Community Brag Posts

Rustic Adirondack Bench (love seat)

I loved the Rustic Adirondack Chair so much I felt I needed to make a bench in the same style. I had to be a little creative with the chair plans and modify them to make my bench work. I am absolutely thrilled with how it came out! I already have a friend who has requested a chair and bench (love seat) for his son's wedding gift!

Estimated Cost
Material costs for the wood was $85-ish. Wood prices are nuts right now!
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

mjackson41995@…

Fri, 08/20/2021 - 16:37

You can make the 1x10 in any length you want. I’m planning on making a loveseat too and The measurements I chose for the seating area will be 48” long (which is the size for 2 seat cushions).

The Step 1 in Ana’s plan, all measurements will be the same.

Step 2: The two 2x4 horizontal supports will be cut at 48”.

Step 3: the two 1x10 seat panels will be 3 inches longer than the horizontal supports. So you will cut the 1x10 seat panels at 51”.

Step 4: Instead of two, you will need THREE seat supports. So cut three 2x4’s @ 32 3/4”. The third seat support will go in the middle of the other seat supports, drilled to the horizontal back support.

Step 5: Attach your back bottom horizontal support which will be a 2x4 at 48”.

Step 6: Attach the 1x10 seat back panels. You will cut (3) 1x10 @ 48”.

Here is the cut list for the loveseat version of Ana’s Adirondack plan. These are the lengths I chose. So with this cut list your loveseat should be big enough for two 24x24” seat cushions. I plan to add cushions for extra comfort.

My cut list:
(2) 2x4 @ 31 3/4”
(2) 2x4 @ 19 1/2”
(2) 2x4 @ 33 1/4” Cut at 20 degrees as per Ana’s plan.
(3) 2x4 @ 48” Horizontal supports. One goes behind your calves.
The other connects the end frames/arm rests at the back.
(2) 1x10 @ 51” Seat panels.
(3) 2x4 @ 32 3/4” Vertical supports for the back panels.
(3) 1x10 @ 48” The back panels.

Chicken coop and run

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 10/05/2021 - 11:01

I followed the Shed Coop Plans to make this chicken coop and designed my own run. Because I wanted to view the chickens coming in and out of the coop, I moved the chicken door to the front and built a little covered area to shelter the coop door so I did not have to have the entire run extend over the front. I also made the access to the layer boxes be accessible from the front rather than the top so that my kids could more easily access the egg boxes. I thought these were great plans to follow and easy to adapt to fit what I wanted in a coop. I also ended up adding a lean-to storage on the back with an inside access so I could easily refill their feed.

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Seasonal And Holiday

Ice cream cart

Submitted by Markb25 on Mon, 11/22/2021 - 23:52

A friend wanted a tatty old chest freezer turning into a traditional looking ice cream cart for her business. The freezer itself was way to heavy and not really fit for purpose but, after a week of tinkering about with a couple of design changes here and there to accommodate the weight, I don't think I've done too bad a job.

The internal frame is Nordic fir, half lapped at the joints and secured in place with 38mm oak dowels, the cladding is 6mm birch ply finished with paint from the French chic Al fresco range, the writing proved a little challenging on the the eyes and my hands aren't as steady as they used to be but she's happy.

Comments

Freestanding Closet

Submitted by vendo on Fri, 04/08/2022 - 16:44

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)

Pet Stairs

Submitted by alli2410 on Tue, 03/13/2018 - 06:26

I needed sturdy stairs for my 2 60lb dogs.  My bed is 33 inches from floor to top of mattress.  So, this is my very first project completed by myself!  Custom size pet stairs 24inx24inx24

Estimated Cost
$40-50
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax polyshades Espresso gloss (3 coats)
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

twin over full bunkbed

Submitted by sjknecht on Sun, 02/26/2012 - 14:38

This project was so much easier than I thought it would be when we started. If you follow ana's plans your bunkbed will be much stronger than anything you can buy for a fraction of the price. I would never do it but I honestly think I could park my truck on these beds. The finish is red mahogany stain with a couple coats of polyurethane over it. They say not to use dark stain over pine because of the uneven coat but i like the way it striped the grain. Not everyone's cup of tea but we love it.
We've all heard the saying "give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and you feed him for life. Thank You Ana for teaching me to fish. This was the first, but will not be the last project i do from your site.

