Built as a Birthday gift for my daughter-in-law. Hope she likes it.
I am 64 years old living in South Africa and recently taken to woodworking. Converted my garage to a workshop and thoroughly enjoying it. Wife want to move my bed to the garage now. Lol.
Ana White's plan on the her website was easy to follow. Something I learnt in my short time in woodworking, your project doesn't have to be 100% perfect. As long as you happy with the end result that what counts. Thank you Ana White. I enjoy your website for making easy for us rookies.
Farhad Coovadia
I started this project with just one of the Bristol Outdoor Lounge Chairs. I ended up liking it so much I decided to complete the collection with anther chair, a love seat, and a table. I got the designs for the other pieces from OldPaintDesign.com Poplar was my wood of choice because it is a hard wood that will last but won't break the bank. I also had a really hard time deciding how to finish it. Initially, I was going to paint the wood but liked the natural wood grain of the poplar so much I just simply put a few coats of polyurethane on it to preserve it. I ordered the cushions from Restoration Hardware this fall when they were on sale and even then they were expensive, but I love them. (Brown was the only color on sale.) Finishing the pieces was much more time consuming than I thought it would be.The first chair took much longer and required much more sanding since some of my joints weren't flush. The rest of the pieces combined took me about as long as the original chair. I wised up after completing the 1st chair and did the majority of the sanding before I assembled the boards together. Next, I am going to build an outdoor dining table to match.
Thu, 10/18/2012 - 08:14
What a beautiful job you did. I've loved this set since I first saw it on RH website and requested plans for it. However, I realized with the cost of those cushions and such, my hubby probably wouldn't agree to the cost, at least now. So we built the outdoor sectional and got a great deal on the cushions from Costco. I haven't given up on this set maybe some day in the future when we built our pergola because it's just so beautiful. Again, great job!!!
Sat, 05/25/2013 - 14:56
My husband made the chair and it has turned out great, it just needs to be stained. My question is about the cushions... getting them on RH is expensive so If I want to make them myself how do I do that? What is the foam I need? Where can I get it?
While we are programmers by trade, my roommate and I have spent the past three months creating Do-It-Yourself furniture, crafting 16 pieces in total. After planning, drafting, and modeling in SolidWorks, we were able to furnish our entire apartment.
Our works are of steel construction and are both unique and modern DIY projects. While the furniture was created for our own personal use, we wanted to share our unique designs and allow others the opportunity to enjoy the pieces as much as we do.
Here's how to build a "levitating" coffee table with acrylic legs, that doubles as a whiteboard! We made it at TechShop Pittsburgh, and a full BOM and assembly guide is available here:
Check us, and our projects, out at http://fabricate.io/ and at http://toddmedema.com/
Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/fabricateIO
If you have any questions, please feel free to let us know!
Thanks,
Todd
Materials Required:
27.75"x55.75" Panel board (which is whiteboard coated)
27.75"x55.75"x0.5" Plywood
Black spray paint (highly recommended: black powder coat paint)
8 pieces of 24"x12" clear acrylic sheet (thickness can vary, but at least 0.2")
2x56" and 2x28" lengths of 3/4"x3/4"x1/8" steel angle (stock #A1343418)
Acetone and a rag to clean the steel
12 steel corner braces (other places will be cheaper - these match our laser cutter file holes)
Wood glue
At least 32 wood screws, #8 1/2"
Tools Needed:
Laser Cutter
Miter cold saw
Table saw
Drill press
Powder gun and oven for powder coating (or other painting method)
Prerequesites: You'll need to know how to...
Use a laser cutter
Drill holes with a drill press
Retain your appendages when using a cold saw and table saw
Not electrocute yourself with the powder gun (optional, but always helpful)
Step 1:
The first step in building your own levitating table is to cut and drill the acrylic. We attempted hand-cutting the acrylic for the legs, and swiftly realized there was no easy way to get a good finish. Enter the Trotec Speedy 300 laser cutter!
For each piece of acrylic, we cut out the attached vector design. The eight finished pieces were bolted together in pairs for extra strength, resulting in four stable legs.
The laser cutter settings we used were maximum frequency (5000Hz), speed 10, and power 50. You will have to adjust this depending on the acrylic thickness, color, laser cutter power, etc.
To ensure a nice finish, you'll want to make a few test cuts with your acrylic material to ensure everything looks as you expect. We also recommend placing some scrap plywood or other standoff between your acrylic part and the bottom grating, as this lets the smoke and vapors through and keeps the soot from adhering to the acrylic.
