Bench Planter
This build was also a lot of fun! I made an extra brace to hold the wait of two sitting on the bench. Thanks again Ana for your plans!
David Marks
Built from Plan(s)
Community Brag Posts
Just My Size Closet
Just My Size Closet!
Built this from Ana's plans with a few modifications.
Started with a big empty box after ripping the old stuff out and finished with this look.
Adjustable shelves and all !
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Whatever white paint my wife bought !!
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
Floating shelves for books + Vinyl storage
I love Ana Whites's site. I go to it all the time when I have project ideas. The Video tutorials, combined with plans, is just amazing. Plus, the brag pages of people that have done projects from what they found here. Thank you Ana.
The floating shelves part was from Ana's site. The other part was done using my own plans (I used SketchUp to draw them)
My wife added the books, plants, and decorations, and I finally opened the dusty boxes that contained my insane LP collection. The experience has nothing to do with steaming music, it is far more complete.
I used plant-lantern brackets to prevent books from falling from the sides of the shelves. All done, this is great.
I would like to change the main picture, but I get strange messages from the site when I do this.
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
This part is hard, as wood cost has never been this expensive. Also, the plant hocks were rather expensive. In fact, I don't want to know the total I've spent on this, but glad I did it myself, otherwise, cost would have doubled, if not more.
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Hard wood floor stain (2 coats on the sides, 3 on the main surfaces).
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
Comments
Mon, 05/20/2024 - 08:23
Wow, this is such an…
Wow, this is such an inspiring project! I can relate to loving Ana White's site for DIY ideas and tutorials. It's amazing how you've combined her plans with your designs using SketchUp. Adding plant-lantern brackets to prevent books from falling is a brilliant touch. I remember how I wrote a story about how I did something similar. I used https://essays.edubirdie.com/personal-statement-writing because I wanted to write a motivating story. And there I was able to get help from professionals. I understand the frustration with wood costs right now; it’s great that you still went ahead with the project despite the expense. The effort and time you invested, especially with the multiple coats of stain, really show your dedication. Thanks for sharing this – it's motivating me to start my DIY project soon!
Play Structure & Swing Set
My second building project... this one took quite a while, building in the evenings after the kids went to bed.
The playhouse is based off of Ana's Playhouse Building series, with some modifications to fit the space in my backyard and accommodate climbing wall, monkey bars, and slide.
To put the main deck structure into the ground for sturdiness while protecting from moisture, I dug out 5 holes to fit single hole cinder blocks (4 corners plus an extra 4x4 for the monkey bars; you can see an leftover block on the ground in one of the pictures). I placed some brick in the holes, then the cinder blocks on top. I then partially filled the cinder blocks with sand, put the pre-built deck in the cinder block holes (with help - it's heavy!), and then filled the rest of the cinder block holes with sand. It's worked remarkably well - the deck has been up for about a year now. I also sprayed some clear waterproof sealant on the bottom part of each beam near the ground for extra protection (deck, monkey bars, climbing walls, and swingset A-frame). This has allowed me to still run sprinklers near/around the playset and even grow grass underneath the swings!
Materials used:
* Playhouse: pine, plywood, Suntuf solar grey polycarbonate corrugated roofing panels (I live in Arizona, so little rain to worry about but lots of heat - the sheeting lets light in but blocks most of the UV rays, corrugated shape also provides venting at top when placed sideways)
* Deck/Swingset/Monkey bars: treated lumber, composite decking, pine for railings, monkey bars purchased from Amazon
* Climbing wall: pine, treated lumber, handholds/railing bought off ebay/Amazon
* Swings/slide/bongos/wheel, telescope: purchased from Amazon
Modifications:
* Turned playhouse 90 degrees to be in back of the deck, with swingset coming off the side. This meant the support beam for the swingset had to pass through the playhouse - modified the frame for that wall slightly and created a notch for the beam to pass through.