Estimated Cost
about 200
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
minwax red mahogany stain, and 3 coats of minwax polyurethane
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Paulieboxer

Ana, First time I have every attempted any kind of woodwork/building furniture other than building Ikea stuff. The plans were very easy to follow and now I want a chop saw for xmas. I roped my daughter in to help me and we completed the project in 2 days. Husband was totally blow away by our achievement. I love it and feel accomplished. Away to work on the table and further benches/seating over the next few weeks. Pauline

Estimated Cost
£200
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Hamper

My family is expanding, which means more laundry! (I am 39 weeks pregnant now) So I decided to build a big enough hamper for us (two adults, one toddler who constantly dirties his clothes). For finish, I tried to mix two stains "weathered oak" and "dark walnut" and I think it came out really nice! I must admit I love my new hamper!

Estimated Cost
$40~50
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
weathered oak : dark walnut = 2:1
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

momkanof6

Wed, 04/01/2015 - 05:00

I liked this design of hamper you made. After looking at your photo and doing some figuring I started working on my own yesterday. So far I like it, although I think mine maybe taller. Again I really like your idea here.

Outdoor Sectional

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 07/27/2020 - 12:15

Modified the plans of the outdoor sofa and sectional piece to create this set, then added cushions from IKEA.

Finish Used
SuperDeck Cedar Tone Natural

Comments

Seasonal And Holiday

Baby Ray's New Closet!

Submitted by Katurn89 on Wed, 11/14/2018 - 08:24

This was the second building project I've ever completed. I had to make a few adjustments to make it fit the size of ray's closet, but it was totally worth it. most of the work was in the measuring, sanding, and sealing of the wood. Ftting the frames can be a little tricky if your planks aren't perfectly straight. Otherwise, this project was pretty straight forward and can be done in just a few days depending on how much time you have to dedicate to it. Thanks Ana!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
About $150
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Early American stain and polyurethane
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Outdoor Sectional and Pallet Coffee Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 11/20/2016 - 17:56

Hi Ana! 

My husband used your plans to build the 2x4 outdoor cedar sectional :) He did it in 1 day and it couldn't have been easier! He even tried first time working with pallets to make a small table and it came out perfectly too! Can't wait to enjoy family time on our new back porch.

Thanks Again & Love From Austin ❤️

Kathleen 

Estimated Cost
$350
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Stain
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

meredithl

Thu, 10/24/2019 - 16:35

Hi, your furniture is beautiful.  May I ask:   Where did you find your cushions?  And what color/ brand stain did you use?  Lovely job.

Seasonal And Holiday

Vinyl Record Storage

I've made another record cabinet, this time with a nice dark walnut stain.  To see more details and plans visit my blog.

http://www.woodworkingfourdummies.com/

 

Cheers,

Ian

Estimated Cost
400
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax Dark Walnut
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Cedar Chest

We have considered buying a cedar-lined chest to store blankets, towels, etc. for many years.  However, we couldn’t find one that came close to matching the Knotty Pine bedroom set that we had in our master suite. 

Hence, our design criteria was quite simple; match the bedroom set and have a chest sturdy enough to support our Beagles as they peer at the squirrels outside the window.

We used plans / ideas from several different chest designs which were readily available on the internet.  Most of those plans were using hard woods such as oak.  Those plans called for a hard wood framing with ¼” oak plywood for the panels.  Since we needed to use Knotty Pine to match the bedroom set, we used 1” Knotty Pine for framing and Knotty Pine ¾ ply w/ Kreg Screws and copious glue to strengthen the construct.  We finished it off with locally available 3/8” cedar T.G. planks.  It is very heavy and very strong!  This project was done entirely w/ Kreg Screws and no router rabbeting for the panels.

We learned the following while doing this project:

·      When using soft woods, always put the power sander on the wood before you start the sander.  Otherwise, you can get scratching / sander burns that don’t present themselves until staining begins.

·      While very strong, ¾” plywood is very heavy!

·      When using plywood, it is recommended that you stain both the visible and non-visible sides of each piece where glue is not to be applied.  Otherwise the chance for delaminating increases dramatically.

60 hours work and $350 to build.   

Estimated Cost
$350.00
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax stain and hand-rubbed varnish.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Four station desk (PB inspired)

Submitted by monty742 on Sun, 03/15/2015 - 08:58

I really liked the PB mega desk, but I didn't want to spend $1600 on it.  After seeing someone's post here (a couple years ago...) asking for plans on that desk, I decided to do it myself.  I took these two plans and made 4 base units.  They are 18" square at the top and 34" tall.  I used 2 IKEA table tops connected underneath for the top, to make a total height of 36" - counter stool height.  I constructed them a little differently than the plans, but no matter how you make them, the idea is the same.  The plan is to take them apart and make 2 desks once everyone is too old and cool to do homework/artwork together.