For those unfamiliar with laser cutters, we encourage them to visit TechShop and take the SBU, or refer to an online guide such as StumpChunkman's Instructable - both of these are excellent for teaching
the basics.
If you don't have access to a laser cutter, we'd recommend using a table saw to ensure a straight cut. Make sure you keep the protective plastic cover on during the cut to keep surface scratches to a minimum. It's also recommended to drill a very small pilot hole first and expand your bit size slowly, as acrylic can crack very easily when drilled. Step 2:
With the legs done, it's time to start cutting the steel trim! We were planning a huge furniture project with square steel channel and angle, so we had exactly the lengths we needed for this project. MetalsDepot is a great online supplier for this kind of steel channel, and Home Depot probably has some in supply if you want a local source.
Before doing anything with the steel, take some acetone and a rag and get scrubbin'! Clean steel accepts spray paint or powder coat much more readily, and the coating lasts for longer without flaking off. It takes some time to remove the black grease on the steel, but we found acetone (or alternatively mineral spirits) does a pretty good job cleaning it off. After a few minutes, the steel should look roughly the same, but your fingers shouldn't be dirtied when picking up the steel channel. For the absolute best coating, you can also sand-blast the metal (conveniently, TechShop also has a sand blaster)
Next, cut it down to the proper size - use a miter cold saw or a horizontal band saw to cut two 56" lengths and two 28" lengths. Then, set up the saw to cut at 45° and miter the edges so that they'll fit flush together when mounted to the table edges.
We'll need some drill holes to mount the steel angle to the plywood underside of the table. We suggest drilling in with a #18 bit, about 2.75" in from the very tip of the miter cut on each end for all pieces.
If you use a screw size other than #8, refer to this table to choose a good clearance hole size. Don't forget to debur the holes with a deburring tool for a nice finish!
Finally, it's time to make this steel look awesome. If you chose to use spray paint, take your steel outside and hang each piece with a coat hanger or other stiff wire using the holes you just drilled. Apply several light coats, waiting a few minutes between coats - once the steel is the color you want it, let it dry for another hour before handling it.
If you're looking for an even nicer finish, we highly recommend using a powder gun and powder coat paint. We used TechShop Pittsburgh's powder room and enormous annealing oven to do the job, but you can always get started with your own powder coating setup!
Step 3:
Now that we have the channel ready to mount, we need to cut the wood and wallboard down to proper table size.
This is relatively straightforward - if your pieces aren't the right size, just measure out a 22.75"x55.75" rectangle in both the plywood and the panel board and use a table or circular saw to cut it. The two pieces should line up together when laid flat.
Since the metal L channel isn't a perfect right angle - it has a bit of a curve on the inside - expect to need to sand down the bottom edges of the wood to get a tight fit. Doesn't need to be pretty, just needs to let the metal sit flush!
Step 4:
It's time for the final step: assembly.
Secure each set of two leg pieces together with a machine screw, and mount the angle brackets to the top using more machine screws as in the diagram.
Next, take the plywood and lay it flat. Position the steel channel around it, then secure the channel into place with #8 1/2" wood screws.
We'll need a bit of quick dimensioning to get the diagonal legs secured properly. Measure halfway between the inside faces of the long steel channel (13.25" from a side by our measurement), then mark in the same distance along that center line. Draw a line from each of the two closer corners to this intersection, on both sides.
Now, mount the acrylic legs with more #8 wood screws using these lines as handy 45° guides.
Then, all there's left to do is turn it over and attach the top surface. Apply some wood glue liberally to the top surface of the plywood, and then place the panel board on top with the white side facing up. Leave the glue to cure overnight, and then...
Step 5:
You've just made a professional-quality, levitating coffee table whiteboard! Our whiteboard table has seen many adventures during the last few months, as:
A dining surface
A table for card and board games (including some D&D)
A leg-rest for watching movies on the couch
And despite three months of abuse, it's maintained its quality and stability.
But most importantly, it's received a bit of an upgrade:
LED lighting
That's right - for about $20 (the lights plus a power supply), you can upgrade your fancy coffee table into an even fancier under-lit table. The "floating" effect is much more pronounced, and it's a great centerpiece during parties!
Wed, 08/06/2014 - 07:10
Very cool table. Hope you don't mind if I tuck your clever idea away for a future project. And whiteboard you can spill or write or draw on - brilliant!
Wed, 08/06/2014 - 07:14
Wow. So, this is FAR outside my beginner woodworking skill level since it's not even made of wood (well, the top might be--I didn't click through to the plans). However, I just wanted to say I LOVE it. Your living room looks so cool! It especially looks awesome with the lighting on. Also, that beanbag chair looks like the comfiest thing ever.
Bedroom conversion to walk in closet.
Inspired by Ana White we turned a spare bedroom into a walk in closet. We ripped up the old carpet, polished the concrete floors and built over 30 feet of custom closet. We also added two shoe racks and a linen closet. The shelves are 90" tall and that enabled us to double up on the hanging pipe.
Thanks to all here on Ana White for the inspiration!
Tue, 11/22/2016 - 17:18
Love this creation, just have a question, are the wood screwed into the walls for balance, or do they balance themselves with no attachment to walls?
In reply to Love this creation, just have by Trrkari
Fri, 12/02/2016 - 19:41
I did run 2x4 behind this and painted them white to blend in with the wall but wasn't really necessary. They're definitely sturdy enough to stand on there own. I really considered putting them on wheels in case I ever wanted to move them around but opted not to.
We made this adorable dress up center for my niece’s 3rd birthday. Peyton and her sister Ava will be able to use this gift for years to come! It’s strong and sturdy and built to last. The cart itself is quite large and will hold loads of dress up costumes. Can’t wait to give it to the birthday girl this weekend!
Loved doing this project. Used a kreg jig and had pocket holes for my project. Less screw holes.
Ira J.
Ana's Flip Top Storage Bench. I made this ASAP, after I saw it in the book, and then online. I thought it was going to be longer and was thinking it would go great in the mudroom, but after it was finished it turned out to be the perfect size for a fireside seat.
This is my first time using hinges....are they supposed to show? By the time I got them on and working I was pooped and didn't want to test my luck. Maybe I'll have to get some more decorative looking ones!
Used my Kreg Jig, still had splitting issues.
Used finishing nails around the shelves to secure a bit.
Oh and HD didn't have a 1x12x12 so I had to get three 1x12x6 . Bet that cost more, but I'm happy to have some more scrap wood to play around with.
Thanks Ana!
Sun, 10/21/2012 - 09:27
You did a great job on this table. What color stain did you use? And did you put a coat of poly on it?
Yes, the hinges are supposed to show. I made this table about two years ago when Ana first posted the pans, but I don't use it as a table. I use it as a bench in my entryway to hold gloves, hats, etc. It's held up great all these years, and now I'm thinking of building another one for by my garage door, since that's where we come in and out most times.
Sun, 10/21/2012 - 09:38
Thanks, I used Minwax color expressions in walnut, I haven't put poly on it yet, I thought I might just put a wax over it to make it a bit smoother. I don't really know what I'm doing quite yet, so I'll have to learn my options!
I'm thinking of making the longer version for the mud room....should go quicker on round two right!
:) Valerie
Mon, 10/22/2012 - 09:06
I think in order to get your hinges to be more minimally showing you can inset them by using wood chisels to shave a rectangle of wood from the surface where the hinge lays. I've used hinges on a couple things so far and that's what my husband said to do but I was being to lazy to get some chisels. You can get them at any hardware store for pretty cheap I think. Now I'm not positive on any of this since I haven't been doing this hobby for too long. Your bench looks great by the way!
This cabinet is made of our local Torrey Pine: “the rarest pine species in the United States, an endangered species growing only in San Diego County and on one of the Channel Islands”-Wikipedia. It has special meaning to us because we love hiking at the Torrey Pine State Reserve! And the purple one is poplar, which I used on the sides.
The design is inspired by early American jelly cupboards and shaker cabinets. We wanted an open cabinet with shelves so we can see and appreciate those pretty bowls and potteries we love. We also love the charming country style of those primitive furniture pieces.
The entire post is here- http://www.apieceofrainbow.com/diy-make-a-wall-cabinet-from-scratch/
This Farmhouse table and bench were made, stained, and painted over the course of two weekends. This makes a great project for a beginner woodworker to cut their teeth on. You can make something fantastic while learning various woodworking techniques (i.e. joinery, planing, sanding, and staining). The chairs were purchased separately at the At Home store for $150 each.
First build.
The plans and cut list were a tad off but I made a saw guide a cut it down from 36 to 24 after assembled.
I had HD do all my cuts but have since done my own!
Cute little hot cocoa stand for the kids!
By Karen Pitcher on Facebook
I used scrape wood for the headboard to save money. Wood cost approx $15, paint from oops section $3 and screws from my Kreg jig box set.
This was my first real project and I'm hooked.
Thanks Ana!
My first DIY project that I built as a wedding present for my soon to be wife. Got my inspiration from Ana White's husky farmhouse table. I made the table a 4'x4' top and a counter height 36".
Purchased a dwell studio mid century dresser, and only the legs arrived. The company let me keep the legs since the dresser was out of stock, but I had it in my head that I wanted that dresser so decided to replicate it! These were my first drawers ever and getting the inset spacing perfect was challenging but fun!
Followed Ana's plan and built two benches table. Pretty happy with the results.
Cost was about $250 including the paint which was $100.
My teen is selling handcrafted candles at her first craft fair, and she needed a beautiful display. Ana White’s Cupcake stand was our inspiration. I added my own tweaks to make it come apart for easy transport. The shelves are tight enough to make it stable, but slide off with a little muscle. My favorite part was teaching my daughter to sand and stain.
I built this bed for my parent's guest room at my sister's house. It is very similar to a bed mom had been wanting. They wanted a king size so I had to do some modifications to the original plan - primarily adding 16" to all width measurements. I also used 10 - 1x8s for the headboard panels. That made the panels slightly too wide, so I had to rip a little bit off the 2 end panels.
The hardest part of the project was getting it in her house! The legs made it about 1/4" too wide to fit it thru the door. We were about to remove the legs (which would have been a disaster since they were glued, screwed and painted on) when we finally figured out the right angle to squeeze it in. I had to touch up the paint in a few spots once we got it in position, but that was much better than having to remove legs and put them back on. We still need to get plywood for the mattress to sit on and I'm going to add a middle leg for extra support since it's a king. I will probably eventually build nightstands to go with it. Overall, I'm pretty happy with how it turned out since this is my largest and "fanciest" project so far.
Tue, 04/09/2013 - 12:41
I really love this bed, however, being military we move quite often. Is there a way that you would recommend I could alter it so that it can be broken down a little to make it easier for moving? Thank you much :D
In reply to How to alter for easy moving? by bran2511
Tue, 04/09/2013 - 14:29
For easy moving I can not recommend the highly enough. You attach them to the side rails and the head and foot of the bed and instead of screwing the whole bed together it just locks into place. They are THE BEST! http://www.rockler.com/m/product.cfm?page=11
Tue, 04/09/2013 - 15:59
Attach the sides to the headboard and footboard with bed rail brackets so you can knock the bed apart to move
http://woodworking.rockler.com/search#w=bed%20rail%20brackets&asug=&sli…
There is even a bracket for the center rail of a king-sized bed.
Tue, 04/09/2013 - 12:41
I really love this bed, however, being military we move quite often. Is there a way that you would recommend I could alter it so that it can be broken down a little to make it easier for moving? Thank you much :D
Sat, 08/24/2013 - 18:31
I just posted a brag post with this bed in black. I will see if I can upload a photo of how I built this bed for very easy break down. I looked at all the brackets etc.. with this being built out of pine I was not 100% confident in the Rockler / Wood craft brackets. I used a forstner bit and a 4.5" bolt with some washers.
My husband and his father-in-law made this bed together for our daughter. It took about 3 months working every other weekend. My father-in-law is an engineer and he modified the bed so we could more easily assemble and disassemble it to get it up the stairs and into her room. My mother in law painted it, added the flowers and made the roof shingles out of craft foam sheets.
Wed, 08/13/2014 - 11:55
What a lucky daughter you have! How old is she? I'm 28, and I'd LOVE to have this bed! ;) You can tell a lot of work went into this and the details. Great job.
This was a pretty straightforward project. The building itself was simple and quick, although the sanding and paint took a while. I wish I had sanded before putting the boards together to make a cleaner look. The bolts had to be awkwardly close to the edge to avoid the 2x6s on the headboard and footboard, but it ended up working ok with some serious pre-drilling. I used 9 1x3 slats to create the platform for each mattress (18 total). It would probably be better with 12 so they are closer together.
Overall, the bunk bed is super sturdy (and heavy!) and the kids LOVE it.