* Slide comes out one end of playhouse - made the "window" on that end larger than the plans called for in order to give room for the slide.
* Monkey bars come off one side of the deck - used extra 4x4 here to create support for the bars, and used extra bars to make a ladder on this side
* Climbing wall instead of ladder for main entrance
* Put large window in back wall of the playhouse
* Added cross bracing to side of decking on swingset end to make it more solid/cut down on sway when swinging
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Paint on playhouse, water seal on railings
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Comments
Tue, 04/29/2014 - 20:41
Phenomenal
This is phenomenal - just the plan & design we've been looking for. Can you upload a few more pictures? Any sketches you can provide? Shopping list? Really great job - I hope your kids love it. It looks awesome.
Wed, 09/10/2014 - 14:03
Thank you!
Thanks! It's certainly nestled in right behind that tree - I originally was going to place it in between that tree and another one but then decided to just place it behind them in order to take better advantage of shade (critical in AZ) and fit in everything I wanted to put on it (monkey bars, swings, slide, climbing wall)
Mon, 07/08/2019 - 00:48
You're Awesome!
We've been looking at these type of players for our son, and good grief! Prices are astronomical for playsets that are NOTHING like this. This absolutely an amazing place for those boys to make memories. You're amazing! Do you mind if I ask what it cost once it was finished? I never imagined that it would cause a tic in my eye to look at the kids from Lowe's or anywhere else for that matter.
Tue, 08/20/2019 - 10:14
Thanks!
I don't remember how much it cost in the end... but probably around $900? That may include getting some tools that I needed but didn't have at the time. The slide was the most expensive single piece I bought - I think I got it from Amazon.
When it was all done, I remember thinking that what I got for my money was *way* beyond what I would have gotten by purchasing a kit or a pre-built play structure. Plus, by going my own way, I was able to build it to fit my space and the needs/abilities of my kids.
While the whole thing is big and looks like an intimidating build, it really isn't bad - the platform is a fairly blank base to design everything else off of, and is incredibly sturdy. Everything else is a discrete part that branches off of the platform and can be planned out as you need. Adding the monkey bars required putting in a 5th upright (the first 4 are the corners), but that was an easy modification since I knew I wanted it before building the platform. The playhouse just sat on top of the platform (screwed down, of course).
Sat, 08/01/2020 - 20:40
2 questions
Hello. This is pretty cool, probably the best modification that I am looking for from Ana's default plans. Could you please add some more detail on the right side wall, and how you incorporated the support beam through the playhouse? (with maybe a picture from inside of that wall). And secondly, if you can add the dimensions for the monkey bar setup on the left side of the deck? Thanks, much appreciated
Planter Porch Steps
Plan modified to be built on stringers due to hight.
Built from Plan(s)
Finish Used
Pending
Comments
Fri, 07/07/2023 - 15:22
Do you have an illustration…
Do you have an illustration or instructions on the exact modifications you used for this project?
A-Frame Chicken Coop - Easy to Clean
Thanks for the free plans. I did have to make modifications for the doors. i hid the hinges to give it a clean look. i used cedar for the trim and Plywood Siding Panel T1-11 4 IN OC (Common: 19/32 in. x 4 ft. x 8 ft.; Actual: 0.563 in. x 48 in. x 96 in.) for the doors. i used a metal flashing for the roof so it will vent.
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$250
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
BEHR Transparent waterproofing finish (Cedar Natural Tone) NO 501
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Upholstered bed frame (King size)
I used the plans from Ana excepted converted the measurements to fit a King. Our mattress comes in on July 3 so I'm praying that it fits! This was our first project and we cannot wait to do more!!
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
fabric from fabric.com
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project
Comments
Tue, 06/25/2013 - 14:52
Thanks so much! I purchased
Thanks so much! I purchased it from fabric.com. I actually ordered a bunch of swatches first before I chose :)
Fri, 06/28/2013 - 17:51
That's really awesome! Well
That's really awesome! Well done! The Suzani print fabric was a nice choice :)
Tue, 04/13/2021 - 21:40
This is very cool! What size…
This is very cool! What size & type lumber did you use for the slats?
