Community Brag Posts

Girly Bunk Beds

Submitted by bzzz61 on Sun, 09/16/2012 - 09:29

We built these bunk beds and absolutely love them!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$300
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Wood Ledges

Submitted by SaraLodise on Sun, 07/13/2014 - 19:55

A nice quick build to add some decoration to the house. I made three ledges at 80" long. I had initially made them for a different room that could only allow 80" ledges, but ended up not being able to put them there because the wall was too curved to attach the ledges. Ledges have two coats of Miniwax Special Walnut Oil stain and Polycrilic.

All the "art" things were painted on old scrap from a years worth of ana-white projects. I used the three different stains I had left over (Miniwax Aged Oak Gel Stain, Weathered Oak Oil Stain, & Special Walnut Oil Stain) and alternated them on the three different types of wood scraps (Oak, pine, & maple). Then I "distressed" them with physical abuse and watered down acrylic craft paint. The designs were also acrylic craft paint. Then I sanded it all down to give it a worn look.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$37 in whitewood boards
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
2 coats of Miniwax Special Walnut Oil Stain + Polycrylic
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Rolling Cubby Bench in Maple & Walnut

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 10/19/2016 - 09:54

I loved these rolling cubby plans, so I used them to build one of my own! I needed a bench that could "nest" itself within some open shelves, but be pulled out to provide additional table seating. 

I built this one from maple and walnut, because I like the bright, white color of maple against the brownish/gray of walnut. I very much dislike shiny or dark woods, so I went for an ultra matte wax finish. I used a liming wax for the maple to keep it bright and white (maple tends to go yellow when finished with a "clear" or "natural" finisher), and a clear wax for the walnut. 

I found some non-marking casters on Amazon, but that was the tricky part. The bench needed to be high enough to create ample storage, yet not too tall that it was uncomfortable to sit on. SO I went with s smaller caster, but needed to use six to support the weight of the bench and three occupants. Final bench dimensions are 19" H x 47" W x 17 " D. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$200? The walnut really drove up the price, so I reduced the ratio of walnut to maple.
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Liming Wax (on Amazon), Natural Wax. No stain! Stain is bad! Don't use stain!
If wax isn't a strong enough finish for you (ie you have kids), you can always use a regular glossy or "satin" finisher of your choice, then apply wax on top of it to keep the matte look. Most finishers will yellow or darken the maple, though. For the bright, white finish that I wanted, liming wax was the only thing that worked.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Collapsible Table for Craft Fairs

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 06/03/2024 - 08:58

My wife wanted a collapsible table for her craft fair sales. I put a wooden dowel in the opening for her to drape packing paper over and hooks on the sides for gift bags. Easy plans to follow and it turned out great!

Todd Martens

Built from Plan(s)

Pottery Barn Inspired Headboard

This is a Pottery Barn inspired headboard. You can see from the pictures posted that I used 4 different kinds of wood. Reason being that money is tight and I had extra wood laying around the garage. I really enjoyed this project thanks to Anna's post here http://ana-white.com/2010/03/plans-mason-headboard-its-all-in-finish.ht…. I noticed there was a lot of posts concerning the finish. For my headboard I used 2 coats of primer, sanding in between coats. 2 coats of paint. 1 coat of chocolate glaze ( 4 parts glaze, 1 part stain). 1 coat of sealer. I followed this post for my finish http://ana-white.com/2012/05/distressed-turquoise-chocolate-glaze. Good luck everyone. Feel free to ask questions.

- Brad

Build time: 2.5 hours
Painting time: 4 hours
Building cost: Free (reclaimed wood)
Painting cost: $25-$30

Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
2 coats of primer. 2 coats of paint. 1 coat of chocolate glaze ( 4 parts glaze 1 part stain) 1 coat of sealer
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

My apothecary sofa table

Submitted by PIannelli on Wed, 07/16/2014 - 06:52

This was my second project off Ana White's website. The construction was not as difficult as I would have thought. The staining on the other hand was very time intensive. I made an amended version of the table since I only wanted a 1x12 vs. 1x16. All in all, I am extremely happy with how this turned out.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
260
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Kona brown and weathered gray stain with spray polyurethane
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Cornhole game

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 10/22/2016 - 14:52

Built this for my son in law. Texas A@m cornhole game and a bonus washer game with the left overs

Estimated Cost
35.00! in plywood and two by four. That also is for paint and stickers.
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Captain's Bed

Submitted by Jack-1961 on Sun, 07/19/2020 - 08:02

A little challenging (for me) to put a drawer on the foot end of the bed. All the plans I found had drawers on the side, thus putting more limitations as to where I could place the bed in the room.

Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

DIY Little Kids Picnic Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 06/07/2024 - 07:27

When I built the little kids picnic table, I substituted 1x4 lumber, except for the top slats, the seats and the cross supports. The measurements needed to be adjusted of course. It was a fun project to build. The plans were clear and easy to follow.

Rick

Built from Plan(s)
Seasonal And Holiday

Farmhouse Bench

Submitted by deschudon on Thu, 09/20/2012 - 05:12

We have Pottery Barn furniture in our cottage and I wanted a bench for our bedroom. I found this plan was very close to the "Benchwright" style and I'm very happy with the results, including the match in stain colour. It cost me approx. $40 vs $650 at Pottery Barn. The effort was definitely worthwhile !

Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax stain 1 coat + Crystalex water base varnish 2 coats on top.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Ombre Step Up Side Table

Submitted by IronMom on Fri, 07/18/2014 - 16:23

I needed a table to fit in the gap of my offset and back to back couches. I made the bottom shelf a little bit longer to better fit the space. I also added additional screws to the back for more stabilization since I knew my kids would find the steps irresistible. The different hues of blue make it more interesting.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$50
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Latex paint and spray clear coat
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Rustic X Coffee Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 10/25/2016 - 19:11

I had already built the Rustic X End Tables, and 3 years later I finally built the Rustic X Coffee Table to match!  I shorted the length by 8" and coated the whole piece in a steel wool and vinegar solution.  I then went back and used White Adirondack chalk paint by Folk Art for the base.  I sanded the edges lightly for the distressing and put 3 coats of Minwax Matte Polyurethane over the entire piece for the top coat.  I ended up putting 2 large wicker baskets underneath for extra storage and it is perfect!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$60-$100
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Steel wood & Vinegar, White Adirondack chalk paint by Folk Art, Minwax Matt Polyurethane
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Heavy Duty Bed

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 06/08/2024 - 09:27

I wanted a heavy duty spare room bed but didn’t want to pay a mint… so I built one.

RosieOh

Built from Plan(s)

Hall Tree

I have always wanted a hall tree, but could not spend the hundreds of dollars for one. I was so excited when I found these plans.

I had a very hard time finding baskets to fit the cubbies. I thankfully found some cheap ones at Wal-Mart that were a two pack of the small and large. I would recommend buying the baskets first, then adjusting the plans.

I hung the shelf with three heavy duty D ring hangers, and then added three screws drilled directly into the studs. We have four rambunctious kids, and did not want the shelf falling down on them. It is super sturdy! I love this piece of furniture so much!

Estimated Cost
$60 (guessing here)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
I used BIN primer followed by two coats of Valspar Gloss Black. I distressed the wood with sandpaper, and then used Miwax Red Mahogany on the distressed areas. I also applied a coat of clear protectant over the paint. It took a long time to dry between each type of paint, but it was very hot and humid in the garage. The paint is holding up fabulously!
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

outdoor patio furniture

Well this was first project my hubby and I tackled together. He actually let me use the power tools. The plans were great! Loved having a shopping list! I made the cushion s myself. I have to say, I wish I had made the couch and chairs the size of cushions available at Lowes . AFt e r you buy foam batting fabric and chording I found set at lowes for a lot less but I am so happy how it all turned out . Thks for providing plNz!

Estimated Cost
500 with cushions
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Non transparent stain.Olympic elite stain an sealant n one
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

charitydtrull

Sun, 05/24/2020 - 14:45

I can't find the plans for these pieces. I found the one using 2x4, but these pieces look like they use 2x2. Can someone tell me where to get the plans?
Thank you,

Seasonal And Holiday

Double Wide Modern Chaise Lounge

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 07/22/2020 - 13:20

I used pine to build this bed. I am still going to paint it with some exterior house paint! The lumber and screws came in around $120. I got two cushions on clearance at Target for $20 each. I got a duvet cover on clearance at Bed Bath and Beyond for $20. The paint was $25 for a quart, and I also bought a gallon of primer to use on lots of future projects for about $20. I spent 5 hours sanding, 4 hours cutting, and 5 hours assembling with a friend. Much cheaper and more fun than the $1400 one from Restoration Hardware!

Estimated Cost
$225
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
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