screws in. I am pleased with this project and while it's not perfect, it will get a lot of use around here!

Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Spray primer, Rustoleum Slate Blue spray paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Farmhouse Table with Butcher Block

Submitted by kharris on Tue, 05/28/2013 - 16:51

We are selling our house and needed a small table for the corner of our kitchen. Since we had leftover butcher block after replacing the countertops, I modified the Farmhouse Table and bench plans. The piece worked perfectly in the space and the house sold immediately after our open house.

Built from Plan(s)
Farmhouse Bench - No Pocket Holes Version
Farmhouse Table - Updated Pocket Hole Plans
Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Mineral oil for the butcher block top and white paint and primer for the legs. We still need to varnish the top of the benches.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Triple foot farmhouse table with runner, triple pedestal bench

My first attempt at a real furniture project, I would have never tried this without all the plans and support here at Ana-White! These are 7' for the kitchen/breakfast area.  Since the table is only 7', it has 2 pedestals.  I modified these a bit from the triple pedestal farmhouse bench and table plans by using a runner along the floor instead of a stringer board on the table and adding triple feet on the outside pedestals.   I also added 1x3 trim under the arches to add some detail and hide the grooves between the three 2x4 leg supports.  The top has mitered 2x4s around the outside with 1x6s on the inside.  One issue I ran into was that the 2x4s shrank a lot as they dried, while the kiln-dried 1x6s did not.  To make an easier to clean surface I planed the top smooth, and then added minimal texture by hand scraping.  My plan is to build a big 12' version of this table for the dining room. 

Built from Plan(s)
Triple Pedestal Farmhouse Table
Triple Pedestal Farmhouse Bench
Estimated Cost
Under $300 for both.
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
2 coats of kona stain, wiped more off the top than the legs. The top shows grain, the legs are almost solid brown. I used hand-rubbed satin poly. 3 coats on the bench turned out great. 6 coats on the table top turned out too shiny and easily scratches. I will refinish the table at some point, possibly with a softer finish.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Small version of the X coffee table

Submitted by ErinRN on Thu, 09/07/2017 - 10:01

I loved Ana's version of the coffee table but it was way too big for my space, so I scaled it down quite a bit and it fits perfectly!

Built from Plan(s)
Rustic X Coffee Table
Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax stain in Dark Walnut with several coats of semigloss poly
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

King Size Farmhouse Bed and Nightstands

Submitted by jck363 on Tue, 10/05/2021 - 22:07

This was the biggest project I have made to date. The plans made it almost easy. Thank you very much!

Comments

Storage Bed

Submitted by mariakathh on Sun, 03/13/2011 - 08:40

So we really needed a better bed than the flimsy moderny thing that would shift at least a few inches when I would get into the bed. And I like storage. So this was a great fit. The folks at blue were really good to me and help me cut all my lengths of plywood. I did modify the headboard to be 3 inches taller. Otherwise the plans were great! I had one hiccup in adding the divider to one of the benches. It came out kind of slanted. So I would recommend having a lot of light and measuring it out in the back of the box when you are inserting the divider

Built from Plan(s)
Easy Build Wood Headboard (All Mattress Sizes)
Estimated Cost
$250
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Entry table/console table

Submitted by Medickep on Thu, 05/30/2013 - 12:52

I made this entry table to go by our front door. It's a spin off from the "console table" posted by Anna. I read some of the comments from people who had problems with her plans as a result of different standards in lumber and decided to alter this some!

I cut the side braces short enough so when I included the measurements of the legs the actual table top extended approx. 3/4" further past the legs and apron of the table. I also went with one sheet of wood on the table top and finished it up with some trim around the edge of the table top.

Estimated Cost
approx. 100.00 (depends on wood used, I used hemlock)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
I wanted to paint the table to matched a near bye coat rack I made. I primed the table first and painted it with three coats of Behr premium paint. I also used a polyacrylic to protect it a little from my boys. I did three coats on all of it and two additional coats on the front of the legs, apron, table top and bottom brace. Make sure you sand with 300-400 grit between coats!
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

a few face grain "catering "boards i made

Submitted by shawns1ton on Mon, 04/27/2015 - 19:10

a few face grain "catering/presentation" boards i made.  16x28

 

2 for my culinary graduation and 2 for a freinds business

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Watco butcher block oil
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Farmstyle Table based on Ana's plans

Submitted by NaasMarais on Tue, 09/12/2017 - 02:03

This table is made out of Solid Oak and took me +- 6 weeks to complete.

Thanks to Ana White for the plans as I followed them to the "t" with some minor changes in the size

Final size is 10ft long x 47 1/4 inch wide and 29 9/64 inches high

Built from Plan(s)
Fancy X Farmhouse Table
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Rubio Monocoat Oil 2C - Natural Color
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Farmhouse Bench

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 10/07/2021 - 03:47

I used the plans from the site and it came out perfectly! Didn’t even make a wrong cut-pretty good for a super beginner.

Built from Plan(s)
2x4 Truss Style Farm Bench

Comments

Loft Bed

Submitted by Jenny Anne on Tue, 03/15/2011 - 08:43

I made this loft bed for my 4-year-old son.  It is plenty strong.  It can easily hold him and his daddy for bedtime stories.  I followed the plans to the letter.  I found this a challenging but attainable second project and only needed help with final assembly.  I'll start working on some bookshelves for under it but need to figure out how to work around the supports I already added (that are omitted in the bookshelf plans).  

Now I have to finish the poor kid's quilt so he can stop using my pink one.
Blog Link
Little Man's Loft Bed
Built from Plan(s)
How to Build a Loft Bed
Estimated Cost
$300
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
primed and painted with satin finish. I still need to cover the final assembly screws and touch up some junctions. One note if you paint this, DON'T paint the sections of the long boards that you'll have to slide in on final assembly. We had to sand that paint off to get them to squeeze in.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Simple Outdoor Table

Submitted by ShannonMN on Sun, 06/02/2013 - 11:06

I took the Simple Outdoor Table along with a table I had seen at Pottery Barn and kind of put this together. It made of cedar and stained with a natural to keep the pretty color.

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Behr stain and protect in natural color.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

bullitt453

Sun, 06/02/2013 - 19:28

Very nice! If you don't mind me asking, about how much money do you have invested in the table? I have been considering building something very similar, though smaller.

ShannonMN

Mon, 06/03/2013 - 13:25

Thanks! I did have extra wood left over but if I had to guess it was around $100 - $130 and that's for all cedar.

storchinsky

Mon, 06/03/2013 - 16:58

I really love the way you did this table! I've been considering a bunch of different plans and haven't been entirely satisfied with any of them. What are the dimensions of your table? And do you have measurements, or did you just figure it out as you went?

ShannonMN

Wed, 06/05/2013 - 08:33

I started out with the size of 8 ft by 40 inches. It isn't exact but it's real close. After I had the initial measurements I just kind of pieced it together. I got ideas from looking at different tables on here and followed the pattern of the one I liked at Pottery Barn.