Golf Club Locker
Utilized the plan for the Locker Book Shelf-Full Size and modified it a bit to convert to a golf club locker. Definitely keeps all the clubs, shoes, and accessories organized and eliminates the clutter. My wife loves it, course she added the baskets, which makes it look awesome! Actually this is how I stumbled upon Ana White's website. I was looking high and low for a plan for golf club lockers, and found Ana's website as part of the process. Best google search I've ever done!
Built from Plan(s)
Comments
Mon, 04/11/2022 - 14:51
Perfect for the golfer!
WOW, that looks awesome and is the perfect storage solutions for all the golf gear! Thank you for sharing.:)
A's Full Size Loft Bed
My son needed more room in his bedroom...and to be rid of the very girly furniture he inherited when he moved into his "big boy-ish" bedroom. At 10 yrs old, it was high time he got a bed that wasn't pink-tinged, white washed pine with 4 posters and enough curlicues to choke a forest. He also needed a desk which I couldn't really fit in his room with the armoire and chest of drawers that came with the Queen sized bed.
So off to Ikea we went and I saw a black loft bed for $300, but it was really, really high which meant I would have to cut it down and it was not sturdy at all. I looked at PB and saw the $1800 bed. Um, no - that wasn't happening. So, off to Ana-White I went and I'm so happy I did!
I built the full sized version of these plans and, to keep costs down, used wood I had on hand. This meant I had to work a bit at the cuts, but it all worked out.
Mods:
1) I modified the railings to have the ladder at the end of the bed to keep away from the ceiling fan.
2) Because I put the ladder at the end of the bed, I got very nervous about having a soon-to-be teen climbing on to a ladder secured to a 1x10 that was only connected to the side railings with glue and screws. So I sandwiched extra 1x3s over the bottom rails and attached them to the top railing.
3) I was very nervous about making sure that the bed was adequately supported so I put a 2x4 down the center instead of the 1x2.
4) I went a wee-bit overboard screwing things together to the point where it's a bit embarrassing and now I have to paint over the screw heads.
5) I made the ladder treads with 2x4's, modifying the inside spacer board cut lengths.
Because I had quite a bit of lumber on hand, the bed only ended up costing me about $90.
For the bookcase, I did end up buying the 1x12s and the adjustable shelf railings. I made the book shelf the entire width of of the bed and split the two sections based on width of the 1x24 board I bought for the desk. I only put the backer board up half way so that the daylight could get underneath the bed and make it not so cave-like.
The book case cost me about $70.
The desk was the easiest...but most costly item. A 1x6x24, 4 table legs and the table leg mounts ran me about $80. The plexiglass top that I had cut for the top cost me about $80.
Time wise, this would have taken me a lot less time than the 4 months it took - but I worked on it as I could and when I could, by myself. I got some friends to help me bring it upstairs and put it back together, but it was mostly done when I could fit in some time.
My son LOVES this and it really does give him so much room!!! Thanks Ana - I really appreciate it!
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
with paint, screws and bookcase hardware, about $450
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
gloss spray paint / primer in one.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
Comments
Thu, 01/17/2013 - 08:42
Plans for Full Size Loft Bed with Desk/shelves
Hello,
Where might I find the modified loft bed plans that allow for a full-sized mattress and the under desk-shelves?
Thank you!
Fri, 01/18/2013 - 07:38
How I made this full sized
Hi!
To modify this to be full sized, I just added 15" to the width of the bed. Ana said this in the plans:
Cutting Instructions:
Converting to Full Size This bed can easily be converted to full size. You will simply need to add 15″ to all boards that run parallel to the ends. This includes the planks, end top pieces and the slats. Shopping list will need to be adjusted as well.
