Community Brag Posts

Barnwood Narrow Cottage End Table

Submitted by kcragun on Sun, 02/07/2016 - 20:52

Inspired by the Narrow Cottage End Tables plans. Tapered the legs a bit at the bottoms. Added a bead to the top and bottom of the drawer front. I finally used a 100 year old board salvaged from a barn in Tennessee that suffered a fire - giving the white oak a great dark patina. There is a shop in Orange County, CA called True American Grain that sells reclaimed wood - I bought the board for $40 - it adds a lot of character to the finished project.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$50.00
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Painted the base using Annie Sloan chalk paint in French Linen. I brushed on and wiped off a glaze from General Finishes in Van Dyke Brown. I used wax as a top coat on the base. For the top, I did a lot of sanding, but kept the old saw marks. I also used Tung Oil on the top, to protect the wood without a high gloss finish.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Jurassic Park Cabin Bed

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 09/03/2019 - 07:36

My son is really into dinosaurs so I thought I'd make him a Jurassic Park themed cabin bed. This was a great plan and my only regret is that I didn't paint the pieces of the roof BEFORE assembly. I definitely spent the majority of time on finishing but it came out wonderfully and my son is totally in love with it!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Washer Dryer Pedestals Bases

This pedestal base for the washer and dryer really created the perfect opportunity to organize and declutter our tiny laundry room. Had to resize it a bit to fit the space but it turned out perfect! I added a super easy top for an even counter space and bought some stock laundry room cabinets to sit in the back for extra storage. Such an upgrade!

King Size Farmhouse Storage bed from 2 Ana White PLans

This was my first build! I combined 2 of Ana White's plans, the King size Farmhouse bed with the Queen size storage bed, I didn't do drawers as the cubbies worked better. So this was a nice merge of two of the plans! LOVE LOVE LOVE our bed, and the 2 tone stain/paint combo.

Estimated Cost
$750
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
I stained the headboard and footboard with Minwax Dark Walnut and then used a cottage white paint for the "white" portions. then finished with a satin polyurethane coat over everything.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

joshuaaslocum15

Mon, 11/25/2013 - 07:53

My wife asked me to find a bed idea for our little girls room. She said she wanted her to have a bed with storage. Well I think I found the bed I am going to build her. Now the fun part making it into a twin size! I like it so much I am going to build one for us in our bedroom. Again I love it great job!!!

KansasDad12

Thu, 04/17/2014 - 08:43

Was just curious if you actually spent $750 building this or if that was a typo? Would really like to build this same bed with the except of using drawers. Nice work!

In American Walnut

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 02/10/2016 - 12:40

Rustic X Coffee Table done in American Walnut. Top was planed and joined for smother surface.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$600
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Clear Poly.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Potting bench

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 09/21/2019 - 08:52

My good friend asked me to build her a potting bench for her garden wedding reception. She shouted me a photo of one from the internet. I used your plan and made a couple modifications. This is the color she requested and I used Cabot solid stain. I’m not a fan of solid stain and won’t use it again. She loved it.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$85
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Cabot solid stain

Vanity Hutch

Submitted by billwentz on Thu, 05/18/2023 - 13:48

Bathroom had a huge mirror. Looked like it required 2 men and a small boy with proper tools to remove it. So a riff off the vanity plan covered 2/3 of the mirror and made for a much nicer look.

Comments

Ella's Loft Bed

Submitted by natehu on Sun, 01/08/2012 - 20:46

My daughter loves her new bed, thanks Ana!

The plans were well thought out and very easy to follow. I did make a few changes/modifications that others might want to consider.

I used select pine boards to cut down on the amount of sanding necessary prior to paining, however that boards have a fairly sharp edges. Because this is a kids bed and play area underneath I rounded off all the edges with a 1/4" round over bit in my router. I love how it turned out!

I also added two 1x3 supports to the long 1x2 top back rail. I did this for two reasons, first was the 1x2 seems a bit saggy and didn't seem like it would hold up too well to my 6 year old up there. Secondly, it match the front rail nicely. Speaking of the front rail, I also changed the vertical supports from 1x4s to 1x3s. The 1x3s match the 1x3 posts and look much better IMHO.