Estimated Cost
$500
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Kitchen and Bath finish paint (2 coats) - it's a little shinier than eggshell (I only used it because I had 2 or 3 gallons extra at home :) then 2 coats acrylic top coat matte finish.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

monty742

Sat, 08/15/2015 - 04:33

Just seeing your comment...sorry for the delay!  I got the stools and the light fixture at a Ballard Backroom (outlet) store near me.  3 of the stools ended up being about $40 each with the sale they had at the time, and the 4th was $60? - bought at a later time than the first 3.

AlisaH

Wed, 11/04/2015 - 07:40

How did you connect the table tops from the bottom so that the tables were secure together? I'm curious what's the best way to do this. Since two of the four seats will be where the seam is, I want to make sure I secure it properly so it's not wobbly. Thanks so much.

 

monty742

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 05:06

I'm just seeing these latest comments for the first time, so you may have long finished this project already!  The tops were surprisingly sturdy but I did reinforce them.  I placed the tops on the floor upside down and screwed some metal brackets (about 12" long each) across the joint in four places.  I just screwed them in through holes already in the brackets.  This wasn't the most stable because those tops are particle board and don't hold screws very well...  But since it was already pretty sturdy, I figured it would do.  It has been fine, even with standing on the top (kids who get up there and me hanging the light fixture above).

Once the tops were joined, I placed the bases so there was about a 1" overhang on the top.  To hold the top in place, I used small pieces of wood screwed to the underside of the top at the inside corner to act as a placement stop.  The top is pretty big and heavy even though they are IKEA tops, so they don't have a tendency to move or slide at all anyway.  I'm going to try to figure out how to post another picture of the braces and corner stops...we'll see if I can do it!  Let me know if you have any more questions...again, sorry I didn't see this in a more timely manner!

Pmprdwife

Sat, 01/02/2016 - 05:55

Is the photo above the Pottery Barn version or your product result?  I'm trying to figure out the dimensions for the drawer and shelf configurations.  Thanks!  BTW, I'm totally addicted to your style and personality...my husband loves the productivity inspiration I've received. :-)

 

monty742

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 10:17

Hi!

I'm glad you like the desk!  The one in the picture is the one I built, not the pottery barn one!  My dimensions were a good bit different than the PB desk - square bases instead of rectangular and counter stool height instead of desk/table height.  So, I have no idea if I have my plans for this anymore, so I went and measured it again for you!  

So each base is 18" x 18" square and 34" high so that with the 2" top the total height is 36".

 

Each base was made of oak plywood that made with 3 sides, a top and a bottom.  All edges were rabbit joints (3/8" deep in thickness of boards and probably 3/8" wide - not 100% on width of rabbits).  It's kind of a pain to do rabbit joints if you don't have a dado blade for your table saw, so you could use pocket hole screws instead.  I glued and nailed these joints with a finish nailer, I believe.  

I figured a diagram with measurements would be easier than trying to write descriptions...so I'm adding another pic with the dimensions outlined.  Drawing is NOT to scale, so sorry about that!  I really need to learn to use SketchUp.  Let me know if you have any questions!  

Monty742

monty742

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 07:57

Hi!

I'm glad you like the desk!  The one in the picture is the one I built, not the pottery barn one!  My dimensions were a good bit different than the PB desk - square bases instead of rectangular and counter stool height instead of desk/table height.  So, I have no idea if I have my plans for this anymore, so I went and measured it again for you!  

So each base is 18" x 18" square and 34" high so that with the 2" top the total height is 36".

 

Each base was made of oak plywood that made with 3 sides, a top and a bottom.  All edges were rabbit joints (3/8" deep in thickness of boards and probably 3/8" wide - not 100% on width of rabbits).  It's kind of a pain to do rabbit joints if you don't have a dado blade for your table saw, so you could use pocket hole screws instead.  I glued and nailed these joints with a finish nailer, I believe.  

I figured a diagram with measurements would be easier than trying to write descriptions...so I'm adding another pic with the dimensions outlined.  Drawing is NOT to scale, so sorry about that!  I really need to learn to use SketchUp.  Let me know if you have any questions!  

monty742

Thu, 07/28/2016 - 14:13

No you can't buy them from Ikea.  I bought the table tops from Ikea, but I built the bases.  The dimensions for the bases are in one of the additional pictures with the post if you want to see them!

treverandamber

Mon, 10/10/2016 - 07:41

What are the total dimensions of the table top? Thinking of building something like this, but want to make sure it will fit in my space.