So I modified the cuts to the head and foot board parts and the full size mattress fits perfectly.
For the shelving underneath, I just looked at some of Ana's other plans for shelves and winged it.
Garden/Storage Shed
Building a storage shed was quite a jump for me but because of the confidence and experience I gained from Ana's site I decided to give it a shot. I acquired the plans online. It has 8 foot high walls and 3 feet of "attic space". The shed is 8'x12'. I used cement board lap siding. It took about seven weeks to finish working a few hours here and there. I really like it. Even has a little window flower box.
Estimated Cost
2100.00
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Benjamin Moore Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Comments
Eagle Project Workbench - Ultimate Roll Away Workbench with Miter Saw Stand
My son chose to make a workbench for his high school theater for his Eagle Scout project, and selected the Ultimate Roll Away Workbench with Miter Saw Stand as the basis for the project. The theater teacher wanted pegboard for tool storage, so we extended the rear legs on each workbench and notched the top to allow them to pass through. We built two frames from 1x3s to fit inside the rear legs, then put a pegboard inside each one.
To secure the extended legs, we added a riser shelf from 1x8s. We put a storage station for drills at one end of the riser shelf.
We also made all the cart shelves adjustable and added an adjustable shelf under the miter saw, and added lighting and power strips.
We left out the panels at the end of the workbench to allow access to the shelves there without having to remove the carts. Once we had constructed it, we added a brace at each end of the workbench to better support the outside front legs.
This plan was the perfect one for the theater, giving a stable work area for the miter saw and allowing for tool and materials storage. The carts can be rolled around to where a work surface is needed. This will come in handy for years of set construction in the theater. So proud of my son and all the leadership and hard work he put into this project!
Built from Plan(s)
Comments
Mon, 10/18/2021 - 11:54
Proud indeed!
WOW, that is absolutely amazing, thank you so much for sharing this story!
Lumber Storage
We are so excited about have an organized way to store our lumber and scraps. We only had to purchase 4 2x4’s for this project and were able to use a lot of on-hand scrap pieces. The plans were so clear and easy to follow. Thank you for sharing!!
Built from Plan(s)
Comments
Wed, 08/24/2022 - 09:50
Sweet Lumber Storage!
This looks awesome and that 's great you had so much on hand to make it happen! Thanks for sharing.
Great weekend project...the "love swing"
A great weekend project...the "love swing"! I used the plan from Ana for the swing seat and added two arm rests from left over 1x6, rounded them off and sanded.
I cobbled together an A-frame to hang everything, made from five 8 foot 4x4s and two 8 foot 2x6s laminated together for the stretcher. Assembled with 1/2" galvanized carriage bolts and hung with 1/4" chain.
Definitely going to want a good miter saw for the A-Frame angles (the top ones are a bit tricky to get everything lined up)
Love it! Thanks for another great plan Ana..and of course..Shanty2Chic!
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$200 ish..including the A-Frame... the hardware and chain can be pricey!
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Behr exterior weatherproofing stain - Chocolate.
Just 2 thin coats, dries fast...second coat can be applied later the same day.
Just 2 thin coats, dries fast...second coat can be applied later the same day.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner
Comments
Murphy Bed
This is a Murphy Bed that I made for my daughter Alicia for their getaway home at Canadian Lakes, MI. Due to limited space i had to make it horizontal instead of the normal way of being vertical. It really comes in handy and takes up very little space.
Built from Plan(s)
Finish Used
Red paint mixed with Baking Soda
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Comments
Fri, 07/19/2013 - 15:17
Great job!
Looks great! Love the color and the trims you used. Where did you find your hinge hardware? PS- How did you like the baking soda paint? I've tried ASCP which was good but very pricey, and last time made my own with some plaster of paris. Your finish is lovely.
Sat, 07/20/2013 - 18:47
Murphy Bed
I bought the spring hardware on line. I can't take the credit for the paint as my daughter did that part. She loves the way that the baking soda and paint covers everything and it is a whole lot less expensive than buying the commercial stuff.