When I built the ladder I was struggling with the gaps left by the 1x3 stair treads when I placed them in the 1x3 sides. Finally I decided to use 1x4 treads, again rounded over with a 1/4" bit. These larger treads overhang the 1x3 sides by about 1/2-inch and look very nice.

Finally, instead of screwing the ladder to t 1x8 bed frame, I bent 5" corner brackets into a "J" shape and attached them upside down to the top of the ladder. The upside down "J's" hook over the top of the 1x8 bed rail and allows the ladder to be easily removable yet is still securely attached to the bed for use.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$300
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
I finished it with a coat of latex primer followed by a couple coats of an off-white latex paint.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

DanKaren

Mon, 01/23/2012 - 14:12

Wow!!!! Saw a similar bed at a kid's furniture store for about $2,500 in NYC. Thank God I came across this site before plunking down that amount of cash.

Well Done!

Mary - Scentsy… (not verified)

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 21:47

Is this bed as tall as the original design specified? For some reason it seems shorter to me. We have a ceiling fan in my childrens' rooms and average height ceilings. I am concerned with making something too tall.
Thanks.

natehu

Wed, 07/11/2012 - 07:59

Mary - No, I had to shorten the bed by about 3 or 4 inches because our ceilings are lower than 8' in the basement. The only real challenge with changing the height of the loft is re-working the step spacing on the ladder.

Media Console from The Handbuilt Home

Submitted by Shorty on Wed, 11/27/2013 - 08:38

We built this media console because our old TV stand was pretty much a safety hazard for our soon-to-be mobile baby. We found a good plan in The Handbuilt Home and modified it to our dimensions with the help of Sketch Up. We couldn't be happier with the final product!

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Primer & Behr's Swiss Coffee in Satin
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Antique hardwood flooring Husky Farmhouse Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 02/12/2016 - 17:52

Found 120 year old mahogany hardwood flooring at The Old House Society that provided the table top. Built the subframe and legs per the standard plan. Then attached a 3/4" ODF plywood deck. Strip hardwood was nailed to the top with 1" finishing nails thru the flooring tongues. Cleaned the hardwood, applied 2 coats of shellac and 3 coats of satin polyurethane. The modification to use the strip flooring was the most tedious to get a tight fit. The antique, aged and stressed flooring gives the table a real antique look. Build time was @ 8 hours. Applying the finishes took several days of drying/curing before use. My wife loves it and I am proud of the final project.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Legs from Osburn Wood Products @ $55.00 each plus shipping. Mahogany subframe parts @ $50.00. 4 x8 ODF 3/4" plywood @ $ 65.00. Re-cycled strip flooring @ $250.00. Finishing materials @ $30.00. Total @ $550.00
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
2 coats of shellac. 3 coats of satin polyurethane. Used Golden Mahogany stain to cover cut edges and scars. Amy Howard linen paint on legs and subframe. 1 coat of light antique wax first. 1 coat of dark antique wax final coat on legs and subframe.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Barn door mirror shadow box

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 10/01/2019 - 17:58

I built my wife a barn door wall mirror for our anniversary. But then got this crazy idea attach a shadow box to display wedding dress. Project get wedding dress out of closet!!

Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Walnut
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Kids Picnic Table

Submitted by bkb on Thu, 05/25/2023 - 05:27

I made the picnic table for my grandchildren. The plans were great and so easy to follow. The cuts, measurement are perfect. Table is sturdy and came out balanced! I used water based paint. Thanks for the plans!

Built from Plan(s)
Seasonal And Holiday

Entryway Shelf Modified

Submitted by Radcrafter on Wed, 01/11/2012 - 17:06

So easy to build and soooo functional. The plans include both the bench and the shelf, but I just didn't have any room for the bench or I would have built that too.

My wall was too short to fit the original shelf, so I modified this to work with the space available. It's about 10 inches shorter and only has two cubbies.