Simgre81

Thu, 12/28/2017 - 07:00

Are these just slide in drawers, or did you use some sort of hardware to have them slide in and out?

wooden cooler stand

Submitted by stealth517 on Sat, 04/18/2015 - 20:48

This is the cooler stand presented by Jenny from Birdsandsaoap. Very easy to build and always ends up with someone asking to buy it or have you make them one.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$120.00
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax gloss polyurethane.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Radio Flyer Garden Sink

Submitted by mji0707 on Tue, 05/12/2015 - 19:54

Was looking for something to do with an old Radio Flyer wagon.. Saw some great pics on Ana's site for garden ideas and thought this might have the right shape to make a water feature.. beats making a flower potter out of it. -And it does in fact work.. The original plan was to use a simple chrome hook-style faucet but found a great brass antique on ebay for under $10 which really set the tone for its look.

The inside of the wagon is double-coated with Rustoleum clear sealant, over-layed with a red top coat. The wheels and handle are original and the hanging bar across the front is from conduit. The wagon is attached to the stand only around the drain by 2 1/2"x 1/4" machine screws. The brass handle on the right end is so the wagon can be tilted to drain settling water. The drain is a standard 1 1/4" sink kit that connects to a compression coupler. Both the feeder and drain line have hose connections.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
The wagon was rusted when I found it. I sanded the inside just enough to remove the loose rust debris. To get the tub water-tight I gave it two coats of Rustoleum clear sealant spray. That left it foggy-loooking so I sprayed it over again with rustoleum red paint. The wood frame has two coats of antique white with a light covering of parafin. I used a grinder to scuff up the paint and then used a buffing wheel on the power drill to smooth out the wax. The pallet wood is untreated other than removing the old nails.

For advice, I would definitely say to be cautious of the amount of weight that hangs off the back of the cart. I used the extra pieces of 2x4 to build a frame to tie the pallet wood into. Combined with the feeder-line plumbing It added so much weight that i had to move the back wheels out to give it stability.

Much thanks to Ana's site and community for ideas. And I gotta give credit to the crew in the H/D paint dept in Alpharetta, GA for the sealant paint recommendation.

enjoy the pics!
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Daybed with Storage Trundle

Submitted by Crafty-Mom on Sat, 01/27/2018 - 10:38

This was my first project from Ana's website and I'm hooked! I'm a beginner, but thank goodness for my Dad's help because I have a lot of learning to do!

I wanted the drawer to be 1 drawer instead of 3. I feel like it looks cleaner (without having to adjust 3 drawers constantly to make it look good when you push them in). I was thinking the bed could actually be used as a trundle bed in the future too! I use this to store toys right now and it is Awesome!

I increased the bed size to fit a twin mattress and increased the height of the bed slightly so that the drawer would be a little bit deeper. We also added a back to the bed and carried around the trim to make all sides look the same. We added a bumper to the back and sides of the inside of the bed so the drawer is easy to push in and fits in snug. Finally we reinforced the bottom of the drawer with more 1x4 boards so that if a child does sleep in it, it would be more sturdy. I now have kids come over and jump into the drawer (literally) and I'm glad we reinforced it.

The changes we made did add to the cost and our time (as well as being newbies), but I think it's worth it and the bed turned out beautiful!

Estimated Cost
$180
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Behr Marquee (I'll have to find the name of the white color we used). We almost went with chalk paint, but after talking to the HD guy, he talked me into this paint and I'm glad we used it! So much cheaper and turned out beautiful.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Nisssc

Mon, 10/12/2020 - 07:51

This looks great! Any suggestion if I want cubbies instead of a trundle? Also, cubbies only on side as bed would be against the wall. Thanks for the inspiration!
Sandy

I used the corrugated polycarbonate to cover the greenhouse I made from a chalet style Sun Country Greenhouse Plans. Thanks for the idea.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 03/09/2019 - 06:34

I saw the barn shaped greenhouse plan but preferred a regular roof pitch. I did however incorporate the corrugated polycarbionate as a covering. I find it odd that you guys installed the polycarbonate horizonitally instead of vertically.

Anyway thanks for the info on polycarbonate.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Using cedar framing... 9 x 16' @ $3000 +/-
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Behr
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

hauxy

Tue, 09/01/2020 - 17:47

Love this! I really prefer the roofline on your greenhouse. Did you modify Ana's design, or did you get plans from another site? Would love to replicate your design if possible-very elegant.

Seasonal And Holiday

DIY Bar Cabinet

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 02/24/2020 - 16:27

I bought this tv corner cabinet for $40. I spent many hours turning into my perfect bar cabinet. I built a custom lighted liquor display. I have posted photos of the transformation.

Estimated Cost
$1000
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Benjamin Moore- hale navy
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

frendlygrl

Tue, 07/06/2021 - 19:04

So this is not your project? Because there isn't much information or a before and after picture. This gave me an idea for our home.