Sun, 09/28/2014 - 01:02
Murphy Bed
I found some cool designed Murphy Bed Collection. Also bought one. Its so cool. Just happy to get that. You also can check this place <a href="http://murphybedikea.com/">murphy beds</a>
DIY Breakfast Nook with Storage
DIY Breakfast Nook
I completed this project in a weekend, over 2 days. The space was an empty void in the corner of our kitchen, so I decided to fill with a functional seating and eating space.
I first removed the trim from the wall, so I could reuse it on the front of the box later, to make the bench match the rest of the kitchen. One challenge I came across was rerouting the a/c vent through the front of the box so we didn't lose that circulation.
My sister-in-law chipped in to make the cushions and pillows to soften it up. I added the DIY table, and further defined the space with wainscoting and trim.
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$500
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Semi-gloss trim paint was use, to have the ability to clean later after meals, etc.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Comments
Sun, 01/09/2022 - 16:45
Breakfast Nook
Hey there,
Absolutely love your DIY breakfast nook. Unfortunately the additional blog/info link is no longer working as I'm trying to gather more information. Would anyone be able to send the instructions and/or new link?
Thank you
Short version of cedar shed
We wanted a shorter version, so that it would hide behind this fence. I just needed somewhere to store lawnmower, wheelbarrow, and a few yard supplies. I started putting the roof on hinges, but the gas struts couldn't support the 170 pound roof. So it's fixed in place (stronger structure anyway). That's why I went with 2x4's for the framed walls instead of 2x2's.
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
600
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Not yet finished, will get to that.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Comments
Thu, 06/11/2020 - 17:15
Very Nice modification. Two…
Very Nice modification. Two thumbs up! May I please ask you for the dimensions of the shed?
Eric's Cedar Shed!!
Thank you for the plans, shed turned out great! My association required me to match the siding color, roof color, and anchor to a concrete slab. So I poured 25 bags of 80lbs concrete to make a 9x5 slab. Redid the plans for an 8x4 shed, built the frame with 2x4s and not 2x2's, installed flashing, ice/water shield + felt + matching shingles since I'm near Chicago, and used a flexio finishing sprayer to paint the shed. Saved some $ by using 2 Redwood Grain Fiber siding panels for $22 each at HD.
All in all very happy with my shed and all my dangerous yard tools and woodworking tools can be put away from my toddler.
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
400
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Behr Premium Plus exterior paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Greenhouse
We made some modifications to the greenhouse to include a bench with three levels, a working bench and a square foot garden. We also put it on concrete to keep all the weeds out from the bottom as well.
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
2500.00
Finish Used
We start our own seeds and plan to grow 15 different varieties of vegetables inside this greenhouse all year long.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Comments
DIY Murphy Wall Bed
Just finished up my Murphy Bed project. Hope you like.
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
280.00
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Weathered Oak Stain
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Comments
Mon, 03/09/2020 - 20:30
Amazing. I’ve seen these and…
Amazing. I’ve seen these and have been looking for plans. May just have to dive in and interpret from pictures. You did a really great job, nice work.
Wed, 12/22/2021 - 14:06
The plans are for a…
The plans are for a different bed than the one in the picture.
Freestanding Closet
My daughter's room didn't have a closet, so I built one. This only took a couple of hours to build. I found the bins on Amazon and built to fit. It's 60" wide 18" D and 75" tall. I love this plan, it's super easy to modify the size and configuration!
Built from Plan(s)
Sandbox with Cover
The cover is a tonneau cover for a pickup truck. It's for a 6.5' truck bed so if you notice, I had to ad a 2x4 and one more picket on top to accommodate the extra length.
The cover would add a ridiculous amount of money to the project but it was repurposed. I found it on a truck that was in an accident and going to the scrap yard. I think it it came out great and my grandson loves it.
John
Built from Plan(s)