This is a great starter project.

Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Two coats of Mined Coal on the exterior and two coats of an oops blue (sorry) for the interior of the cubbies. Protected with three coats of polycrylic.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

romaida

Sun, 01/03/2016 - 18:14

Hi!  Love your modified shelf!  Can you give the modified cuts?  I would love to make this!  Thanks!

jscott

Mon, 01/04/2016 - 02:59

Hi there, where do you find 4x4 yellow pine?  All I ever see at big box stores is treated lumber posts.....

Outdoor Bench Ted Moyer

Submitted by ted1735 on Sun, 12/01/2013 - 17:23

Easy bench to build with my son! added double legs for more stability, just glued two together and followed all directions.

Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Flood Cedar Transparent 2 coats and 3 coats of Helmsman Indoor Outdoor Spar Urethane
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

HouseHomemade.us

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 02/16/2016 - 04:09

We had a great time making this desk! I was so thankful for the inspiration and now I have a new favorite spot in our home.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Herringbone Buffet

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 10/01/2019 - 21:11

We wanted a large buffet for our hall and these plans were perfect. We modified the design to fit our needs, and painted the buffet a wonderful pop color that matched some accents throughout the house.

What really brought the project together was the herringbone top. We used 7 different species of wood sealed with poly and then finished with wax.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
295
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Sealed the painted sides with a clear polyacrylic. Since we used so many different types of wood on the top we decided to let their natural tones shined and just cleaned with mineral spirits and sealed with polyeurethane. We used steel wool and wax to get to the sheen we wanted.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

2 Drawer Nightstand

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 05/31/2023 - 15:05

Thank you so much for your plan. I made some small changes. I used pine wood for the box sides and dividers, I moved the drawer faces to the outside and used 1/2 inch plywood for the drawer boxes to add some more space. The drawer faces have an inlaid to match my farmhouse bedroom I am currently building. The final product was stained with Minwax Golden Pecan and clear coated with warm semi-gloss.

Comments

Cute and easy tent

Submitted by lovinglife on Tue, 01/17/2012 - 19:53

I mostly followed the directions as provided. My only changes were using hickory instead of pine, it is a nicer wood and it only added $6 to the project. I also put non slip pads on the bottom of the bottoms and used 14 feet of fabric in place of curtains. It is a very quick and inexpensive project that my kids have been getting a lot of enjoyment out of.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
28.00
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

Guest (not verified)

Mon, 02/06/2012 - 18:01

where or how did you make that cool mini/toy "tree house" in the background!!?!

My red stove :3

Submitted by Sniqqi on Wed, 12/04/2013 - 04:56

I made it a little different, with a small door on the bottom as a little storage.
I loved making this for my kid, and as my first project ever I feel very proud of it.
I don't remember the exact amount of hours it took because I had little time to work on it (maybe 3 hours/week) so it took quite a bit of weeks to complete but it was really easy and fun! :D
I like how it's tall enough for my 2 year old to play standing, before we had a plastic one that was very very short, also it's sturdy enough for climb on it. xD
By the side I made a super easy, varnished, cupboard, following the same main steps from the stove, I only didn't put a front door and added on one side a towel holder and on the other side a small shelf/bar table

Estimated Cost
45€
Finish Used
Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

Reese

Wed, 12/04/2013 - 10:05

Love it! I like that you added a door for storage. I need to build one of these Very soon as it's on my little girls christmas wish list. It looks so good you did a great job :)

Rustic 7 Drawer Dresser

This was our second dresser build, but the hardest. I don't know why we had so much trouble with the tracks but we did. We cheaped out and bought the cheapets option and then decided to wrap them out and by the more expensive option - which would of saved us so much time in the first place.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
300.00 CA
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
This dresser was stained in Early American ( one coat ) and then varnished with Matte Varnish.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Bed for my teen princess

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 10/02/2019 - 10:27

I built this bed for my daughters new “teen” room!! She loves it and I loved the cost and look if it ;)...

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$130
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Stain
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments